Clen Solutions
Clen Solutions is a privately held French industrial group that designs, manufactures, and fits out office furniture, storage, and ergonomic workspace solutions for tertiary environments through the CLEN, COLUMBIA, and MOBIMÉTAL brands, distributing exclusively via a federated Partenaires Conseil partner network across France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and DROM COM.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1959
- HeadquartersSaint-benoît-la-forêt, France
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Clen Solutions does
Clen Solutions is a privately held French industrial group founded in 1959 by Claude Catelas and headquartered at a UNESCO-classified site in Saint-Benoît-la-Forêt, specializing in the design, manufacture, and fit-out of furniture and storage solutions for tertiary workspaces. The group operates three complementary brands: CLEN (the core multi-material manufacturing brand producing office furniture and ergonomic workstations), COLUMBIA (a stock-based workspace fitting brand with a logistics center in Collégien), and MOBIMÉTAL (a cabinet manufacturer with a dedicated production facility in Levroux). Its product portfolio spans storage and classification systems (PANACLEN, E.CLEN, armoires, caissons, casiers), modular and sit-stand furniture (POLYANDRE, POLYCLEN, ATAO, NOUVELLE VAGUE, postes réglables), acoustic solutions (Addenda, Taoma, Oasis Fold, En A Parte, Alcôve), lighting (Loola, Scoop, integrated and floor lamps), and connectivity/cable management, all built on a multi-material industrial tool that integrates plastic injection, steel processing, and surface treatment in-house. Underlying technology rests on decades of ergonomic research, including M.T.M.-based motion analysis, the LEB (Laboratoire Espace Bureau) research facility of over 800m², and a portfolio of historic patents (CLEN drawer 1963, mixing/ski drawer system 1976, KP partition hinge 2000).
The business model is a B2B, channel-partner-led model: revenue is generated through the sale of manufactured office furniture and complete tertiary fit-out projects, with all commercial activity routed exclusively through the Partenaires Conseil network, a federated group of specialized tertiary-space contractors who are also shareholders in the group and signatories of the CLEN Solutions ethics charter. Geographic coverage spans France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and DROM COM overseas territories. There is no public pricing; quotes are handled via direct contact ([email protected], +33 2 47 58 00 29). The company is independent, family-influenced (with Xavier Catelas currently in a leadership role), and has never raised external capital, with ownership anchored in the partner-shareholder model. Current leadership continues to emphasize eco-design, recyclability (Valdelia shareholding, 2013), and UN Global Compact commitments (2013) as differentiators in a mature European office furniture market.
Clen Solutions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clen Solutions
- Legal name
- Clen Solutions
- Website
- https://clensolutions.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1959
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Clen Solutions is a privately held French industrial group that designs, manufactures, and fits out office furniture, storage, and ergonomic workspace solutions for tertiary environments through the CLEN, COLUMBIA, and MOBIMÉTAL brands, distributing exclusively via a federated Partenaires Conseil partner network across France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and DROM COM.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Clen Solutions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint-benoît-la-forêt
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Clen Solutions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Office furniture and tertiary space fitting products: Clen Solutions generates revenue through the sale of manufactured office furniture, storage solutions, and comprehensive tertiary space fitting services. The company operates three brands (CLEN, COLUMBIA, MOBIMÉTAL) providing complementary product ranges including desks, storage, partitions, lighting, acoustics, and connectivity solutions. Revenue is generated through B2B sales via the partner network.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Clen Solutions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clen Solutions designs, manufactures and supplies office furniture, storage cabinets, workstations, acoustic solutions, lighting and cable management products for tertiary workspaces in France and French-speaking territories. The group operates three brands — CLEN, COLUMBIA and MOBIMÉTAL — backed by in-house multi-material manufacturing and distributes exclusively through a federated network of Partenaires Conseil who also act as group shareholders.
Product overview
CLEN Solutions is a French office furniture and workspace solutions group comprising three core brands (CLEN, COLUMBIA, and MOBIMÉTAL) manufacturing furniture at three French production sites. The group offers an integrated portfolio of ergonomic workspace solutions including modular furniture systems (POLYANDRE, POLYCLEN, ATAO, NOUVELLE VAGUE), storage solutions (PANACLEN, classeurs, armoires, casiers), seating, lighting products (Loola, Scoop lamp series), acoustic solutions (Addenda, Taoma, Oasis Fold, En A Parte), adjustable workstations, and finish/colour services. The group operates through a network of consulting partners across France and French-speaking regions, offering turnkey solutions from concept through industrial production to installation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Clen Solutions
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Clen Solutions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Clen Solutions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Partenaires Conseil (Conseil Partners)coreA network of specialized partners in tertiary space fitting, selected for their skills and expertise. They guarantee high-level services with integrated project teams and technical teams. Partners are shareholders in the group and signatories of the ethics charter, participating fully in CLEN Solutions' life. Present across France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and DROM COM.
