The company known today as O.H. Sjögren was established as early as the 1870s. At the time it was run by the saddler C. Rosén, but was taken over in 1902 by the newly qualified saddler Oskar Herbert Sjögren. This was the start of one of the oldest companies in the furniture trade, which is now run by the fourth generation of the same family.
O.H. Sjögren was originally a saddlery, producing harnesses, saddles, etc. for horses, as well as padding for seats in horse-drawn carriages. It was only a short step from this to producing furniture. When Oskar Herbert bequeathed his business to his two sons, Gustav and Olle, in the 1930s, the company turned its attention towards the production of upholstered furniture. The brothers were keen to produce furniture of the highest quality imaginable, which led to good client contacts such as the Nordiska Kompaniet in Stockholm, who for decades was one of their most important customers.
In the 1950s Carl Malmsten, who had hitherto only produced the most exclusive and unique furniture for a limited and affluent clientele, sought manufacturers who were able to produce his furniture in larger volumes without compromising the high demands he placed on craftsmanship and quality. He chose O.H. Sjögren and together they developed and marketed the many items of upholstered furniture that have become classics today.
In 1975 Olle’s son, Erik, became the third Sjögren generation in the company. Client contacts were constantly expanded with several well-known premier brands. Amongst the most important clients are Svenskt Tenn, who have been commissioning O.H. Sjögren to produce their collection of Josef Frank’s upholstered sofas and armchairs since the early 1980s.
Today the business is run by the great-grandsons of the founder Oskar Herbert, Håkan and Jakob Sjögren. Håkan started in the business in 2002 and later took over the company from his father, Erik. Jakob also joined the business in 2012. The company currently employs around 20 people. The goal now, just as before, is to focus on artisanal production methods and to ensure the highest quality of production the Swedish upholstered furniture industry can offer.