Like many companies, Valencia Dupen faced a tough start when the alarm about covid-19 prompted a nationwide pause in March 2020. Yet once the lockdown lifted, the bedding and sleep-accessory maker woke up with remarkable energy. Demand surged so strongly that the company operated around the clock, with three shifts, seven days a week, to meet a wave of orders as families, spending more time at home, renewed and upgraded bedrooms during the lockdown period.
Dupen now spans more than fifty years of history. The business began in 1966 in Benifaió, a town in southern Valencia, when its founder envisioned a pillow factory in his basement, using scraps from his father’s textile shop. The initial focus was on selling to individuals and small local retailers. The venture grew quickly: production expanded to metal bed bases and eventually to mattresses, complementing the original pillows. Today, the company states it offers everything related to sleep, including headboards and mattresses.
Three decades after its founding, Dupen expanded into marketing. In 1996 the founder decided to sell directly in regions lacking a distributor and established a chain of Dormitienda stores that still operates in many Spanish towns. The first steps took root in Valencia, where a retiring regional distributor left a gap to fill. The business then expanded across the Valencian Community and into northern Spain, with Dormitienda retailers carrying Dupen products.
As ownership began to shift within the family, a break in the partnership emerged about six months ago. The team split the shareholding, with Enrique Dupen remaining aligned with the Dormitienda network, which by that time comprised around 80 stores.
Following the split, Dupen is actively expanding its own mattress production. The company operates a manufacturing facility in Alginet, covering an area of 60,000 square meters and producing about 1,100 mattresses each day. With a team of around 130 people, Dupen posted a turnover of twenty million euros last year and projects reaching 27 million euros in 2022, a roughly 35 percent increase. The focus now is on professionalizing the workforce further, digitally upgrading the company’s production and logistics, and strengthening marketing. To support growth, twelve new sales professionals were added to the team, enhancing Dupen’s reach across the Spanish market.
Looking ahead, the organization plans to grow its international division from four to more markets. At present, the company exports to sixty countries, with international sales accounting for about 40 percent of turnover. The war in Ukraine had a significant impact, halting shipments to Russia, which had accounted for about a quarter of exports before the conflict.
Optimism remains within the company. A spokesperson emphasized that the end of the conflict could see Russia rejoin business as sanctions ease. They also view the broader regional disruption as an opportunity for reconstruction and renewed demand, asserting that hope should not be abandoned. (Source: Company’s public statements on growth and strategy)