Live@ICFF 2011
Metropolis + Norway | In Good Company
Leaders from some of Norway’s most dynamic design companies discuss the challenges and realities of competing in the global market, and what it means to carry on their country’s rich, but often little-known, design tradition.
By Meeghan Truelove
Hødnebø
www.hodnebo.no
(47) 22-12-18-80
Thomas Christensen, CEO
It is important that our furniture be stylish and chic as well as comfortable and functional. In recent years we have modernized our production somewhat, but still we are a manufacturer based on craftsmanship. Almost all our furniture is custom-made. In 2005 we launched the Spinnaker chair, and the great thing about it is that although it is modern, it is also timeless. The recycled sailcloth that is part of the design reflects Norwegian nautical tradition.
American interior design is a bit more rustic than that in Europe. The European market has long appreciated Scandinavian design and considered it the trendsetter. Now the American market seems to be doing this too. I am excited for what lies ahead in Norwegian design. It is a very innovative environment at the moment, and products are being made that are luxurious but also mindful of the environment.
HÅG
www.haginc.com
(47) 22-59-59-00
Lars I. Røiri, CEO
Of all our chairs, we are best known for the HÅG Capisco, a unique, flexible saddle chair that for 20 years has continued to both stay relevant and evolve. We just launched a spin-off line called the HÅG Capisco Puls to carry the concept into the next 20 years. In 2008 we launched the HÅG Futu task chair, which received numerous awards. The chair is a leap forward in manufacturing and product design. The seat adjustments have been fully integrated into the chair, and ninety-seven percent of the chair is recyclable. Our company has always grown through innovation. Since the mid 1970s, we have prioritized ergonomics, the environment, and quality, and within this we have continued bringing genuinely original seating solutions to market.
Historically, U.S. consumers have preferred large, relaxing-type work chairs, but they are now realizing that variation and movement are better and more comfortable for the body, and that a chair should offer these things. The current cultural focus on health and sustainability is a big opportunity for our company to grow in other markets, because these things are at the core of what we already do.
Røros Tweed
www.rorostweed.no
(47) 72-40-67-20
Arnstein Digernes, CEO
Røros Tweed has been weaving Norwegian lambs-wool products since 1939. Quality in product and design have always been our main competitive strengths, and they are our guidelines regardless of the specific products we’re manufacturing at the time. We currently work closely with two design studios: Anderssen & Voll and Arne & Carlos. Both firms are well known in Norway and abroad, but they have very different approaches. Our Setesdal design, by Arne & Carlos, is based on the most iconic Norwegian knitting pattern. Recently we received a design-excellence award from the Norwegian Design Council for our Berg design by Anderssen & Voll.
Our biggest challenge going forward is increased manufacturing competition from low-cost countries. The difficulties of keeping our production in Norway are rising, but for quality assurance and environmental reasons, it is important for us to do so. We are responding to the challenge by investing in state-of-the art technology and continuing to strive for excellence. The Norwegian design industry is getting more recognition abroad. With the right follow up, this can be of mutual gain for both designers and producers as it may ease the way into new markets.
So-Ro
www.so-ro.no
post@so-ro.no
Ane Lillian Tveit, Founder and CEO
I studied to be an occupational therapist, and one of the concepts that really struck me while I was in school was the difference between circular, side-to-side movement and linear, back-and-forth movement. Circular movement is activating, whereas linear movement calms you. I realized that most cradles operate with circular movement, which is the opposite of the soothing motion that helps babies sleep. I designed a linear-motion cradle and two years ago we began to manufacture and sell it. So far the cradles have only been sold in Norway, but we’re expanding into the United States. We’re focusing first on the States because I think it will be more straightforward to sell there than in Europe. The business regulations are more or less the same for every state, but in Europe they change from country to country.
It was important to me that the design of the object look good in a contemporary home. I wanted new parents to be able to say not just, “Look at my baby!” but also, “Look at my cradle!”
VAD
www.vad.no
(47) 70-27-97-70
Håkon Vad, Managing Director
VAD is only ten years old, and because we are still a young, small company we are able to explore new possibilities more easily than an older, larger company could. As we have grown, we have sharpened our focus on design furniture and local production. We make everything in Norway, so we don’t face the challenges we would if we manufactured in low-cost countries, such as long-distance quality control and social dumping. We believe that customers will pay a bit more for furni-ture with good design, high quality, and strong values.
The latest addition to our collection, Nord, is a chair of solid twigless pine with a molded-felt seat. The wood’s surface is dim yet glossy, expressing the pale Nordic light. We just received the Norwegian Design Council’s Award for Design Excellence for the line, and it makes its North American debut this year at ICFF.
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