km 06-05 pdf eng1-7 - · pdf filein the jury considered the pianist keith jarret to be of such...

KinnarpsMAGAZINE N° 5

+ Swedish inventions, Aker Kvaerner, Kinnarps test activities,

announcements and more

The Polar PrizeMusic honours in the shadow of Nobel

From Kinnarpto Stavanger

Turning TorsoThe architect behind the creation,

Santiago Calatrava. Challenging, innovative and constantly crossing frontiers.

serie[XD]™, DESIGN Christian Halleröd

11

Contents no. 5

This year's first issue of Kinnarps Magazine is dedicated to quality! But what exactly is quality? Is it a matter of a product's excellence from a standpoint of function and durability? Or a question of how function and design harmonize? Or rather a measure of how well expectations are satisfied,and possibly exceeded, within a total perspective? Our ambition is not to try and give our readers an unequivocal answer.

But rather to focus on the topic and treat it within the broadest possible context by means of goodexamples. So welcome to the Polar Prize, to Aker Kvaerner,Turning Torso and Swedish inventions.All these are well-known companies or phenomena where quality in combination with design andfunction play a decisive role for success.

Per-Arne Andersson, ,

cover: turning torso, malmöphotographer: jonas sällberg

2 Polar Music Prize The Nobel Prize for Music

6 Turning TorsoOne of Europe's most exciting residential buildings

10 From Kinnarp to Stavanger- from production direct to the customer

13 Life improvers Swedish inventions - found everywhere, improving

our everyday lives and making them easier

17 Aker Kværner - replaces workplaces without ruffling its operations

19 Kinnarps test operations- a way of efficient product development and sales

22 Notes

24 Kinnarps Notes

Sir Paul McCartney

Stikkan Anderson

2 KINNARPS MAGAZINE 2006

The Polar Pr ize

It was therefore ironic that, some thirty years ear-

lier, he had had the opportunity to buy the Nordic

rights to the Beatles' song catalogue, but declined. It

was undoubtedly Stikkan Anderson's greatest pro-

fessional error.

Apart from that just about everything went his

The Polar Prize– Music honours in the shadow of Nobel

The first year the Polar Prize wasawarded - - it went to PaulMcCartney, which was both logicaland ironic at the same time.Logical due to the fact that whenStikkan Anderson announced theinstitution of the prize at a pressconference in his house on theisland of Djurgården, he said thathe could imagine the Beatles aspossible winners, if only they werestill around.

3KINNARPS MAGAZINE 2006

The strength of the prize is that it is entirely focused on the music and that the jury, in an almost stubborn manner,seems to disregard trends and orders of priority.

way. Stikkan Anderson rose from humble origins to

rapidly become a slapstick artist and a reviewer of

music. Although he was quick to perceive how luc-

rative it would be to put Swedish texts onto popu-

lar foreign songs, he initially combined his job as a

lyricist with a school teaching post. His wife finally

persuaded him to take the risk of resigning from his

teacher's job to pursue his music ambitions.

Stikkan Anderson set up Sweden Music, and sub-

sequently Polar Records, discovered Abba and beca-

me exceptionally successful in a country where

wealth was regarded as a dubious kind of success.

The fact that the Polar Prize still - after fifteen years

- doesn't have the status that Stikkan Anderson had

hoped for stems from precisely this problem.

The Polar Prize is presented by the Swedish King

under ceremonial conditions.Two prize winners are

selected each year, one in the classical genre and one

from the world of popular music.They receive one

million kronor each. A number of representatives

from the Royal Academy of Music, various industry

organisations and members of Stikkan Andersson's

family constitute the jury that chooses the winners.

Stikkan Anderson had great expectations when he

made his donation to the Royal Academy of Music

in . He had just sold Polar Music to PolyGram

(which was subsequently acquired by Universal

Music), and this was the way in which he wanted to

create his own posthumous reputation. The

Academy received million kronor and the objec-

tive was to create ‘a Nobel prize for music’.The pre-

sence of the King at the grand award ceremony was

naturally a part of that ambition.

Stikkan Anderson always had large ambitions,

however, they weren't always as socially respectable

as the idea for a royal music prize. Instead, his major

achievements took place in the arena of popular

culture where his influence was so great that for

several decades he was simply known as ‘the

industry’.

Stikkan Anderson was a man of the people who

understood what people wanted to listen to. When

Abba won the Eurovision Song Contest in he

had already built up a large enough business to

handle global marketing and distribution. Abba

became one of the highest selling pop groups in the

This year’s prize winners Valery Gergiev and Led Zeppelin


Mstislav Rostropovitch

Dizzy Gillespie

Eric Ericson

György Ligeti

Miriam Makeba Quincy Jones

Gilberto Gil Ray Charles

Sir Elton John Bob Dylan

The Polar Pr ize

world and Stikkan Anderson became one of the

wealthiest men in Sweden.

But he wasn't given an easy ride. Sweden was an

innocent country which had never previously per-

ceived music as a commodity, and as he was brea-

king new ground, he was frequently severely critici-

sed and accused of cynicism. And when investing

the Abba-millions, he was accused of being a tax

evader. When cornered he was happy to give way

and then proclaim his common roots and his scorn

for high society, the critics and the cultural elite to

which he subsequently came to belong.

Stikkan Anderson passed away in , and since

then the Polar Prize has gone its own way.The com-

motion surrounding the prize varies with the star

status of the prize winner. It is unlikely that anyone

will ever forget Bob Dylan's sulky expression next

to the King on the stage at Berwaldhallen in ,

or Bruce Springsteen's genuine pride when he

received the prize together with the choirmaster

Eric Ericsson in . (Ericsson is, by the way, the

only Swede thus far to have received the honour.)

