Founded in California in 2005, the manufacturer of Smart & Adjustable beds is present in more than 50 countries. In Europe, it initially opened a branch in Vilnius, but as the business evolved, it became "highly concentrated primarily in the Baltics" before moving to Central Europe. By around 2021, the idea of establishing an autonomous company to lead the EMEA region came into play. The choice to settle in Lisbon was made, explains the General Director of Ergomotion® EMEA, Nuno Figueiredo, highlighting the change,which was accelerated by the pandemic, as well as the war in Ukraine.
The result? "In two years, we were generating more than double the revenue compared to when we were in Lithuania," he says to Negócios, indicating that the EMEA region closed 2024 with 14.5 million euros, or nearly 4% less than the turnover of the multinational Keeson, listed in Shanghai. Portugal accounts for "less than 1%, which is related to the fact that mattress and bed manufacturers are not established here."
"There is at least one more industry average, with which we have been developing some business, but we still have much more to explore."
14.5 REVENUE
Ergomotion's revenue in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa market reached 14.5million euros in 2024.
A bed based on necessity
Ergomotion® develops technological bases to incorporate into beds from manufacturers such as the Spanish Pikolin or the Danish Tempur, which represents more than 85% of its business. However, it has also invested in the finished product because "not all the major players could grab the baseand build the rest." The fact that it operates in B2B ("business-to-business") made it difficult to reach the final consumer, since "retailers have their stores" and securing space required creating an online channel.
But what does a bed with Ergomotion® technology have? "It is an active bed that adjusts to the need at any moment, depending on well-being, the time of day, or the purpose," he responds. Various models are available with more than 20 functions, allowing the adjustment of positionand monitoring of sleep quality via sensors.
The pre-defined position, activated with a single click onthe remote, Zero-G, is a registered trademark of the company, originating from NASA. The anti-snore system, which automatically adjusts the bed and tilts the person, are two of these features.
"It's almost like a bed where we choose extras" says the manager, convinced that "one day, everyone will have one, Ijust don't know if it will take 5, 10, 15, or 20 years."
Portugal on the radar for a factory in Europe
Ergomotion® has factories in Mexico, China, and Vietnam and will open one inthe U.S. by the end of the year. It may also have one in Europe. The manager considers it "fundamental"—when business volume exceeds 20 million euros—"depending on how global geopolitics behave regarding customs tariffs," estimating it as "very likely within two to three years."
Portugal is among the potential candidates, along with Slovenia, Slovakia, or Hungary, "more competitive countries witha dvantages in land availability and fiscal benefits for setting up industrial units."
"As long as I am the leader here, I will always make an effort to try to make the company sustainable in Portugal," he assures, though he admits there are factors that do not play in Portugal’s favor, such as the "significant" tax and bureaucratic burden.
"There has been a great effort to attract companies—we don’t want them to make things easier for us, but we also don’t want to be penalized. There are many details that don’t help us, but that is the reality of Portuguese companies," he laments.
This article was originally published by JORNAL DE NEGÓCIOS. It isshared here for informational purposes. All credits go to the original authorand publisher.
Elevate your business with Ergomotion®.
