What Marcus Bonna Cases does

Marcus Bonna Cases (MBCases), legally MB Indústria e Comércio de Acessórios Musicais e Estojos LTDA, is a Brazilian manufacturer of premium hard-shell cases for musical instruments, founded in 1991 by Marcus Bonna and Kathia Bonna in Bragança Paulista, São Paulo. The company originated when founder Marcus Bonna designed a lightweight, compact case after suffering a spinal injury in 1990; the design subsequently proved popular among colleagues in the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra. MBCases' core product is a proprietary three-layer case construction: an outer shell of fiberglass or carbon fiber, internal padding of foam covered by nylon velvet, and an exterior cover of nylon or bovine leather available in 23+ colors. The portfolio spans 15+ instrument categories across brass (horns, trombones, trumpets/flugelhorns, euphoniums, Wagner tubas, mutes), woodwinds (bassoons, clarinets, oboes, English horns, saxophones, flutes), strings, percussion, plus accessories (straps, thermal covers, bicycle holders) and adjacent products such as wine transport cases and the GS Studio trumpet practice environment.

The company operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market model with quote-based pricing determined by instrument type, materials, and customization options, selling primarily through its website contact form and exporting to more than 25 countries since its first export to Munich in 1991. Distribution is handled directly without third-party retailers, supplemented by recurring trade show participation at International Horn Symposium (2018-2024) and Texas Music Educators Association (2020-2025) events. No funding rounds, acquisitions, or institutional investors are documented; the company is founder-family owned and operated, with CEO Kathia Bonna and André Bonna (son of the founder) in operational roles. Manufacturing is concentrated at the Bragança Paulista headquarters, which has undergone six documented expansions between 1998 and 2023, transitioned to 100% renewable energy in 2022, and houses the Lyra Bragança social program teaching music to 200+ children.

The revenue model rests on three hardware sales streams (instrument cases, mutes, and accessories), with reported headcount of 51-100 employees. Customer segments include professional musicians, symphony orchestras, traveling performers, and Brazilian music students (the latter served with special pricing). The business model is cash-generative and bootstrapped, evidenced by repeated capacity expansions without external capital. No revenue figures, patents, or certifications are disclosed in available sources.

Name

Marcus Bonna Cases

Legal name

MB Indústria e Comércio de Acessórios Musicais e Estojos LTDA

Website

https://mbcases.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Marcus Bonna Cases is a Brazilian manufacturer of premium handcrafted hard-shell cases for musical instruments, serving professional musicians and orchestras worldwide through direct-to-consumer export to 25+ countries from its Bragança Paulista headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Musical Instrument Cases

NAICS

Musical Instrument Manufacturing (339992)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Audio Accessories & Consumables (Cables, Stands, Cases, Strings, Picks, Heads) (MPAIAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Crates & Cases (Wooden/Plastic/Metal, Export Cases) (IMALAFAG)

Keywords

• Musical instrument cases
• Brass instrument cases
• Woodwind instrument cases
• Custom instrument protection
• Handcrafted instrument cases

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Musical Instrument Cases: Core revenue from manufacturing and selling custom hard shell cases for brass, woodwind, strings, and percussion instruments. Products include French horn cases, trombone cases, trumpet cases, bassoon cases, clarinet cases, oboe cases, saxophone cases, flute cases, string instrument cases, and percussion cases. Both standard and detachable bell configurations available.
2. Mutes: Manufacturing and selling brass instrument mutes including trumpet straight mutes, trumpet cup mutes, french horn harmon mutes, trombone straight mutes, bass trombone mutes, and tuba mutes. Available in fiberglass and cardboard materials.
3. Accessories: Accessories including mouthpiece pouches, backpack straps, shoulder straps, waist belts, thermal bottles, music stand holders, bell protectors, mouthpiece pouches, sheet music bags, laptop cases, stands for clarinets and oboes, and bicycle case holders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Marcus Bonna Cases manufactures custom handcrafted hard-shell protective cases for musical instruments including brass, woodwind, string, and percussion instruments. The cases use a proprietary 3-layer construction featuring fiberglass or carbon fiber shells, foam-padded nylon velvet interiors, and nylon or bovine leather exteriors, with extensive customization options including 23+ color choices, multiple materials, and custom fit for nearly any instrument model.

