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Wood Experts
From forest to factory
Knowledge about wood processing starts with the planting of the tree. Where and how the tree grows plays a key role in terms of the ultimate quality and durability of the furniture it is used to produce. Although we are well-informed in such matters, this is one area of expertise that we entrust to the specialist knowledge of our carefully selected timber suppliers. After many years of close collaboration they know exactly what it takes for wood to meet the exacting demands of Stolab quality – quality that, in many cases, takes a lifetime in the forest to achieve. That is why, in our factory in Smålandsstenar, we always treat our raw materials with the greatest respect.
Respect for raw materials
This respect for the raw materials is evident all the way to the end product. Wood is a living material. It is affected and influenced by a multitude of factors, so stringent quality controls are essential throughout the production process. There are also big differences between the various types of wood we work with: birch, oak and ash. Each species of wood has its own characteristics and properties that need to be tempered and amplified – a challenge that makes our work both exacting and stimulating. In addition, every part of the wood has its own specific qualities, and our task is to make optimal use of these properties to avoid any unnecessary waste.
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A combination of craftsmanship and engineering
Our production processes combine genuine craftsmanship with a high degree of automated engineering and robot technology. We know exactly what is best done by human hands and where machines excel. This synergism, together with our naturally inquisitive mindset and our determination to improve and develop, enables us to turn our designers’ thoughts and ideas for sophisticated solutions into reality. At the same time it also motivates us to push the boundaries of what it is possible to achieve. To do this we are making continuous investments, not only in new technology and our choices of materials, but also in our collaboration with creative individuals who possess skills across a broad spectrum of areas of expertise. In addition, our high technical capacity ensures that production processes are geared to cope even with large volumes of products. This is crucial in helping us to achieve our ambition of being a world leader in the manufacture of premium furnishings in solid wood.
A value chain without a best-before date
One important aspect of our knowledge about wood is the insights this gives us into the effects that daily use over time – often over generations – has on the materials we choose. It is perhaps here that our expertise demonstrates its true value. You can read more about this in the section that deals with our second core value: Aesthetic Sustainability.
“Our in-house production means we can drive development”
Martin Johansson CEO and owner at Stolab -“Stolab is both a brand and a producer. This enables us to drive our development, based exclusively on our own goals and visions in terms of quality, design and range. In other words, we are not dependent on external suppliers and their limitations about what they can and cannot do. “Take Lilla Åland for example. At first glance it may look no different from the very first versions of the chair that we produced. However, we have constantly been making slight changes to the construction, as our knowledge and manufacturing techniques have developed and improved. While these are often subtle changes that may go unnoticed, to the trained eye of craftspeople and connoisseurs such refinements are clearly evident, without in any way detracting from the appeal and function of the original design.”
We are driven by a passion for the possibilities that wood offers
“It is pure passion and intense curiosity that drives this constant development work. How can we get the very best out of the wood we are using? Is there something we can do differently, to find out if we can produce an even better result? It can be difficult to demand that an external supplier devotes the time and has the patience that is needed for these kinds of never-ending development project.”
We set the ambitions. The machines carry out our orders
“If you compare the way we work today with how we used to do things 20 years ago, the picture is totally different. While the scent of solid wood remains the same as always, much of today’s inline production at Stolab is carried out by advanced robots and other specially adapted technology. These technical advances play an essential role in enabling us to maintain a consistent level of premium quality, even when manufacturing large volumes of products. Moreover, they help us to continue to afford to be a producer. We don’t see technology as a tool for replacing human skills: at Stolab it is skilled people who use technology as a tool. The robots perform the actions and tasks that we have taught them to do. It’s as simple as that. We set the ambitions. The machines carry out our orders. Of course, we still also contribute our fair share of genuine craftsmanship, but this is motivated by necessity not nostalgia. “I also see advantages in constantly challenging the results that robots produce. It’s easier to reprogram a robot than to tell someone their work is not good enough. Our production team is made up of many amazingly skilled professionals, and it’s thanks to them that this unique combination of craftsmanship and modern technology works so well. It always gives me such pride every time I have the opportunity to tell people about this, and to show them the manufacturing facilities that we have here at Stolab in Smålandsstenar.”
Reactive development
“It is our customers, however, whom we have to thank for another aspect of our development – for making demands of us and for letting us know their wishes and requirements. Because production is totally in our own hands, we are able to react quickly to customer requests. We also work closely with our designers, who are fully familiar with our production methods and are happy to test our limits of what is and is not possible, whenever new items of furniture are created.
“Achieving a leading position as a brand and a manufacturer of premium furniture in solid wood is a journey that takes time. Having set out on that journey way back in 1907, today we rightly feel that we can say we are well on our way towards that goal.”
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