In the jury considered the pianist Keith Jarret

to be of such stature that he was the only prize win-

ner.As is so often the case with major honours, they

usually focus on what the artists have done rather

than what they might accomplish in the future.This

is also true for the Polar Prize. Nobody can serious-

ly claim that Led Zeppelin, this year's prize winner,

do not deserve their prize, but neither could anyo-

ne imagine that they will ever do anything remar-

kable in the future. In many respects, Led Zeppelin

is receiving the Polar Prize for the music they crea-

ted in the early s, the music which heralded the

arrival of hard rock.

This year's classical prize winner is actually more

current. The Russian conductor Valery Gergiev is

still active as leader of the Marlinsky Theatre in St.


B. B. King

Bruce Springsteen

Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Ravi Shankar Joni Mitchell

Burt Bacharach

Isaac SternSofia Gubaidulina

Stevie Wonder

Witold LutoslawskiKeith Jarrett

All pictures in article ©

The Polar P

rizeThe Polar Pr ize

All recipients of the Polar Prize:

2006: Valery Gergiev and Led Zeppelin

2005: Gilberto Gil and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

2004: B. B. King and György Ligeti

2003: Keith Jarrett

2002: Sofia Gubaidulina and Miriam Makeba

2001: Burt Bacharach, Robert Moog and

Karlheinz Stockhausen

2000: Bob Dylan and Isaac Stern

1999: Stevie Wonder and Iannis Xenakis

1998: Ray Charles and Ravi Shankar

1997: Eric Ericson and Bruce Springsteen

1996: Pierre Boulez and Joni Mitchell

1995: Sir Elton John and Mstislav Rostropovitch

1994: Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Quincy Jones

1993: Dizzy Gillespie and Witold Lutoslawski

1992: Sir Paul McCartney and the Baltic States

Petersburg and in recent years has attracted atten-

tion with a global series of concerts for the victims

of the school massacre in Beslan. Gergiev originally

comes from the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania.

The strength of the prize is that it is entirely

focused on the music and that the jury, in an almost

stubborn manner, seems to disregard trends and

orders of priority. An interesting question is:Would

Abba have been able to receive the prize, or where

they too much part of popular culture?


© H

SB

Turning Torso©

HS

B Turning Torso

From Twistingto Turning Torso

The step from vision to reality was neither simple

nor immediate, but on November , , the first

residents moved into one of Europe's most exciting

buildings - the HSB Turning Torso.

The man behind the work, Santiago Calatrava, is

one of the world's most prominent architects: chal-

lenging, innovative and always keen to transcend

boundaries. His highly topical current projects

include upgrading the Athens Olympic Stadium and

designing the new subway station at Ground Zero,

New York.

Turning Torso is Calatrava's first residential pro-

ject, which made the requirements and expectations

on the building even higher. He has certainly lived

up to all expectations! meters and floors high

and with a body that twists by degrees, HSB

Turning Torso is both an innovative and imposing

building. It has already been honoured with a presti-

gious award from the International Concrete

Federation as “the most technically interesting and

spectacular concrete building completed anywhere

in the world during the last four years”.

The starting point was a sculpture in white marble; the name of thiswork of art was “Twisting Torso” and its originator was Spanish architectSantiago Calatrava! John Örbäck, CEO of HSB Malmö, saw the statueand was immediately inspired to have its form transferred to a building.

Olympic Sports Center, Athens Wohlen high school, Switzerland Planetarium, Valencia

Santiago Calatrava

Turning Torso


Turning Torso represents a completely new resi-

dential and service concept. Closest to the ground

are twelve floors for commercial use. Among the

businesses accommodated here are the management

and large parts of the administrative personnel of

HSB Malmö – who chose Kinnarps office furnitu-

re for their new prestigious workplace. Above the

office section are apartments with areas of

between and m2. The two uppermost floors

are specially designed by Santiago Calatrava as

exclusive conference facilities whose participants

can enjoy an outstandingly high service, first-class

food and, not least, a magnificent view.

Monika Larsen Dennis is one of the first private

residents to move into Turning Torso. She is an artist

and sculptor who has had a long series of exhibi-

tions in Europe and the USA, and incidentally with

a strong interest in architecture:

“For me, my home is a very important part of my

life, says Monica, and as I currently want to live in

Sweden, there's quite simply no alternative to

Turning Torso! It offers all the service that I could

Turning Torso

Office, HSB Malmö


© HSB Turning Torso

wish for, everything from reception and a spa to

thoughtful points of detail such as copying and fax-

ing facilities. But above all it's the height and views

that I fell for. Simply to look out from the th floor

through the panoramic windows in the kitchen or

the living room gives me a real kick – an almost

euphoric feeling”.

The material standards in the building are very

high: Varying, attractive design solutions. Natural

materials throughout – limestone floors in the

entrance halls, massive oiled oak floors in all the

rooms – except for the bathrooms with clinker floors

and underfloor heating. The kitchen work tops are

made of granite from Gaggenau and Bosch – the

mixer taps are designed by Philippe Starck.

Apartment, Monika Larsen Dennis

View from the 46th floor


There are a number of ways of getting from Kinnarps, in the village of Kinnarp, in Swedento Stavanger in Norway - of which flying is regarded as the only sensible option. However,not if you are travelling with more than tonnes of office furniture in your luggage! Witha warning of the first snow of the season fresh in our memory we began our long drivetowards the perhaps wintry, but nevertheless beautiful, Norwegian coast.

From Kinnarps to Stavanger withRoland - driver, ambassador anddelivery assembler!

My assignment is to accompany a delivery from

Kinnarps in Sweden to Aker Kvaerner in Stavanger,

Norway. The starting point is no. of Kinnarps

different loading bays. The principal character is

Roland Linder, delivery assembler with . years

at Kinnarps.

