Editor’s note: Woodworking Network Senior Editor Karen Koenig was among a group of U.S. journalists and videographers invited by the Polish Investment & Trade Agency for a firsthand look at the country’s furniture manufacturing industry. Here’s one of the companies on the tour.
Balma’s furniture and systems redefine office interiors, with designs that meet the ergonomics, flexibility, and function required in today’s collaborative and private workspaces. Manufactured in Podgórne, Poland, and sold globally, including in the United States, the company’s award-winning products include seating, shelving, conference tables, coffee and side tables, screens/acoustic furniture, and desks, such as the popular height-adjustable Sit&stand. Balma also produces furniture for commercial markets, including hotels, restaurants and healthcare.
“We design for everyone,” noted Anna Smieszek-Markuszewska, Marketing director. “We say that these are furniture for the office, but it is actually for everyone, and we cooperate with different companies and different people.”
In addition to an in-house department, the company works with outside designers, including renowned Polish designers Piotr Kuchciński and Maja Ganszyniec, she added.
High-tech, green factory
“We are able to manage the big projects, but on the other hand, if somebody needs something customized, we are very open to do whatever they need,” said Tomasz Lange, Export manager.
An estimated 1.5 million square feet of panels (Kronospan, Egger and Pfleiderer) are processed annually at the 13,000-square-meter (139,931-square-foot) factory. To produce the high-quality veneered, laminated, and high-gloss varnished furniture, high technology is used extensively throughout the process, including Schelling beam saws, IMA and Homag single-sided and double-sided edgebanders, IMA and Homag CNC machining centers, as well as Cefla systems for finishing.
The company also has an in-house metal production department, including cutting and bending on BLM LaserTube and Trumpf TruLaser and TruBend systems. Balma also offers 16 colors standard as part of its powder coating capabilities, an advantage over competitors, Lange noted.
What also sets Balma apart is its commitment to quality and sustainability. The company has been ISO 9001 certified since 1999 and also holds ISO 14001 certification. Balma uses 100 percent green energy and tracks its carbon footprint and that of the materials it uses. Other solutions implemented at the facility include the installation of photovoltaic (solar) panels, conscious waste management/recycling, and energy-saving lighting.
“For sustainable development, we care about how we work, about the people, about the safety, and also about the influence on the environment,” noted Smieszek-Markuszewska.
The company and its estimated 170 employees also care about the community and are involved in several initiatives, including the planting of trees, she added. In addition, Balma actively supports vocational education and is a co-founder of the Technical School Complex in Tarnowo Podgórne, plus offers apprenticeships to young people.
For information visit Balma.pl and watch the video below of Balma and sister company Noti’s products.
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