CZECH Furniture Industry and In teriors

Supplement of Czech Business and Trade
CZECH Furniture Industry and Interiors
Solutions
for the boldest
ideas
production of: prestigious interiors
exclusive furniture pieces
non-traditional decorative elements
Film Dekor has produced and constructed sets for films
and exhibitions since 1993. In the last few years, the
company has been focusing on the manufacture of
custom-made exclusive interior elements and furniture
to the design of top designers and prestigious architecture studios in Bohemia and abroad.
The company’s recent major successes included its victory in a public competition for the design and execution of the Czech pavilion for EXPO 2010 in Shanghai, its
second victory in a competition for a world exhibition
after the successful execution of the Czech pavilion at
EXPO 2005 in Aichi, Japan.
Film Dekor, spol. s r.o., V lomech 230, 149 00 Praha 4, Czech Republic
phone/fax: +420 272 936 759, filmdekor@filmdekor.cz, www.filmdekor.cz
CZECH FURNITURE INDUSTRY AND INTERIORS
Czech Furniture
Industry and Interiors
Supplement of
Czech Business and Trade 03-04/2009
CONTENTS
Editorial
ANALYSIS
High Standard of Czech Furniture Industry
Traditional as well as Progressive Furniture Manufacture
European Furniture Manufacturers
Federation Headed by a Czech
10
ENTERPRISE
Cluster of Czech Furniture Manufacturers
Promotes Innovation, Research, and Development
Upholstery Is the Basis of Healthy Sitting and Lying
DESIGNSTORY 09, Showcase for Students‘ Invention
12
14
15
CZECH TOP
The Largest Czech Exporter in the Furniture Market
StudentDesign – Original Ideas Serving Furniture Industry
Specialist in Commercial and Public Interiors
18
20
22
WE ARE INTRODUCING
Synthetic Stone, Material of the Future
24
MK ČR E 6379
26
This magazine is published as a supplement to the economic bimonthly issued in English (Czech Business and Trade), German (Wirtschaft und Handel in der Tschechischen Republik), French (Industrie et
commerce tchèques), Spanish (Empresas y negocios en la República
Checa), and Russian (Чешская топговля и предпринимательство).
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Hospital Bed for Children
– Challenge for Czech Furniture Manufacturers
Cover photo: JITONA archives, page 3 photo: JITONA archives
4
4
8
EDUCATION
Ecology Is Crucial in Interior Design
27
SURVEY
Poll of Successful Companies Operating
in the Furniture Industry and Interior Design
28
INFORMATION
Furniture and Interior Design Exhibitions and Fairs
Important Contacts
30
30
Managing Editor: Ivana Šmejdová
Editor: Ondřej Štrba
Graphic Design: Art director: Nina Nováková
Graphic Designers: Romana Holíčková, Jiří Hetfleisch
Production: Tamara Machotová, Anežka Zvěřinová
Address: PP Agency s.r.o., Myslíkova 25, 110 00 Praha 1
Czech Republic, Phone: +420 221 406 623, 221 406 626
Fax: +420 224 930 016, E-mail: [email protected], www.ppagency.cz
www.mpo.cz/en/minister-and-ministry/ministry/default.html
Deadline: 23/1/2009
Attitudes expressed by the authors of articles in this magazine are not
necessarily consistent with the viewpoint of the Publisher.
© PP Agency, Company with the ISO 9001 certified quality management
system for publishing services
PRESENTATION OF FIRMS: B.D.I. SPOL. S R.O.; ELITE BOHEMIA ING. JOSEF CHLUM; FILM DEKOR SPOL. S R.O.; KORYNA NÁBYTEK, A.S.;
LEDVINA S.R.O.; MAKRA TOYS S.R.O.; MI - POL GROUP, S.R.O.; POLSTRIN DESIGN, S.R.O.; RIM - CZ, SPOL. S R.O.; SOFTCONSULT, SPOL. S R.O.;
STORY DESIGN, A.S.
3|
A N A LY S I S
High Standard of Czech
Furniture Industry
Petr Filgas, Ministry of Industry and Trade
www.mpo.cz, e-mail: [email protected]
Ondřej Štrba
|4
Regional Structure
In terms of regional structure, the furniture sector is most strongly represented
in the South Moravia Region, but furniture manufacturers are present in practically all the regions. The Czech Republic
registers more than 500 producers with
10 and more employees.
Price Development
In the years 2000-2006, price indices in
the furniture sector had a falling tendency year-on-year, which was mainly due
to the strong competition and the high
offer of this type of goods on the market. In 2007, prices rose insignificantly by
less than one per cent as compared with
2006 (Table 1).
Basic Production
Characteristics
In 2007, revenues for the sale of manufactured goods and services in the sector
amounted to EUR 2.18 billion and were
almost EUR 122 million higher than in
2006. The increase in furniture sales reflected the upsurge in construction activities in the Czech Republic virtually in
all categories. Book value added rose by
1.2% in 2007/2006, and by almost 53% in
the period 2000–2007.
The number of employees in the sector
has been declining since 2001 as a result
of increasing competition and rising productivity of labour. In 2007, the number
of employees fell by 3% as against 2006.
Despite that, modernisation connected
with production innovation has been insufficient in the sector. In most cases the
reasons are limited financial resources of
the organisations.
The development of revenues from the
sale of manufactured goods and services in the years 2000 to 2007 is given
in Table 2.
Foreign Trade
2000–2007 development of foreign trade in
products of the branch is shown in Table 3.
In foreign trade, more than 80% of furniture supplies go to the EU internal market. It is a positive feature for the Czech
Republic that the economy of the trade is
improving. Unit export prices are rising at
a faster rate than import prices. In 2007,
foreign trade in furniture (according to
the Standard Classification of Production) showed a surplus of EUR 744 mil-
Photo: PhotoCombo, JITONA archives
The Czech furniture industry has a long
history, for centuries furniture from the
Czech Republic has been a guarantee
of quality in both materials used and
workmanship. The sector is very attractive at present, the demands on furniture manufacture have been growing
with the rising living standards of the
population and Czech companies are
successfully keeping pace with these
demands. The Czech Republic’s territory is home to the operation of many
family firms that were established at
the beginning of the 20th century, and
there are also a number of multinational
companies which appreciate both the
quality of the labour force and the advantageous location of the Central European country. Last but not least, the
Czech Republic can pride itself on many
successes in the area of furniture and interior design, which have won awards at
prestigious international competitions.
The current issue introduces important organisations that group Czech furniture makers, including the largest one
in the branch, the Association of Czech
Furniture Manufacturers, which has collaborated on the introductory sector
analysis. The Czech Top section presents
important Czech firms, successes in the
area of design are rendered in the article
of the Czech Upholsterers´ Guild and the
piece on Designstory. Traditionally, we
do not forget to inform about research
and development being conducted in
the furniture sector, and about the quality education that can be acquired by
students of Czech schools.
The main material used by the furniture
making industry is pre-processed wood
or wood products, especially agglomerated wood products, plywood and veneer supplied by the woodworking industry. The production is characterised
by a high material intensity, which accounts for up to 80% of total costs. The
use of new equipment and technology,
as well as respect for required legislation,
means that the products of the different
sectors contain virtually no dangerous or
harmful substances hazardous to people
or the environment.
Furniture product ranges include seating furniture, living room, nursery, and
bedroom furniture, furniture for other living quarters, kitchen furniture, furniture
for the fitting out of offices, banks, hospitals, health and other facilities, shops,
as well as other furniture, such as metal,
solitaire, and complementary pieces.
It is an advantage for Czech manufacturers that the basic materials are of
domestic origin, such as measured timber, boards, veneer, and balks. Import is
limited to selected groups of products,
supplementary materials and auxiliary
preparations.
As regards Czech products, a top European standard is represented especially
by bentwood furniture, and recently also
kitchen furniture has been valued for
its very good level. A great increase has
been recorded in the production of hospital beds. The so-called solitaire furniture is no longer a scarce commodity, it is
supplied mainly by small manufacturers
from all over the Czech Republic (pieces
for halls, living rooms, etc.)
CZECH FURNITURE INDUSTRY AND INTERIORS
1 800
1 600
lion, which was EUR 37 million more than
in the previous year.
Territorial Structure
of Foreign Trade
Territorially, products of the sector are
exported primarily to EU member states,
especially Germany, the United Kingdom,
Ireland, and Austria. The fact that the category of other countries represents 28%
is verification that the territorial placement of the products in the sector is quite
broad. Certain types of furniture (especially bentwood products) have been
successfully sold in the United States on
a long-term basis. Kitchen furniture manufacture has been growing in the last
few years, and 2007 only confirmed this
trend. Its characteristic feature is quality,
both in terms of workmanship and the
overall technical standard, with built-in
1 400
Development of foreign trade in manufactured goods
in current prices in the years 2000-2007
Total exports (EUR million)
Total imports (EUR million)
Balance (EUR million)
1 200
1 000
800
600
400
200
0
2000
2001
Source: Czech Statistical Office
2002
2003
modern electric appliances (cooker, dishwasher, refrigerator, etc.).
