Founded in 1981 by Danish-born Niels Bendtsen, Bensen is a Canadian design and manufacturing company with products produced in Italy to the highest standards.
Along with his staff, Bendtsen designs and oversees the production of an extensive line of furnishings.
The company’s philosophy is to create elegant yet functional pieces that are designed with honesty and integrity. The refined and minimalist aesthetic is deeply rooted in the passion and tradition of fine Italian craftsmanship. With a focus on elegance and versatility, Bensen furnishings are designed to be adaptable to many different spaces.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Bensen is a design-driven company, with extensive manufacturing knowledge. The high quality of the products means they are functional for both indoor and outdoor in the residential market. And for contract, the pieces are specified for hotels, offices, restaurants, educational institutions, etc…
E.E: What’s the news about new products/services?
Because the products are designed and built for longevity, ‘Bensen Everyday’ is the over-arching motto that Bensen uses to develop new products and ideas.
Bensen Everyday was born out of the idea that our products are made to be lived with. They aren’t trendy, or precious, and meant to be observed from afar; The pieces are conceived and produced to be lived with and on by real people in real everyday scenarios.
Because Bendtsen founded the retail store INFORM in 1963 (and it is still run by his wife Nancy today), he has extensive knowledge about the retail landscape, how people live, and the types of products that might be missing from the market. Some products were born from this unique relationship (like the Homework Desk, or U Turn chair family).
E.E: What are the ranges of products/services?
Bensen has a diverse product range for both indoor and outdoor:
- Seating: Dining chair, lounge chair
- Tables: Desk, dining table, console
- Sleeping: Sofa bed, Storage bed
- Storage: Stacking storage system (Brix)
- Accessories: Mirror
- Outdoor: Sofa, table
E.E: What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
Bensen is active worldwide. We participate at Salone in Milan every April where we show our new products, and have a permanent showroom in Cologne, Germany at Design Post. The main market for Bensen has traditionally been North America, but there is nice growth in Europe and the rest of the world as well.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
The market adjusts according to the economy and state of the world. There are so many factors at play that affect what people are looking for and where they are putting their attention. For instance, there was a huge focus on the home during COVID because suddenly everyone was spending more time at home. Sustainability is obviously a serious and important topic that everyone is talking about these days. Technology has always played an important role in innovation in this industry, and is something that we at Bensen aren’t afraid of embracing in order to help us achieve our goals. But overall, we at Bensen try to stay true to our vision of producing pieces that will outlast trends and can be versatile enough that they will adapt with people as the world changes around them.
E.E: What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
The Sleeper sofa is an innovative design that was created to solve a simple solution: how to design an attractive sofa-bed? The pivoting mechanism is easy to use, and the resulting sofa and bed are both comfortable and good-looking.
Though Bensen’s furniture is produced in Italy, it is created using advanced machines: the wood products are made with a 5-axis CNC machine.
And the new fabrics that have been introduced in the line are made of recycled materials, and are resistant to fungus, bacteria, sunlight, humidity, chlorine, food stains and sweat.
E.E: What estimations do you have for the beginning of 2024?
2024 is an exciting year for Bensen. The start of the year meant visiting Cologne for the fair, visiting our factory in Italy, as well as doing some R&D in Paris. Now we are fully engaged in planning and developing new concepts and products to show at Salone in Milan in April. There is so much to be excited about, and inspiration to be found everywhere, so it’s more about editing down our ideas and making sure that everything we put into the world is created with the same care and attention to detail that makes Bensen pieces last for years to come.