Carl Hansen & Son, a Danish-owned manufacturer of designer furniture, has just officially opened its new 6000 sq. ft. showroom in SoHo, New York, an occasion presided over by HRH Crown Prince Frederik and HRH Crown Princess Mary. Launching the new showroom was also part of the official export drive where exponents of the best in Danish design were represented.
By establishing a showroom and sales organization in New York, Carl Hansen & Son is significantly stepping up its commitment to the US market. “The US has always interested us and was actually one of our first export markets way back in the 1950s. After years of success and significant growth rates in the European market, we have chosen to invest heavily in our US activities to realise the huge potential and growth opportunities in the North American market. Establishing our new showroom is therefore only the first step in building up our organization in the USA,” explains Knud Erik Hansen, CEO.
Carl Hansen & Son's strategy for the US market is to target its activities towards architects and professional buyers. Establishing a showroom is therefore a vital factor in showcasing our range for this target group. The company has achieved this successfully in Copenhagen, Denmark, where an impressive showroom was recently opened in a large industrial-style complex in a thriving new design district.
“We can see that Americans are appreciating elegant and simple designs more and more. A prime example is world-famous Danish architect Hans J. Wegner with his legendary Wishbone Chair,” says Thomas Vagner, President, Americas, adding: “We take American consumers seriously which is why we want to meet their need for shorter delivery times and greater flexibility.”
Carl Hansen & Son's products are sold all over the world through a network of sales subsidiaries in Canada, Japan, China and now the USA as well as through its own sales representations in Hong Kong, the UK, Germany, Norway and Sweden in addition to local agencies. Knud Erik Hansen concludes: “We are expecting a great deal from this initiative and are looking forward to writing a whole new chapter in the multi-faceted story of this century-old, family-run company spanning several generations.”