Necessity Is the Mother of Invention, the Saying Goes

Media contact Molly Klimas M: (616) 443-4647 [email protected] NeoCon Booth 7-7046 Configura’s history

"Necessity is the mother of invention," the saying goes.

Sune Rydqvist needed a better way to solve the problem of selling complex, configurable products. One of the most complicated and time-consuming tasks faced by such industries as Commercial Furniture, Kitchen & Bath, Material Handling and Industrial Machinery is to accurately specify and calculate required materials. Product configurations and combinations are endless; creating new renderings is time-consuming.

In the mid-1980s, AutoCAD entered the market. But the software and related modules didn’t work well as calculation tools – they could only sum up the number of symbols placed in the drawing area. AutoCAD tools also proved too costly and complicated for sales functions.

Configura Develops a Solution: PGC Sune had dealt with calculation problems throughout his career in the interior fittings and construction industries. He sought the technology counsel of his son, Göran Rydqvist, and friend Johan Lyreborn, both of whom had graduated with Master of Engineering degrees in Computer Technology from the Linköping Institute of Technology. During their postgraduate studies, their research produced a new programming language and software applications – a language that could help to solve the problem of selling configurable products.

In 1990, Sune, Johan and Göran formed Configura Sverige and began to build on a new software application – a space-planning tool for component-based products. The software was the basis for Parametric Graphical Configuration (PGC).

PGC is a technology (software based on a custom programming language) and a business strategy - it makes selling configurable and parametric system products simpler and more efficient.

PGC Launched an Innovation Revolution Intensive development in the programming language and PGC technology followed.

In 1990, S-Line Office AB became the first Configura® software customer.

In May 1991, Lundqvist Inredningar AB became the second client to sign on with the tool. Maker of Lundqvisthyllan, Lundqvist Inredningar remains one of our long-term customers.

In February 1994, Configura and Martela OY signed a contract. The leading Finnish furniture manufacturer today has more than 600 Configura® users.

Many companies in the 1990s also signed on, including Nederman, Kinnarps, DeLaval, Flexlink and Electrolux Laundry Systems.

Configura entered the North American market in the early 2000s and customers now include Spacesaver, Borroughs, TAB, Haworth, Steelcase, Teknion, Spacefile, KI, Inscape and Aurora Storage Products. South America-based Carvajal Espacios (formerly Mepal) became a client in 2009 and Solinoff in 2011.

Where We Are Today Configura offers three software product lines:  CET Designer®  Configura®  Instant Planner ®

Our markets include Commercial Furniture, Kitchen & Bath, Material Handling and Industrial Machinery.

We have customers in the USA, Germany, France, Austria, United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway with more than 9,000 users worldwide who rely on the PGC solution.