A similar situation exists in imports,
where the decisive countries in Czech
imports are Germany, China, Poland, and
Denmark, and the share of the group of
other countries is 20%. It is realistic to assume that the exports of the main prod-
2004
2005
2006
2007
ucts of the sector to EU countries will
continue to prevail.
Competitiveness of Firms
In an international comparison of competitiveness, the results of foreign trade in furniture have shown significant progress in
recent years. Compared with neighbouring
5|
A N A LY S I S
Table 1: Development of price indices of products in 2000 - 2007
year-on-year index
(%)
Furniture
manufacture
01/00
02/01
03/02
04/03
05/04
06/05
07/06
102.2
101.3
100.1
101.2
102.0
100.4
100.8
Source: Czech Statistical Office, additional calculations by Ministry of Industry and Trade
Table 2: Revenues from the sale of manufactured goods and services in the years 2000 - 2007
(EUR million)
Furniture
manufacture
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007*
1 165
1 367
1 627
1 510
1 642
1 905
2 015
2 179
Source: Ministry of Industry and Trade; data in current prices; * preliminary data
Table 3: Development of foreign trade in manufactured goods in c.p.* in the years 2000 - 2007
Year
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
997
1 116
1 098
1 260
1 482
1 498
1 648
355
383
421
455
578
684
790
904
476
613
694
644
683
797
707
744
Total exports (EUR million
Furniture
manufacture
831
Total imports (EUR million)
Furniture
manufacture
Balance (EUR million)
Furniture
manufacture
Source: Czech Statistical Office; *c.p.=current prices
Austria or Germany, labour productivity derived from value added has improved, and
the Czech Republic is now at about 70% to
75% of the level in these leading EU countries. Certain Czech producers of bentwood
furniture or kitchens approach the current
level of productivity by value added even
closer. It is an interesting fact that the Czech
Republic produces more furniture annually
than Austria, Portugal, or Finland.
An increase in competitiveness depends
on further investment in modern but financially intensive technologies.
Cluster Initiative
Of great importance for manufacturers in the
sector was the establishment of the “Czech
Furniture Cluster“, which associates organisations from the regions of South Moravia,
Vysočina, Pardubice, and Hradec Králové.
The cluster has established working groups
for important world territories, which are, in
Europe, Germany + Austria + Switzerland,
then the Ukraine + the Russian Federation,
and overseas the USA + Canada. Great opportunities for penetrating the markets exist
especially in the Russian Federation, where
the population has so far been spending six
times less on furniture than the average in
|6
other countries of Europe. With the growing
economic strength of the country and the
rising living standard of its population, considerable opportunities will open for Czech
manufacturers and exporters.
Investment
Investment incentives do not exist in the
sector, no application has been filed in the
recent years. There are about 20 companies
with foreign participation in the sector without any support by an investment incentive,
which was provided by the CzechInvest
Agency in the form of grants. The volume
of tangible investment in the branch is low
and ranks among the smallest compared
with other sectors of the manufacturing
industry, despite the fact that modern machine technologies are of great significance,
enable producers to achieve very good
functional parameters of products, top quality and high labour productivity. Besides the
technical side, due attention is also paid to
furniture design.
Specialised exhibitions of modern design
covering furniture, lighting equipment and
interior accessories, which in 2008 included
the Art & Interior show, are held regularly
in Prague’s Trade Fair Palace under the aus-
pices of the Minister of Industry and Trade.
Every year the international MOBITEX Fair
takes place in the Moravian city of Brno.
Summary and Prospects
of the Sector
The favourable results the industry has
achieved, together with the supply of quality domestic raw materials, augur well for its
further growth. This is also supported by the
Czech Republic’s current legislation, which is
fully compatible with EU law. Development
in the sector does not face any problems regarding environmental protection, because
production in the different branches meets
the requirements stipulated by the respective EU laws and directives, including the
problem of waste and its processing. The sector works constantly to introduce the latest
environmentally friendly technologies and
recognises the need to observe in future the
principles of the new REACH chemical legislation. The crucial themes in the industry in
the near term will be investment in machinery and equipment, and to a lesser degree
the construction of new facilities and/or
reconstruction of existing halls or buildings.
The sector would benefit from a more massive entry by foreign investors, as well as foreign contacts and closer cooperation. In this
respect, it will be important for Czech companies to successfully present themselves in
fairs and exhibitions especially abroad, and
conclude contracts there.
The prospects of the sector also depend on
the extension of business contacts and cooperation not only on the EU internal market,
but also in relation to third countries, especially with a focus on the Russian Federation.
The sector has successfully coped with challenges posed by the world market globalisation; now it will face the main task to overcome the current world economic crisis.
IMPORTANT MANUFACTURERS
IN THE SECTOR:
JITONA, a.s., Soběslav: manufacture of flat veneered
and laminated furniture, manufacture of kitchens
TON, a.s., Bystřice pod Hostýnem:
bentwood chairs
KORYNA, a.s., Koryčany:
kitchen furniture, surgery furniture
TECHO, a.s., Praha: office furniture manufacture
HANÁK NÁBYTEK, a.s., Kroměříž:
kitchen furniture
SYKORA, s.r.o., Razov – Vizovice: kitchen furniture
www.koryna.cz
More than a kitchen – a modern living space
Koryna
Kitchens
Contact/address:
KORYNA nábytek, a.s.
Výrobní závod (Factory)
Masarykova 260
768 05 Koryčany
Czech Republic
e mail: [email protected]
• A broad range of products
• Individual approach to interior design
• Modern production technology
• A wide choice of cabinet modules
• 150 year tradition of furniture making
• A large selection of complementary services
A N A LY S I S
Traditional as well as Progressive Furniture Manufacture
Tomáš Lukeš, Association of Czech Furniture Manufacturers,
www.czechfurniture.com, e-mail: [email protected]
Standard of the Czech
furniture industry is high
High Standard
and Competitive Advantages
The comparative advantages of suppliers
from the Czech Republic are especially
the high quality of the final products and
their ability to supply required quantities
of products at a given time. This is due to
the existing modern manufacturing capacities of the furniture industry. Priorities
include the ever growing attention to furniture design, and following the latest design trends. Emphasis is laid on the high
use value of furniture, including the latest
ergonomic and health trends.
There is a number of traditional manufacturers in the Czech Republic, whose beginnings sometimes go back as far as the 19th
century. They include: TON, a.s. L.A. Bernkop,
JITONA, a.s., Dřevotvar výrobní družstvo - Jablonné nad Orlicí, Dřevotvar Znojmo - výrobní
družstvo, Koryna, a.s., etc.. On the other hand,
many enterprises with clear private ownership have been newly established and developed since the beginning of the 1990’s.
The creativeness and business instincts
of the owners have built firms that have
more than a hundred employees today. We
can mention e.g. Hon nábytek s.r.o., Hanák
nábytek s.r.o., Sykora s.r.o., NADOP – VÝROBA
Main Trends
The Czech furniture industry processes
a broad range of materials, from wooden
boards of various types (agglomerated
chipboard, fibreboard and plywood, battenboard and blockboard), to timber,
leather, artificial imitation leather, textile, to
glass and various types of metals (steel, aluminium alloys, and the like), and plastics. In
response to modern trends, the share of alternative materials is increasing and modern technologies are used.
STRONG POINTS OF THE CZECH FURNITURE INDUSTRY
Outstanding craftsmanship of workers employed in the sector
Considerably lower wage costs compared with West Europe
Good level of companies‘ technology
The staff ’s knowledge of languages, especially English and German, has been improving
The furniture industry is an important sector of industrial production in the Czech Republic, pro-export orientation, it has been
recording a balance of trade surplus over the longer term, contribution to GDP
There are considerable production capacities, production for large international retail chains
Due to the size of the sector, there is a fast and quality delivery service and material supply
Following structural changes, the furniture industry has experienced a recovery, the sector in the Czech Republic stands up to
world-wide competition, there are young growing firms, offer includes the manufacture of special types of furniture
|8
Photo: EXBYDO archives
Furniture manufacture in the Czech Republic is a traditional and developed industrial
sector with a tradition reaching back to the
beginnings of industrial production in the
country. Compared with the surrounding
world, furniture manufacture on the territory which is now the Czech Republic has
always been on a very high level and naturally copied the level of a number of other
industrial branches. It is closely linked with
the needs of the population and sensitively
reacts to immediate demand.
The furniture sector is a basic industrial sector in most industrial countries. According to
estimates of the Association of Czech Furniture Manufacturers, in 2008 the industry employed about 36 850 people in the Czech Republic, and some 80 000 people are employed
in the supply sector meeting the needs of this
industry and furniture retail (Graph 1).
An important factor is that despite a drop
in the number of furniture industry employees, productivity in the furniture making
sector is constantly rising.
NÁBYTKU s.r.o., Profil nábytek, a.s., Iktus s.r.o.,
Montanna s.r.o., Ahorn CZ s.r.o., etc.. These
firms have built their own customer or retail
networks. They are developing their own
consumer brands or brands of their products.
