MLE

What MLE does

MLE Srl is an Italian private lighting manufacturer founded in 1983 and headquartered in Campi Bisenzio (Florence), operating under CEO and owner Tommaso Nannelli. The company designs, manufactures, and supplies premium lighting fixtures for the global luxury hospitality sector, with a secondary presence in premium residential and art-gallery/museum applications. Its reference portfolio spans Waldorf Astoria New York, Four Seasons George V Paris, Grand Hyatt Martinez Cannes, Hôtel des Bergues Geneva, Gabrielli Venice, and Villa Petrusse, and the company marked its 40th anniversary in 2026 with a refreshed catalogue and company profile.

The product portfolio is organized across ten categories — bedroom lamps, bathroom lights, public-area lighting, picture lights, reading lamps, floor lamps, table lamps, pendants, lighting mirrors, and decorative objects — encompassing more than 100 named product families. Core technology combines LED sources (typically 2700K–3000K warm white) with integrated electronic drivers, IP44 water-resistance ratings for bathroom use, touch-activated dimming, and proprietary craft techniques including hand-crafted Murano glass diffusers, hand-stitched leather-wrapped flexible arms (OPERA, LEATH families), and multilayer hand-made paint finishes commercialized through the MLE Hand-made Paints sub-brand.

Commercially, MLE operates a direct B2B project-based sales motion with no retail or e-commerce distribution; the website requires registration for full catalog access and channels flow through hotel owners, interior designers, and hospitality operators. Revenue is generated through one-time hardware sales of catalog fixtures, bespoke manufacturing under the 'Su Misura' custom program, and a samples service that supports pre-purchase specification. Marketing is anchored on a trilingual (Italian, English, French) website and a curated project portfolio, with ongoing collaborations with named industrial and hospitality designers (Pierre-Yves Rochon, Paolo Mauri, Sybille de Margerie, JOI-Design, L. Bellini, Intemporelle, NLG Design).

Name

MLE

Legal name

MLE Srl

Website

https://mlelighting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MLE Srl is an Italian private lighting manufacturer founded in 1983 in Campi Bisenzio, designing premium LED fixtures for global luxury hotels and hospitality projects. The company operates via direct B2B project sales and bespoke manufacturing, serving clients including Waldorf Astoria, George V, and Grand Hyatt.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Lighting Fixtures

NAICS

Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132), Residential Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335131)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAGAIAK

Specialty & Task/Workstation Lighting (Inspection/task lights, cleanroom/food-grade, portable work lights)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Electrical Equipment & Industrial Electronics/Lighting & Signaling Equipment (Industrial/commercial lighting, indicators)

SECONDARYIMAGAIAJ

LED Drivers, Ballasts & Power Modules for Lighting (Constant-current/voltage drivers, ballasts, control gear)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Electrical Equipment & Industrial Electronics/Lighting & Signaling Equipment (Industrial/commercial lighting, indicators)

Keywords

• Luxury hospitality lighting
• Hotel lighting fixtures
• Bathroom wall lamps
• Bespoke reading lamps
• Decorative hotel lighting

Headquarters

HQ city

Firenze

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Lighting Fixture Sales: MLE generates revenue through the sale of premium lighting fixtures including wall lamps, reading lamps, bathroom lights, picture lights, and decorative objects. Products are sold through direct B2B project channels targeting luxury hospitality projects.
2. Samples Service: The company offers a samples service where customers can request material samples (finish codes like C, O, HN, PB, AA) to evaluate products before project commitment.
3. Custom/Bespoke Projects: MLE offers 'Su Misura' (custom/bespoke) project services for tailored lighting solutions, generating revenue through customized fixture manufacturing for specific hotel projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

MLE designs, manufactures, and supplies premium lighting fixtures for the luxury hotel and hospitality sector, including wall lamps, reading lamps, bathroom lights, picture lights, lighting mirrors, pendants, and decorative objects. The company sells through direct B2B project channels, offering both a catalog of over 100 product families and a 'Su Misura' bespoke custom manufacturing service, with extensive finish customization such as hand-stitched leather, hand-rolled Murano glass, and proprietary multilayer paints.

