Ekornes

What Ekornes does

Ekornes is a Norwegian furniture manufacturer founded in 1934 by Jens E. Ekornes, headquartered in Ikornnes, Norway, with approximately 3,000-3,200 employees and the position of largest furniture producer in Norway and the Nordic region. The company operates eight production facilities in Norway, the United States (Morganton), Thailand, and Lithuania, and runs three consumer brands: Stressless (premium recliners, sofas, dining, and office furniture, with patented zero-gravity seating technology based on NASA research), IMG (mid-segment recliners and motion furniture marketed primarily in North America and Australia), and Svane (mattresses and beds, Norway's first furniture brand, launched 1937). A fourth line, Ekornes Interior Solutions, has furnished ships, hotels, and offices worldwide since 1989.

Ekornes generates revenue primarily through wholesale and direct-to-consumer hardware sales of branded furniture, complemented by B2B contract revenue from its Interior Solutions division. Products reach end customers via more than 4,000 retail outlets across 48 markets, 19 sales offices in 13 countries (including the USA, Japan, Australia, China, and Germany), brand-specific e-commerce websites (Stressless.com, IMG Comfort, Svane Beds), and a flagship 2,000m² showroom, Ekornes Bua, in Ålesund. Cumulative brand reach is material: more than 85 million people worldwide recognise the Stressless brand, and the company has sold over 10 million Stressless seats. Manufacturing output at the Sykkylven factory exceeds 1,300 seat units per day, with capacity dimensioned to 2,000 chairs/day and pandemic-era peaks of 2,400 seats/day.

In 2018, Ekornes was acquired by a consortium of Chinese investors led by Qumei Home Furnishings Group (with Hillhouse Investment as a minority co-investor) and delisted from the Oslo Stock Exchange, becoming a privately held subsidiary of Qumei Runto S.à r.l. via Ekornes QM Holding AS. The company reported FY2022 gross operating revenues of NOK 4,928 million (described as in excess of NOK 5 billion in recent years) and refinanced via a NOK 1.2 billion senior secured bond issued in March 2023 and listed on Oslo Børs. Ekornes is a signatory to the UN Global Compact, with a stated carbon-neutral supply chain goal by 2030 and a mandatory Supplier Code of Conduct covering human rights, anti-corruption, and environmental principles.

Name

Ekornes

Legal name

Ekornes AS

Website

https://ekornes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Ekornes is a Norwegian furniture manufacturer (founded 1934, ~3,200 employees) producing premium, mid-segment, and mattress products under Stressless, IMG, and Svane brands, plus B2B contract furniture via Ekornes Interior Solutions, distributed across 48 markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Upholstered Furniture

NAICS

Household and Institutional Furniture Manufacturing (33712), Upholstered Household Furniture Manufacturing (337121), Mattress Manufacturing (337910), Office Furniture (including Fixtures) Manufacturing (3372)

SIC

Household Furniture (2510), Wholesale-Furniture & Home Furnishings (5020), Office Furniture (2520)

akta.pro primary industry

Bedroom Furniture Retail (Beds, Dressers, Nightstands, Armoires) (CRAIAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dining Room Furniture Retail (Dining Tables, Chairs, Bar Stools, Buffets/Sideboards) (CRAIAAAB), Furniture (Residential & Commercial) Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAFAA)

Keywords

• Upholstered furniture
• Recliner manufacturing
• Scandinavian furniture
• Mattress production
• Contract furniture

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Furniture Product Sales: The company generates revenue primarily through the manufacture and sale of furniture products including recliners, sofas, dining furniture, and mattresses under the Stressless, IMG, and Svane brands.
2. Contract/Interior Solutions: Furnishing contracts for ships, hotels, offices and other projects worldwide through Ekornes Interior Solutions since 1989.
3. Warranty and Support Services: Product warranty claims administration as part of customer service operations.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ekornes manufactures and sells branded furniture products through three main consumer brands: Stressless (premium recliners, sofas, dining, and office furniture), Svane (mattresses and beds), and IMG (mid-segment recliners and motion furniture). Through Ekornes Interior Solutions, the company also provides contract furniture for commercial projects including ships, hotels, and offices worldwide. Products are produced across 8 factories in Norway, USA, Thailand, and Lithuania.

