Merry Christmas from KI Europe

Season's Greetings from all of the KI Europe team.





Click on the image above or link below to view the Celebrate the Season e-card.





http://www.ki.com/comm/holiday_card_2010/index.html





This year KI Europe will be making a donation to CLIC Sargeant - Caring for Children with Cancer.

KI Continue to Grow in the Middle East

KI, who offer furnishing solutions to the Business, Education, Government and Healthcare sectors, are growing rapidly in the Middle East. The year is expected to end well ahead of plan.

KI is one of the largest importers of furniture into the Middle East. Working with long term partner Furnicon Royal Interiors/Al Bawardi Group, they have recently undertaken major projects or further phases for prestigious clients such as: The Abu Dhabi Executive Council, ADMA–OPCO, Mubadala, Etisalat, Borouge, ALDAR and National Bank of Abu Dhabi in the U.A.E.

KI have also recently supplied furniture for the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain, with Greenarchers, Saudi Arabian Chevron in Kuwait with Midas, The International Academy of Amman, Queen Rania Paediatric Hospital and Columbia University in Jordan with APS, G.E, and the Cardiology Hospital in Qatar, The American University in Beirut, Lebanon and multiple Community Colleges and Colleges of Science and Technology for M.O.H.E (Ministry of Higher Education) in Saudi Arabia with Riyadh House.

Jonathan M. Hindle – KI’s Group Managing Director, E.M.E.A. comments:

“These prestigious Middle East projects in the Business, Education and Healthcare sectors and the quality and experience of our partners in each country of the region are a great source of pride to KI. We continue to invest in this successful structure. KI’s Regional Sales Manager is Robert Cumming who is based in Dubai and has over 10 years experience in the Middle East. Robert, the International Sales Support Team and I look forward to growing KI’s presence in the Middle East over the coming years’’

KI Showroom Refurbishment and Product Launch Party

KI have undertaken a stunning new refurbishment of their London showroom in Holborn, after a devastating flood caused extensive damage to the office and showroom space earlier this year. Scott Brownrigg Interior Design who are located nearby were appointed to design a new scheme for KI’s showroom. The new scheme features many new UK product lines and provide more meeting and breakout / third space facilities for the company and its visitors. Light rafts are suspended from the ceilings with individual track lights mounted to beams for more localised lighting of products. Sliding doors within the main conference room allow it to be opened up to become a large client presentation area, complete with a client refreshment area and canapé bar.

The showroom launch party, held on 19th October was attended by an assortment of guests from the A&D community as well as End Users, Dealers and manufacturers.

Click here to see more photos of The New Showroom

Click here to see more photos of The Launch Party

BreakOut Modular Seating

BreakOut, designed by SoVibrant, is KI's new third space adaptable solution, designed as an intimate sanctuary for the open plan working environment and also combines the use of technology as the perfect meeting point.

The understated elegance of BreakOut will compliment any working environment, with stylish slatted timber fins providing a light but private enclosure.

The modular design of BreakOut allows multiple seating units to be connected in series, to create a product tailored to the number of people who need to use it and to the space available. BreakOut seating allows users to multi-task whilst fulfilling many roles such as forming an area for group working, inter- office workshops and meetings, or simply a place to get away from it all. BreakOut has been created with an understated elegance and sophistication that will compliment any working environment.

BreakOut doesn’t just look good. It performs.

KI ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT WITH PAMI

KI are delighted to announce an exclusive distribution agreement with PAMI, who are the largest manufacturer of contract furniture in Belgium. The PAMI portfolio includes ranges of meeting and training tables and selected storage products, KI Slide, T4 Meeting Tables and Omnibase Segmented Conference Tables, all of which will compliment the existing KI portfolio.

KI Slide is a range of sliding door storage units which combine beautiful aesthetics with acoustic benefits. Ideal for open plan or cellular offices, KI Slide’s sound absorbing qualities ensure a quiet working environment. Round, square or custom perforation patterns in double skin doors with acoustic foam, glass or melamine door options ensure a stylish and beautiful design tailored to your interior. The units have flexible interiors which allow for combi shelves, drawers and reference shelves.

The T4 Meeting Table is a minimalist modular concept. It is the perfect basic element for organising modern working environments. The T4 table fits perfectly with today’s new, rapidly evolving work trends and can be combined with other elements so that it can be assembled quickly to suit your exact requirements. The pure linear geometry integrates well with any design scheme. Combine T4 Tables with KI’s many seating collections :- Maestro, Matrix, Perry, Strive, Daylight and K5.

Omnibase Conference Tables is a range of segmented tables with a timeless, classic design which can be combined with most other furniture. Assembly is quick, simple and robust.

