IKEA was founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad who

was born in Småland. He was only 17 years old

when the company was first set up, although it was

not anything like the IKEA we know and love today.

As a child he began selling things he bought for low

prices and his eye for business began. He would buy

matches from Stockholm at a low price,

and then sell them individually at a low price, but still

make a profit. This is where he developed his skills

and the idea of IKEA was born.

 

In 1948 the first pieces of furniture were introduced into the IKEA line.

They were produced locally from a forest near Ingvar’s home and they were received well by the customers. After this the line begins to expand and more furniture is produced locally and sold by IKEA to their customers.

 

Another key event occurred in 1956 when the introduction of flat packs and self-assembly were introduced. The designers were told of this and they began to tailor their furniture around this specification. They introduced flat pack furniture for ease and to avoid damage and during transit. It made shopping easier for their customers. In the 2000s IKEA finally expanded into market places such as Japan and Russia and now they provide everything from kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms. This helped IKEA hugely in finance and publicity.