Attending the opening were Norwegian Consul General Fred H. Nomme, Danish Consul General Susanne Hyldeland, Håkon Rydland from Stordal and representatives from JSWB Global furnishing center.
Stordal represents first class Scandinavian designer furniture. The family establishment was founded in 1932, and is currently run by the fourth generation of furniture manufacturers. Stordal has gained international recognition, and has been awarded with prestigious designer awards several times, most recently in Paris in 2008. Their design is inspired by the Norwegian nature. The chairs and sofas in the DesigNature collection are meant for a modern, urban environment, but contain elements of nature and inspire comfort and wellbeing.
In his opening speech Consul General Fred H. Nomme pointed out how remarkable it is that furniture entirely made in Norway can find a market in China, as China is in fact the largest furniture producer in the world. Nevertheless, Norwegian design furniture has gained a reputation for its exceptionally high quality.
Following the successful introduction of another Norwegian brand of furniture, Stressless by Ekornes, to the Chinese market three years ago, Stordal has now proven that Chinese consumers appreciate the quality and design that goes into Norwegian made furniture.
The success of these two brands also illustrates the significance of China as a market for quality consumer goods. Norwegian export to the Shanghai area increased by almost 80% in 2009, which means the balance of trade is positive for the first time ever.