They invest in marketing and development,
and their technological investment is made
in accordance with company philosophy and
expected product development.
These relatively young firms have a considerable growth potential in the Czech
Republic, they arose as “greenfield“ operations, often without any major initial capital
investment.
Nowadays, however, the firms have capital,
modern equipment, trained staff, and advanced know-how. They are medium-sized
companies which adopted the tactics of
a clearly defined product portfolio or business orientation. They know their way in
the competitive environment, invest in
new production halls and highly modern
technologies, let themselves be led by the
needs of customers, follow the market and
apply modern marketing procedures, and
have succeeded in building a system of
company management with a clear ownership structure.
CZECH FURNITURE INDUSTRY AND INTERIORS
50 000
Graph 1: Number of employees in furniture manufacture
in the Czech Republic
45 000
40 000
Table 1
35 000
30 000
25 000
20 000
15 000
CZECH FURNITURE
EXPORTS IN 2007
%
Germany
39
United Kingdom
8.5
Slovakia
6
Belgium
5.9
Poland
5.5
Austria
4
France
3.7
Sweden
3.1
Spain
2.5
Netherlands
2.2
50%
Russia
2.1
45%
United States
1.9
40%
Hungary
1.5
35%
Italy
1
30%
Denmark
1
Switzerland
1
Romania
1
10 000
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
0
2000
5 000
Source: Association of Czech Furniture Manufacturers
Graph 2: Export Performance of Czech Furniture Industry in %
25%
20%
Ukraine
15%
Other
10%
Source: Asociation of Czech Furniture Manufacturers
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
5%
0%
1
9.1
Source: Association of Czech Furniture Manufacturers
The size of the furniture sector is matched by
the supplier sector. This guarantees a smooth
and basically trouble-free supply for the furniture industry according to its needs.
Transition to Custom
Furniture Manufacture
The current trend is characterised by a retreat
from large series, often produced for stock,
which is being increasingly replaced by custom or low-series manufacturing. These trends
naturally also bring demands for changes in
technology. Nowadays, even small companies in the Czech Republic are equipped with
CNC machining centres allowing flexible reaction to production demands. Production line
manufacturing is being abandoned so that
the flow can be changed during operation
and single unfinished pieces can be taken out
for individual works.
Production in the Czech Republic includes
luxury furniture, examples of such companies include Wiesner Hager Bohemia spol.
s r.o., manufacturer of luxury office furniture,
ASSOCIATION OF CZECH
FURNITURE MANUFACTURERS
The Association of Czech Furniture Manufacturers is the
only sector association of producers of furniture in the Czech
Republic. The Association of Czech Furniture Manufacturers
is a suitable partner when searching for potential business
partners in furniture manufacturing in the Czech Republic.
As the only organisation in the sector of furniture manufacture, it can provide truly professional advice to those interested, and on the basis of a specified requirement choose
suitable candidates from the whole Czech Republic. This
approach saves time and costs on both sides.
The Association was established in 1995. It is a registered non-profit organisation and its chief purpose
is the promotion and representation of the common
interests of Czech entrepreneurs who are engaged
in furniture development, production, and trade. It
strives for these objectives on the national as well
as international levels, and is constantly trying to
increase the standard of the whole furniture manufacturing sector in the Czech Republic.
the producer of kitchens NADOP – VÝROBA
NÁBYTKU s.r.o., or the upholstered furniture
manufacturer Böhm s.r.o.
Czech furniture making companies successfully orientate themselves in new trends,
which is evidenced by the growth of furniture manufacture in the Czech Republic and
the export performance of Czech firms.
An important verification that the Czech
furniture industry stands on sound market
foundations is the success of Czech furniture in markets abroad (Graph 2).
The most important territories where the
export from Czech furniture manufacturing
firms is heading are the markets of the European Union (Table 1).
Structure of Companies
By its nature, the furniture industry of the
Czech Republic is a sector of small and medium-sized enterprises. There are about 20
firms in the category of companies with
more than 250 employees. Approximately
400 companies rank in the category of
medium-sized enterprises (25 – 250 employees). The remaining ones of the total of
some 2 000 firms belong to the category of
small and micro enterprises. These figures
are estimates of the Association of Czech
Furniture Manufacturers based on Czech
Statistical Office data.
9|
A N A LY S I S
The standard of the Czech furniture industry
is comparable to the European Union
Martin Čudka, Union Européenne de l’Ameublement (UEA) - European Furniture
Manufacturers Federation, www.ueanet.com, e-mail: [email protected]
Martin Čudka, for many years President of the
Association of Czech Furniture Manufacturers,
was elected President of the European Furniture
Manufacturers Federation (UEA) in December
2008. In almost sixty years, this is the first time
that a Central European has been elected to
head the organisation, and the event thus gives
a positive impulse to the Czech furniture industry and shows that this sector has an exceptional
position in the Czech Republic. Last but not least,
it also demonstrates that Czech production is on
a European level, and is coping with the difficult
situation of a financial crisis. The years 2009-2011,
for which Martin Čudka has been elected, will not
be easy and will pose many challenges, and thus
we have asked him how he plans to face them.
Mr President, what will the priorities of the European Furniture Manufacturers Federation
be under your leadership? What objectives
will you try to achieve during the three years
you will be in office?
The UEA priorities and plan of work for the coming period were formulated by the Board at
a session in Brno on 18 March 2009 and presented at the following assembly in Prague. One of
the priorities is a more intensive communication
between UEA members, the purpose of these
|10
exchanges of opinion is to define still better the
priorities of the UEA as a whole. This is connected with an increase in the number of members.
I would like the UEA to be a strong organisation,
naturally also in financial terms.
In what way will members of the Federation cooperate under your leadership?
First of all I want to emphasise that the UEA
is a federation of equal members and we will
contribute to the same extent to the implementation of the tasks. Someone can do this,
another one can do that. Through the synergy
of our abilities and knowledge we will achieve
a better result than would be produced by
simply adding them up. Or even, and that
would be the worst thing, than if we approached the UEA as an organisation where
we elect one wise man and let ourselves be
led without a democratic discussion.
What can be the advantages of a situation
when the Federation is headed by a president from a country which joined the
European Union a short time ago?
A certain degree of ignorance, with which
newly acceding and candidate countries look
at the EU founding states, is healthy and desirable. Even countries of developed parts of the
world can make very unpleasant mistakes with
far-reaching consequences. An example can be
the bubbles of the financial sector which, when
they started to burst, touched off a financial
crisis and then an economic one. Thus, I see it
rather as an advantage that I come from a postcommunist country. I will certainly bring many
new angles to views on many old problems.
The European Furniture Manufacturers Federation was created in 1950 to promote cooperation among furniture
manufacturers in post-war Europe and re-integrate Germany into the community of European furniture manufacturers. Together with the European Union the Federation has evolved to assume an increasing importance.
The UEA pursues the following objectives:
To maintain and promote permanent contact between furniture manufacturers in Europe
To act as the voice of the furniture manufacturing industry towards the EU and other organisations
To represent the interests of European furniture while influencing the rules in the furniture sector
To extend the awareness of basic information from the branch among its members
To act as a link between European manufacturers and foreign markets
To help with the amicable settlement of disputes which may arise between members
To represent and promote the furniture industry in its various aspects
To cooperate with national and international fairs and exhibitions
To promote training in the sector and act as a provider of information and services for the furniture industry
To represent the employers in the European furniture sector
Photo: JITONA archives
European Furniture Manufacturers
Federation Headed by a Czech
ENTERPRISE
Martina Bartoňová, Cluster of Czech Furniture Manufacturers (Klastr českých nábytkářů)
cooperative, e-mail: [email protected], www.furniturecluster.cz
The Cluster of Czech Furniture Manufacturers,
cooperative (CCFM - KČN) came into being
in 2006 and currently has 33 members. Since
its inception, it has formed a comprehensive
group of the supplier-client chain in the furniture industry, including consultancy firms and
the group is to support product innovation and
development and research by member firms
and to pursue a common pro-export policy targeted at Russia, the Ukraine, Canada, and German-speaking countries, with the support of
the CzechInvest and CzechTrade Agencies.
In 2006-2008, the CCFM participated in
the “Cluster” chapter of the Operational Programme Industry and Enterprise (OPIE), and received an allocation of EUR 842 000. It used the
funds to modernise the Furniture Testing Laboratory at Mendel University of Agriculture and
Forestry in Brno, and established service centres in Humpolec and Lukavec and equipped
them with modern testing machines. The
Cluster thus fulfilled its main intention – to
promote innovation, research, and development among its members. No less important
activities of the Cluster and its members were
successful presentations at trade fairs in the
Ukraine, Canada, and the Czech Republic. On
the basis of experiences acquired through
|12
these activities, a number of marketing studies
originated under the CCFM name.
In the coming years, the CCFM will focus
on further opportunities for its activities
with support from the “Cooperation” chapter
of the OPIE programme, with an expected
budget of EUR 3.2 million.