The journey begins at Kinnarps shipping depart-

ment. Martin Friberg is foreman and comments:

“We load about containers per day, equivalent to

about - cubic metres. In total people

work here.To get everything done we work shifts;

day, evening and permanent night shift, every day

apart from weekends.”

“Our job involves, as so much else does, supply-

ing the right thing to the right place at the right

time.As we work with order controlled production,


Roland Linder

From Kinnarps to Stavanger

with no actual stocks, all products go directly from

production to shipping. This guarantees fast and

secure handling where in principle there are no risks

of errors or mistakes, guarantees Martin. For us, the

right place means loading to enable everything to be

unloaded without re-stowing.We only use corruga-

ted cardboard and blankets as packing; for both envi-

ronmental reasons and in order to gain volume by

avoiding unnecessary air in the load.We're on time,

we expect we will leave Kinnarps on schedule,

through good planning – and perhaps an extra spurt

when the departure time approaches, concludes

Martin with a broad smile.

At . precisely we leave Kinnarps in wonderful

weather; plus degrees and brilliant sunshine - but

with the threat of snow and bad weather ahead of us!

We are sitting in a hp Scania turbo diesel with

gears. Among many other technical refinements it is

equipped with a chipped engine, hydraulic suspen-

sion and ABS on all the wheels.

Driving to Norway is a year old tradition at

Kinnarps. The first trips were to Oslo. Kinnarps

trucks now travel to places all over the country, not

least to Stavanger where there is at least one load a

week.

According to the new European regulations,

which were introduced in the Nordic region about

years ago, in principle you are allowed to drive

for a maximum of hours with a minute break.

The tachograph provides continual documentation

of whether you are complying with the law.

“Personally I think it's a very good thing, both for

traffic safety and for us drivers. It also means that

there are a lot of overnight stops along the way. For

my part, I always stay in the cab; in my one room flat

with a steering wheel and I sleep just as well here as

I do at home. Actually it really is perfectly comfor-

table and very close to work,” laughs Roland.

After a few hours driving we start to approach the

Norwegian border and the new customs station in

Svinesund; completed as recently as June - and

still showing clear signs of the inauguration. From a

distance it looks as if the buildings have been cove-

red with colourful winter butterflies that are flap-

ping in the biting wind. But when we get closer we

see that they are small punched maps of the two

neighbouring countries, Norway and Sweden, in

different colours. It is pleasantly decorative as well as

an excellent symbol of neighbourliness.

The journey continues in dizzyingly beautiful

terrain. Southwards all the time, past Sandefjord,

Larvik, Porsgrunn, Arendal and pretty soon we are

down in Kristiansand. Meanwhile it has become

late and rather dark. Roland is starting to approach


From Kinnarps to Stavanger

For my part, as delivery assembler, it involves both responsibility for thetransportation and ensuring that the furniture is unloaded and assembledcorrectly. Our responsibility is consequently not over until the furniture is assembled correctly and positioned where it is supposed to be.

the limit for his hours driving and we decide to

spend the night in Flekkefjord.

The next morning we monitor the weather

report with considerably greater interest than nor-

mal.There are warnings of snow in many places in

Norway, but so far only in the mountains.We con-

tinue the journey and immediately after Flekkefjord

the ascent becomes constant. The engines growl -

and all the time it feels like it is getting colder and

more slippery. But at the top of a ridge we pass a

sign with the place name Bue: “It gets easier now”

says Roland, ”in principle it's downhill all the way

to Stavanger.” It will get warmer; in other words no

treacherous ice or snowfalls are going to catch us.

It suddenly strikes me that I see Roland as a dri-

ver; but his correct title is actually Delivery

Assembler.What does that actually mean

“Being a travelling assembler, Roland laughs, or

an ambassador for Kinnarps if you prefer. Our goal

at Kinnarps is to produce and supply our products

in an unbroken quality chain. For my part, as deli-

very assembler, it involves both responsibility for the

transportation and ensuring that the furniture is

unloaded and assembled correctly. But also it quite

simply means being on site and answering questions

concerning just about everything concerning

Kinnarps.

“So much the better that is also involves a lot of

useful exercise,” says Roland, “it would be much

worse simply to drive and never have to do any phy-

sical exercise.”

We are approaching Stavanger, shrouded in mist,

rain and plus degrees. We turn into the district

where Aker Kvaerners is located and drive down the

steep slope towards the huge facility. Roland leans

on the horn for the final metres as if to inform eve-

ryone here I come with office furniture from

Kinnarps. And it is a happy reunion, one after one

the ‘boys’ come out, say hello and banter for a while.

Without doubt, Roland looks like an extremely

welcome delivery assembler!


© T

he N

obel

Fou

ndat

ion

Swedish invent ions

Designs toimprove lifeWhere do all the best inventions come from ? The Germans can claim the X-Ray,Norwegians would brandish their original cheese slicer, the Americans stake a claim to thetelephone. But what would the Swedes raise as their own idea ?

In fact many household and industry classics originate in Sweden. Familiar products likethe zip fastener, the adjustable spanner, the computer mouse and the Tetra-Pak carton thatsits in most of our fridges are all Swedish inventions.

Swedish design is highly influential in our eve-

ryday lives, even if we don't notice it or acknow-

ledge its genius.When we consider that many peo-

ple are still alive thanks to their insulin or their

pacemaker I doubt we know they have Swedish ori-

gins. Pouring milk from a Tetra-Pak is practicality

personified… thanks to the thought that has gone

into the design by a far-sighted Swede.

Every year one famous Swedish name that is in

the public eye is Alfred Nobel, who invented dyna-

mite, and whose name is as renown as the awards he

instigated. His fellow countryman Anders Celsius is

one of the most name-checked men in history…

every weather forecast tells you how many degrees

°C the temperature will reach.

