History
It all began in the cellar premises of the Hjellegjerde family in the fjord community of Sykkylven in Møre & Romsdal as long ago as 1941. The brothers Otto and Mindor Hjellegjerde started up the first production of furniture.
As the years went by that cellar had to be continually extended to make more room for production and a third brother, Ingvald, joined the team in 1946. With great commitment and a burning desire to create something, the brothers managed to build a company which has grown to be Norway’s largest furnishing group and a significant player in the development of the Norwegian furniture industry.
As the years went by that cellar had to be continually extended to make more room for production and a third brother, Ingvald, joined the team in 1946. With great commitment and a burning desire to create something, the brothers managed to build a company which has grown to be Norway’s largest furnishing group and a significant player in the development of the Norwegian furniture industry.
Hjellegjerde® has undergone many changes since it all began in 1941, from a small family company to a listed group with markets spread across three continents. Right from the start the emphasis was on supplying quality furniture with comfort and Norwegian design, based on good craftsmanship. Modern technology also came to be a vital part of production. As with all success stories, there were reversals of fortune too.
The company has had two fires, the largest of them in 1981. Half the factory – about 4,500 square metres – went up in flames. A whole life’s work was lost, but this didn’t stop the brothers and, with the aid of a fantastic rescue operation from the employees, they managed to clear up after the fire. Just one month later production was under way again at Hjellegjerde® and in 1983 a new and modern factory opened its doors, risen from the ruins of the old.
This story shows us how Hjellegjerde® has been built on determination, commitment, belief and a will to win, in both employees and managers. This is just as true of the company today – people believe in what they are doing and the products are made with just as much commitment and pride as in 1941.
The way forward
In 2006 Fjords® was launched as the group’s new market name; it will carry forward the furnishing tradition which had such humble beginnings in the Hjellegjerde family’s cellar. Ever since the modern, new factory was completed in 1983, it has been a deliberate Hjellegjerde® strategy to address the international market. Today more than 70 per cent of turnover goes for export and it is ever more important to have a clear profile and a known and understandable brand. The group has therefore undergone a restructuring process in the past five years, to create a brand with great international and future potential.
By delivering total concepts of consistent style, Fjords® has been established for the future, with modern technology and traditional craftsmanship hand in hand.
Technology maintains and improves product quality, but it is people who make the products special. We see the value of the people who create our products and we let the thoughts of those with long experience of making furniture meld with the creative, fresh ideas of the young. We are also proud of our traditions – something we are carrying with us into the future. Combining this with the ability to think afresh, to be curious and innovative, we will be a forward looking furnishing group, which doesn’t just follow, but sets the trends in furnishings and interiors.
Design Strategy
Hjellegjerde® should at all times be able to offer the customer attractive products which suit market needs, with the focus on profitable volume products across all markets.
We should achieve this by means of deliberate and targeted internal product development. The use of external design resources should be tailored to the company’s need for renewal, but with the focus on optimisation within the defined product platforms and collection strategies.
We should achieve this by means of deliberate and targeted internal product development. The use of external design resources should be tailored to the company’s need for renewal, but with the focus on optimisation within the defined product platforms and collection strategies.
Interaction between design, purchasing and in-house production should ensure the company optimum earnings and a high level of efficiency in our own production facilities.