KI have recently undertaken a stunning new refurbishment of their London showroom in Holborn, which includes examples from the PAMI portfolio.

New Seating Brochures from KI

KI have issued new brochures for the Daylight, Maestro, Perry, Matrix & Strive seating ranges, featuring fresh new finishes and examples of recent installations. Please visit the website to download a copy or contact KI to be sent a printed copy on 020 7404 7441 or email sales@kiuk.co.uk

AEGON Case Study

KI have provided AEGON, one of the world’s largest pension and life insurance companies, with a fully integrated storage solution for their offices in Lancashire. KI has supplied storage and filing solutions to AEGON (and previously Scottish Equitable Plc) since 1999 and AEGON uses KI products in its offices throughout the UK. AEGON had previously purchased KI 700 Series storage manufactured in Canada. For the Lytham project KI 800 Series was chosen providing the benefits of a UK manufactured product ensuring shorter lead times and an even more cost effective package.

For more information contact KI on 020 7404 7441, email sales@kiuk.co.uk or visit the website.

Lecture Theatres and Auditoriums

Lecture Theatres and Auditoriums

Lecture Theatres and Auditoriums directly reflect an organisation’s image and are a key component in attracting and retaining students. With KI fixed seating, you can create inspired spaces that enhance the learning experience and foster student success. Updated lecture spaces also showcase your commitment to excellence. Our latest product designs offer innovative technology access, functional simplicity, and superior ergonomic comfort to enable you to achieve more. Put KI’s knowledge and experience to work for you. Our specialised planning includes custom solutions, room configurations, as well as recommendations for seating styles, fabrics, finishes, options and more.

For more information contact KI on 020 7404 7441, email sales@kiuk.co.uk or visit the website.

KI White Papers - New ways of learning with furniture

KI, working together with Flywheel design, have issued a series of white papers that look at how educational organisations can enhance the learning and teaching experience through the use of furniture.

KI is the largest educational furniture manufacturer in the world. With over 60 years experience, KI understand the distinct and evolving needs of the educational environment. They design furniture that facilitates learning and interaction between students and staff.

Flywheel designs or redesigns organisations and environments, using space and technology as the catalysts for innovation and change.

Links to bulletins:
No new building in the works? How you can use furniture to enhance the learning and teaching experience.
How schools are moving beyond the table and the chair.
How to create a furniture strategy for your school.

Wheelhouse High-Density Mobile Storage

Wheelhouse High-Density Mobile Storage System combines strength and adaptability in a low-profile modular storage system that makes the most of every inch of space. The low-profile storage system you choose has to fit your space, your budget, and your plans. Spaces change, and plans change too. The Wheelhouse system is easy to reconfigure, expand, and even relocate. Built upon Spacesaver’s proven Eclipse Powered System technology, the powered Wheelhouse systems are the ultimate in safety, reliability, ease of use and accessibility. With standard lengths up to 4.8m, the largest areas can easily be covered. Plug-in-the-wall power makes installation straightforward, and the priority aisle feature can even return the system to its default position. Overhead lighting, auto battery backup, aisle entry sensor and other features add enhanced safety and functionality.

For more information contact KI on 020 7404 7441, email sales@kiuk.co.uk or visit the website.

KI HAVE A NEW SHOWROOM DESIGN AFTER DEVASTATING FLOOD

KI were hit by a devastating flood in their showroom and offices due to a plumbing leak over a weekend in the office floor above.

So severe was the damage that a full strip out is required on both floors and all Sales and Sales Support, Customer Service, Logistics and Finance staff have moved into temporary offices at Holborn Gate, further along High Holborn, adjacent to Chancery Lane tube. Business has continued here as normal, despite the additional operational challenges. A temporary showroom has also been created at Holborn Gate. The same contact numbers and email addresses apply.

Scott Brownrigg Interior Design who are located nearby have been appointed to design a new scheme for KI’s showroom. The new scheme will feature many new UK product lines and provide more meeting and breakout / third space facilities for the company and its visitors.

As explained by Scott Brownrigg Interior Design:

"KI manufactures well-designed, durable furniture for the business and education sectors and is a leader in producing award-winning products. To reflect their status within the market, the refurbishment of their existing showroom, conference room and reception area will create sleek and flexible space with feature lighting. Within the showroom light rafts will be suspended from the ceilings with individual track lights mounted to beams for more localised lighting of products. Sliding doors within the main conference room will allow it to be opened up to become a large client presentation area, complete with a client refreshment area and canopy bar."

KI expects to complete the refurbishment and be back in occupation by September. Expect an exciting new showroom opening event, with many new products on display, to follow soon afterwards.

Please visit the KI website on www.kieurope.com or telephone 020 7404 7441 for more information.

