Story

The story of Savo

Savo has been designing the way we sit since 1945, creating a design legacy that spans generations. Savo has shaped the way people experience the workplace. Not just by making chairs, but by rethinking how we move, work, and feel in the workplace, as well as continuously pushing the boundaries of ergonomics, innovation, and human-centric design. Whether pioneering movement-friendly mechanisms or crafting furniture built for circular lifecycles, what has remained constant is a deep belief that design should be timeless in function, intuitive in form, and always made with people in mind.

1945

Foundations in steel and industrial design

In 1945, amid the quiet resilience of post-war Norway, three founders – Stensrud, Aulie, and Vølkner – acquired a factory from Josef Kussius and came together to create something enduring. Their initials formed the name Savo, and their vision forged a company built on steel, purpose, and precision. What began with ashtrays, hat racks, and tubular furniture soon took on a deeper identity. Influenced by Bauhaus minimalism and Scandinavian functionalism, Savo embraced a design philosophy grounded in durability, simplicity, and human needs; principles that would guide every decade that followed.

1970s

The shift to seating

As workplace culture began to change, so did Savo. In the wake of Scandinavia’s widespread focus on ergonomics, Savo made a strategic pivot toward office seating. This strategic move marked the birth of Savo’s ergonomic and movement-oriented design philosophy – prioritising user well-being before it became industry standard, even before Norway introduced the 1977 Working Environment Act.

1990 – 2007

Redefining office seating

The 1990s ushered in a wave of creativity led by Ervin Kohn, a visionary CEO who always prioritised inclusivity, curiosity and playfulness above everything else.

In 1990, Savo introduced the Floating Tilt® mechanism, a groundbreaking system that allowed the seat and backrest to move independently. Developed in collaboration with physiotherapists, it redefined dynamic sitting and set a new standard in office ergonomics.

With the Maxikon chair in 2002, Savo became one of the first to introduce a screwless, recyclable design, merging aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability into one expressive product.

Photo credit: Morten Krogvold

Savo also introduced the Savo School, a training programme that empowered resellers through storytelling and community building. The company also introduced Savo Prisen – an annual award recognising excellence in design and craftsmanship to the most talented ergonomic design students in Norway.

This era firmly established Savo as a design-driven, forward-thinking brand.

2007 – 2020s

Resilience through culture and craft

In 2007, Savo faced a turning point that almost marked the end of its journey. The brand was acquired by European Furniture Group, and its future hung in the balance. But while ownership changed, the essence of Savo remained unmistakably the same – thanks to a group of passionate employees and a legacy of groundbreaking products. Savo’s culture of curiosity, inclusivity, and care remained intact; and so did its commitment to progressive, human-centric design. The brand emerged from uncertainty not just preserved, but re-energised.

We were a little bit rebellious. We didn’t follow the stream.

KG Arvidsson, former CEO, Savo

Products like Savo Soul – with its intuitive Flexi Back, and the S3 – a Nordic Swan eco-labelled task chair, signaled a resurgence. Architects embraced the brand’s focus on ergonomics, sustainability, and storytelling, triggering renewed growth across the Nordic region.

2020s and beyond

Sustainable by design

Today, Savo continues to lead through innovation and circular thinking. Chairs like Savo 360 and Spine feature recyclable, layer-by-layer construction – engineered for longevity, flexibility, and minimal environmental impact.

The launch of Studies in Seating in 2024 marked a new kind of platform: part research, part conversation, all grounded in understanding how people live and work today. With longtime team member Craig Howarth now leading as CEO, Savo steps into its next chapter guided by the same principles it began with: innovation, functionality, and care for the human experience.

Savo has made four commitments for the future:

Full transparency on all materials used by 2027.

Circularity as the standard by 2030.

Climate neutral operations by 2040.

The 100-Year Chair – a flagship concept which champions timeless design, fully repairable or replaceable parts, and a lifetime service commitment.

From its earliest origins through to shaping its future commitments, Savo has always remained true to one principle: that design should adapt to people, not the other way around.

Here’s to 80 years of Savo. And to everything that comes next.