Workspace Studio develops its portfolio to the retail area after a 200 pct. increase in B2C due to remote work

Aurel Constantin 23/06/2020 | 14:40

As demand for furniture in the residential segment grew consistently the last few months, Workspace Studio expands its Herman Miller product portfolio to B2C and brings to Romania the well-known Danish brand Hay. Thus, more than 200 Hay products entered the portfolio of the company specialized in fitout solutions and office furniture oriented towards ergonomic design. By the end of the year, estimates show that the residential segment could account for 10 percent of Workspace Studio’s turnover.

Between March 15 and May 15, 95 percent of the new projects operated by Workspace Studio in the area of B2B office design stagnated due to the imposed social restrictions, but also in the new reality on the labor market. In contrast, the company saw an increase in demand for ergonomic home furniture and sales of certain products doubled.

”As we were specialized in design and wellbeing solutions for office spaces, the sale towards end customers has so far been a secondary objective for Workspace Studio. However, the active interest in products and design for home offices led this sales area to a strong upward trend. Herman Miller chairs and electric desks ensure comfort and ergonomics, therefore optimal conditions for productivity. These were highly sought after, sales going over 200 percent,” says Horațiu Didea, Managing Partner Workspace Studio.

In this context, Workspace Studio focused on increasing the portfolio of products for customer retail: chairs and armchairs, sofas, tables and desks adapted as a design for the living area. Starting this June, the company included in its portfolio emblematic pieces of furniture signed by Hay, a Danish company focused on design, comfort and functionality combined in contemporary lines.

”Last year, the Danish brand Hay was acquired by our partner Herman Miller. Hay collections are at the crossroad of ergonomic office design and residential comfort, a solution for both worlds. The transition to work from home has accelerated plans to include Hay’s portfolio in our projects. The office in the classic sense becomes more a place of communication and teamwork and less a space for individual tasks, so it will be more and more oriented towards wellbeing and comfort, a direction in which Hay’s pieces integrate perfectly,” explains Horațiu Didea.

By the end of the year, sales in the residential segment will continue to grow at a steady pace, up to about 10% of turnover. Positive dynamics could also be influenced by companies, especially those that are traditionally concerned about the well-being of their employees. Those have already provided or will provide financial incentives to ensure a comfortable workspace for employees who continue their work from home.

Workspace Studio is a company specialized in fitout solutions and office furniture oriented towards human-centric ergonomic design and the only accredited partner of Herman Miller in Romania. In 2019, Workspace Studio’s business reached EUR 10.7 million, doubling compared to 2018, and for 2020 the target was to exceed 12 million euro. However, in the new global context, Workspace Studio estimates that the stagnation in quarters 2 and 3 will significantly affect the dynamics. Even if the last quarter of the year could see a comeback, it will be quite slow, requiring a correction of 30-50 percent on the initial estimate of total turnover for this year.

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Aurel Constantin | 27/03/2024 | 17:32
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