A young craftsman, Martino Schiavon, produced bicycle seats in an attic in the historical center of Padua.  This was the beginning of the story of Selle SMP, an Italian story based on age-old values such as tenaciousness, spirit of initiative, courage, and the desire to embark on a new enterprise, counting on the strength of one’s own ideas. 

Over the years the company grew and developed until becoming one of the main producers worldwide in terms of innovative capacity and number of products sold. Then, at the beginning of the 2000’s, the sector was hit by a serious crisis caused by formidable competition from Asian producers.

The only company on the panorama of national producers, Selle SMP decided to face the global market difficulties without taking the route of delocalization in countries with low labor costs.

The Schiavon family, convinced that the local production network must not lose experience and know how gained over many years of impassioned work and sacrifices, has kept production and employment in the Veneto region, opting to compete in the field of innovation and quality.

In 2004, following long and in-depth anthropometric and ergonomic studies, Pro, the first creation in the 4BIKE series, was born. Selle SMP became a pioneer of a different and absolutely innovative concept of the bicycle seat.

On July 21, 2006, 60 years after that day in 1947 when he started up his business, Martino passed away. Over the years the “helm” of the company was taken over by his sons Franco and Maurizio, but up to the day he died Martino was the President and continued to show up for work every day.

Today Selle SMP is the leader in the sector of high-range ergonomic seats. Sixty years have gone by, but each individual seat is still entirely produced in the Veneto, with the same passion and craftsmanlike care as when production was in a tiny attic.

If up to a few years ago the focus of the company was the first system, supplying the main world bicycle producers, intensive research and development over the years has led to a substantial modification in the positioning of Selle SMP in the market, enabling it to offer high, middle and low range products.

• 1947 – Selle SMP is founded
• 1970 – Annual production of 1,000,000 seats
• 1981 – Transfer to new headquarters in Casalserugo
• 1990 – Annual production of 3,000,000 seats
• 1995 – Internal testing laboratory is created, over 5,000,000 seats produced
• 2000 – First company in the sector with a certified quality system
• 2004 – The 4bike revolution is born with the PRO model
• 2005 -  Composit, Evolution, Stratos ………..
• 2006 – Thanks Martino!
• 2007 – The carbon era
• 2010 – The first Giro d’Italia