Hans-Heinz Seyfarth
ARGE, Erfurt, Germany
hhseyfarth@web.de

Kristin Mueller
ARGE, Niederdorf, Germany

In the new federal states of Germany the Saxon firm INVIDO GmbH, Niederdorf, has succeeded in developing mass customisation and in combining it with the principles of sustainability.

This new generation of technologies comprises tailor-made products manufactured by special, automated production units on demand. It is the customer him/herself who designs the special product he/she is looking for, on a 3D-colour screen. While doing so he/she is steadily informed about the price of the particular piece (single and cumulative). Having completed his/her personal virtual product on the screen, the customer then activates the automatic manufacturing of the individually designed piece of furniture by pressing a special button.

This new technological approach will dramatically change the furniture sector .Due to the direct communication between customer and manufacturer the traditional value chain will become shorter and the traditional retailer is going to be a service provider with a new and broader profile.

The most important implication, however, will occur in the service sector itself because, by the new technology, it is given the appropriate tool it needs for the long-term service

In the 21st century, service in the furniture industry will include all follow-up services, such as repairing parts (or whole pieces) of furniture on site, changing or upgrading of parts on demand, e.g. according to fashion or seasonal trends (even setting trends) as well as offering completely new „system services".

Due to the new producer responsibility, service will cover the whole life cycle of furniture products including the reuse/recycling of end-of-life products, e.g. processing chipboards or winning energy.

As the technology developed by INVIDO allows to mark and identify every single part of any piece of furniture produced throughout its life cycle, even many years later, a piece of furniture or parts of it can be remade fast and easily, and their reuse or recycling is without any environmental risk.

It is obvious that future cabinet-makers and workers in the furniture industry must be prepared for their new duties and responsibilities already during their vocational training. Therefore, a pilot project was started by INVIDO in co-operation with a Thuringian vocational school in Zeulenroda where this new technology of furniture production and its consequences for the service sector will be integrated into the existing training programme.

Back to Top | Back to 3S abstract programme

Last updated: 13 November, 2008