Lectra > Case Studies > Ekornes chooses Lectra’s Versalis for a “Stressless” future

Ekornes chooses Lectra’s Versalis for a “Stressless” future

Customer Company Size

Large Corporate

Region

Europe

Country

Norway

Product

VersalisFurniture

Tech Stack

Automation
Lean Manufacturing
Predictive Maintenance

Implementation Scale

Enterprise-wide Deployment

Impact Metrics

Cost Savings
Productivity Improvements
Customer Satisfaction

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
Automation & Control - Automation & Process Control Systems
Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Applicable Functions

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Manufacturing System Automation
Predictive Maintenance
Process Control & Optimization

Services

System Integration
Testing & Certification
Training

About The Customer

Ekornes is a renowned furniture manufacturer based in Norway, known for its high-quality 'Stressless' chairs. The company operates a production plant in Sykkylven, utilizing around 2200 hides per day in 56 colors to produce 2000 seating units, including 1200 'Stressless' chairs. The plant's high level of automation allows it to produce between 100 and 120 chairs every hour. Despite its long history since 1934, Ekornes faces challenges due to high wages and a shortage of skilled labor, driven by the oil industry's impact on Norway's economy. To maintain its competitiveness and keep production in Norway, Ekornes is focusing on creating synergies between skilled workers and advanced technology.

The Challenge

For Ekornes, the scarcity of skilled workers and high labor costs mean other ways have to be found to reduce costs and enable the company to remain competitive and keep manufacturing in Norway.

The Solution

Lectra proposed an integrated solution including VersalisFurniture, specifically designed to address the challenges of the upholstered leather furniture industry. The solution includes a customized approach delivered by a team of experienced consultants, trainers, and technical experts. Ekornes benefits from a service contract that allows Lectra’s experts to monitor each VersalisFurniture system in real-time, using onboard intelligence to anticipate possible breakdowns and minimize the need for on-site intervention. This ensures maximum uptime and efficiency, especially important for Ekornes' remote production facilities. The introduction of VersalisFurniture also provided an opportunity to review and optimize the entire production process, allowing Ekornes to mix models on the same hide and reduce hide wastage by 5-6%. The intuitive interface and automatic nesting features further enhance productivity and efficiency.

Operational Impact

The introduction of VersalisFurniture allowed Ekornes to mix models on the same hide, increasing efficiency and reducing hide wastage by 5-6%.
The intuitive interface and automatic nesting features of VersalisFurniture have made it easier for users to operate, leading to increased productivity.
The ability to mark, scan, nest, cut, and offload hides in parallel has optimized the production process, saving leather without compromising cut quality.
The service contract with Lectra ensures real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance, minimizing downtime and maximizing uptime.
The implementation of VersalisFurniture has allowed Ekornes to release its most valuable resource, experienced staff, to focus on tasks with the most added value, such as identifying and grading flaws.

Quantitative Benefit

Ekornes produces 2000 seating units per day, including 1200 'Stressless' chairs.
The production plant uses around 2200 hides per day in 56 colors.
The plant's automation allows it to produce between 100 and 120 chairs every hour.
The introduction of VersalisFurniture reduced hide wastage by 5-6%.
Installation of the first six VersalisFurniture systems was followed by plans to install another four systems later in the year.