Photo: NADOP – VÝROBA NÁBYTKU
Cluster of Czech Furniture
Manufacturers Promotes Innovation,
Research, and Development
AHORN CZ, s.r.o. - www.ahorn.cz
AKSAMITE, spol. s r.o. - www.aksamite.cz
ASOCIACE ČESKÝCH NÁBYTKÁŘŮ
(Association of Czech Furniture Manufacturers)
www.czechfurniture.com
BLANÁŘ NÁBYTEK, a.s. - www.blanar.cz
BMB, spol. s r.o. - www.bmb.cz
BÖHM, spol. s r.o. - www.bohm-ji.cz
DREVOTVAR.COM, družstvo - www.drevotvar.com
DRING Consulting, s.r.o. - www.dringbrno.cz
DRUPOL, výrobní družstvo - www.drupol.cz
DŘEVODÍLO Rousínov, výrobní družstvo
www.drevodilo-rousinov.cz
DŘEVOJAS, výrobní družstvo - www.drevojas.cz
DŘEVOTVAR družstvo Jablonné nad Orlicí
www.drevotvar.cz
DŘEVOTVAR, výrobní družstvo Znojmo
www.drevotvarznojmo.cz
DŘEVOZPRACUJÍCÍ DRUŽSTVO Lukavec - www.ddl.cz
FMP-LIGNUM, výrobní družstvo - www.fmplignum.cz
H-NÁBYTEK s.r.o. - www.h-nabytek.cz
INCHEBA PRAHA spol. s r.o. - www.incheba.cz
INT, s.r.o. - www.int-cz.com
J. LEDVINA a spol. - spol. s r.o., dřevovýroba
a provádění staveb - www.ledvina-nabytek.cz
JELÍNEK – výroba nábytku s.r.o. - www.jelinekvm.cz
KNK CZ, výrobně spotřební družstvo - www.knk.cz
KOVO, výrobní družstvo - www.kovovd.cz
MENDELOVA ZEMĚDĚLSKÁ A LESNICKÁ
UNIVERZITA V BRNĚ (Mendel University of Agriculture
and Forestry in Brno) - www.mendelu.cz
M-KUPR, s.r.o. - www.m-kupr.cz
NÁBYTEK EXNER, spol. s r.o. - www.exner.cz
NADOP-VÝROBA NÁBYTKU, s.r.o. - www.nadop.cz
PAVEL KODYTEK - www.nabytek.cz
SAMAS Česká republika, spol. s r.o. - www.samas.cz
SVAZ ČESKÝCH A MORAVSKÝCH VÝROBNÍCH DRUŽSTEV
(Union of Czech and Moravian Producer Cooperatives)
www.scmvd.cz
TERCO CB, a.s. - www.terco.cz
VELETRHY BRNO, a.s. - www.bvv.cz
VLABO, s.r.o. - www.vlabo.cz
WIESNER-HAGER Bohemia, spol. s r.o.
www.wiesner-hager.com
aec-creative
KITCHEN makro pro ArCon
aec-creative
TILER makro pro ArCon
The software makes efficient use of
modern information technology and
is intended for 3D designs of kitchen
interiors. It can create any kitchen
combinations in a concrete space,
according to customer’s ideas. The
output in the form of visualisations,
views, price calculations, and installation drawings guarantees an effective
execution of business offers.
Software for comprehensive graphic designs of tiling and flooring in a 3D environment, which includes
a database of tiles from leading manufacturers with
the possibility to create own databases. Tiling and
flooring designs can be applied to all construction
elements. The created project can be saved in several versions. Information on the types and numbers
of tiles in the project, price calculations, 3D visualisations and tile and floor laying details is available
throughout the design period.
www.aec-creative.com
ENTERPRISE
Upholstery Is the Basis of Healthy
Sitting and Lying
Helena Prokopová, Cech čalouníků a dekoratérů (Upholsterers and Decorators‘ Guild)
www.cech-cal.eu, e-mail: [email protected]
man body, designers must not only have good
ideas regarding shapes, but must also know
man, the structure of the human body, human
dimensions of the body and its parts, at various ages, growth trends, health handicaps, and
the like. Which means everything that comes
under the umbrella of a science known as ergonomics. This is why ergonomics is a subject
taught at schools of furniture manufacture, e.g.
the Higher Vocational School in Volyně, and
the relevant knowledge is also required from
young people who acquire vocational training
with a general certificate of secondary education (GCSE).
Naturally, designers must also know new
and old materials, their use, and the construction of safe furniture which does not harm the
users, but helps them.
Ergonomics is the basic value in upholstery
Upholstery has been created by man from time
immemorial for softening, cosiness, comfort
and, in cold periods, also for warming up. In the
relatively cold Central Europe the craft of upholstery and decoration has been brought to
mastery. One should realise that upholstery has
a direct influence on the health of the population. People are accompanied by upholstery
everywhere, they touch it, rest their bodies in
it to carry and support them softly, which is
something a well-designed and executed upholstery can do. On the contrary, bad upholstery is damaging to man.
in upholstered chairs, armchairs, and settees
in the 1920s and 1930s was ground-breaking,
unheard of before, and ever inspiring. The current trend of visible structures of upholstered
furniture uses both metal and wood. Design,
comfort, quality new materials, technologies
and execution are requested by the discerning
Czech as well as foreign customer.
Ergonomics or Engineering
of the Human Factor
To make correct designs of upholstered furniture, which is in direct contact with the hu-
The professional demands of the upholsterer
and decorator trade discourage young people when choosing a profession. The declining interest in exacting crafts is a worldwide
phenomenon. With a lack of applicants, it
is impossible to open classes at schools,
professional teachers leave schools, tuition
ends. Associations, the National Institution
of Technical and Vocational Education, and
the Czech Chamber of Commerce are seeking approaches to solve the situation. Let us
hope that the solution will be found before
the wonderful profession of upholsterer and
decorator becomes an extinct craft. Let us
hope that young people will experience the
joy of creation of new beautiful armchairs,
sofas, chairs, and beds for the pleasure and
health of people of every age, interest, and
occupation.
Historic Roots of Present-day
Upholstery
Nowadays Czech upholstery manufacturers follow up the historic traditions of elaborate upholstery construction with multi-level springing
(for example, compression springs have been
used in upholstered furniture in this country
ever since their invention in Vienna in 1800, in
England they were not patented until 1828),
with excellent use properties, perfect appearance and workmanship. Fast applications of
previously unknown materials and technologies
have been a tradition in our lands since historical times. The use of light metal constructions
|14
THE GUILD ASSOCIATES PREMIER COMPANIES
Members of the Upholsterers and Decorators’ Guild are numerous
important companies, whose successes have made them famous
the world over. They include e.g. the company AHORN, which won
the Grand Prix of the international furniture exhibition MOBITEX
2007 for its innovative solution of the Flowerflex slatted bed base,
the company NADOP – VÝROBA NÁBYTKU Ořechov, the producers of
upholstered furniture PF Nábytek Veselíčko and Böhm Jihlava, or the
manufacturer of seating, POLSTRIN DESIGN.
Photo: Upholsterers and Decorators’ Guild, Designstory archives
Upholsterer and Decorator
– Craft Doomed to Extinction?
CZECH FURNITURE INDUSTRY AND INTERIORS
DESIGNSTORY 09, Showcase
for Students’ Invention
Dagmar Koudelková, Designstory,
e-mail: [email protected], www.bvv.cz/mobitex
For several years now, the Designstory fringe
event has been a regular part of the international fair of living, MOBITEX. Over the years
it has grown from its modest beginnings
to an ambitious project that can make the
organisers proud of their work. The Designstory exposition always occupies an entire
wing of the Pavilion A, the architectural
jewel of the Brno exhibition grounds, and
presents to visitors the latest information on
developments in the area of student design.
Just as in 2008, Designstory 09 was dedicated mainly to young artists. The unique
presentation of works by students of vocational and technical secondary schools
and universities from the Czech Republic
and abroad, and young designers within
three years of completing their studies, justifiably attracts the attention of experts and
the general public. The event is focused on
housing culture - furniture, new residential
accessories, textiles, glass, porcelain, and
small utility objects.
Designstory Attracts Interest
of Textile Crafts, the Faculty of Fine Arts and
the Faculty of Architecture of the Brno University of Technology, and also the Department of Product Design at Tomáš Baťa University in Zlín, the University of Ostrava, and
the University of Hradec Králové. For several years, works of secondary schools from
Prague have won awards in Brno for their
precision and craftsmanship. The theme of
banqueting attracted a regular participant,
the Ceramics Design Studio from Dubí (Jan
Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad
Labem), as well as representatives of the
Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design
in Prague (studios Design I, Glass, Ceramics and Porcelain, K.O.V. Metal). Undoubted surprises included the Season project,
which presented latest works by young designers from various schools, specialisations
and interests, or the conceptual exposition
by young Polish woman designers. Guests
of honour at the fair were two interesting
personalities this year – the famous German designer Werner Aisslinger, and the
successful glass artist and designer Rony
Plesl, whose separate presentation was part
of the Banqueting exposition in the Design4Life pavilion.
