We believe in successful interiors
We have been delivering interior solutions for some time now, and are dedicated to giving you an ever better service. With boundless curiosity, we are committed to delivering attractive interior solutions that help you and your organisation stay motivated, productive and happy. To us, an interior isn’t just about the furniture: it’s about combining good design with our extensive expertise to support creativity and efficiency; about transforming our knowledge of ergonomics and wellbeing into spaces where you can create a lasting business and where individuals thrive. Last but not least, it’s about ensuring sustainability and responsibility is in everything we do. Only when we deliver on all these fronts have we done our job. When we succeed, we know you will succeed, making a real difference to organisations, individuals and the planet.
We call this: Successful Interiors.
Office
When creating an office that promotes wellbeing and productivity, it is important to design a working environment that supports both the working methods and the people. The key to success is to address the needs of all types of personalities and to create spaces that support the various activities carried out during the day. With KINNARPS NEXT OFFICE® we offer research, strategy and advice for creating your ideal office.
Education
The physical environment of schools and education spaces is of great importance for learning and new knowledge. The right furniture and equipment support learning in both formal and informal education spaces. Therefore it is important to create attractive, ergonomic, flexible spaces that support students and teachers in their learning and development. With KINNARPS NEXT EDUCATION® we offer research, strategy and guidance in creating active learning spaces.
Care
A healing space is an environment in which an individual feels safe, stimulated and included - environments that improve the wellbeing of everyone who spends time in them, whether they be patients, staff or relatives. With KINNARPS NEXT CARE® we offer an understanding of how care environments can be actively designed to stimulate the healing process and of the requirements that should be set for the interior design solutions.
Sustainability all the way
For us at Kinnarps, sustainability is a natural part of our daily work. It’s in our DNA, and always has been. We take responsibility throughout the entire production chain, all the way from the initial design through to the use, and reuse, of our products.
Sustainability all the way
Ergonomics for everyone
All our interiors are built to last. Even more importantly, they are built for you and your organisation to last. This creates an environment where everyone is healthier, happier and more productive. In other words, prioritising ergonomics isn’t just good for your staff – it’s also good for your business.
Ergonomics for everyone
From Scandinavia with love
Our natural heritage derives from the Scandinavian design tradition. On top of that, we’ve infused it with international influences and applied our Kinnarps’ philosophy. This blend is what makes the unique feeling of our products - with the right ergonomics and the right form and function. If you want to create attractive spaces and healthy working environments, it is vital that your office is both functional and inspiring. Through careful design, you can effectively boost your brand as well as your organisation’s productivity. The choice of materials is also essential for the identity and functionality of your office environment. Our Kinnarps Colour Studio provides you with easy access to hundreds of sustainable, creative and attractive materials. Materials that are developed in collaboration with architects and interior designers to ensure flexibility and functionality that inspires creativity and productivity.
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This is how it all began
History
Our story began in 1942 when the young couple Evy and Jarl Andersson bought a carpenter’s shop in the small village of Kinnarp, Sweden. Since then the business has grown step by step and children and grandchildren have played their part in its development. Evy often called Jarl “the Optimist”. They were driven by the belief that anything, however good, can always be improved a little. An approach that is still deeply rooted in us as a company today. All so that our customers who use our products and solutions will feel a little better. And get a little more done. In a long-term sustainable way.
Today we are a large international interior design company, still characterised by the same genuine curiosity and down-to-earth spirit of innovation that drove our founders.
1940'S
EVY & JARL GET GOING
Evy and Jarl Andersson founded Kinnarps in 1942, with two employees on their team. Initially furniture was made to order, primarily for architects. In 1943 Kinnarps started to deliver tambour cabinets to the Swedish government, and three years later the company signed its first contract with the government. Since then Kinnarps has been a loyal supplier of workspace solutions for the public sector.
1950'S
BECOMING KINNARPS AS WE KNOW IT
Kinnarps invested in its first complete range of office furniture, producing the first catalogue in 1952. Completion of the new factory gave Kinnarps the space it needed to expand its production of chairs. In 1959 Kinnarps started to deliver the furniture with its own furniture truck and assemble the furniture at the customer's office, ensuring quality all the way to the customer. By wrapping the products in reusable blankets instead of one-off packaging, waste was reduced and more products could be loaded in the van.
1960'S
BIGGER STAFF AND FIRST SHOWROOM
In the early 1960s there were 34 Kinnarps employees on the books and an annual turnover of SEK 2 million. In 1968 the company opened its first showroom in Stockholm. During the 1960s product assortment increased and Kinnarps launched order-directed production.
1970'S
GOING INTERNATIONAL
Henry Jarlsson, Evy and Jarl’s oldest son, assumed the role of CEO in 1973. Kinnarps went on to launch in London in 1974, establishing itself in the export market. In 1977 Kinnarps bought a briquette press for wood waste. The briquettes reduced the use of heating oil and made use of the inevitable wood waste from the factory.
1980'S
A WIDER PRODUCT RANGE
In the mid-1980s the company decided to invest in a new and comprehensive range of furniture. Soft seating and conference furniture were added to the Kinnarps’ standard offering. During this decade, Kinnarps purchased the supplier Granstrands and invested in a new factory in Skillingaryd in south-central Sweden. Kinnarps launched a solvent free UV lacquer (1980) to be able to offer hard, durable surfaces without damaging the environment. Since 1980 we have cut our emissions by 90% by placing eco-innovation at the centre of our business model.
1990'S
CERTIFICATES & RESPONSIBILITY
In 1991 Kinnarps developed and produced the first electrically adjustable table, which offered alternative positions for deskwork. Kinnarps became the first furniture manufacturer in Sweden to receive Quality Management System certification ISO 9001 in 1993. In 1997 the company’s environment management system received ISO 14001 certification. Kinnarps also joined the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) the same year. The company worked with supplier Reiners throughout the 1990s, and in late 1999 Reiners joined the Kinnarps Group.
2000'S
WINNING AWARDS & ACQUIRING COMPANIES
At the start of the new century, Kinnarps won two awards: the Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame Award and the Competence Company of the Year in Sweden. The company established itself in several new markets, as well as acquiring design furniture companies Klaessons, Materia and Skandiform. At the beginning of 2000 Kinnarps also launched Kinnarps Next Office, offering research, strategy and advice in creating tailormade offices for its customers.
2010'S
Kinnarps continued its sustainability work with the launch of The Better Effect Index – the first comprehensive sustainability tool for interior solutions. In 2018 the company launched two new concepts; Kinnarps Next Education offering research, guidance and strategy for active learning environments and Kinnarps Next Care a guiding method in creating healing spaces.
TODAY
SUCCESSFUL INTERIORS
Kinnarps delivers interior design solutions for offices, schools and healthcare facilities. The entire value chain is characterised by high quality and low environmental impact – from raw materials to finished workplace solutions. Kinnarps is one of Europe's biggest manufacturers of interior design solutions, with operations in 40 countries.
Here to help.
From start to finish.
Looking for a specific product? Interested in customising a solution to meet your individual needs? Or simply intrigued to learn more about what we have on offer? Get in touch - we are here for you.
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