On September 6, 2013 Vitra acquired the Finnish company Artek.
Finnish Artek was founded in 1935 by architect Alvar Aalto, his wife Aino Aalto, artist Maire Gulliksen, and writer and art critic Niels-Gustav Hal. The company was founded on the basis of a rather radical business plan for that time: "Sell furniture and promote modern living space culture through exhibitions and other educational tools."
“Vitra has watched Aalto and Artek with respect for decades, Rita 14.00 - Normal 0 false false false RU X-NONE X-NONE says Rolf Felbaum, Vitra Board Member. “This Finnish design company is much more than just a collection of furniture: like Vitra, it is not only a commercial but also a cultural project that stands at the forefront of the industry. It is important for Vitra that Artek can further develop and strengthen this influence."
At the heart of the Artek collection are Alvar Aalto's objects - furniture and lighting items made primarily of Finnish birch. Wood and functionality are recognizable features of the Artek collections. The company works closely with prominent architects, designers and artists: Eero Aarnio,
Shigeru Ban, Naoto Fukasawa, Harry Koskinen, Juha Leiviske, Enzo Mari and Tobias Reberger. As part of the new strategy of forming a brand portfolio, Artek is expanding its assortment and has already acquired the rights to Ilmari Tapiovara's furniture collection.
For now, Artek will continue to function as an independent organization. However, the possibilities of synergy between the different business processes of both companies will be explored: first of all, they will be related to production, distribution and logistics.
Daniel Sachs, President of Proventus, Artek's previous owner, explains why the transfer of ownership was made: “Vitra has a great corporate culture and the know-how and manufacturing resources needed to take Artek to the next level.”