- Global CompactminorCLEN Solutions committed to the UN Global Compact, demonstrating its commitment to corporate social responsibility.
- ValdeliaminorCLEN became a shareholder of Valdélia, an eco-organism, reinforcing its environmental responsibility commitments.
- MOBIMÉTALcoreCLEN and MOBIMÉTAL, a cabinet manufacturer, decided to come together to develop the strong complementarity of their respective activities. Financière CLEN entered MOBIMÉTAL's capital and created MOBICLEN. Mobimétal operates a state-of-the-art industrial facility in Levroux.
- ACTINEO ObservatoryminorCLEN became a founding member of the ACTINEO Observatory, an 'agitator' for companies regarding quality of life in the office.
- COLUMBIAcoreCLEN initially took part in COLUMBIA's capital in 1984, then fully integrated the company in 1994 as a department. COLUMBIA specializes in workspace fitting with certified products available from stock at their Collégien logistics center. The partnership provides complementary capabilities and market reach.
- MANADE / SD PRODUCTIONminorCLEN implemented an external growth strategy taking a majority stake in MANADE and its production unit SD PRODUCTION, specialized in office accessories and lighting. This acquisition complemented the product portfolio.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Clen Solutions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Vitra: Swiss premium design office furniture manufacturer with strong brand equity across Europe. Comparable to Clen on the premium European office furniture dimension, but Vitra is significantly larger and design-led rather than partner-channel-led.
- Steelcase: Largest global office furniture manufacturer with a full portfolio covering desks, seating, storage, architectural partitions, and acoustics. Comparable in product scope and B2B enterprise focus, but Steelcase operates at a fundamentally different scale and with global R&D and digital tools.
- MillerKnoll: US-led collective of office furniture brands (Herman Miller, Knoll, etc.) covering workspace products, storage, and architectural solutions. Comparable to Clen on the tertiary workspace fit-out dimension, but operates at multiple times the scale across global markets.
- Kinnarps: Sweden-based office furniture group with a full workspace offering (desks, storage, seating, partitioning) and a multi-brand structure (Kinnarps, Materia, Skandiform). Comparable in multi-brand strategy and European B2B focus, but at substantially larger scale.
- Haworth: Global office furniture manufacturer and interior architecture provider with extensive European presence. Comparable to Clen on product categories (desks, storage, partitions, acoustics) and B2B enterprise customers, but at materially larger scale.
- Nowy Styl Group: Polish office furniture group with broader scale and a wider product portfolio (seating, desks, partitions, acoustics). Comparable to Clen in product mix but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach across EMEA.
Direct peers
- Actiu: Spanish office furniture manufacturer with a comparable SME scale, offering desks, seating, storage, and acoustic solutions for European enterprises. Similar in size and product coverage to Clen and a direct competitor in southern European tenders.
- Bene AG: Austrian office furniture specialist with a strong partner/dealer distribution model and a focus on office and workspace fit-out. Comparable to Clen in product breadth (desks, storage, partitions, acoustics) and channel structure.
- Sedus Stoll AG: German mid-sized office furniture manufacturer with a comparable B2B focus on ergonomic seating, desks, and storage for European enterprises. Closely matches Clen in product scope (desks, storage, partitions) and customer type (corporate/tertiary workspaces).
- USM: Swiss manufacturer of modular office furniture and storage systems with a design-led, premium positioning. Comparable to Clen Solutions on the modular furniture and storage dimension and on European B2B premium positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clen Solutions social profiles
Digital presenceClen Solutions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clen Solutions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Clen Solutions subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Clen Solutions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clen Solutions M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clen Solutions
What does Clen Solutions do?
Clen Solutions designs, manufactures and supplies office furniture, storage cabinets, workstations, acoustic solutions, lighting and cable management products for tertiary workspaces in France and French-speaking territories. The group operates three brands — CLEN, COLUMBIA and MOBIMÉTAL — backed by in-house multi-material manufacturing and distributes exclusively through a federated network of Partenaires Conseil who also act as group shareholders.
Is Clen Solutions a public or private company?
Clen Solutions is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Clen Solutions founded?
Clen Solutions was founded in 1959. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Clen Solutions based?
Clen Solutions is headquartered in Saint-benoît-la-forêt, France, in the Europe region.
How does Clen Solutions make money?
One revenue line is on record: office furniture and tertiary space fitting products.
Who are Clen Solutions's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Vitra, Steelcase, MillerKnoll, Kinnarps, Haworth and Nowy Styl Group. Direct peers are Actiu, Bene AG, Sedus Stoll AG and USM.
Does Clen Solutions have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clen Solutions.