Who is Sustainable Norwegian Manufacturer Vestre?

Founded in 1947 by Johannes Vestre on the foundations of “everything is possible for Our Lord and a mechanic,” Vestre has been operating in the industry for seven decades. The Norwegian manufacturer of urban furniture still operates in Norway and Sweden, however, its offices have expanded to the UK, Ireland, USA, Germany and France among others, and remains as ambitious as ever. 

Vestre In Brief

Founded: 1947

Headquartered: Oslo, Norway

CEO: Jan Christian Vestre

Website: Vestre

Priding Itself on Quality and Sustainability 

With benches in the town hall square of Haugesund dating back to 1949, Vestre prides itself on providing high-quality products that are sourced locally and sustainably. Vestre offers a lifetime guarantee against rust and a 15-year guarantee for wood. 

“It is possible to operate a profitable manufacturing firm in Scandinavia. It is possible to build a business based on longevity and sustainability. It is possible to self-generate sufficient solar power for all operations. It is possible to phase out materials that are harmful to the environment,” commented Vestre (company).

“As cities keep growing, living conditions are getting more cramped. To us, this means that design must encompass much more than pure aesthetics. We collaborate with renowned Scandinavian designers, and it is equally important for our products to look good, serve a practical function, and cause the least possible impact on the environment.”

“Everyone Can Save the World” 

For over 70 years, Vestre has created social meeting places for millions of people, and for a long time, Vestre has followed a simple motto: ‘Everyone can save the world. A little.’ As such the company has made long term sustainability a prerequisite in its operations and is committed to nine of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): quality education (4), affordable and clean energy (7), decent work and economic growth (8), industry, innovation and infrastructure (9), reduced inequalities (10), sustainable cities and communities (11), responsible consumption and products (12), climate action (13), and life on land (15).

Vestre’s Latest Project

Inspiring the ‘green shift’ Vestre’s latest project - The Plus - is setting its ambitions to be the world’s most environmentally friendly furniture factory, and be the first to achieve the highest environmental classification. 

The new project also markets the largest single investment in the Norwegian furniture industry for decades. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the factory will be a global showcase for sustainable and highly efficient production.

“Human-made climate change is the biggest challenge of our age. I strongly believe that we can all save the world – a little. How sustainable we are depends on the choices we make,” said Jan Christian Vestre, CEO, Vestre.

Vestre hopes to inspire others to take part in the ‘green shift’ with its project which is making use of industry 4.0 solutions: smart industrial robots, self-driving trucks, and the ability to operate the entire factory from a tablet device.

Underpinning its efforts towards more environmentally friendly solutions is the company’s use of clean and renewable energy, with a mission to be ‘Paris proof’.

“Vestre aims to be the world’s most sustainable furniture manufacturer, and construction of The Plus is an important step towards achieving this goal. Through state-of-the-art technology and Scandinavian industrial collaboration, we will be able to produce faster and greener than ever before. In the process, we will also safeguard our global competitiveness,” added Vestre.