NORNORM Partners with RISE in 2DSR Project to transform Furniture Refurbishment

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Sweden

NORNORM, a Scandinavian leader in subscription-based furniture services, is proud to announce its collaboration with RISE Research Institutes of Sweden in the Digital Decision Support for Refurbishment (2DSR) project. This partnership aims to accelerate and enhance the refurbishment and repair processes, critical components of the circular economy, by utilising advanced machine learning tools.

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NORNORM Partners with RISE in 2DSR Project to transform Furniture Refurbishment

NORNORM, a Scandinavian leader in subscription-based furniture services, is proud to announce its collaboration with RISE Research Institutes of Sweden in the Digital Decision Support for Refurbishment (2DSR) project. This partnership aims to accelerate and enhance the refurbishment and repair processes, critical components of the circular economy, by utilising advanced machine learning tools.

Launched in September 2022, the 2DSR project focuses on facilitating faster, more precise decisions in the repair, refurbishment, and reuse of furniture. As of October 2023, NORNORM has joined this innovative consortium, contributing to a significant leap in sustainable furniture management.

“Collaborating with NORNORM is a dream come true for researchers at RISE and the 2DSR project. We see NORNORM as a pioneer of circular business models in the Nordics. We’re excited to be working with them on a digital tool that will help deliver a high-quality service to their customers while maximising product lifetime,” says project manager Robert Boyer RISE.

At the core of NORNORM's business model is refurbishment, aligning seamlessly with the goals of the 2DSR project. Our subscription service offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing clients to update their office furniture as their needs evolve. This approach naturally incentivises the creation of products that boast high durability, adaptability, and ease of maintenance.

A key initiative in this collaboration is the development of an image-recognition tool, designed to instantly identify and categorise damaged furniture – a process known in machine learning as 'anomaly detection'. This tool will enable us to assess the condition of returned furniture items swiftly and determine the necessary repairs, all from a single image.

"The collaboration with RISE on the 2DSR project will significantly enhance our refurbishment processes. By refining our ability to accurately determine damages, we ensure fair and consistent treatment across all cases. This not only brings transparency and efficiency to our operations but also strengthens our commitment to the circular economy, setting a new benchmark in the furniture industry," says Oscar Hellbring from NORNORM.

The 2DSR project runs through September of 2025 and is sponsored by Vinnova. In addition to NORNORM and RISE, the project includes OOAKI Living, GoZero Sverige, and Eskilstuna Kommun.

About RISE

RISE is an independent government research institute. As an innovation partner for all of society, we help to develop technologies, products, services and processes that contribute to a sustainable world and a competitive business community. We do this in collaboration with and on behalf of industry, academia and the public sector. We also have a special focus on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in their innovation processes. For more information, visit ri.se. For questions about the 2DSR project, contact Robert Boyer, Senior Researcher, robert.boyer@ri.se

About NORNORM

NORNORM provides businesses with attractive workplace furniture solutions based on a subscription model. Requiring neither investment nor long-term commitment, it offers flexibility to scale up or down as the company grows or downsizes. The concept is built on circularity, where every piece of furniture is kept in a loop from one workspace to the next, and every product is carefully maintained and refurbished to extend its lifespan. This is good for business, people, and the planet.

Exclusive Insights from NORNORM's Circular Breakfast at Tech Arena 2024

At this year's Tech Arena, one of Scandinavia's largest tech events, NORNORM hosted the Circular Breakfast, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and forward-thinkers to explore the role of technology in shaping the future of circular companies. We caught up with a few of our expert panellists afterwards to gain exclusive insights on the topics discussed.

