Kvadrat, a leading European design-textile company, is substantially strengthening its position in the retail with the acquisition of Kinnasand, which specialises in designing beautiful, high-quality curtain textiles, rugs and upholstery fabrics

Anders Byriel, CEO of Kvadrat says: ‘This deal represents our biggest acquisition to date. We are already first choice for architects and designers and making Kinnasand part of the Kvadrat family gives us the opportunity to develop new business in our retail channel. Kinnasand shares our design approach and values so it’s a great match for us, especially as they do have this strength in residential markets. They have fantastic collections and a great design team as well. Now there is the potential to create a long-term, international platform for the brand.’

Kinnasand was founded in Kinna in Sweden over 200 years ago and though currently German-owned thanks to a management buyout, retains a distinctly Scandinavian heritage. It is one of the Scandinavian region’s last remaining retail textile brands.

It has demonstrated very strong growth in the last two years and has a reputation for a service-driven approach to its business. By taking over Kinnasand’s facility in Westerstede, northern Germany, which currently employs 55 people, Kvadrat will be able to directly take advantage of this exceptional level of customer service. Plus, the two companies’ product offerings: Kvadrat’s strength in upholstery and Kinnasand’s reputation in curtain fabrics in particular, can together provide a real synergy for its customers.

Werner Hofmann, CEO and owner of Kinnasand says: ‘I am really positive about Kinnasand joining forces with Kvadrat. Of course, I feel a little sad but it is the right decision for Kinnasand. I could only ever imagine selling to Kvadrat because we have always had a good relationship with them in the past, which continues to this day. Personally, I feel it will take Kinnasand in the right direction. We are much stronger together with Kvadrat. The really great thing is they will keep Kinnasand largely as it is but develop the company so that it can become a global player.’

Business will continue as usual and Kinnasand will remain a separate entity, yet benefit from Kvadrat’s extensive distribution network and showroom presence worldwide.

Jacob Sloth, SVP Sales for Kvadrat says: ‘There are not many companies which are strong in both the retail and contract markets and this acquisition creates a new opportunity for us to grow our product offering and customer base significantly. Our retail presence will become stronger and we will be much more visible, which makes this move a real game changer.’

Kvadrat was established in Denmark in 1968 and now holds a leading position in the European market of design-textiles, supplying renowned architects, designers and furniture manufacturers throughout the world, for use in upholstery and curtains. Kvadrat fabrics have been used in some of the world’s most famous architectural developments including The Gherkin – London, Museum of Modern Art – NYC, Walt Disney Concert Hall – Los Angeles, Reichstag – Berlin, Guggenheim Museum – Bilbao, Copenhagen Opera House – Denmark, Yves St. Laurent – Paris and the new Opera House in Oslo. At the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan this year, Kvadrat invited seven international curators to select 32 design talent from across the globe to reinterpret Kvadrat’s iconic upholstery fabric, Hallingdal 65, in a modern context. The exhibition is currently touring around the world with stops in Paris, Singapore, Shanghai, New York, London and many other European cities.

Kinnasand was officially registered as a company in 1873 and its first factory was constructed in 1890. By the mid-twentieth century, it was producing ranges of decorative and furnishing fabrics with a uniquely Scandinavian design language. During the 1970s, it strengthened its reputation as a textile design company by using well-known designers such as Ulrika Vallien, Kitty Kahane and Bernice Christoph. In 2004, Werner Hofmann, manager of Kinnasand for thirty years and chairman of the board in Sweden, took ownership of the firm. In 2009, Kinnasand became a founding member of the Stockholm Design District and launched showrooms in the Swedish capital as well as in Oslo and Münich. Earlier in 2012, Kinnasand launched Hemp, a carpet collection made from fragments of ancient carpets hand woven by nomads in 100% hemp and will present Reflect, a range of rich, contrasting textiles at the Orgatec trade fair in Cologne in October 2012.