Bene AG
Encyclopedia
Bene AG is a European office furniture product and services company. In its 2006-07 business year, the Bene Group posted revenues of € 198.6 million and employed 1,217 people.
Bene engages in development and manufacturing and provides sales and consultancy services. The company's European network of retailers distributes its products and services. The company has 74 points of sale in 29 countries.
The independent subsidiary Bene Consulting provides advisory services and office property management from its offices in Waidhofen an der Ybbs
, Vienna and Frankfurt, Germany.
Bene Solutions develops, designs and produces office furniture. Founded in 1790, Bene started to manufacture office furniture on an industrial level in 1951. Since the early 1970s, Bene has been undisputed market leader in Austria and now holds a share of 25% in that market.
Since the 1980s, Bene has embarked on an international strategy of growth, opening offices in London and Moscow in 1988. In 1989, the company moved from its previous production site in Zell to its present head office in Waidhofen an der Ybbs designed by architect Laurids Ortner.
Between 1995 and 1998, Bene focused on expanding its sales network to central and eastern Europe and established outlets in the Czech Republic
, Hungary
, Poland
, Romania
, Slovakia
and Slovenia
. In 1998, the Bene group entered the German
market by purchasing the Objektform. From 2000 to 2003, Bene started to expand in western Europe and established outlets in Benelux
and France
. During that period, the floor space of the manufacturing site in Waidhofen was extended from 9,000 m² to 40,000 m², followed by further modernization efforts, with investments totaling approximately € 22 million.
In 2003, Bene established a joint venture in Poland
named Bene Nowy Styl S.A. With a new outlet in Dubai
, the company is now also represented in the Middle East. 2004 was again marked by international growth: A cooperation agreement was signed with the Japanese office furniture manufacturer KOKUYO CO., LTD, in a first step to enter the Asian market. Bene also expanded sales into Croatia and Serbia.
In August 2004 a financial syndicate led by Unternehmensinvest AG (UIAG) came on board. In 2006, Bene successfully achieved ISO 9001 and 14001 certification. In the same year, Bene was transformed into a joint stock company (AG). Its IPO at the Wiener Börse was followed by the UIAG financial syndicate’s exit from the company. Bene engaged in a strong expansion drive and enlarged its sales network to include Bulgaria
, Ukraine
, Spain
, Ireland
and Kuwait
. The German TILL Group, an office furniture dealer and former Bene distribution partner, was taken over in November of the same year. In April 2007, Bene acquired his long-term business partner in Belgium
.
Bene engages in development and manufacturing and provides sales and consultancy services. The company's European network of retailers distributes its products and services. The company has 74 points of sale in 29 countries.
The independent subsidiary Bene Consulting provides advisory services and office property management from its offices in Waidhofen an der Ybbs
Waidhofen an der Ybbs
Waidhofen an der Ybbs is an independent city in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. The city had a population of 11,662 as of the 2001 census...
, Vienna and Frankfurt, Germany.
Bene Solutions develops, designs and produces office furniture. Founded in 1790, Bene started to manufacture office furniture on an industrial level in 1951. Since the early 1970s, Bene has been undisputed market leader in Austria and now holds a share of 25% in that market.
Since the 1980s, Bene has embarked on an international strategy of growth, opening offices in London and Moscow in 1988. In 1989, the company moved from its previous production site in Zell to its present head office in Waidhofen an der Ybbs designed by architect Laurids Ortner.
Between 1995 and 1998, Bene focused on expanding its sales network to central and eastern Europe and established outlets in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
and Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. In 1998, the Bene group entered the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
market by purchasing the Objektform. From 2000 to 2003, Bene started to expand in western Europe and established outlets in Benelux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. During that period, the floor space of the manufacturing site in Waidhofen was extended from 9,000 m² to 40,000 m², followed by further modernization efforts, with investments totaling approximately € 22 million.
In 2003, Bene established a joint venture in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
named Bene Nowy Styl S.A. With a new outlet in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, the company is now also represented in the Middle East. 2004 was again marked by international growth: A cooperation agreement was signed with the Japanese office furniture manufacturer KOKUYO CO., LTD, in a first step to enter the Asian market. Bene also expanded sales into Croatia and Serbia.
In August 2004 a financial syndicate led by Unternehmensinvest AG (UIAG) came on board. In 2006, Bene successfully achieved ISO 9001 and 14001 certification. In the same year, Bene was transformed into a joint stock company (AG). Its IPO at the Wiener Börse was followed by the UIAG financial syndicate’s exit from the company. Bene engaged in a strong expansion drive and enlarged its sales network to include Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. The German TILL Group, an office furniture dealer and former Bene distribution partner, was taken over in November of the same year. In April 2007, Bene acquired his long-term business partner in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Facts
| Group sales 2008/09: | 265,3 Mio. € |
| EBITDA 2008/09: | 11,4 Mio. € |
| Share of exports: | 72% |
| Employees (on October 2009): | 1.295 |
| Points of Sale: | 82 in 32 countries Locator |
External links
- Official site: www.bene.com
- Bene-Showroom at PureAustrianDesign.com