Nanna Gelebo (BCG) on Bridging Linear and Circular Business Models
Nanna Gelebo has been a Partner at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Stockholm for 12 years, with a strong track record of driving transformative change in the retail sector on everything from strategy to implementation.
Key Insights
Nanna discusses the concept of 'cross-fertilisation' between linear and circular business models. She highlights the importance of transforming transactional customer relationships into relational ones through circular efforts, emphasising that rental and second-hand products can serve as gateways for consumers into more sustainable consumption patterns. This approach not only benefits the environment but also opens new avenues for business growth.
Takeaway
Linear business models do not have to stay linear. You can start to become more circular by gradually integrating a circular business model into your current linear one, through e.g. rental and second-hand products, building a circular set-up that suits your business specifically.
Marcus Linder (RISE) on Evaluating and Ensuring Circular Claims
Marcus Linder is the Director of Business Design at the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE). He holds a PhD in Technology Management and Economics from Chalmers University of Technology, specified in environmental research, with his research having been applied industrially in procurements by industry giants such as Volvo.
Key Insights
Marcus brings attention to the critical aspect of a product's end-of-life plan. He emphasises that being 'potentially circular' is insufficient without a concrete and, preferably legally binding, plan for product lifecycle management. This perspective is crucial for customers evaluating circular claims, pushing companies to not just promise sustainability but to embed it into their actual business practices.
Takeaway
To remain credible towards industry peers and customers, the best practice is to have a clear, communicable, and incentivised plan for your circular business model that customers can trust and rely on. It is important that customers should be able to evaluate and ensure your claim of circularity and end-of-life product plans.
Vojtech Vosecky on Being Authentic when Marketing your Circular Efforts
Vojtech Vosecky is one of the leading circular economy advocates, with experiences ranging from being the co-founder of the successful think-tank Institute of Circular Economy, working for the European Parliament, and the world-leading organisation Circle Economy. In 2022, he was also selected as one of the Top Green Voices to follow in Europe by LinkedIn.
Key Insights
Vojtech stresses the importance of being hyper-authentic in the communication of your circular business principles. For him, it’s about being bold in stating what you stand for, challenging misconceptions, and creating moments of realisation for your audience (think true “aha-moments”). His approach - educate, inspire, and agitate - is a formula that companies can use to effectively market their circular efforts. Vojtech highlights that no matter the format of your marketing, and to avoid the trap of greenwashing, be authentic and stand your ground, whilst always backing up with research. That always wins.
Takeaway
When marketing your circular or sustainable business efforts, especially on LinkedIn, use the three principles of educating, inspiring, and agitating - ideally in one go. Be authentic, use visuals, and create truly educating moments. Use facts whenever you can. However, be careful not to over-do them - and always, always, double check them.
“In the end, what is it about? It's about creating a relationship between the user and this object. I think we all have a strong link to things that are meaningful, that have been charged by accompanying our life.”

Some subtitle

In the end, what is it about? It's about creating a relationship between the user and this object. I think we all have a strong link to things that are meaningful, that have been charged by accompanying our life.

NORNORM Partners with RISE in 2DSR Project to transform Furniture Refurbishment

NORNORM, a Scandinavian leader in subscription-based furniture services, is proud to announce its collaboration with RISE Research Institutes of Sweden in the Digital Decision Support for Refurbishment (2DSR) project. This partnership aims to accelerate and enhance the refurbishment and repair processes, critical components of the circular economy, by utilising advanced machine learning tools.

Launched in September 2022, the 2DSR project focuses on facilitating faster, more precise decisions in the repair, refurbishment, and reuse of furniture. As of October 2023, NORNORM has joined this innovative consortium, contributing to a significant leap in sustainable furniture management.

“Collaborating with NORNORM is a dream come true for researchers at RISE and the 2DSR project. We see NORNORM as a pioneer of circular business models in the Nordics. We’re excited to be working with them on a digital tool that will help deliver a high-quality service to their customers while maximising product lifetime,” says project manager Robert Boyer RISE.

At the core of NORNORM's business model is refurbishment, aligning seamlessly with the goals of the 2DSR project. Our subscription service offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing clients to update their office furniture as their needs evolve. This approach naturally incentivises the creation of products that boast high durability, adaptability, and ease of maintenance.

A key initiative in this collaboration is the development of an image-recognition tool, designed to instantly identify and categorise damaged furniture – a process known in machine learning as 'anomaly detection'. This tool will enable us to assess the condition of returned furniture items swiftly and determine the necessary repairs, all from a single image.