KI intoduce KI Slide, a new range of sliding door storage units

KI Slide is a range of sliding door storage units which combine beautiful aesthetics with acoustic benefits. Ideal for open plan or cellular offices, KI Slide’s sound absorbing qualities ensure a quiet working environment.

KI Slide units are available in various measurements with tops to match the desk surface. The feet can be adjusted from the inside of the unit.

Round, square or custom perforation patterns in double skin doors with acoustic foam, glass or melamine door options ensure a stylish and beautiful design tailored to your interior.

For more information contact KI on 020 7404 7441, email sales@kiuk.co.uk or visit the website.

BreakOut - A New Innovative Seating System from KI

BreakOut, designed by Recovo Design Studio, is an innovative seating system. It is the new alternative and adaptable solution designed to act as an intimate sanctuary for the open plan working environment and also combines the use of technology as the perfect meeting point.

The understated elegance of BreakOut will compliment any working environment, with stylish slatted timber fins providing a light but private enclosure. BreakOut is not only a flexible meeting product but also combines the use of the latest technology. Multiple laptop users may connect to a single screen housed within the enclosure or use the network.

The modular design of BreakOut allows multiple seating units to be connected in series, to create a product tailored to the number of people who need to use it and to the space available. BreakOut seating allows users to multi-task whilst fulfilling many roles such as forming an area for group working, inter- office workshops and meetings, or simply a place to get away from it all. BreakOut has been created with an understated elegance and sophistication that will compliment any working environment.

BreakOut doesn’t just look good. It performs.

For more information contact KI on 020 7404 7441, email sales@kiuk.co.uk or visit the website.

Strive Nesting Chair

Strive Nesting extends the Strive collection by combining the convenience of a nesting chair with affordable comfort.

Versatile, mobile Strive Nesting chairs are ideal for fast-paced learning and training environments. This simple yet elegant seating is also comfortable enough for conference rooms. Available with polypropylene or upholstered seats; arms, armless or tablet arm.

The Strive collection consists of nesting chairs, task seating and stools, high density stacking seating, fixed and mobile 4-leg seating.

KI CHOSEN AS PREFERRED SUPPLIER FOR LEADING BANKING GROUP

KI has recently been awarded a three year exclusive contract to manufacture and supply all the steel storage requirements for the many well known companies within one of the UK’s leading Banking Groups.

KI has been an incumbent supplier to this Banking Group for over a decade and the new expanded contract covers pedestals, lateral drawer and cupboard systems and suited locker solutions. The Group also have requirements for KI’s high density mobile storage systems. There are over 100,000 office based employees in the Group, plus a large retail business as well.

In the late summer of 2009 an in depth tender process began to identify the most suitable furniture suppliers for the requirements of the combined group of companies over the next 3-5 years. KI’s quality, design, warranty, price and UK manufacture was considered to offer the strongest package when measured against all the leading storage competitors in the UK.

KI's products for this contract are from both the 800 Series and 400 Series ranges both of which are manufactured in the UK.

KI's new High Density Mobile Storage Overview Brochure

KI have just launched their new High Density Storage Overview Brochure which summarises the full selection of high density storage solutions available from KI.

Read more here...

HOK and Associated Architects Case Studies

KI have recently provided storage and filing solutions for two prestigious Architects' practices HOK in London and Associated Architects in Birmingham.

At HOK, KI provided an integrated storage solution which included their 700 Series lateral storage, bespoke plan chests for the architects' large drawings, special coat cupboards and bookcase units. KI SmartSpace mechanical assist high density mobile storage units were used in the library areas and Spacesaver Eclipse powered high density mobile storage units with high security touchpad controls were used in the Finance department. You can view the HOK case study here...

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In Associated Architects' Birmingham office KI provided a bespoke storage solution using an entire 700 Series storage wall for project work. Each staff member has a 'Hot Box' for personal items, kept in a stack of lockers. These have been well used from the outset, facilitating clear desks. KI's 700 Series open fronted shelving units were used in the library area, as well as 700 Series mobile lateral storage units. PivotFile rotary storage units were used to accommodate items cleared from the staff's desks at the end of each day, in line with the office's clear desk policy, and were ideal in allowing an efficient use of space with minimal footprint. These were supplemented by personal hot boxes, supporting a tidy environment, which are located within a bespoke storage wall allowing individual locker storage and incoming filing slots, again to avoid the desk clutter of filing trays. You can view the Associated Architects case study here...

KI Exhibit at BETT 2010, Olympia, 13-16 January

At this year's BETT exhibition KI displayed some of it's educational furniture range on it's main stand D140. KI also furnished the Building Schools for the Future Seminar Theatre and Network Managers Lounge within the PfS Future Learning Spaces sponsored a Turn-Key Pod. Jonathan Hindle, Group Managing Director of KI spoke in the Seminar Theatre on "The role of furniture in future schools" supported by case studies in schools, academies and universities.