Product overview

MLE is an Italian lighting manufacturer specializing in high-end hospitality and residential lighting fixtures. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized into product categories including Bedrooms Lamps, Bathroom Lights, Public Areas Lighting, Picture Lights, Reading Lamps, Floor Lamps, Table Lamps, Pendants, Lighting Mirrors, and Decorative Objects. Their product lines feature named series such as ROLLER, OPERA, LIBRA, NARCISO, WALDO, TAORMINA, and PARENTESI. The offerings range from functional reading lights (ROLLER, OPERA, LIBRA series with flexible/articulated arms and LED sources) to decorative wall fixtures (YLENIA, ÉTOILE, Waldorf) and integrated bathroom mirrors (NARCISO enlarging/magnifying mirrors). MLE serves the hospitality sector extensively, with installations in luxury hotels including Hôtel des Bergues Geneva, George V Paris, Waldorf Astoria New York, and Hotel Martinez Cannes. The company celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2026 with a new catalogue and company profile release.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MLE Hand-made Paints: Multilayer hand-made paints developed alongside industrial treatments, featuring human-crafted finishes protected with transparent varnish.

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Vivido SrlminorOthersVivido Srl is credited as the developer of the MLE website, providing web development services.
• Pierre-Yves RochoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenowned hospitality designer who collaborated on Grand Hyatt Martinez Cannes project, designing the LIBRA 2.0 product family for MLE
• Michele ArcareseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner credited for ÉTOILE wall lamp design
• Christine & Nicola BorellaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign duo credited for TOURBILLON wall lamp design
• Paolo MauriminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner credited for PARENTESI wall LED system design
• L. BelliniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner credited for ROLLER reading light family design
• JOI-DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospitality design firm credited for SHELF product family design, in collaboration with IIID
• Sybille de MargerieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterior designer credited for RIALTO wall LED design
• INTEMPORELLEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign brand credited for TAORMINA wall lamp design
• NLG DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign studio credited for NANO product family design
• L. QuerciminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner credited for FARO wall lamp design

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Flos: Italian premium decorative and architectural lighting manufacturer serving luxury hospitality, residential, and commercial projects worldwide. Comparable as a designer-driven, project-based B2B lighting supplier with marquee hotel references and a mix of catalog and bespoke offerings.
• Slamp: Italian designer decorative lighting company using proprietary materials (hand-crafted acrylic, textiles) for residential and hospitality projects. Comparable as an Italian craft-driven designer lighting brand with overlapping luxury hotel customer overlap.
• Terzani: Italian high-end decorative lighting producer specializing in sculptural fixtures for luxury hospitality and residential. Comparable as a Florence-rooted, designer-collab-driven, niche luxury lighting maker competing for the same hotel specification projects.
• Artemide: Italian luxury architectural lighting manufacturer with deep presence in hospitality, residential, and museum projects globally. Comparable in target customer (luxury hotels, designers), Italian manufacturing heritage, and project-based specification sales.
• Modular Lighting Instruments: Belgian premium architectural and decorative lighting maker serving high-end hospitality, residential, and retail projects. Comparable as a designer-led European lighting company with project-based B2B sales into the same luxury hotel customer base.
• Vibia: Spanish designer lighting manufacturer targeting luxury hospitality, residential, and architectural specifier channels with strong international sales. Comparable as a designer-collab-driven decorative and architectural lighting company competing for premium hotel specs.
• Penta Light: Italian decorative lighting manufacturer specializing in handcrafted indoor fixtures for luxury hospitality and residential. Direct comparable as a small-batch Italian maker of decorative indoor lighting competing for similar five-star hotel specifications.
• Louis Poulsen: Danish premium decorative and architectural lighting brand with deep hospitality references (e.g., global hotel chains). Comparable in craftsmanship heritage, specifier-driven distribution, and positioning at the upper end of project-based lighting.
• Foscarini: Italian decorative lighting brand with strong designer collaborations and presence in luxury hospitality and residential interiors. Comparable as an Italian design-led lighting firm using mixed materials and custom finishes for high-end interior projects.

Broad incumbents

• Delta Light: Belgian architectural lighting manufacturer serving large-scale commercial, hospitality, and residential projects globally. Comparable in serving luxury hotel specifications with premium fixtures, though broader in scope and more industrial in positioning than MLE.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MLE