Inventions and designs include everything from

the most everyday consumer products to industrial

and economic milestones. Products that have often

become highly significant on the international mar-

ket and that have put both the inventor and their

homeland on the map.

If need is said to be the mother of invention,

technical genius must be its father. Otherwise how

would the zip, the adjustable spanner, the milk sepa-

rator and the telephone exchange be with us ?

Johan Petter Johansson, Gustaf de Laval, LarsPerhaps Sweden's most famous inventor, Alfred Nobel.

1910 Gideon Sundbäckwas awarded the patent forthe zip fastener


© E

lect

rolu

xSwedish invent ions

Magnus Ericsson and Gideon Sundbäck, the respec-

tive inventors, united with the colleagues through

qualities such as thirst for knowledge, curiosity, desi-

re to experiment, technical expertise and patience.

These are valuable character traits.The many set-

backs and timescales required to stay the course

demand patience beyond most of us.The frustration

where requisite technology or materials are not yet

in existence can often leave many ideas in the desk

draw, waiting for their time. Looking to the future is

also a skill to look to the needs of future users and

understand what may be useful in times to come. A

climate of looking ahead has been very beneficial to

inspired Swedish men and women since the th

century. In the Royal Swedish Academy of

Sciences was formed to organise and systemise

research, seen as the birth of Science in Sweden.

One of Sweden's most well-known scientists, Carl

von Linné, was active during this period, as was the

productive inventor and industrialist Christopher

Polhem. He goes down in history as a universal

genius after having constructed everything from

canals, sluices, dams and bridges to sawmills, brick-

works, looms, knitting machines and locks. A

Swedish Brunel!

Due to the rise of industrialism at the end of the

th century, Sweden experienced a wave of paten-

ted inventions that subsequently came to be inter-

nationally celebrated. As a result the Swedish

Inventors' Association was founded in , one year

after the telephone receiver had been invented by L.

M. Ericsson. years later, in , the zip fastener

made its first appearance.The zip already existed as

an idea, but the Swedish American, Gideon

Sundbäck, was the first to design one that actually

worked. He was granted the patent in the USA in

at which time he also started manufacturing

there.The design and construction of the zipper has

remained the same ever since.

The USA was where many of the th century

gadgets first saw the light of day. The electric

vacuum cleaner for example. However, it was the

Swedish company AB Lux, later Electrolux, that

developed the first domestic vacuum cleaner as the

American one was large and unwieldy. It was also in

the USA that milk started to be sold in waxed paper

packets.An idea which Erik Wallenberg and Ruben

Rausing further refined and made cheaper into

something which is probably the most revolutiona-

ry, widely-dispersed and best selling Swedish idea of

the th century; Tetra Pak. A range of products

have subsequently left the workrooms of Swedish

If need is said to be the mother of invention, technical genius mustbe its father. Otherwise how would the zip, the adjustable spanner,the milk separator and the telephone exchange be with us ?

Inese Ljunggren designed Electrolux's self-propelled vacuum cleaner Trilobite.Per Ljunggren was the project manager for the 50 strong development team.


Swedish invent ions

Sven Wingqvist invented the spherical ball bearing

Erik Wallenberg’s invention Tetra Pak

Johan Petter Johansson invented 188different products of which theadjustable spanner, patented in 1892,was one. Since then the company,Sandvik Bahco, has manufacturedmore than 100 million of them.


1864 Alfred Nobel designs a functioning detonator

1865 Alfred Nobel invents dynamite

1874 Carl Daniel Ekman succeeds in producing sulphite cellulose

1875 Alfred Nobel invents gelignite

1877 Gustaf de Laval manufactures a manually operated separator for milk

1883 Gustaf de Laval receives the patent for a steam turbine

1886 The Swedish Inventors’ Association is formed

1888 Frans Lindqvist designs the Primus paraffin stove

1891 Jonas Wenström patents a device for distribution of alternating current (three phase)

1892 Johan Petter Johansson invents the adjustable spanner

1905 Gustaf Dalén invents the so-called revolving light apparatus for a lighthouse

using a gas light

1906 Sven Wingqvist invents the spherical ball bearing

1910 Gideon Sundbäck, a Swede resident in USA, is awarded the patent for the zip fastener

1921 Baltzar von Platen and Carl Munthers present their refrigerator with no moving parts

1941 Nils Löfgren and Bengt Lundqvist invent Xylocaine for local anaesthetic

1944 Erik Wallenberg invents the first Tetra Pak packaging: Tetraeder

1948 Victor Hasselblad invents the single-lens reflex camera

1950 Carl Gunnar Engström invents the respirator

1952 Per-Ingvar Brånemark receives the patent on titanium screws for dental treatment

1953 Sven Kamph invents the Flymo air cushion lawnmower

1958 Nils Bohlin invents the diagonal seat belt

1958 Rune Elmqvist invents the pacemaker

1963 Bertil Aldman invents the rear-facing infant car seat

1965 Nils Alwall invents the artificial liver

1974 Leif Lundblad patents a system for feeding out banknotes

1976 the first AXE-gear, developed by Bengt Gunnar Magnusson, is put into service

1979 Sven Erik Sjöstrand, Astra, patents his invention, Losec

1979 Håkan Lans receives the patent for colour graphics for computers

and the computer mouse

1984 For the first time, Lars Leksell and Börje Larsson use the Leksell Gamma Knife clinically

1991 Håkan Lans patents an application for the GPS positioning system

1996 Christer Fåhraeus invents the C-pen, data pen

Swedish invent ions

researchers and inventors leading to mass sales on

the world market. Everything from the computer

mouse, the inertia-reel seat belt and the rear facing

infant car seat, to a self-propelled vacuum cleaner.

In the field of medical developments, beta block-

ers, ultrasound, the digital hearing aid and artificial

kidneys aren't the only inventions that originated in

Sweden. In Doctor Rune Elmqvist implanted

his recently developed pacemaker in his first patient.

