SATO’s Jonna Röynä developed bathroom furniture that will last 25 years

Tired of throwaway consumption, SATO’s product development expert Jonna Röynä collaborated with the Finnish company Kankarin Kaluste Oy to develop an entirely new innovation for bathrooms: a range of bathroom furniture made from durable compact laminate that comes with a 25-year guarantee on the material instead of the standard two-year guarantee. This innovation is one of the biggest development leaps taken in Finnish furniture industry. The Kide range has been released for use outside SATO, which means it can be purchased by all construction-sector actors as well as consumers.

SATO’s product development and procurement expert Jonna Röynä cooperates with Kankarin Kaluste product development and woodwork specialist Pekka Pusa. Photo: Maria Moulud

The life cycle of ordinary bathroom furniture is surprisingly short. In most cases, it is made from either MDF or chipboard with a painted, veneer or laminate finish. Water exposure causes buckling up in these materials, resulting in the need to replace bathroom furniture as often as every two years in one in three SATO homes too. Thanks to the Kide range, the waste generated due to SATO’s furniture replacements will be reduced by an annual total of 12,500 kilograms. The fact that the furniture withstands time and wear is also a good thing from the resident perspective as their life will not be disturbed by bathroom renovations or maintenance visits.

- There’s been a very big increase in bathroom moisture load. Water condensation formed on ordinary bathroom furniture should be wiped off so that the moisture does not cause the premature deterioration of the furniture. We need to try and make residents' lives more carefree, and the Kide range responds to this need, says SATO's product development and procurement specialist Jonna Röynä.

Kide furniture can already be found in the bathrooms of more than a thousand SATO rental homes and more will be installed whenever new buildings are completed and old ones renovated. The range has been released for use outside SATO, which means the furniture can be purchased by all construction-sector actors as well as consumers. There are more than 30 Kide products in the range, featuring around 60 different designs and colour options. The Kide range has been granted the M1 classification for low-emission building materials, which means it does not release any harmful chemicals into indoor air.

”Throwaway consumption is a thing of the past”

With a background in woodworking, Röynä’s aim was to minimise the number of steps involved in the production of the furniture and to maximise production efficiency. The dimensions of the pieces were considered down to a millimetre in order to utilise the entire compact laminate sheet without any unnecessary wastage.

The Kide range in SATO homes at Gadolininkatu 1, Helsinki. Photo: SATO

- Throwaway consumption is a thing of the past and not beneficial for anyone in today’s world. We should look far into the future in the manufacture of all home items and design the materials so that they will withstand everyday life and so that the burden on the environment is minimised in the manufacturing process, Röynä summarises.

Efficiency in the production of Kide furniture is ensured by smooth collaboration with Kankarin Kaluste. At first, it was a bit of a challenge to find a partner because working on compact laminate calls for special resources including more effective blades than in traditional woodworking.

- When SATO called us and asked if we were interested in making a range of bathroom furniture from water-resistant compact laminate, we got into the idea immediately. We’re really pleased with the outcome and already have several people working on the Kide range, says Heikki Mäkinen from Kankarin Kaluste.

SATO and the Kide bathroom range have been awarded the Design from Finland label indicating high-quality Finnish design competence. In addition, the Kide range has been awarded the Key Flag Symbol for products and services made in Finland and with their Finnish origin being at least 50%.

The Kide range is available for viewing at the SATO Building in Käpylä, Helsinki.

For more information please contact:

Jonna Röynä, Specialist, Product Development and Procurement, SATO, jonna.royna@sato.fi, phone: +358 50 562 6008
www.sato.fi/en

Heikki Mäkinen, Project Sales, Bathroom Furniture, Kankarin Kaluste Oy, marko.makinen@kankari.fi, phone: +358 50 562 2170