"The collaboration with RISE on the 2DSR project will significantly enhance our refurbishment processes. By refining our ability to accurately determine damages, we ensure fair and consistent treatment across all cases. This not only brings transparency and efficiency to our operations but also strengthens our commitment to the circular economy, setting a new benchmark in the furniture industry," says Oscar Hellbring from NORNORM.

The 2DSR project runs through September of 2025 and is sponsored by Vinnova. In addition to NORNORM and RISE, the project includes OOAKI Living, GoZero Sverige, and Eskilstuna Kommun.

About RISE

RISE is an independent government research institute. As an innovation partner for all of society, we help to develop technologies, products, services and processes that contribute to a sustainable world and a competitive business community. We do this in collaboration with and on behalf of industry, academia and the public sector. We also have a special focus on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in their innovation processes. For more information, visit ri.se. For questions about the 2DSR project, contact Robert Boyer, Senior Researcher, robert.boyer@ri.se

About NORNORM

NORNORM provides businesses with attractive workplace furniture solutions based on a subscription model. Requiring neither investment nor long-term commitment, it offers flexibility to scale up or down as the company grows or downsizes. The concept is built on circularity, where every piece of furniture is kept in a loop from one workspace to the next, and every product is carefully maintained and refurbished to extend its lifespan. This is good for business, people, and the planet.

NORNORM Partners with RISE in 2DSR Project to transform Furniture Refurbishment

NORNORM, a Scandinavian leader in subscription-based furniture services, is proud to announce its collaboration with RISE Research Institutes of Sweden in the Digital Decision Support for Refurbishment (2DSR) project. This partnership aims to accelerate and enhance the refurbishment and repair processes, critical components of the circular economy, by utilising advanced machine learning tools.

Launched in September 2022, the 2DSR project focuses on facilitating faster, more precise decisions in the repair, refurbishment, and reuse of furniture. As of October 2023, NORNORM has joined this innovative consortium, contributing to a significant leap in sustainable furniture management.

“Collaborating with NORNORM is a dream come true for researchers at RISE and the 2DSR project. We see NORNORM as a pioneer of circular business models in the Nordics. We’re excited to be working with them on a digital tool that will help deliver a high-quality service to their customers while maximising product lifetime,” says project manager Robert Boyer RISE.

At the core of NORNORM's business model is refurbishment, aligning seamlessly with the goals of the 2DSR project. Our subscription service offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing clients to update their office furniture as their needs evolve. This approach naturally incentivises the creation of products that boast high durability, adaptability, and ease of maintenance.

A key initiative in this collaboration is the development of an image-recognition tool, designed to instantly identify and categorise damaged furniture – a process known in machine learning as 'anomaly detection'. This tool will enable us to assess the condition of returned furniture items swiftly and determine the necessary repairs, all from a single image.

"The collaboration with RISE on the 2DSR project will significantly enhance our refurbishment processes. By refining our ability to accurately determine damages, we ensure fair and consistent treatment across all cases. This not only brings transparency and efficiency to our operations but also strengthens our commitment to the circular economy, setting a new benchmark in the furniture industry," says Oscar Hellbring from NORNORM.

The 2DSR project runs through September of 2025 and is sponsored by Vinnova. In addition to NORNORM and RISE, the project includes OOAKI Living, GoZero Sverige, and Eskilstuna Kommun.

About RISE

RISE is an independent government research institute. As an innovation partner for all of society, we help to develop technologies, products, services and processes that contribute to a sustainable world and a competitive business community. We do this in collaboration with and on behalf of industry, academia and the public sector. We also have a special focus on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in their innovation processes. For more information, visit ri.se. For questions about the 2DSR project, contact Robert Boyer, Senior Researcher, robert.boyer@ri.se

About NORNORM

NORNORM provides businesses with attractive workplace furniture solutions based on a subscription model. Requiring neither investment nor long-term commitment, it offers flexibility to scale up or down as the company grows or downsizes. The concept is built on circularity, where every piece of furniture is kept in a loop from one workspace to the next, and every product is carefully maintained and refurbished to extend its lifespan. This is good for business, people, and the planet.