THE RELAUNCED VL118

THE STORY OF A CHARISMATIC AND MODEST DESIGNER, AND NO LESS A MANUFACTURER

After Vermund’s death in 1970, his company changed direction and threw its attention towards specialist chairs for the health sector. Now, however, a look through the archives has determined that the time is right to design new designer chairs. Chairytale by Monica Ritterband is the first chair series to be launched by the company VERMUND, with a view to reviving a range of classic chairs from the mid 1950ʼs and ’60ʼs

ESTABLISHED IN 1935

The Vermund story can be traced right back to 1935, when the young Vermund Larsen started manufacturing steel products. With two good hands, plenty of ideas and a good helping of optimism, he got started on constructing the first chair in Europe made from steel rods and fibreglass.

The fibreglass chair was made in close collaboration with Vermund’s good friend, the renowned architect Ib Kofod-Larsen. The chair was sold in Illum department store in Copenhagen, and received a large amount of positive attention and press due to its effective way of distributing weight in the back and its slightly bowed seat, which when combined, provided tremendous support to the lower back area and wrapped itself around the body.

LONG LIVE GOOD, SOLID CRAFTMANSHIP

The chair established itself at home in Denmark as well as abroad, not least thanks to its revolutionary shaping technique that resulted from the very special materials which were able to follow the visonary designer’s ideas so beautifully.

THE ARMOURED PLASTIC PROVIDED AN UNPRECEDENTED RESILIENCE

Just as fibreglass provided the potential to mould the back and seat in one piece, which characterised the chair as Europe’s first one-piece chair.

It is said that Vermund Larsen and Ib Kofod-Larsen threw the chair out of a fourth floor window and let a heavy truck drive over the back of the chair in order to test the durability of their shared work. Nothing happened, and they were able to pick the chair up again, without so much as a chip in the frame: a genuine survivor was born.

A strong urge to create across generations

In many ways, Vermund Larsen was a creative and productive man, who got great pleasure out of making something. During those early years, Vermund Larsen was incredibly industrious, and spent days and nights in his workshop.

“I didn’t think there were enough hours in the day. I sweated and I forged, and I hardly ever seemed to sleep: but I felt that I was on the right track. I was a manufacturer, with myself as boss and the sole employee.” – Vermund Larsen.

HIGH PERSONAL FOCUS

Vermund’s industrious personality rapidly gave him enough momentum to hire employees and increase his production. He took care of his staff, who were never just a number in a production line. He recognised their abilities and was only too aware that you do not build up a company alone, but with the right people by your side. In many ways, he was ahead of his time; he was a skilled and considerate business manager, who built up a good working environment and made the time to talk to people – and not just about work. “As long as a boss treats his employees well, it is nice to be the boss,” was one of Vermund’s management principles.

Vermund Larsen threw many ideas around regarding new creations and improvements, but the central theme was always that you should sit comfortably. First and foremost, his sights were set on quality.

The company was also responsible for the world’s first office chair with automatic height adjustment using the gas cartridge system back in 1962, and the ergonomically-shaped seat and back. This paved the way worldwide. Moreover, VELA was the only Scandinavian producer of this type of chair for the next 15 years.The philosophy has long since proved it doesn’t go out of date: without compromise, his company has retained its focus on producing quality chairs with anatomically correct backs and seats.

Vermund died in 1970, and today the company is owned by his twin sons, Stig and Gorm Larsen. They have successfully continued to run the company VELA in their father’s spirit, where values such as employee satisfaction, quality and pride are crucial to running a healthy business. With Vermund, they wish to honour their father’s memory as a strong personality who brought stacks of vitality, not only to them but to all of the company’s staff.