Space-planning company partners with furniture maker

Space-planning company partners with furniture maker

Configura training and support specialist Kendra Steinhaus uses the company’s space-planning software, CET Designer, with Herman Miller products. Courtesy Configura

A maker of space-planning software has partnered with a furniture maker to create more realistic digital experiences for customers.

Linköping, Sweden-based Configura, which operates an office in Grand Rapids, said this week that it has established a collaboration agreement with Herman Miller in Zeeland to develop a CET Designer Extension platform for the furniture maker to digitally “build out” its global portfolio.

Partnership

Configura will develop a software platform using its Configura Extension Technology to provide Herman Miller with a simplified planning tool that will allow customers to visualize products in spatial settings.

The CET Designer Extension is anticipated to result in "a more seamless and realistic digital experience" for customers.

Jeff Kurburski, CIO at Herman Miller, said Configura’s technology is the foundation of Herman Miller’s visualization strategy, which is intended to make it easier for clients to design, configure and specify products.

“Configura is the industry leader in visualization and space-planning tools and has continued to progressively enhance their portfolio of software,” Kurburski said.

Herman Miller designs and develops interior furnishings and related technologies and services. The company has brought in nearly $2.1 billion in revenue in FY2015.

Johan Lyreborn, CEO at Configura, said the collaboration with Herman Miller is a "major milestone" for Configura and the industry.

“We’re so excited and pleased to welcome Herman Miller and to partner with them,” Lyreborn said.

Visualization software

Configura’s CET Designer is intended to assist manufacturers, dealers and designers to accurately design, specify, render and produce layouts, quotes, drawings and reconfigurations for customers.

The software allows digital components to look and behave as an actual product, and users can drag selected items into a drawing layout.

CET Designer uses the company's Parametric Graphical Configuration-based software and an extension incorporates specific rules, parts and pricing for a manufacturer’s products.

The documentation, pricing and installation instructions are created and updated automatically behind the scenes with the software, according to a Configura whitepaper.

Configura

Configura employs more than 90 people at its headquarters in Sweden and operations in Malaysia and Grand Rapids.

The software company was founded in 1990 and has grown to generate annual sales of nearly $10 million and serve 10,000 users worldwide.

While the majority of its client base is located in Europe, Configura also provides software to customers in the U.S. furniture industry, including Steelcase, Haworth, Borroughs and others.