A small, battery powered motor designed to stimu-

late contractions of the cardiac muscle which has led

to many people with heart problems being able to

live a normal life. This goes for most people with

gastric ulcers too, thanks to the drug Losec.A resear-

ch project started in when it was estimated

that a total of - percent of the population soo-

ner or later developed the condition. Until ,

when Losec came on to the market in Sweden, the

project was under threat of closure on a number of

occasions. It transpired that among other things the

substance that had been developed was toxic, and

time-consuming modifications had to be carried out.

Altogether researchers and technicians partici-

pated in what turned out to be a successful venture,

as Losec is now the world's most sold medicine.

Inventions often accompany human needs, hand in

hand with technological development. We may not

be able to predict the future, but one thing is certain;

many more Swedish inventions, some revolutionary,

are awaiting their turn to see the light of day.

Nurse, Monika Dahlstrand, has developed this anaesthetic mask for infants.


Aker Kvaerner, with deep roots in Norway's tra-

ditional power supply and shipbuilding industries,

made the definitive move to the offshore industry in

the early s.Today, Aker Kvaerner is the world's

largest engineering and construction company

straddling sectors such as oil, gas, chemicals and

shipbuilding – with more than , employees

throughout the world. The company employs

, in Norway alone, distributed among loca-

tions such as Oslo, Kristiansand, Stord, Bergen,

Egesund and not least Stavanger.

“All these employees”, says Aker Kvaerner's

Svein-Erik Ommundsen, Regional Manager South,

Facility Management, “naturally need good office

workplaces. Over the years we have used various

suppliers.We did this to make the most of the com-

petitive situation as well as to try out and evaluate

various alternatives. But to make sure that ,

employees have modern efficient workplaces”, con-

tinues Svein-Erik, “is a tall order that costs both

time, energy and money.”

“Kinnarps has been among our suppliers for

New desks in - old desks out:Aker Kvaerner replaces workplaces without ruffling its operations!Mention the word oil or gas and add the North Sea as a geographical location.Your thoughtswill certainly take you to Norway and its worldwide leading offshore industry with AkerKvaerner at the forefront - perhaps the foremost symbol for Norway's unparalleled success.


Aker Kværner

many years and has always come up trumps during

that time”, says Svein-Erik. “We were assured good

prices and high quality in terms of both products

and commitment. Kinnarps is altogether a very reli-

able supplier with solid logistical and organizational

resources.

Thanks to the mutual trust that has grown

through the years, we decided to sign a local frame-

work agreement with Kinnarps for Norway in .

To begin with, it covered some workplaces

with desks, office chairs, storage units and screens.

An initial complete workplaces were supplied

to our offices in Stavanger. After evaluating them,

we placed additional large orders for our offices in

Kristiansand, Stord, Egersund and Bergen, a volume

of between - items for office chairs alone.

“We make every use of Kinnarps skill to get the

best and most cost-effective workplaces”, says

Svein-Erik, “for instance we see it as a basic requi-

rement to use standard furniture as far as possible.”

We have enjoyed very good cooperation with

Kinnarps, not least in Stavanger between their dis-

tributor Konmøb and our purchasing department.

The basic condition was that our engineers could

have their workplaces replaced while they were pre-

sent in the premises without any loss of working time.

Our success was the result of very precise planning

according to the principle of “one desk in and one

desk out” – quite simply a replacement of workpla-

ces where everything could be moved from the old

one to the new one with minimum disturbance to

working routines. Some of the old furniture could be

used in less demanding environments within the

company. It was transported to its new location with

the aid of Kinnarps, who also saw to it that surplus

furniture was disposed of in an environmentally

responsible manner.”

Pål Rogdeberg, Kinnarps, and Svein-Erik Ommundsen, Aker Kværner

“The framework agreement with Aker Kvaerner

is a great success for Kinnarps activities here in

Norway”, says Pål Rogdeberg, Sales Manager for

Konmøb, Kinnarps distributor in Stavanger.

“Among other things this order represents the sing-

le largest delivery of office desks in Kinnarps entire

history. It is particularly gratifying that we were able

to satisfy Aker Kvaerner's requirement for adjusting

the height of a standard desk: our series[T]™ sit-sit

desk can be raised precisely by mm with a sing-

le press of a button within a range from to

mm.

“As regards the installations in Stavanger”, conti-

nues Pål, “I am happy to stress the excellent coope-

ration with Aker Kvaerner's purchasing department

and their project leader Rune Monsen.Their excel-

lent planning and cooperation meant that the old

workplaces were dismantled and the new ones

assembled with great efficiency and almost comple-

tely without a hitch.”

“In conclusion I can say that the largely comple-

ted project here in Stavanger has gone just as

smoothly as we had planned and hoped for”, says

Svein-Erik. “And this bodes well for the future,

both for us internally and for our potential coope-

ration with Kinnarps”, concludes a satisfied Svein-

Erik Ommundsen.


In the early s, Kinnarps launched a serious

export drive.The offensive was primarily targeted at

Germany and the UK.

“Basically, to grow in these markets we were put

under pressure to demonstrate compliance to both

quality and product safety legislation”, says Tomas

Ekström, head of quality and environment at

Kinnarp's since .

In order to obtain credible documentation for our

products, we sent them to be tested and certified at

LGA and FIRA, the leading German and English

testing institutions for furniture. However, it was a

costly and time consuming process, says Tomas, and

we fairly quickly realised the necessity of having our

own testing operation - and not solely as a tool for

the actual certification, but also as an opportunity for

offensive product development!

In our new facility was accredited by SWE-

DAC as Sweden's first in-house testing laboratory

for furniture, and were thus able to issue our own

test reports. Since then our operation has been con-

tinually developed and refined. Today our products

are certified according to all relevant national and

European standards, promises Tomas.

