First ten years

February 10 – 2019
Written by Sanna Fehrman

The year 2009 marked the Stockholm-based design company Massproductions’ 10th year of operations. Since opening in 2009, the company has achieved great international acclaim in the form of prestigious commissions and design accolades. In conjunction with its 10th anniversary the company launched a new edition of the Tio Chair – a contemporary design classic that started Massproductions’ journey.

The year 2009 marked the Stockholm-based design company Massproductions’ 10th year of operations. Since opening in 2009, the company has achieved great international acclaim in the form of prestigious commissions and design accolades. In conjunction with its 10th anniversary the company launched a new edition of the Tio Chair – a contemporary design classic that started Massproductions’ journey.

In 2008, freelance designers Chris Martin and Magnus Elebäck were contacted by a German furniture manufacturer with a brief to create a chair in metal for indoor and outdoor use. However, when they pitched the concept for the chair, the Germans said it would be impossible to produce. But the designers couldn’t let go of the design idea and wanted to show the client that it could be done. So, Chris Martin and Magnus Elebäck decided to make the chair themselves. During the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2009, they launched both Massproductions as a brand and their first chair: Tio Chair.

Massproductions’ work quickly gained recognition in the industry and in their first year of operation the company won the Swedish Association of Architects’ Golden Chair design award for the Tio Chair. Today, the chair is represented in the permanent collection of Nationalmuseum, The Swedish National Museum of Arts, in Stockholm. Over the years, Tio has been developed into a collection comprising several types of chairs and tables.

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In 2008, freelance designers Chris Martin and Magnus Elebäck were contacted by a German furniture manufacturer with a brief to create a chair in metal for indoor and outdoor use. However, when they pitched the concept for the chair, the Germans said it would be impossible to produce. But the designers couldn’t let go of the design idea and wanted to show the client that it could be done. So, Chris Martin and Magnus Elebäck decided to make the chair themselves. During the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2009, they launched both Massproductions as a brand and their first chair: Tio Chair.

Massproductions’ work quickly gained recognition in the industry and in their first year of operation the company won the Swedish Association of Architects’ Golden Chair design award for the Tio Chair. Today, the chair is represented in the permanent collection of Nationalmuseum, The Swedish National Museum of Arts, in Stockholm. Over the years, Tio has been developed into a collection comprising several types of chairs and tables.

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Outside

The clean, transparent design of the Tio series of furniture allows the pieces to blend in well with a large variety of architectural styles. Designer Chris Martin’s starting point for the design of Tio was to use as little material as possible, creating a deceptively strong and comfortable piece of furniture. The chairs and tables in the series are crafted using a few bent steel rods in a simple construction, which tricks the eye and immediately captures the viewer’s interest.

“Tio quickly became a big hit that appealed to many. It was something new. No one had seen anything quite like it before, in terms of design language and material,” says Chris Martin, co-founder and head designer, Massproductions. “So, Tio has been a very important product for us through the years, garnering a lot of attention at the start of our journey.”

 

“Tio is an example of what makes us unique, and it’s the balance between the producer and the designer that’s at the core of Massproductions. Covering the entire production chain under one roof allows us to take a more long-term perspective when it comes to the product, than a consultant who designs a wide variety of products for different manufacturers.”

– Magnus Elebäck,
CEO & Co Founder

Tio


“Had we known then what we known now about starting and running a furniture company, we might have given it a second thought. At the same time, there are no regrets. Since we are self-financed and value our independence, the journey has been tough, challenging, difficult, financially demanding and stressful, but we’ve always had a lot of fun. The most important thing has been to maintain the basic idea – that in each product our aim is to add long-lasting cultural value to the furniture industry.”

– Magnus Elebäck,
CEO & Co-founder

In conjunction with the celebration of its 10-year anniversary, Massproductions is paying tribute to its classic collection with a jubilee edition of the award-winning Tio Chair. The new version is being launched in a “Hot Dip” galvanised metallic finish – with a natural patina that becomes a matte, grey hue over time. Ideal for outdoor environments, this type of finish is often used for outdoor furniture and lampposts. Other products in the Tio collection will also be available in this finish.

In the ten years since its inception, Massproductions has won numerous awards for its designs and innovative production processes. Collaborating with many progressive architects around the world, the company has produced products for numerous prestigious international projects, most recently for the Brooklyn studio of the renowned artist Urs Fischer.