KI education furniture includes: classroom furniture, powered tables, auditorium seating, fixed seating, tables, desking, task/desk seating, guest/side seating, lounge seating, occasional tables, library furniture, cafeteria furniture and residence hall furniture.

Products on display in tha main stand were: Torsion on the Go! seating - an innovative, mobile, nesting, flex-back chair including a unique large folding and nesting tablet arm, which addresses movable seating requirements for teaming, training, and informal conferencing. Hurry Up! tables which can be flipped and easily configured and set up by one person. The compact nesting ability of the Hurry Up! table is achieved through an innovative leg-within-leg design on an incredibly narrow footprint for storage in limited space. The Intellect Wave seating line, including the new cafe stools, task stools, a music chair and a four-leg chair with castors. Each of these seating options features Intellect Wave's unique ribless shell design for easy cleaning and a flexible shell with a waterfall seat front that minimizes leg pressure. The Strive seating collection is a wide family of simple, elegant, comfortable chair designs by KI and Giancarlo Piretti. A consistent design language has been applied throughout the collection of stacking chairs, café stools, nesting chairs, task chairs, task stools and fixed seating. The Enlite Table Collection features mobile castors, light-scale table tops and a non-angular transition-end design to allow educators and students to easily accommodate changing classroom environments. The Sela Lounge Collection captures the less formal, casual lifestyle of today's students and workers while complementing a variety of interiors. The collection includes the Sela sofa, chair & a half, standard chair and coffee table with whiteboard surface. The products are specifically designed to suit informal learning spaces and lounge areas. KI 800 Series, the new metric lateral storage range manufactured in the UK, has improved features and functions providing a wide range of versatile and flexible solutions for personal locker, learning areas and administrative offices.

KI also launched a new and radical solution to the problem of the big PC tower case and trailing wires in the classroom - Freemote, a unique and patented Remote Control for a PC. Freemote is a slim unit which sits in the desk's worksurface and duplicates the key controls (on / off, headphone & mic, USB and DVD drive) placing them at the user's fingertips. This means the industry-standard PC can be placed up to 20m away without any loss of functionality the user can still turn the PC on, plug in a USB stick or use a CD, but they don't have to deal with the bulky tower case in their space! The perfect PC would be invisible, secure, easily upgradeable, aesthetically pleasing and occupy none of the user's space all of which has been achieved with Freemote. Moreover, the Freemote offers some real environmental benefits, saving up to 2400KW per year per PC. Freemote was shown combined with KI's In Tandem desk and powered remote-control flat-screen garage.

The In Tandem table system is the easiest way to access power and data for worksurfaces. Unique internal beams hold separated wires and cables. No interference. No cross talk. No tangles. The beam has flip-down doors for convenient access from either the front or back sides. Technicians access wires while users remain at the tables. Shared table legs maximise legroom and ease clutter below the surface. The powered beam allows table configurations that are unlimited by power and data access.

KI's flat-screen garage rises from the rear of the desk surface allowing unhindered use of the worksurface. In addition the powered flat-screen comes with an over-riding remote control and lock, allowing the teacher central control.

The Seminar Theatre in Future Learning Spaces was furnished with KI's Perry chairs and an Instruct mobile lectern instructors desk. The Perry chair is a seating classic, designed by renowned sculptor, Charles Perry. The chair is stylish and elegant with a unique articulated back movement. Instruct tables are All Terrain mobile instructor's desks.

The Network Managers Lounge was furnished with KI's Strive chairs, Enlite tables, Athens tables and Sela Lounge seating. Athens tables bring people together, inspiring conversation and collaboration. Designed to complement virtually any interior scheme, Athens tables are available in a variety of sizes and finishes.

BETT 13 -16 January 2010 London Olympia, Stand D140

As well as our main stand D140 in the Grand Hall, KI are sponsoring a Turn-Key Pod and Seminar spaces. KI have furnished the Building Schools for the Future Seminar Theatre and Network Managers Lounge within the PfS Future Learning Spaces area at BETT 2010. See KI on Stand No. D140 or hear speakers from KI in the Seminar Theatre on Friday 15th January 2010 at 11.30am.

KI is the largest educational furniture manufacturer in the world. With over 60 years experience, KI understand the distinct and evolving needs of the educational environment. They design furniture that facilitates learning and interaction between students and staff.

KI education furniture includes: classroom furniture, powered tables, auditorium seating, fixed seating, tables, desking, task/desk seating, guest/side seating, lounge seating, occasional tables, library furniture, cafeteria furniture and residence hall furniture.

KI are launching... Read More>>