Our goal is a uniform European standard– with no national exceptions!

Tomas Ekström, Kinnarps qualityand environment manager

Our testing operation doesn't only involve meeting old standards, but also developing newones. For example, there are currently no standards which cover vertically adjustable tables.As Kinnarps is one of the leading companies in the field, it is quite natural that we areengaged in committed pioneering work to get one established.

Kinnarps test operat ions


For us the operation is not simply about working

to existing standards, but also about developing new

ones. Product development is continuously taking

place and the certification standards do not always

keep up, observes Tomas. For example, the strength of

work chairs is currently still being tested with the

focus on the load at the centre of the seat. Despite the

fact that most work chairs have adjustable seats with

completely different application points for the critical

load. The testing method is consequently outmoded

and should be reformulated into a new standard.

You can see another example over here of how

the development from need to statutory test is pro-

ceeding too slowly, says Tomas, and points towards a

Series [T]® desk from Kinnarps.The test is based on

subjecting the table to pressure, or rather, pushing it

laterally with a force of kilos. , shoves from

4 different directions; a total of , shoves!

What will this demonstrate? Well, says Tomas, per-

haps to years ago typewriters were used with

mechanical rollers. Every time you hit the carriage

return to change row you knocked the roller back;

a rather violent movement which put demands on a

stable and strong table. In other words, a test which

has little relevance with today's IT technology, but

which is still standard. On the other hand, Tomas

“Our job is ultimately to develop the safety of our products;i.e. strength, safety and quality; always with the basis in reality and real needs.”


“In 1994 we were accredited asSweden's first testing laboratory forfurniture - today our products are cer-tified according to all relevant nationaland European standards”.

continues committedly, the method as it is, or some-

what modified, could very well be used in a modern

application to test the strength of a raised table for

example! There are currently no such requirements.

Vertically adjustable tables are only are only specifi-

ed in volume in Scandinavia. As Kinnarps is one of

the leaders in the field, it is natural that we are

undertaking considerable work to develop such a

law. Just a few years ago there were no methods at

all for verification, but we have produced some gui-

delines which have been communicated to other

institutes such as CTBA in Paris. We are definitely

seeing that others are taking up our proposals and

can probably say that certification is on the cards.

Another very interesting area is ergonomics, says

Tomas, the establishment of an ergonomic certifica-

tion for how furniture is to be designed for maxi-

mum user-friendliness.

In this connection we are working on the deve-

lopment of a method of measurement to capture the

ergonomic properties in a chair.We are not the only

ones looking to aid the development, but together

with a bare handful of others we are at the frontline

of a global effort. At present, preliminary research is

being carried out with the aim of standardising a

number of different isolated projects.The goal is to

achieve harmonisation and in the long-term a joint

international approach and standardisation.

Our job is ultimately to develop the safety of our

products; i.e. strength, safety and quality; always with

the basis in reality and real needs.That's why we are

conducting an extremely intensive dialogue within

the company; between the management, the market

and us in the lab.We have also employed a produc-

tion technician so that we have that expertise in our

team as well. In general it can be said that a lot of

our work is to do with human skills and experien-

ce. For example, we carry out manual scratch tests to

assess how different liquids, such as detergent, have

an effect on different surface layers.We also use the

same method to test different properties in new, per-

haps more environmentally friendly, products.All of

this using the human eye, which is really the only

functional measuring instrument.

We are currently accredited for approximately

test methods, which easily covers the requirements

of our various markets. Naturally, it would be desi-

rable to have one single, comprehensive European

standard, says Tomas, and to some extent it exists, but

in practice it is reduced to zero through all the dif-

ferent national additions.The ideal would therefore

be to establish a completely uniform standard with

no exceptions.This would result in a situation wit-

hout the possibility of protectionism or the cultiva-

tion of interests, which do not solely ensure the best

for the user. In other words, a highly desirable situ-

ation and a development which it is well worth us

continuing to fight for at Kinnarps, concludes Tomas

Ekström.

Kinnarps test operat ions

We test all our products using approx. 70 accredited testing methods for different markets.


Sitting prettyAt any rate, this is what Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden can do in Mats Theselius’ armchair Norrsken. Thedesigner is well known for furniture produced in small editions for companies, private individuals and officialbuildings such as the White House. In the Norrsken case the chair is limited to one example, for StockholmCastle, where the idea is that the blonde beauty will stand in the visiting room of the Crown Princess. In hisproducts Theselius pays attention to small details and the preservation of our handicraft skills, ‘a part ofSwedish cultural wealth which should be found in our highest official contexts’. These details are also exqui-sitly displayed in Norrsken. Glimmering snowflakes, engraved onto the encircling silver mountings by the vene-rable Crown Jeweller W A Bohlin. Handles in the smoothest masur birch that are gentle to the touch, leatherfor the seat from Elmo Leather which is as soft as freshly-fallen snow, and a specially produced fabric from theUddebo textile factory, as close to shimmering birch-bark as you can get. The Princess was more than happywith the test sitting and said ‘with a chair as beautiful as this the visitors will never want to leave’.

Notes no5

Italy in FinlandMany people started spring off with a trip to lovely,design-crazy, Helsinki and also to the city's designmuseum. For the Finnish classics, certainly, but per-haps chiefly to see a condensed version of the deve-lopment of Italian design in modern times. The mobileinternational exhibition with the congenial name ItalianDesign 1945-2000, gives a clear picture of the Italiandesign miracle through the 100-odd most importantand representative products from the post-war periodup to the present. Classic after classic was on displayhere, from typewriters and Vespas to the MemphisGroup's productions and still later, furniture icons. Theambition of the creators of the exhibition was amongother things to increase understanding of the role anddevelopment of design even for those who are notfamiliar with Italy's history and culture. Italian Designalso provided a clear conception of the attitude ofItalian designers and companies in relation to qualitati-ve research and experimentation, something that manyother nationalities could learn from.