Product overview

Ekornes is a Norwegian furniture manufacturer offering a portfolio of branded products across multiple market segments. The company operates three main consumer brands: Stressless (premium recliners, sofas, dining, and office furniture), Svane (mattresses and beds), and IMG (mid-segment recliners and motion furniture). Additionally, Ekornes Interior Solutions provides contract furniture for commercial projects including ships, hotels, and offices. The brands serve different market positions, with Stressless positioned in the premium segment, Svane focused on the Nordic market, and IMG targeting the mid-segment in North America and Australia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stressless: Premium recliners, armchairs, sofas, dining furniture, and office furniture. One of the world's most well-known furniture brands with seating comfort technologies.
• IMG
• Svane

Products and services

• Stressless® Premium Furniture Premium furniture brand encompassing Stressless chair recliners, Stressless Dining, Stressless Office, and Stressless sofas. Includes proprietary seating comfort technologies such as zero-gravity positioning based on NASA research. One of the world's most well-known furniture brands with 85+ million people recognizing the Stressless name globally.
• Svane® Mattresses and Beds Mattresses and beds of high sleeping comfort, manufactured via subsidiary Ekornes Beds AS. Serves the Nordic market and selected European countries with over 50% aided brand recognition in Norway. Norway's first furniture brand, launched in 1937.
• IMG Mid-Segment Recliners High-quality recliners and motion furniture designed for exceptional comfort, functionality, and value. Mid-segment brand marketed mainly in North America and Australia with operations in over 30 international markets. Positioned as affordable quality with ergonomic support.
• Ekornes Interior Solutions (Contract Furniture) Contract furniture service for ships, hotels, offices, and other commercial projects worldwide. Furnishing spaces since 1989 with comfort and functional designs, providing an extensive range of furniture and high-quality brands to meet most requirements aboard ship and on shore.
• Stressless Adam Recliner Stressless Adam recliner featuring zero-gravity seating technology based on NASA research, designed to enhance relaxation and provide health benefits. Launched in North America in November 2025 to address rising stress levels among American consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10 million Stressless seats sold globally
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• UN Global CompactminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEkornes is a member of the UN's Global Compact initiative - a voluntary scheme whose members undertake to implement 10 principles for responsible business practice covering labour rights, human rights, fight against corruption, and sustainable production.
• Supplier NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll suppliers must sign Ekornes' Supplier Code of Conduct focusing on 12 different principles within human rights, corruption and the environment as part of the sustainability value chain initiative.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• La-Z-Boy: The largest US recliner manufacturer, La-Z-Boy competes directly with Stressless and IMG in the premium and mid-market recliner/motion furniture category globally, with overlapping distribution through furniture retailers.
• Natuzzi: Italian premium upholstered furniture maker with similar positioning to Stressless in leather sofas and recliners, serving global premium home consumers through mono-brand stores and department stores.
• BoConcept: Danish premium furniture brand with Scandinavian design heritage analogous to Ekornes' Stressless, operating a franchise-led global retail network across 60+ countries with sofas, chairs, and dining furniture.
• Flexform: Italian family-owned premium upholstered furniture maker with a focus on high-end sofas and seating, comparable in positioning to Stressless for design-conscious consumers in the premium segment.

Broad incumbents

• IKEA (Inter IKEA): Swedish global furniture retail incumbent and the dominant mass-market home furnishing brand; competes indirectly with Ekornes through overlapping retailer relationships and consumer overlap, though operating at a fundamentally different price point.
• MillerKnoll (Herman Miller): Premium US-based office and home furniture group with the Herman Miller and Knoll brands, overlapping with Stressless Office and Ekornes Interior Solutions on the commercial and premium residential contract side.
• Steelcase: Largest pure-play office furniture manufacturer globally, comparable to Ekornes on the contract/B2B office furnishing side via Ekornes Interior Solutions, though with no meaningful overlap in residential recliners.
• RH (Restoration Hardware): US-based premium home furnishings retailer with gallery showrooms and a similar premium-positioning playbook to Stressless, selling upholstered furniture, beds, and dining through a controlled direct retail channel.
• Williams-Sonoma: Multi-brand US home furnishings retailer (Pottery Barn, West Elm, Williams Sonoma Home) operating at a similar premium-to-mid price point to Stressless and IMG, with overlapping home furniture category exposure.
• HNI Corporation: US office furniture and hearth products manufacturer (HON, Allsteel) with comparable institutional and contract furniture exposure to Ekornes Interior Solutions' office and hospitality project work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ekornesstressless
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ekornes-asa
• Xx.com/stresslessus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ekornes