Unique Show Full of Ideas
In the last three years, the level of the
Designstory project has improved
considerably, owing to a more sophisticated concept, focus on works of the
young generation, and also due to more
interesting architectural solutions and
better graphics, and this brought a more
favourable appreciation from the professional public and general visitors alike,
and improved the event’s renown. The
unique presentation of the creation of
Czech schools engaged in interior design
has become a “complement“ to the MOBITEX fair and this has been attractive for
visitors. It demonstrated the good level of
Czech education and the original ideas
of future designers, and sparked not only
the interest of young people in interior
design, furniture, textiles, and accessories,
but attracted also professionals, architects, designers, the media, as well as the
general public. Designstory does not have
the ambition “merely” to provide information, but its organisers especially seek to
boost domestic output and try to establish a link between the production sphere
and young artists.
The Designstory project was particularly interesting due to the high standard of all exhibited works. Compared to previous years,
the organisers particularly insisted that the
exhibited works meet the specifications
and themes of the fair; the most remarkable and most valued sets were the collections of toys and lighting fixtures. In line
with the focus of the MOBITEX 2009 fair, the
2009 themes were “kitchen“, “banqueting“,
and “office“. It was perhaps this orientation
that brought about increased interest of
schools and individual artists. The number
of participants highly exceeded previous
figures – besides more than twenty schools,
three large group “projects“ and more than
twenty authors were entered. Traditionally,
Designstory has been attended by schools
from Brno: Mendel University of Agriculture
and Forestry (in 2008 it scored success with
its collection of veneer lighting fixtures, this
year it presented small table objects from
the same material), the Secondary School
of Applied Art and the Secondary School
Interest in Designstory is on permanent rise
15|
POLSTRIN DESIGN
or “sit different“
The Czech manufacturer of brand upholstered furniture POLSTRIN DESIGN, in the
market since 1993, successfully took over
the fifty-year tradition of upholstery craftsmen in Hradec Králové.
The two generations of designers, engineers, and craftsmen
have achieved a unique style
that is applied by this family firm
in the creation of new furniture,
which meets the standards of
quality as well as comfort and
design that are so accentuated nowadays. Besides design and internal construction,
another visual criterion is material. This is why POLSTRIN DESIGN
cooperates with premier world
producers of fabrics.
During its existence on the
Czech market, POLSTRIN DESIGN
has gained rich experience in
the manufacture of standard as
well as made-to-measure furniture. Almost 30% of its output is
custom-made production according to the designs of wellknown architects and the customers’ wishes.
The company relies not only
on the many years‘ experience of father and son, but
also on facilities offered by
Polstrin Design – on 850 sq.m
of exhibition area you can
see and try a unique presentation of the company’s own
upholstered products, which
is shown in combination with
Ai.ro is a collection of furniture designed in many colour
versions as sets formed by two
basic modules of two different
heights combined with connecting elements into seating. The square and oblong
seating pieces are linked into
various and interesting compositions to fit the needs of
a public space.
Moara is a low deep-seat
sofa, which is not meant to
stand close to a wall. Its effect
is preeminent when placed in
the middle of a room to divide
it indistinctly into two parts.
Open space is a trend in residential architecture. Kitchen
opens into living room with
bedroom, hall, and sometimes
even bathroom. The open
space is then structured into
smaller compositions reserved
for particular activities, which
creates inconspicuously de-
storage systems and accessories of well-known firms.
At present, Polstrin Design’s
highlights include not only its
permanent offer of chairs and
suites, but also its cooperation
with the renowned Czech designer Jan Čtvrtník. This cooperation began three years ago
with the execution of his design
for a double chair, ”A Chair for
Sigmund Freud“, on the 150th
anniversary of the birth of this famous Czech native and father
of psychoanalysis, and continued with the Ai.ro collection
- playful and colourful seating
units designed for public spaces,
and Moara – the first sofa which
is beautiful from all sides.
marcated rooms that can
be divided precisely by such
piece as a sofa.
At the same time, the company creates opportunities
for original young ideas - it
cooperates with students of
the local art school. Recently,
it has included in its production programme the prototype of a chair and settee,
Henry, designed by 3rd-year
student Šárka Mecnerová,
which won a prize for design
at the Moddom international
exhibition.
What are the visions of POLSTRIN DESIGN? To continue to
target the discerning customer who demands high quality
and excellent craftsmanship.
To continue to cooperate
with top designers and young
talent. To draw on tradition,
respect the present, and be
always one step ahead.
®
POLSTRIN DESIGN s.r.o., Pražská 685, 500 04 Hradec Králové
Czech Republic, phone: +420 495 057 150, fax: +420 495 057 151
e-mail: [email protected], www.polstrin.cz
CZECH TOP
The Largest Czech
Exporter in the Furniture
Market
Jan Grznár, JITONA a.s.
e-mail: [email protected], www.jitona.cz
Production Programme
Jitona’s current production programme comprises furniture from
genuine wood veneer and solid timber. The company manufactures
veneered ready to assemble (RTA) systems (for self-assembly by the
customer), mostly in oak, walnut, birch, maple, ash, and teak finish.
One of JITONA’S key partners in the market of veneered ready to
assemble systems is the Swedish company IKEA.
Assembled solid wood and veneered furniture made by JITONA
comes in pine, beech, heart beech, and spruce finish. Most often
these are bedrooms, living and dining rooms which find customers
especially in the discerning markets of West Europe.
Innovations in the Market
The company is currently introducing to the market a complete line
of bedroom and living room models named the JITONA Design Col-
|18
lection. This furniture has been designed by renowned interior architects and is targeted at customers who give considerable thought
and attention to modern design and quality workmanship.
History of the Company
JITONA is building on the furniture making tradition of the companies
Jihočeské továrny nábytkářské (South Bohemian Furniture Factories) established in 1951, Tusculum Rousínov, and Spojené umělecko průmyslové
(UP) závody Brno (United Industrial Art Works Brno), founded in 1920.
These firms pioneered the transition from artisan production to industrial
manufacture of quality furniture, thus making the product affordable to
the broad public. The position of the predecessors of JITONA was truly
exceptional, which is documented by the fact that in 1937 the Brno UP
works was the largest furniture manufacturer in Europe.
Advantages of Cooperation
Owing to diversification at its manufacturing plants and to experiences from various international markets, JITONA knows how to satisfy discerning customers who place emphasis on the highest quality
materials and design, as well as economic-minded customers who
wish to enjoy the beautiful and affordable furniture for a long time.
Photo: JITONA archives
JITONA a.s. has an important position on the European furniture market
and is the largest Czech furniture manufacturer and exporter. JITONA
manufactures bedroom and living/dining room furniture, tables, and
stand-alone chests of drawers. Its business activities are mostly targeted
at exports, which account for 96% of the company’s turnover. The most
important countries for its exports are Germany, the United Kingdom,
Austria, and Denmark. The company’s total turnover exceeds EUR 60 million. JITONA employs 950 workers in its three specialised manufacturing plants. It is a purely Czech owned company with a long tradition.
Chair Fency by
Libor Motyčka
CZECH TOP
Armchair and Settee Suite
Kubikula by Vladimír Žák
Street furniture by Roman
Vrtiška
Lenka Žižková, Design Cabinet CZ
e-mail: [email protected], www.designcabinet.cz
The exhibition within the competition
for the 2008 Czech National Award for
Student Design, held in November last
year, uncovered the potential of Czech
students. In all, 120 students of secondary schools, higher vocational and technical schools, and universities entered
125 works. The designs were of a world
standard and the concepts presented
by students brought not only fresh
ideas but also new angles of vision. The
|20
sixteen-member expert jury comprised
of the best Czech, Moravian, and Silesian
designers (teachers, studio heads, curators, head designers of companies or
owners with designer education) chose
21 works for awards in several rounds
of evaluation. Let us introduce the winning designs in furniture manufacture
and interior complements, which won
the Excellent Design award and the National Award for Student Design.
Cooperation
Is Important in Design
Design Cabinet CZ is a service team for designers, entrepreneurs, firms, the media, students and schools of all levels and types. It
cooperates with state institutions, non-governmental organisations, professional associations, societies, groups and firms as well
as individual designers and people interested in design. Design Cabinet CZ has been
established on the platform of the Architecture & Building Foundation, which was set
up in 1991. It is the organiser of the Building
of the Year competition (since 1992) and its
activities include the organisation of lifelong learning in architecture and civil engineering through the Czech Construction
Academy (Česká stavební akademie).
Photo: Design Cabinet archives
StudentDesign – Original
Ideas Serving Furniture
Industry
Shower cubicle Evolution
by Kateřina Kuchařová
Combinations of colours and materials can produce unusual and
original renderings of interiors.
The family firm J. Ledvina & spol.