Direct from the computerA completely new way of working is what the Belgian company Materialise.MGXis offering the world’s designers. It involves leaving out all the prototype work byproducing, or more correctly printing out direct from the computer’s drawings, athree dimensional product. So, goodbye to models in wood, cardboard andplaster, along with expensive tools. The method, which is called rapid prototy-ping, is now so advanced and the results are so perfect, that it copes splendid-ly with small series at reasonable prices. So far it has mainly been nylon andepoxy that have been used, but Materialise.MGX is now testing other syntheticmaterials. The company’s parent company Materialise has been working on thetechnology for a long time in order to develop every possible kind of prototypefor other companies but decided to display its expertise more broadly with a col-lection of its very own lamps, which Materialise.MGX, introduced at the tradefair, 100% Design, in London in 2003. It was a success, both in terms of salesand interest in the company’s know-how. Among other things, the noted Israelidesigner Arik Levy has made a very special piece of jewellery, Shaman, whichnow complements the lighting collection.


Notes no5

Be even more mobile!Some years ago we frequently heard a lot about flex-ibility, mobility and accessibility. These ideas are stillalive in many producers and the reality of congestioncharges and suchlike for vehicles in a growing numberof cities is leaving its mark on development projects.The company Urbanista, which “develops well-desig-ned, functional everyday products for modern citypeople”, has recently developed the collapsible bicyc-le to improve health, environmental thinking and flexi-bility, primarily for city dwellers who perhaps want totravel by bus for a bit and then by bike. Incidentally,the world's largest market for this type of bicycle isJapan where living spaces are small, traffic is denseand parking spaces just about non-existent (easy toput underneath your desk at work). Its collapsibilityconsequently makes life easier, and not just for theJapanese. With no gears or three gears, in three diffe-rent colours, a solid, comfortable saddle, adjustablehandlebars and a robust but exceptionally light alumi-nium frame. Read and find out more at www.urbanista.se

Danish eleganceOne of Denmark's most famous architects, JørnUtzon, keeps himself constantly up-to-date, eventhough the fact that he is 87 years of age. This moder-nist, who in his early days worked in the practice ofthe legendary Gunnar Asplund and Alvar Aalto, achie-ved worldwide renown in 1957 when he won the inter-national architecture competition to design a newopera house in Sydney. Among his subsequent desig-ns have been large numbers of residential estates butalso large prestige buildings such as the Parliamentbuilding in Kuwait City, in conjunction with his son, thearchitect Jan Utzon. As if to remind us about his buil-ding in Sydney, which was opened in 1973, he recent-ly put his lamp - Opera - into production with theDanish company Lightyears. A pendant fixture hedesigned as early as the 1970s, not entirely dissimilarto the famous Opera House with large, white wings,one on top of the other, which provide a soft, anti-glare light. Faithful to his sense of elegance, Utzon hassigned every lamp on the bottom shade.

Live more cleanly with a prize-winning designHand on heart, it would probably be easier to remove those crumbs under the dining-table and the dust in the hall if the vacuum cleaner was always to hand. But if that was to be the case then it would have to be barely visible, and the small part that is visible should be so attractive that you wouldn't be in the least ashamed. This was one of the many things that Electrolux discovered through its interviews with consumers when developing its new cordless, battery-powered vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, many people thought that this sort of vacuum cleaner is often too noisy, has a cheap and plastic feel, has a poor suction effect, and is difficult to empty. Electrolux feels that this has been rectified in the Ergo Rapido which has already been awarded several international design prizes. It's effective but quiet and easiliy emptied and fitted with long lasting batteries. Moreover, in an extremely attractive casing, both comfortable to hold and neat where it leans against the wall in the hall or the kitchen. To celebrate its success, the first cayenne red Ergo Rapido was recently supplemented with four new colours with the cool names Moonlight Gold, Titan Grey, Cool Metallic Blue and Lime Green.

Multidisciplinary ArtistShe moves freely between design, art and handicrafts and expresses herself in textiles in lots of different mate-rials. Wool, thread, cloth naturally, but also tiles, mosaic and Hama beads. Sometimes even plastic hose andmultiple plugs from the hardware shop. Since her training in textile design at the College of Arts, Crafts andDesign, the multidisciplinary artist and conceptual designer Cilla Ramnek has been involved in everything fromchildren's clothes and embellishing public spaces to participation in art exhibitions and graphic design of booksand posters among other things. Sometimes she writes the books herself, in which case they might be aboutinterior design, knitting and crocheting, or how to make bags.One of her distinctive features, and something she has continually and happily returned to since childhood, isHama beads. Seemingly indefatigable, she experiments with colours and patterns and it was just one of thesethat was turned into a gigantic tapestry made out of tiles on a 17 metre high wall at Umeå University. In the spring,two of her projects are to continue running her own informal gallery, Studio Laila in Stockholm, and to submit anew book on interior design to the publishers. She promises that it won't be like other interior design books.


Zonit screen from Kinnarps in anew heightKinnarps is extending its range of screens, its latestaddition being the Zonit80 in a new height and style. Itoffers greater flexibility thanks to its new height of1300 mm. The range has also been brightened upwith a new metallic colour, namely Silver 2. The newscreen also means that accessories such as an armfor a flat screen or a notice board can be fitted in vari-ous ways.

Kinnarps notes no5

Kinnarps moves forward inAarhus, DenmarkNew Kinnarps premises have recently been inaugura-ted in Aarhus, Denmark's second largest city. SörenStryhn, sales manager for Kinnarps Denmark, seesthis as a natural development of Kinnarps operationsin Denmark, especially as the city has shown strongbusiness growth in recent years. The 1500 squaremetre premises accommodate displays, offices andstorage areas and offer the potential to reach thecompany's future goals, notes Sören.

