Epilogue by Rune Stokke
A new generation emerges M
y time at Stokke began when I first started working at Vatne Møbler AS as their General Manager in 1991. Back then, I had just spent two years studying for an MBA at the IESE in Barcelona, and prior to that I had spent 4 years working in the finance industry, so I was able to view Stokke's companies from this angle. After I completed my studies at the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration in 1985, I worked first for Nevi Finance and subsequently for Storebrand's Investment Department arranging loans for business customers all over Norway up until 1989. My time at Vatne from 1991 to 1994 was challenging and marked by substantial losses, excess capacity and many problems. However, it was also an educational and interesting time. Kjell kept a close eye on me and taught me a lot. There was a great sense of friendship between everyone at Vatne, despite the hardships. I also had the opportunity to spend a lot of time working with high-quality up holstered furniture and I learnt a lot about this subject. I still feel that upholstered furniture is one of the most interesting areas of the trade – exciting products that have the potential to stand out from their competitors. This is where my grandfather and I share a common interest – and we often become carried away in our dreams about this subject, or we discuss new designs that we have
come across. Yet the furniture upholstery business is also the toughest, with many international suppliers and relatively low margins. However, the most exciting businesses are not always the most profitable ones. We started to see Vatne turn around in 1994, and by then it was time for the company and myself to make the next move. We merged with Møremøbler and I took over as the Head of Sales and Marketing. This was a larger, yet more limited field. I was still able to contribute to production and design, and this was important to me. Once again I was involved with a good, knowledgeable team, and we worked really well together. We restructured the company's sales and marketing operations and this, combined with an improved market, enabled us to experience good growth. In 1997, in cooperation with Arild Bakke and Steinar Gjertsen, we launched the company's new name, Fora Form, after having worked on this for a while with Anisdal, Sand & Partnere. In 1997, the Stokke group experienced its best year ever with record-breaking profits, but there had also been many signs of hard times ahead and things that needed to be changed within the organisation. I am impatient by nature – mostly because I want to get started on jobs that I feel need to be done – I can live with problems and challenges as long as we are on top of them and are working on them. I was impatient to get going and I probably
Father and son on a sunny day at Tennfjorden.
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