Inside the factory: Danish design at its best with BoConcept

Ah, Denmark. The birthplace of Vikings, Lego, and really good pastries. It is a gentle country, with well natured residents – perhaps some of the most welcoming I have had the good fortune of meeting, including the team at BoConcept.

The doorway to Scandinavia, this region is known for its precision and engineering, and as we drove through the countryside from Bilund to Herning, I couldn’t help but notice even the landscape was orderly, as though someone had used a spirit level to flatten the earth – a far cry from the UK’s higgledy-piggledy patchwork pastures and undulating country lanes. I later found out the highest point in Denmark stands at just 171 metres tall, which perhaps explains the Danish people’s aptitude for accuracy to the smallest detail, seeing as they have been spared the wasted time and energy having to find work arounds to complicated landscape.

Image credit: BoConcept

Pulling up at BoConcept’s Herning facility, the industrial unit from the outside looked much like any other, so it was a nice surprise when Michael Effenberger (Head of Business Development, BoConcept Contract London) and I were ushered inside to an immaculate reception complete with lounge area decked out in stylish BoConcept furniture and accessories.

Michael explained to me that BoConcept was conceived and is manufactured in Denmark, but that the BoConcept outlets, which now boast more than 300 stores in over 65 countries, are all franchises run by locals to each store location who are in-tune with what the local market in that area is looking for. This ensures that furniture isn’t shipped out across the world unnecessarily, gathering dust in storage facilities, and instead is made to order, either in quantities specific to a project or to meet the needs of an individual store based on consumer research and local knowledge.

Prior to the tour, we were met by COO Peter Linnet and Global Partner Director Christian Boström, who we shared lunch with over an entertaining discussion on politics. Peter gave us a presentation, where we learned more about the history and current running of the company.

BoConcept was founded by cabinet makers Jens Ærthøj and Tage Mølholm in 1952. By 1954 the two founders had employed four members of staff and moved into a factory large enough to accommodate a decent production line. Inspired by function and guided by Danish design pillars of simplicity, craftsmanship, elegance, and quality, the business produced furniture that became popular very quickly in Denmark resulting in its rapid growth. Within eight years they had relocated to a 1300 square metre facility (the existing headquarters) and expanded into the global retail market. Today, BoConcept lives by Jens and Tage’s legacy, with craftsmanship remaining at the heart of everything they do.

Image credit: BoConcept

Peter led us through the extensive BoConcept factory to view numerous departments where high-spec machinery was helping to create individual pieces that would all slot together to make different pieces of furniture.

Endless rows of neatly stacked tabletops and counters lined the spotless walkways and Peter, striding ahead of us, was light on his feet as he glided across pallet lifters and other bits of factory rigging to show us his favourite warehouse items.

We stood, watching in awe of the effortless process of surface finishing where raw materials are fed into automated conveyor systems that lacquer, heat, and seal to produce high-quality, durable surfaces. But one of the most interesting parts for me was to hear how every item is designed and prototypes hand crafted by expert furniture makers, using traditional methods to shape and form each piece.

We heard more about the creation process from Christian as we were shown around a separate facility that housed the majority of the head office team. Here we saw sketches and fabric swatches, colourways and testing stations, where you got a feel for the whole team coming together to give their input and make suggestions.

BoConcept has a collaborative ethos, recognising the benefit of listening to ideas from a broad range of people. The company encourages its employees to make suggestions on both the day-to-day running of the business as well as hearing individuals’ thoughts on latest designs.

This extends to professional collaborations with designers, and has resulted in some impressive names coming on board to design collections and one-off pieces for the brand. Henrik Pedersen, Anders Norgaard, and Bjarke Ingels are just a few of the well-known personalities that have worked with BoConcept. Christian tells us they enjoy working with these acclaimed design superstars, but that the most important thing to the brand is not to merely attract big names; the point is to discover working relationships with designers that have shared values, where innovation and creativity are honed to produce well-considered functional products that enhance spaces for people.

Image credit: BoConcept

In fact, more than anything, I’d say BoConcept is a people-driven business, which more than anywhere is evident in its headquarters. The comfort and needs of its employees is really quite outstanding. The working environment is adaptive, with different sections and areas available to the team depending on what they’re doing that day and where they feel most comfortable doing it. There’s a quiet room for those wanting to get their head down and concentrate on the task at hand, or a sociable area for individuals wanting more of a team atmosphere where they can chat and bounce ideas off their colleagues. There are styled spaces – great for video calls, inspiration, or just chilling out in, and there are a number of meeting and board rooms for really getting down to business. Everything has been thought of and catered for.

It’s refreshing to see a company that recognises its greatest asset is its people and prioritises looking after them. As a result, BoConcept retains skilled workers that enjoy their jobs and take great pride in the furniture they produce. It’s no wonder they’re repeat award winners!

Another highlight for me was to discover the company’s sustainable efforts, which have been in full force in recent years. Beyond sourcing FSC certified wood, BoConcept has invested in a tool to calculate the carbon footprint of each of its products to better understand how to reduce this, and in the last two years they have been buying green energy, and with simple innovative changes, like utilising hot air from their machinery, they save 230,000 kWh of electricity a year.

It’s an impressive set-up, and seeing how the company operates made me realise what a combined partnership BoConcept is at every level. The products are beautiful, yes, but the values of the business run far deeper than aesthetics – design as well as function are key pillars for every piece of furniture made, but more than that, the designs are informed and adapted for every sector, whether that’s the residential or contract market. It was an enlightening visit – the only disappointment being that I didn’t manage to smuggle out one of the brand’s famous Imola chairs… next time, perhaps.

BoConcept is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.

Main image credit: BoConcept