Kinnarps acquires lighting compa-ny ASPEQTKinnarps has acquired lighting company Aspeqt, thustaking a further step in its strategy to develop into acomplete supplier of interior design products. Kinnarpsacquired three designer furniture companies in 2004,including Materia, whose offerings include a lightingconcept sold under the trademark Lucia. This will nowbe merged with the Aspeqt range and developed furt-her. “This strategic acquisition is completely in line withour aim to become a total supplier of interior designsolutions. Thanks to its own trademark, the speed ofdevelopment will increase significantly”, says RolfGustafson, Vice President of Kinnarps.

Ideas materialisedA playful idea has materialised in the form of a new waste-paper basket from Materia. Behind the ingeniouswaste-paper basket BIN from Materia is the design quartet known as Front. Four alert lady provocateurs whoturn all concepts topsy-turvy, twist ingrained notions inside-out and sometimes even let sheer randomnesstake over. They have now taken a further step by giving humour and playfulness a free hand as their ideasmaterialise. So you can clearly see when it's time to empty your bin!

New Mayflower chair fromKlaessonsKlaessons launched its new Mayflower chair atStockholm's Furniture Fair in February. The Mayflowerhas a comfortable and striking seat made of extrudedplastic in white, grey, black or green, alternatively witha fabric-covered seat as an accessory. The chair maybe stacked and coupled: it is designed by the celeb-rated duo Lars Pettersson and Thomas Bernstrand.The Mayflower is also available in an upholstered ver-sion, with or without an armrest.

Product innovations fromSkandiformSkandiform's family of chairs has now been extendedby the Pompidoo, a chair in PUR rubber on cantileverlegs made of stainless steel. Designer Jonas Lindvall.Another new product from Skandiform is the Aeonconference chair with a swivel stand and castors,designed by Eero Koivisto.

Unique method produces a surfa-ce structure with the appearanceof woodHere is a combination cupboard from KinnarpsSerie[XD]™ with a recently introduced surface structu-re which provides an appearance similar to wood.This method of finishing is unique to Kinnarps and it iscalled Lamine™. Lamine™, produces an extremely har-dwearing surface and it receives high values in alltests. The “types of wood” which are available usingthis new method are beech and birch.

KINNARPS MAGAZINE

BelgiumKinnarps nv/saWemmelTel: +32 (0)2 456 0 456www.kinnarps.be

DenmarkKinnarps A/SBrøndbyTel: +45 70 15 10 10www.kinnarps.dk

FinlandKinnarps OYKeravaTel: +358 207 561 200www.kinnarps.fi

FranceKinnarps S.A.Montigny le BretonneuxTel: +33 (0)130 48 1800www.kinnarps.fr

United Arab EmiratesKinnarps of Sweden LLCDubaiTel: +971(0) 43595501www.kinnarps.ae

HollandKinnarps Nederland B.V.ZutphenTel : +31 575 514422www.kinnarps.nl

IcelandPenninn SkrifstofubúnadurReykjavikTel: +354 540 2000www.penninn.is

LatviaR.A.S.A & Co Ltd.RigaTel: +371 7 501 361www.kinnarps.com

LithuaniaUAB KinnarpsVilniusTel: +370 5 2312 956 www.kinnarps.lt

MexicoKinnarps S.A.deC.V.Col. Lomas Barrilacosecc.VertientesTel: +52 84 3333www.kinnarps.com

NorwayKinnarps ASOsloTel: +47 67 16 71 00www.kinnarps.no

PolandKinnarps Polska Sp.z.o.o.WarsawTel: +48 22 314 64 70 - 75www.kinnarps.pl

RussiaKinnarps ZAO Kinnarps Ltd.Tel: +7 (812) 449-0767www.kinnarps.ru

Saudi ArabiaKinnarps of Sweden LLCJeddahTel: +96 62 650 0905

SwitzerlandKinnarps SAGenevaTel: +41 (0)227 323 565www.kinnarps.ch

SlovakiaKinnarps, spol. s r.o.BratislavaTel: +421 (0)2 5564 9001www.kinnarps.sk

SpainKinnarps EspañaMadridTel: +34 914 559 549/50www.kinnarps.es

United KingdomKinnarps UK LtdColnbrook Slough SL3 0DXTel: +44 (0)1753 681 860www.kinnarps.co.uk

SwedenKinnarps ABKinnarpTel: +46 (0) 20 750 750 – for nearest dealerwww.kinnarpsinterior.se

Czech RepublicKinnarps,a.s.´Cestlice Tel: +420 227 202 200www.kinnarps.cz

GermanyKinnarps Bürofurniture GmbHRatingenTel: +49 (0) 2102 - 7148 - 0www.kinnarps.de

UkraineFirma InorKievTel : +380 44 220 905www.kinnarps.com

HungaryKinnarps Hungary Kft.BudapestTel: +36 1 237 12 51www.kinnarps.hu

USAKinnarps Office Furniture, IncLake Oswego, OR 97035Tel: +1 503 635 2400www.kinnarpsusa.com

KINNARPS WORLDWIDE

EDITORIAL STAFF

Per-Ola Wennefors, Publishing Director

Åsa Andersson, Project Manager

Ove Kalén

Rune Karlsson

Charlotta Mide

Birgitta Skoglund

Mats Fredrikson, Graphic Designer

Jonas Sällberg, Photographer

Kinnarps Marketing & Sales AB

521 88 Kinnarp

Sweden

Tel +46(0)515-380 00

Fax +46(0)515-337 01

[email protected]

www.kinnarps.com

Next edition will be published in November 2006

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