w
STOKKE Company history ■
Established in 1932 by Georg Stokke and Bjarne Møller as Møller and Stokke.
■
Stokke was one of the first Norwegian producers to use professional designers and they even hired their own architect in the early 1950s.
■
The company's name is changed to Stokke Fabrikker AS in 1956 when Georg Stokke buys out his partner.
■
Co-owner of the export organisation Westnofa Ltd. 1955.
■
The second generation, Kåre Stokke, takes over management and ownership in 1964, at the age of 27.
■
Vågå Bruk AS is established in 1965, with production commencing in early 1966.
■
Westnofa Industrier is established as a joint venture with 5 partners in 1968.
■
Stokke Fabrikker AS purchases 70 % of Tennfjord Møbelfabrikk AS from Ole Bolle in 1969, and the remainder is purchased during the 1980s.
■
Stokke AB – Sweden is established in 1969, the company's first independent export venture.
■
Tripp Trapp® is designed by Peter Opsvik – launched in 1972.
■
The Movement Collection is created with the Balans Variable in 1979.
■
1986: Stokke Fabrikker AS focuses its operations on functional furniture for movement and variation.
■
1987: Stokke GmbH is established in Lübeck, Germany, with Wolfgang Krüssmann as Manager.
■
1989: Stokke purchases Vatne Møbler AS.
■
1990: Kjell Storeide takes over as Group Manager and purchases 9 % of the shares in Stokke Industri AS (the holding company).
■
1990: Joint venture with Matsuya Co. Ltd. Scandex is established in order to import and sell Stokke's furniture (and other Scandinavian design articles) in Japan.
■
During the 90s Stokke established a distribution network via fully-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries all over Europe for the import and sale of Stokke's merchandise.
■
1992–94: Stokke purchases Møremøbler AS, which is renamed Fora Form AS in 1997. Vatne is merged with Møremøbler AS in 1994/95.
■
1994: Vågå Bruk AS is sold to Talgø.
■
1994: Stokke Industri AS is demerged into Moa Syd AS (the property at Moa) and Stokke Industri AS (the industry part).
■
1996: Moa Syd changes its name to Stokke AS.
218
