| I've always been fascinated by Scandinavian furniture | | | | the end of WW2 to learn more about the American |
| designs and back in the 1930's there was an | | | | manufacturing process and machinery used that |
| innovative man from Norway by the name of Jens | | | | allowed for higher quality and cost control. He would |
| Ekornes. He started from humble beginnings but | | | | study the manufacturing process and purchased |
| would soon grow his small Norwegian shop that made | | | | machinery that he would bring back to Norway to |
| steel spring components into several manufacturing | | | | begin production of Svane® mattresses. His |
| facilities throughout Europe in fifty years time. This | | | | desire to take an existing product and make it better |
| article examines the accomplishments of Jens | | | | would soon become a benchmark for Jens Ekornes. |
| Ekornes and his place in Norwegian furniture design. | | | | He would continue to move into other manufacturing |
| Norway is located in what is known as Scandinavia | | | | fields and from around 1947 through 1959 he would |
| which consists of Sweden, Finland, Denmark and | | | | begin building furniture components for other |
| Norway. This region has a rich history that goes back | | | | manufacturers. This was an important step in the |
| to early Europe. The Scandinavian region was much | | | | company as it began to lay the foundation that |
| sought after as both a strategic land area as well as | | | | Ekornes would need to move into designing and |
| the fishing and agricultural resources it offered. Many | | | | building home furnishings by having a manufacturing |
| of us when we think of Norway may conjure up | | | | infrastructure in place to accommodate some of his |
| images of Norse gods or Viking explorers. Norwegians | | | | new ideas for furniture. Towards the end of 1959 |
| are just like us with their own colorful history and | | | | Jens Ekornes took an important step at J.E. Ekornes |
| traditions and one of those traditions is in the crafting | | | | AS as he began to produce foamed plastic. This |
| of quality furniture. | | | | would become a very important part of creating the |
| Jens Ekornes was born in 1908 and is considered a | | | | Ekornes® brand. In 1960, Leif Ekornes and Martin |
| business legend in Norway. Many industrial | | | | Ekornes became co-owners in a joint stock company |
| professionals and business people during his time | | | | that would become called J.E. Ekornes Fabrikker AS. |
| wanted badly to be associated with him due in part | | | | 1966 marked an important date for Ekornes® |
| to his contacts both in manufacturing and retail and | | | | with its introduction of lounger furniture. Ekornes led |
| the success he himself had earned through his | | | | an aggressive campaign for its products throughout |
| various endeavors. Jens Ekornes started out his | | | | Norway by sending out information called the "Svane |
| industrial career building steel spring components for | | | | News" to every household in the country. This mailer |
| mattress manufacturers in the mid-30's and become | | | | in effect helped to establish the brand identity |
| so involved in the process that he attended trade | | | | Ekornes® to its Norwegian consumers and would |
| shows to better understand what he was building | | | | put in motion the purchasing of several companies to |
| and how he himself could venture into manufacturing | | | | be brought in to further build on the manufacturing |
| his own product. The Svane® Mattress was born. | | | | capabilities of Ekornes®. |
| He would travel to the United States in 1946 after | | | | |