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2006 – SIS functional furniture a/s
On 1 May 2006, SIS international a/s sells its school and office furniture activities to the Dutch school furniture specialist Marko b. v., thereby creating a strong, new player in the Northern European educational furniture industry with market leaders in both Denmark and the Netherlands. The name of the merged company is SIS Functional Furniture a/s.
2005
At this time, SIS is a company and a brand which includes MH, Svejbæk, SIS made for learning and SIS made for working. – furniture for learning and office environments. SIS’s entire product range is marketed exclusively under the SIS brand.
2003-2004 – SIS academy
Our next big step was to use our knowledge of learning environments to cover more than just the educational market, rather to extend our concept beyond this market. Today, a learning environment is no longer confined to an educational establishment; it is a must for any visionary organisation.
This led us to establish SIS academy in 2003. In 2004, SIS academy was granted status as Denmark’s Learning style centre, which means that SIS academy is the international network’s official representative in Denmark. The aim of SIS academy is to be a specialist in learning (learning styles) for innovative educational establishments and workplaces (working styles).
2002
SIS/MH came into being when SIS international a/s acquired MH Stålmøbler a/s in 2002. The company has two main product lines: SIS learning and SIS working which comprise furniture for learning and office environments.
2000 – Functional Furniture
When MH Stålmøbler celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2000 it changed its name to MH Functional Furniture. The main reasons for this were that “Stålmøbler” was inappropriate for the export markets and that other materials are becoming popular in the markets.
Functional furniture was chosen because it is a simple and international concept that describes what the company is about. It is a concept that maintains our focus on the company’s core competences – what we are really good at – but at the same time does not restrict us in the development of future products.
As functional furniture continues to be a simple and international concept that fully describes what the company is about, we choose to keep it as part of the company’s current name.
1995
In 1995, MH prepared its first voluntary green accounts and in 1998 MH received the Green Network’s Environmental Award for “its extraordinary work to protect the environment”.
1993
Niels Larsen A/S, Svejbæk and Fjellø-Jensen A/S, Rudkøbing, merge with the parent company SIS Kontorinventar A/S and the group gets a new name: SIS international a/s, the head office of which is located at MH Stålmøbler’s address in Middelfart.
Over the years, SIS international a/s has become firmly anchored in the production of furniture for the office and educational market.
1990
Acquired by Fjellø-Jensen A/S, Svejbæk, manufacturer of school furniture and sports equipment.
1985
The designers Hans and Lise Isbrand developed the popular “Helle series” in 1984. The Helle series was introduced in 1985 and remains a bestseller now more than 20 years later.
1980s – Ergonomics and dynamics
In the 1980s MH started collaborating with consultant doctor A. C. Mandal who had conducted research into sitting and working postures for several years. The collaboration led to the development of the ergonomical BackUp furniture. As MH’s managing director at the time explained, the philosophy behind the product development was: “MH will no longer just be selling seats, but health”.
Up until then doctors, researchers, manufacturers etc. had been focusing on the right-angled sitting position which does, however, only work in theory. A person cannot sit and work in a right-angled position without bending his or her back. Mandal raised the furniture height by approx. 20 cm and developed an angled tabletop and forward-tilting seat.
People and machines
In the late 1980s, MH was among the first companies in Denmark to introduce the Japanese-inspired production and logistics systems, “Just In Time”. At the same time, the company also introduced autonomous groups and thereby a higher degree of employee involvement and commitment.
1974
The first typewriter desk “Model 80” is introduced, and SIS becomes a table manufacturer. Multiform in Germany is founded with SIS as co-owner.
1965 – Modern steel and wood furnishings
As early as 1965, MH was exporting to Germany, the UK, USA and Hong Kong. However, it was the development of a steel chair for the Danish military which became a huge success in the mid-1950s and led the company to change its name to MH Stålmøbler.
The military wanted a piece of furniture that was very strong, and history has it that when they tested the first steel chair developed by MH for the military, it was thrown out from the second floor. The chair survived the rough treatment and MH won the order.
As durability was also an important factor in the schools, MH began developing, manufacturing and selling school furniture.
1962 – SIS
SIS Kontorinventar A/S was established in 1962 under the name Stil I Stål. The company’s main product was an office chair designed by its founder, Ole Almegaard Ohlsen.
But SIS’s history goes back much further in time through the acquisition of the companies Niels Larsen, Svejbæk Skolemøbler and MH Stålmøbler, Middelfart, as well as Fjellø-Jensen, Rudkøbing.
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1925
Middelfart Hjulfabrik
In 1925, Jens Chr. Mortensen, son of the blacksmith in Føns, started what would later become MH. In the first few years the company focused on the repair of butcher’s and dairy equipment. From the mid-1930s the company starting producing wheels and mudguards for prams, two- and three-wheeled children’s bicycles and various bicycle parts, and this was how the company got its former name Middelfart Hjulfabrik, MH.
1891
Joiner Niels Larsen establishes Svejbæk Skolemøbler. Niels Larsen was an industrious joiner’s apprentice in the late 19th century who took the plunge and set up shop with his own workbench on which he made school furniture, church furniture and gym equipment.
The quality and integrity are still evident in the products today.
Svejbæk’s production was transferred to Marko in the Netherlands in 2006, while the company’s other activities were transferred to Middelfart. Svejbæk continues as a brand in the SIS group.
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