Veneered
spol. s r. o. with an 80-year tradi-
stained materials used in furni-
tion manufactures furniture for
ture manufacture are surface
office and home as well as other
treated by UV-resistant quality
pieces and accessories, including
polyurethane lacquers. High re-
non-typical elements, for office
sistance to abrasion, chemicals,
buildings, health facilities, educa-
moisture, and changes in tem-
tional institutions, shops, restau-
perature is guaranteed.
and
subsequently
rants (non-typical bars), hotels,
banks, etc.
References Czech Republic:
It is one of the largest firms in the
Wiehl House, Prague, Wenceslas
joinery sector in the Czech Repub-
Square, Ministry of the Interior,
lic, ready to supply and implement
Czech police headquarters in the
architectural designs or carry out
East Bohemia Region, Chrudim
plans and designs submitted by
Municipal
customers.
tel Prague, Liberec Theatre and
All materials used meet the strict
others.
Office,
ALBION
Ho-
standards for formaldehydes and
requirements for health safety.
References abroad:
The furniture for office and home
Oil
is complemented with quality fit-
Vienna advertising agency, Aus-
tings and locks from renowned
tria, a real estate company in
companies.
Dresden, Dresden Hotel.
companies
in
Kazakhstan,
WWW.LEDVINA-NABYTEK.CZ
J. LEDVINA a spol. - spol. s r.o., woodworking and construction
Zoubkova 878, 517 41 Kostelec nad Orlicí, Czech Republic, phone: +420 494 323 744
phone/fax: +420 494 323 946, GSM: +420 602 885 034, e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
CZECH TOP
Specialist in Commercial
and Public Interiors
Jan Petrák, TECHO, www.techo.cz, e-mail: [email protected]
National Bank. This order from 1999 took
almost two years to complete and generated a turnover of EUR 11.9 million. Other
orders of note include the furnishing of
the Komerční banka headquarters in Václavské náměstí (Wenceslas Square), an
order for the Czech energy company CEZ,
Česká spořitelna bank, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Philip Morris, Petr
Kellner’s PPF financial group, and interior
work on the O2 Arena prior to the 2004
World Ice Hockey Championships. Other
important projects that TECHO has delivered abroad include furnishing Queen
Margaret University in Scotland, Queen
Mary’s College at the University of London, 10 hospitals in the African state of
Gabon, and a hospital in Ghana.
Recent Projects
TECHO is one of the largest providers of
comprehensive services for the furnishing
of commercial interiors in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe, and is also an
important manufacturer of office furniture
in the Czech Republic. Its clientele includes
leading banks, financial institutions, international companies, and government organisations. Its subsidiaries operate in the
United Kingdom, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Georgia, and the
Ukraine.
Last year TECHO again achieved record
sales. It achieved this despite the very
strong Czech currency, which had a major
impact on TECHO as an export-oriented
company, and despite the financial and
subsequent economic crisis in some export
markets during the second half of the year
(the United Kingdom, Russia). Total sales
amounted to EUR 51 million, which was
about 8% more than in the previous year.
especially in Georgia and the Ukraine. The
company also plans to continue its expansion. In the initial phases, entry into new
markets is usually connected with projects
of existing multinational clients, and in this
respect the company’s decision-making
is influenced by the development activity
of these clients. TECHO considers all the
countries of Central and Eastern Europe to
be potential markets. Working with its parent company, ROYAL AHREND, it may even
venture beyond Central and Eastern Europe. Its current priorities are Bulgaria and
Poland, but other countries may eventually
be given preference.
In 2008, the Czech Republic achieved the
highest proportion of overall sales, with
a turnover of EUR 22 million. The largest
volume of its products was sold by TECHO
UK, where TECHO a.s. exported 35% of its
manufactured products.
Expansion Plan
TECHO Equips British Schools
and African Hospitals
Besides its existing markets, TECHO plans
to focus this year on the completion of
development projects launched in 2008,
One of the most important projects carried out by the company in the Czech
Republic was the furnishing of the Czech
|22
Office of the Future
In the autumn of 2008, TECHO refurbished
its showroom, the TECHOCENTRUM, which
includes open-plan office space. The
showroom is designed to reflect a vision
of future office interiors, which can be
characterised by the statement “Office of
the Future = Café“. The aim of the new arrangement is to ensure a symbiosis of the
showroom with the everyday functioning
of the company’s offices, and to open still
more to the professional public. Prague’s
TECHOCENTRUM is situated in a former
factory hall, as are many TECHO showrooms in other countries. The common
denominator of all TECHOCENTRES is the
presentation of real installations, corporate
identity elements, etc.
Photo: TECHO archives
TECHO designs interiors for
prominent Czech and foreign
companies
Major projects implemented in 2008 included Erste bank - TECHO installed furnishings
in around 180 of the bank’s branches in
Central and Eastern Europe last year alone;
the Bank of Georgia (Georgia), CSOB bank
and Plzeňský Prazdroj (CR); the mobile operator Orange, ESSET and Johnson Controls
(Slovakia); Logica (the United Kingdom);
ING, ProCredit, AIG, Unilever, Oracle (Romania); Philips and Grafton (Hungary); Procter
& Gamble (Russia); 3 hospital projects in
Equatorial Africa. Projects in education included Imperial College (UK); Univerzita
Konstantina Filozofa (Slovakia); the VSO
College of Business, PORG school (CR) and,
last but not least, the National Technical Library (CR).
MODERN KITCHENS FOR LITTLE HOUSEWIVES
The same modern finish and materials as in real kitchens.
Searching for trade representation in your country.
[email protected]
www.makra.cz
MAKRA, K Loužce 131, 267 16 Vysoký Újezd, Czech Republic
WE ARE INTRODUCING
Synthetic Stone, Material
of the Future
Michal Poljakov, MI - POL GROUP, s.r.o.,
e-mail: [email protected], www.mi-polgroup.cz
MI - POL GROUP, s.r.o. Kladno manufactures the synthetic slab material Solid
Surface, under the Corralit® trade mark.
The material is used for the manufacture of sanitary equipment - kitchens,
reception desks and bars, tables and
similar surfaces. It is hygienic, heat and
chemicals resistant, and offers a high
variability of shapes and colours. In
contrast to materials used normally,
synthetic stone is also notable for its
long service life. Although it differs
from wood in virtually all properties, its
processing is similar to wood, it can be
sawn, bored, bent, glued, ground, and
polished.
Corralit® Art embodies the philosophy
of new approach to a material, which
has laid the basis for the new art technology. Each work created with its use
is unique. The author creates a composition - an image by casting the colour
composite material of diverse light permeability, thus producing the illusion of
a three-dimensional space within the
several millimetres thick corralit slab. Illuminated by daylight or artificial light,
it offers utilisation in formerly unheard-
of contexts. The combination of colours
and more or less different translucent
composites is endless. The ultimate
result is an original author‘s “image“,
which has the potential of added value
when used in the furniture industry (e.g.
table tops, partition walls, light fixtures,
etc.) In cooperation with architects and
designers, the company can prepare its
own original interior and exterior designs, but also those made to customers‘ wishes and designs.
Current Use
The material has been used for many
modern projects, e.g. the interiors of
Prague’s luxury Paříž Hotel, the CEZ energy utility communications centre, and
the ZENTIVA pharmaceutical group.
Unique Product
Protected by Patent
Photo: MI - POL GROUP archives
Research and development has brought
the company to the invention of a previously unknown material, which has all
the above-mentioned properties, and is
in addition highly translucent.
In 2005, the company submitted
a patent application to the Czech Industrial Property Office and simultaneously
launched the manufacture of the new
product. In 2007, it obtained a Czech
patent with the name of the invention
as “Synthetic stone of high translucence, the mode of its production and
use“. And because the results of an international PCT (Patent Cooperation
Treaty) search were excellent, admitting
the product‘s Innovative, Inventive Step,
and Industrial Applicability, a procedure
has commenced to obtain a Euro pean
patent, and simultaneously patent
procedures were launched in the USA,
Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea,
China, and India.
Material of Many Forms
At present, MI - POL GROUP, s.r.o. manufactures several types of the Solid Surface composite material: Corralit® , Corralit®
TL - translucent, Corralit® Toscana, and
Corralit® Art.
Synthetic stone is a material
with unique properties
|24
In addition to the standard
line of Solid Surface
products, we offer original
interior pieces from the new
product, Corralit Art.
MI - POL GROUP, s.r.o. uses
the Solid Surface technology
in an innovative way,
creating an artistic medium
and thereby laying
the foundation for a new
and previously unknown
creative art form.
The synergic effect
of cooperation among
artists and architects
in our company has given
rise to highly original interior
products.
MI - POL GROUP, s.r.o.
Vrapická 601, Kladno 272 03
Czech Republic
Michal Poljakov
CEO and owner
E-mail: [email protected]
www.mi-polgroup.cz
RESEARCH & DE VELOPMENT
Hospital Bed for Children – Challenge
for Czech Furniture Manufacturers
Petr Brunecký, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno
www.mendelu.cz/en, e-mail: [email protected]
The Czech furniture industry is a progressive
sector which is not daunted by innovation or
challenge. A truly difficult one was a project
for a hospital bed for child patients, which was
undertaken by the Department of Furniture,
Design, and Habitation of Mendel University in
Brno with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The objective of the project was
to apply wood in the bed construction, to solve
energy requirements, and respect the ecological aspects and needs of a “baby-friendly hospital“. An obligatory economic requirement was
a low price of the product.