Product overview

Marcus Bonna Cases is a Brazilian manufacturer of premium hard-shell cases for musical instruments. The product portfolio centers on three-part construction cases (fiberglass/carbon fiber shell, nylon velvet internal cover, nylon/leather external cover) organized into three main categories: Brass instruments (horns, trombones, trumpets, flugelhorns, euphoniums, mutes), Woodwind instruments (bassoons, clarinets, oboes, English horns, saxophones, flutes), and Other categories (strings, percussion, wine cases, accessories). The company offers a GS Studio practice environment for trumpeters and extensive customization options including 23+ nylon colors, 12+ leather colors, custom leather finishes, and multiple logo types. All cases feature backpack straps, shoulder straps, bell protectors, mouthpiece pouches, and identification tags as standard or optional inclusions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Horn Cases (French Horn, Natural Horn, Wagner Tuba) Hard-shell cases for French horns, natural horns, Wagner tubas, alto/tenor horns, and baroque horns, available in multiple sizes (Baby, Compact, XL), configurations (detachable bells, fixed bells), with options for wheels, backpack bags, and soft case variants. Designed for professional orchestral and solo horn players requiring lightweight, custom-fitted protection.
• Trombone Cases Hard-shell cases for tenor, bass, alto, and jazz trombones including detachable bell models, with sizes up to 10.5 inches bell diameter and travel-friendly configurations with wheels. Targeted at professional trombonists needing durable, portable protection.
• Trumpet and Flugelhorn Cases Cases for piston and rotary trumpets, flugelhorns, cornets, piccolo trumpets, and baroque trumpets, available in single, double, triple, and quad configurations with optional laptop compartments. Designed for trumpeters who need to transport multiple instruments or accessories.
• Euphonium Cases Protective cases for euphonium instruments available in standard and XL sizes, with hard case and soft case options. Aimed at euphonium players requiring durable instrument protection.
• Brass Instrument Mutes Instrument mutes including straight, cup, harmon, practice, and tunable variants for trumpets, trombones, French horns, euphoniums, tubas, and Wagner tubas. Made from fiberglass or cardboard materials. Designed for brass musicians requiring tonal modification accessories.
• Bassoon Cases Hard-shell cases for gentleman bassoons and standard bassoons, including models with Dutch leg support, available in MB-1 and MB-2 configurations with XL options for large bore instruments. Targeted at professional bassoonists.
• Clarinet Cases Cases for Bb, A, and Eb clarinets including bass clarinets, available in single, double, and triple configurations with attached bell options and backpack extensions. Designed for clarinetists needing transport for multiple instruments.
• Oboe and English Horn Cases Cases for oboes, Oboe D'amore, and English horns with detachable bell configurations, including thermal cover options and backpack extensions for temperature-sensitive instruments. Aimed at professional oboists.
• Saxophone Cases Cases for soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, including detachable and non-detachable configurations with combination cases for multiple woodwind instruments. Targeted at saxophone players across genres.
• Flute Cases Cases for flutes, piccolos, and flautims with thermal bag options, including G flute and C flute combination cases. Designed for flutists needing protection for multiple flute types.
• String Instrument Cases Cases for violins, violas, and bass bows including detachable configurations with attachable bow cases. Aimed at string instrument players.
• Percussion Cases Cases for mallets, triangles, and tambourines with backpack extension options. Targeted at percussionists needing portable, organized storage.
• Musical Instrument Accessories
• Wine Cases

Quantifiable outcome

• Cases protect instruments from damage during transport with features including foam bell protectors, velcro body belts, and padded internal covers
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Lyra Bragança ProjectminorOthers · 1 January 2009Social responsibility initiative focused on rescuing fundamental rights and ensuring development of children and adolescents aged 8-18 in vulnerable situations in the North Zone of Bragança Paulista. The project teaches music to more than 200 children through the Lyra Bragança Metals Orchestra and Fanfarra Alegretti. MBCases ceded part of their facilities in 2017 to become the project's new headquarters.
• Registered Brazilian Musicians AssociationsminorOthersMBCases offers special pricing conditions for Brazilian musicians who play in Brazil, as well as sponsorship and product donations to registered Brazilian Musicians Associations.
• International Horn Society (IHS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMBCases participates in International Horn Symposium events organized by IHS, including 2018 (Ball State University, Muncie, USA), 2019 (Gent, Belgium), 2022 (Kingsville, TX), 2023 (Montreal, CA), and 2024 (Fort Collins, CO). These events feature Marcus Bonna and company representatives.
• Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMBCases participates in TMEA annual conventions in Texas, USA, with Marcus Bonna and André Bonna attending. Participation documented for 2020, 2023, 2024, and 2025 events.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Torpedo Bags: Premium French horn and brass instrument case maker focused on French horn players. Direct niche competitor in the same professional brass case category MBCases specializes in.
• Reunion Blues: Premium instrument case and bag brand with strong reputation among professional musicians. Comparable premium positioning in the instrument protection category, particularly in string and brass segments.
• Bam Cases: French manufacturer of premium protective cases for musical instruments, including brass, woodwind, and string cases with similar lightweight hard-shell construction. Closely comparable niche premium case manufacturer competing head-to-head in orchestral instrument cases globally.
• Hiscox Cases: UK-based manufacturer of lightweight hard-shell cases for orchestral instruments, including brass, woodwind, and string instruments. Comparable premium positioning and direct professional musician targeting.
• Protec Cases: US-based maker of cases and bags for musical instruments including brass and woodwind cases, gig bags, and accessories. Direct competitor in the same instrument categories with broader accessory range.
• Wiseman Cases: UK-based boutique maker of premium handmade instrument cases for orchestral players. Comparable niche premium positioning with bespoke construction similar to MBCases.
• Jakob Winter: German manufacturer of instrument cases and cases for musical instruments, including brass, woodwind, and string instrument cases. Comparable European premium case manufacturer with similar customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• SKB Cases: Established US manufacturer of protective cases for musical instruments, pro audio, and industrial applications. Overlaps with MBCases in instrument cases but operates much more broadly across use cases and price tiers.
• Gator Cases: Large US-based manufacturer of cases, stands, and accessories for musical instruments and audio/AV equipment. Broader portfolio across many categories with overlapping brass/woodwind case lines at varied price points.

Regional players

• Gard Bags: Premium instrument case and bag manufacturer focused primarily on the North American market. Comparable product category and premium positioning with overlapping customer base in professional musicians.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/marcusbonnacases
• Facebookfacebook.com/marcusbonnacases
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mbcases

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Marcus Bonna Cases