DAN-FORM CEO Sanne Protin celebrates 25th anniversary

DAN-FORM marks a significant milestone as its CEO, Sanne Protin, celebrates 25 years with the company on 1 December.
Sanne Protin and DAN-FORM can look back on successful 25 years in which DAN-FORM has evolved from a small player, to an internationally known company in the furniture industry.

We’ve asked Sanne to look back at her 25 years with DAN-FORM

How is DAN-FORM different today from what it was 25 years ago?
Sanne Protin says: “DAN-FORM today is both very different from when we started out, and in some ways still very similar. DAN-FORM was founded by Jørgen Mensen in his basement in 1992, and when I joined DAN-FORM in 1999, it was a company with a healthy, but small turnover compared to the rest of the industry.
Business wise, we’ve increased our turnover by a factor of 7, introduced more than 500 designs, and are trading with more than 65 countries around the world.

But I think the most significant changes from then to now lie within our processes; from collaborating with a wider range of designers, to strict quality control processes, and a laser focus on customer care. And of course, we have seen a shift to the majority of our turnover being driven through direct container customers (delivery from our production), instead of the goods being delivered from our Danish warehouse.

Where we are still the same, is the entrepreneurial approach and our level of ambitions for DAN-FORM. They will never change.”

What has contributed to yours and DAN-FORM’s successes over the years?

“When I took over managing DAN-FORM in 2014, my ambitions were quite clear; my vision for the company was to build a brand, a name for ourselves that would be recognised in the industry. To become a trusted partner for our customers. Trading with over 65 countries worldwide, and the fact that our largest markets shifted from our home country to countries outside of Europe, certainly indicates we’ve been going in the right direction. Of course, this change doesn’t mean we have forgotten our near markets,” Sanne adds with a little smile.

“By increasing our focus on the design process and engaging with more partner designers, we have been able to keep offering the designs of tomorrow, introducing a high number of new designs every year. I strongly believe this is what has kept customers coming back – allowing them to experience something new every time we go to a trade fair. And not least allowing them to introduce new designs to their customers.

We’ve also expanded our design offering to include custom designs and private label designs in close collaboration with customers, and built more diligent processes around our quality control, which we can see really makes a difference to our customers and end users.
All of these things have moved our furniture upwards from the lower mid-segment to the upper-mid to high segment. And of course that has opened up even more markets to us.”

What have you been most proud of in your 25 years with DAN-FORM?

“One of the things I am most proud of is the fact that we still trade with our first customers. That we are able to build these long-lasting relationships with our customers is such a testament to our team and that we deliver on our promise.
My mantra is that when we do something, we do it well. Of course, there have been times where we haven’t managed to live up to our own or our customers’ expectations, but we always handle these minor hiccups with professionalism and take pride in what we do.
And that is really what stands out to me.
Another thing I have to mention is how proud, and thankful, I am for the wonderful team we have built over the years – a team that is a great mixture of new energy and experience and tenure with the company – some are even close to my 25 years too. This tenure helps us ensure we keep the culture intact - the heart and soul of DAN-FORM. I believe it is pivotal to the DAN-FORM brand, and it really is something customers mention to me and my colleagues whenever we go to trade fairs or meet with customers. The positive energy, big smiles and humour is key in our relationships with customers.”

What is next for DAN-FORM?

“One of the big tickets in the coming year, is to scale up on near market sourcing (i.e. European production) to meet our own sustainability targets and satisfy industry requirements. This will be one of the more important changes to our setup.
We are also investing heavily in IT systems to support our growth, and of course we will keep focusing on setting the right team for the future. I am very conscious about having a healthy growth that will allow us to retain our culture. We’ve tried growing too fast for our own good and we won’t go down that route again.”
Sanne continues; “In business there will always be ups and downs. Since Covid, I think most businesses have learned to navigate quicker through change and grow from it.
I am sure there will be new challenges to come, and to be overcome for DAN-FORM too. An example is the recent election in the US with a new president who may or may not add significant customs fees. But as long as we keep working diligently to find solutions, set new targets and goals, and ensure the team has the right tools in place, I am sure we will still be going strong for many years to come.

DAN-FORM has been my baby, my focus for 25 years now, and I couldn’t be happier with where we are today as a company. I am ready to take on 25 more years“, Sanne closes, with a wink and a loud, hearty laugh.

Happy anniversary to our CEO, Sanne Protin, here’s to many more years!