Ocee Design has announced the purchase of Danish furniture manufacturer Four®Design, with the creation of the Ocee International Group.

By combining acclaimed British and Danish design, Ocee International is creating a very strong product portfolio with an excellent customer service platform. The acquisition will enable significant growth to be achieved in both domestic and global export markets.

Ocee Design has more than tripled its turnover in six years, to become a significant player in the UK commercial furniture market. Following Managing Director, Alistair Gough’s buy-out of Ocee’s other shareholders earlier this year, the creation of Ocee International Ltd signifies a desire to expand Ocee’s presence beyond the UK market. The acquisition has been driven by a belief in the relevance of both the British and Scandinavian portfolio, the strong and productive relationship with Four®Design, the shared culture of customer service excellence, as well as the International reach Four®Design offers.

Operating as the UK Manufacturing Partner for Four®Design over the past three years, Ocee Design has developed a close and very productive relationship with the Danish company.

The Four family of products have been a significant contributor to Ocee Design’s growth and market recognition. The clean Scandinavian designs have enhanced the profile of the company and perfectly complemented Ocee’s own highly acclaimed soft seating collections, such as Noah, Harc and HenRay.

Gough commented, “The strength of the relationship between Ocee Design and Four®Design is a significant driver in our decision to purchase the company. We share the same values and have individual strengths to enhance the newly formed Group. Both companies are acknowledged for their quality, passion for innovative design and research into new methods of working. We have a similar ethos and commitment to service which, I believe, will underpin the success of the Group.”

The acquisition has been supported by a minority equity investment from BGF (Business Growth Fund) who have recognised Ocee's growth and potential. Mark Freer of BGF said: “Ocee is a fantastic business with an ambitious management team. Under Alistair’s leadership, the company has built an impressive customer base as a result of its focus on contemporary design and quality. There is opportunity to grow the business in both the UK and internationally, and we look forward to supporting Alistair and the team as they push forward with their plans.”

Four®Design is a modern furniture company with sales throughout Europe and manufacturing partners in North America, China and Australia. Products such as FourCast and FourSure chairs have built its reputation for functional design without compromising its minimalistic style. Four®Design brings its design credentials, quality and international presence to the Group, whilst Ocee offers its depth of portfolio, service initiatives and expertise in the rapidly growing soft seating market.

Gough stressed that it is important that both Ocee Design and Four®Design maintain their own individual style, whilst being enhanced by the strength and service support of the much larger group. “By combining the businesses, the Group brings the expertise of the management teams together, creating a financially strong, meaningful domestic and international operator. This is a great opportunity to benefit from the respective distribution, design, service and manufacturing strengths of the combined Group, and we look forward to an exciting and prosperous future."