Filling the Market Niche
Research showed that there was no hospital and
care bed on the domestic market for the target
age category that would fully meet the current EU standards and satisfy the requirements
of the Ecolabel for furniture. Besides new hygienic concepts, new demands were also made
for the bed’s safety in terms of release of toxic
and harmful substances, prevention against allergens, thermal and moisture properties of the
bed, requirements of reduced inflammability
and good cleaning, solutions for product disposal after physical wear, renewal of functional
parts to extend service life, and improvements
in use parameters. The output of the study was
specification of the task for the development of
a health care bed for the after-treatment of patients in normal wards.
Bed Must Bring Calm
Besides the therapeutic function, a hospital and
care bed is required to arouse feelings of safety
and contentment that are usually associated
with the home environment. This aspect is very
PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROJECT:
Participants in the solution of the task were the private
companies LEAR a.s. Brno and LIGNOR centrum s.r.o.
Bílovice n.Svitavou. An important cooperating institution
is the Children’s Hospital of Masaryk University in Brno.
The prototype was co-produced by the companies VENTUS
CZ s.r.o. Brno, TOMOS, Opava, Expometal s.r.o. Brno, BPP Brno
spol. s r.o. TENTE s.r.o., Ratíškovice, PERGOLA s.r.o., Milovice,
TON a.s., Bystřice pod Hostýnem, AZ PLASTIK, spol. s r.o. Praha,
Colorlak a.s. Staré Město, and Color Spectrum a.s.Hodonín.
|26
important, especially from the viewpoint of child
psychology. The hospital bed design was to reconcile the requirements of medical techniques
with the furniture of a child´s room at home.
The heavy operating stress called for a simple
replacement of damaged components.
and trapeze easily applied without the use of
a tool. Another possibility for the use of the bed
is the removable sliding and tilting table, which
does not reduce the size of the patient area
when tilted at the bed head.
Patents and Strict Testing
Functional Construction
The output of the research and development
for a hospital and care bed is the designed solution for children aged 5 to 18 years. The project
offered two versions for the dimensions of the
patient area. In terms of construction, it is a simple system linking the side of the bed with its
head, the head is designed in bentwood, compressed wood, and alternatively metal. This system allows the adjustment of the patient area in
four heights. The product includes an adjustable
slatted bed base, an unattached mattress, and
functional accessories.
Mattress Planned to Every Detail
The design for the mattress and adjustable
bed base offers multiple solutions from foam
materials. Its optimum property is air permeability, which is due to metal spring elements
- foam elements that simulate the function of
springs have thus been inserted into the internal part of the foam structure. The mattress can
be damp wiped by normal disinfectants and
steam cleaned at temperatures of up to 95 °C.
An essential quality of the mattress is its resistance to moisture and liquid penetration while
remaining air permeable. The slip is from the
same material as the cover, an additional hygienic pad can be inserted under it and easily
replaced without the need for an immediate total cleaning of the cover. The cover and slip are
from high-quality knitted two-way stretch fabric
with polyurethane surface and good properties
guaranteeing elasticity both lengthwise and
crosswise, and resistant to dirt.
Bed Offers Broad Applications
The hospital bed is fitted with castors with a lock
and brake mechanism. The patient area is height
adjustable, with the possibility of attaching additional elements: bed rails, a bedside swivel
table, infusion holder, removable headboard,
The research included the verification of the
physical and mechanical properties of prototypes, including the patient area, and the chemical, health care, and hygienic properties in an accredited testing laboratory. Of great importance
was the testing of a prototype in the actual environment of the 2nd Paediatric Clinic of Johann
Gregor Mendel Children’s Hospital in Brno. The
experience from a half-year use at the Clinic
were included in the development project. The
new prototypes were repeatedly tested in the
inpatient ward, and are still being tested there
in operation. Besides the new construction of
the mattress, the design applies several original
details. It is primarily the unusual structural use
of compressed “bentwood“ for furniture in the
construction of the basic load-bearing element.
The version is the bentwood (Thonet) structure.
Innovative features include bed castors with
a shock absorber, the system of a simple mounting of side attachments, a sliding tilting table,
and a height adjustable fitting connecting the
legs and foot and headboard, which is an important artistic element. Two EU patent applications
have been submitted within the project and the
procedure is nearing decision. The patents are related to the mounting of the castors with a shock
absorber, and the tilting and sliding bed table.
Presentation and Cooperation
in Development
Findings from the demonstration of the prototypes at the MOBITEX 2008 and Wood-tec Brno
trade fairs have been presented during a workshop held under the auspices of the Czech Furniture Manufacturers Association, and attended
by co-authors of the project, the professional
public, and students. Valuable comments were
provided by doctors and carers during the testing of the bed at the 2nd Paediatric Clinic of
J.G.Mendel Children’s Hospital in Brno.
E D U C AT I O N
STUDENTS´ WORK
Ecology Is Crucial in
Interior Design
Petr Brunecký, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno
www.mendelu.cz/en, e-mail: [email protected]
The standard of Czech education is very high
and Czech students enjoy a good reputation
abroad for the extent of their knowledge and
for having a good understanding of more
than one branch of learning. Education in the
area of furniture industry is provided by Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry,
which offers to applicants for study not only
quality teachers but also the much needed
facilities and work on interesting projects.
The studies are focused not only on the
creation of products, manufacturing, trade
and use, but also on the aesthetic and socioeconomic factors of interior environment, on
safety and societal expectations.
The Department of Furniture, Design, and
Habitation has obtained accreditations for
Bachelor´s Degree study in “Furniture Creation
and Manufacture“, and for Master’s Degree in
“Furniture Development and Creation“. The
master studies are followed by the doctoral
programme of “Processes in Furniture Creation“,
concluded with a Doctoral Degree in the Furniture specialisation. The education builds on the
tradition of the furniture industry in Moravia.
Development of this unique branch of study
and research is supported by the Association of
Czech Furniture Manufacturers and the Cluster
of Czech Furniture Manufacturers.
Objectives of Studies
Photo: Department of Furniture, Design and Habitation archives
The topical theme of quality of life and the
growing offer of products from developing
countries increase the pressure for innovation, research, and qualifications in the area
of furniture creation and interiors. Besides
these technical disciplines, university education must also pay attention to problems of
the satisfaction of man’s basic and secondary
needs in the residential and public interior.
The aim of the bachelor studies is to prepare the graduates for entrepreneurship, for
creative activity, production, and trade in
the area of interior creation and the furniture industry. Graduates can pursue careers
in furniture design, in technical processes
of furniture making, or in sale consultancy.
The professional profile is a good basis for
doing business in medium-sized, small and
family firms. The master studies will educate
graduates for the innovation of products
and furniture making techniques in all the
necessary scientific contexts, together with
providing them with sufficient economic
erudition and managerial skills. The task of
the graduates is to apply the output of research and development to furniture evolution and manufacturing and to ecology of
interiors, which is the basic prevention of
civilisation diseases.
New Trends
The branch of study is greatly focused on
the innovation of products for human habitation, with desirable inter-disciplinary links
to the findings of technical, biological, med-
The work of students in the bachelor studies is to promote
primarily their creative invention, artistic techniques, and
ability to cope with the technical problems of projects. An
example is the designs of wooden electric light fixtures,
which were successfully presented within the Designstory
exhibition at MOBITEX Brno 2008.
An ability for the use of space in a non-traditional environment has been presented by the “Landart“ exhibition
installed by first-year students. Participation in the student design competition under the auspices of Designcabinet Prague was also a success.
Students present their works at the international exhibition for the “Professor Halabala Award”. It is organised
alternately by the Slovak Technical University in Zvolen
and Mendel University in Brno. The competition is for
works submitted for examinations in three categories:
furniture design, interior design, and wood product
design. In the latest edition, 150 designs were entered
by students of 6 universities. Prize winners among our
students were Martin Velech (Tetris storage system),
Leona Polčáková (Give it to me), Jan Kratochvíl (PET light
fixture), Radek Neugebauer (Trias – coat rack), Kateřina
Dvouletá (Flowers – from a plastic bottle).
Invention and new approaches in the creation of furniture
and interiors bring new ideas in the works of students
(Jaroslav Svoboda, Leona Polčáková, Martin Zach, and Jiří
Tauber), who have addressed, for example, the issue of
optimum ion microclimate in a bed area. The prototype of
their “four-poster bed”, which uses suitable materials and
ion sources, can be not only a health care aid for asthma
and allergy patients, but in future could also be used in
the interiors of homes in industrial cities.
ical, and social sciences and art. The aim is
to create interiors with passive protection
– primary prevention of civilisation diseases.
Besides ecological risks and the increase
of hazardous volatile organic compounds
(VOC) in interiors, a new phenomenon has
emerged – the frustrating technical smog,
which affects human psychology and
health. The technical comfort of handling
and controlling ordinary and at the same
time essential appliances – complicated for
the medium age and unnecessary for senior
people – brings stress over possible failure
and concerns. People in Europe spend fourfifths of their time in the interior, which no
longer serves the purpose for which it was
created in the past, that is for man’s protection and regeneration of strength. In order
to achieve passive protection of interiors
and furniture, it is necessary to increase the
intensity of education and research into
the ecology of interiors and interior consultancy. The sum of knowledge cannot
be reduced to technical and technological
issues related to products and manufacturing, but on the contrary must be extended
to include the social factors of the quality of
life determined by interior environment.
Furniture components can be assembled
according to the owner’s desire
27|
SURVEY
Poll of Successful Companies Operating
in the Furniture Industry and Interior Design
Quality materials are the essential
of furniture from Ořechov
EXBYDO s.r.o.
Kamarytova 180, 396 01 Humpolec
phone: +420 565 534 336, fax: +420 565 533 675
e-mail: [email protected], www.exbydo.cz, www.exbydo.com
NADOP – VÝROBA NÁBYTKU, s.r.o.
Zahradní 1a, 664 44 Ořechov u Brna, phone: +420 547 225 790
fax: +420 547 225 126, e-mail:[email protected], www.nadop.cz
Turnover: EUR 4–8 million
Number of employees: 140
Contact: Mr Jaroslav Pehal
e-mail: [email protected]
Export: France, Canada
The wholly Czech firm NADOP – VÝROBA NÁBYTKU, s.r.o. has a tradition of many years in the Czech market. This family firm is based at
Ořechov near Brno. The company’s main product range includes top
quality kitchens, coffee and dining tables, sitting room and bedroom
furniture. All furniture is custom-made.
In what way will you change your strategy to better suit your
expansion? What are your long-term goals?
The vision of our company remains unchanged. We endeavour to be
a leading Czech family firm making quality furniture for entire generations of discerning customers.
How do you succeed in the face of competition?
Our company’s competitiveness is enhanced by the possibility to
supply comprehensive interior solutions from one material source
in one style, and the manufacture of non-typical pieces. Another
unique aspect that makes us more competitive is the high variability of products. The sitting room and kitchen section works with an
unusually broad offer of materials. New products are prepared every
year to increase the customers‘ living comfort.
|28
EXBYDO specialises in the manufacture of office and health care
furniture. It applies the principle that every work space should
be arranged to suit the ideas of the person using it. Projects are
being prepared in harmony with the individual needs of clients,
and with an emphasis on design, ergonomics, and effective
work.
To what territories do you export your products, what products
are in demand abroad?
We develop our export activities in Europe as well as far beyond its
borders. Every foreign market has its specific features and demands,
and we must respect them. We even develop special furniture series
for some markets. For example, we have designed and developed
a line for the UK market that exactly meets requirements for furniture for social care.
What do you consider your greatest success lately?
Despite the omnipresent talk of economic crisis, we are growing
successfully. This is evident from the favourable economic results as
well as the expanding network of our business partners in the Czech
Republic and abroad. We have concluded a year of hard work on
an absolutely innovative system of office furniture that we have developed in cooperation with the renowned architects Jiří Pelcl and
Dragan Savičević.
The company is focused on office
furniture
Photo: NADOP – VÝROBA NÁBYTKU archives, EXBYDO archives, SOFTConsult archives, RIM-CZ archives
Number of employees: 60
Contact: Mr Michal Janeček
e-mail: [email protected]
Export: Slovakia, the United Kingdom, Finland, France, Croatia,
Bulgaria, UAE
CZECH FURNITURE INDUSTRY AND INTERIORS
Office chairs are designed with
a view to healthy sitting
SOFTconsult spol s r. o.
Pražská 1279 / 18, 102 00 Praha 10, phone: +420 271 750 510
fax: +420 271 750 107, e-mail: [email protected], www.softconsult.tv
Number of employees: 11
Contact: Mr Petr Randula
e-mail: [email protected]
SOFTconsult has been operating over the long term in the area of
information technologies for architecture and design. It develops
internet applications and provides 3D software solutions, which
represent distribution of the systems ArCon-visual architecture and
SPIRIT. SOFTconsult develops its own modules for this international
software, which are to be used for interior designs (kitchens, bathrooms, built-in wardrobes, fireplace-type and tiled stoves).
Where can the programme be applied, what are its most
interesting and useful functions?
ArCon is a highly interactive tool for planning, design, and creation
of visualisations. The functions of ArCon and the support macros
are based on the requirements and real needs of users from among
architects, planners and designers of interiors. It also takes into account the needs of real estate companies and developers. Users can
move in real time in the interior being designed, the feeling of virtual reality is enhanced by the possibility of replacing and adapting
objects in 3D. Advantages include intuitive control of programmes
with a clear desktop arrangement which gives you a good idea of
the renderings throughout the work on a design.
For which interesting projects has your programme been used?
Tiler pro ArCon is the main software support of the Rako tiles brand.
Kuchyň pro ArCon containing the product range of the Trachea
company (the largest producer of kitchen furniture doors) serves
direct commercial support of this manufacturer. Our solutions for
the designs of built-in wardrobes in shops as well as supplies to developers are used by the Indeco CZ company.
RIM-CZ, spol. s r.o.
Dr. Edvarda Beneše 1015, 765 02 Otrokovice, phone: +420 577 112 641
fax: +420 577 112 653, e-mail: [email protected], www.rim.cz
Turnover: EUR 8 million
Number of employees: 75
Contact: Mr Daniel Šabat
e-mail: [email protected]
Export: Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia,
Poland, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, France, the United
Kingdom
RIM-CZ, spol. s r.o. is a specialist in the manufacture of office chairs.
The development of our company has been influenced by the philosophy of healthy sitting as well as by findings from intensive research in the area of ergonomics. The motto “FOR HEALTHY SITTING“,
and the corresponding resolve to manufacture and sell chairs which
will help create and cultivate a healthy office environment, have become the chief ambition of the firm.
You use financing from the European Regional Development
Fund. Where are you using it?
In the years 2006-2008 it was the Human Resources Development programme. In 2006-2007 and in 2008 it was Marketing. The Marketing programme is targeted to promote the activities of Czech exporters in foreign
markets. The programme provides support e.g. for obtaining marketing
information when entering foreign markets, for the creation of studies of
entering these markets, the presentation of a company in exhibitions and
fairs abroad, and the related production of promotional materials.
What do you consider your greatest success at present?
It is the new JET chair, which has obtained the ergonomic certificate,
and the award of the 2008 Company of the Zlín Region. Besides that,
it is a number of projects that have been completed in the state sector, furnishing of banks and universities.
Software offers a broad range of uses
29|
I N F O R M AT I O N
MINISTRIES
Ministry of Industry and Trade
www.mpo.cz e-mail: [email protected]
ASSOCIATIONS AND SOCIETIES
Association of Czech Furniture Manufacturers
www.czechfurniture.com e-mail: [email protected]
Upholsterers and Decorators’ Guild
www.cech_cal.eu e-mail: [email protected]
Cluster of Czech Furniture Manufacturers
www.furniturecluster.cz e-mail: [email protected]
Design Cabinet CZ
www.designcabinet.cz e-mail: [email protected]
Furniture and Interior
Design Exhibitions
and Fairs in 2009
UNIVERSITIES
Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno,
Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology
www.ldf.mendelu.cz e-mail: [email protected]
Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design, Department of Design
www.vsup.cz e-mail: [email protected]
CZECH REPUBLIC:
Tendence
Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem,
Faculty of Art and Design
14th International Trade Fair of Interior and Design
10-13 September 2009 Prague Exhibition Centre, Praha-Letňany
Terinvest, spol. s r.o., e-mail: [email protected], www.itendence.cz
www.ujep.cz e-mail: [email protected]
FOR ARCH 2009
Department of Furniture, Design, and Habitation
20th International Building Trade Fair
22-26 September 2009 Prague Exhibition Centre, Praha-Letňany
ABF, a.s., [email protected], www.forarch.cz
www.ldf.mendelu.cz e-mail: [email protected]
RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS AND INSTITUTES
DŮM A BYDLENÍ LIBEREC
(HOUSE AND LIVING LIBEREC)
5th exhibition and sale
8-11 October 2009, Exhibition Grounds, Liberec
Diamant Expo, spol. s r.o., e-mail: [email protected]
www.diamantexpo.cz
PRAGOINTERIER LIVING FAIR 2009
OFFICIAL PARTICIPATION OF THE CZECH
REPUBLIC IN INTERNATIONAL FAIRS
AND EXHIBITIONS ABROAD:
MACEF
International Home Show
4-7 September 2009, Fiera Exhibition Centre, Milan, Italy
Fiera Milano International S.p.A., e-mail: [email protected], www.fmi.it
|30
Photo: JITONA archives
21st International Fair of Interiors and Living
8-11 October 2009, Exhibition Grounds, Praha-Holešovice
INCHEBA PRAHA spol. s r. o., e-mail: [email protected]
www.pragointerier.cz