Vipp

The history of the Danish company Vipp is the history of the pedal bin and an involved family.

The company Vipp was founded in 1939 by Holger Nielsen. Nielsen, who was born in 1915 in the Danish city Randers, finished his schooling as metalturner and then opened his own shop.

In 1939 Holger Nielsen married Marie Axelsen. Marie became a hair stylist and decided to open her own salon for women in Randers. She asked her husband to help to set up the salon with her. Among other things, she is interested in a pedal bin.

Holger Nielsen then went back to his working place, to fulfil his wife's wish. Many hours later, Marie presents the Vipp-pedal bin.

The customers in the salon were really enthused by the Vipp-bin, they liked it so much that they oreder more from Holger Nielsen. Because of the increasing demand, Holger Nielsen started with the constant production of Vipp-pedal bins. The once, only for Marie designed bin, became a big part of the Danish doctors offices.

Holger Nielsen was a craftsman with a huge sense for esthetic and quality. "Good Design never comes from fashion", did he always say. The time entitle: The Vipp-bin had never changed since the formation of shape and material.

In 1992 Holger Nielsen died with 78 years. He was a man with conservative ideas and would have never thought that his daughters would perpetuate the company. When Nielsens wife was alone with her hair studio and Vipp, she decided to sell the company of her husband.

But Jette Egelund, the youngest daughter doesn't want to give the company of her father out of her family and decided in the very last moment to take the company over. Vipp is now a family company in the second generation.

Up to this point, the Vipp-bin is only selled occupational - but Jette Egelund has a dream. She grew up with the pedal bin and wants that also other friends can use it in their private home.

Jette is assure caters for the design lovers consumer, which look for a nice bin for their bathroom or kitchen.

Jette Egelund abrogates her workplace in human resource development, to only be concentrated on Vipp. At the beginning she worked at a desk in her bedroom. Every day she received orders over 5-10 pedal bins, but the company is in the red.­

Jette takes the bin and walks to the best furniture and designer shops in Denmark and overseas. But many don't see a potential in the pedal bin.

But Jette Egelund doesn't render, and her decidedness pays out. More and more people fall in love in the shape and quality of the Vipp-pedal bin. When the Conran Shop orders bins for shops in London and Paris, Jette is sure that she made the right move.

The pedal bin becomes really successful, which flourishs the demand of more Vipp products. Jette Egelund designs the toilet brush Vipp 11, which everyone liked. Since then the Vipp 11 is one of the most selled products by Vipp.

At the beginning Jette almost did everything on her own, from manufacturer and sales department to management. But the work gets more and more and she decides to employ an accounting clerk, and also to get her children Sofie and Kasper in the growing company.

The daughter Sofie is employed as art director, to apply herself for the visual of the company and the son Kasper became Sales and Marketing Director, to safe the expansion course of the company.

Vipp is now a family company in the 3rd generation

Vipp expanded and the demand of a larger company residence becomes noticeable. By accident Kasper Egelund founds a 100 year old ryal printing office which is in a really bad condition. But the family sees a potentia, and Vipp moves in 2005.

The residence gets a showroom, a factory for the Vipp Design Lab and light office rooms.

In 2005 Vipp organises in the famous lifestyle-shop Silvera in Paris the first die erste charity performance. 30 designers help, to collect money for the organisation "Handicap International". Under the designers are Christian Lacroix, Philippe Starck and Chantal Thomass.

In the following year Vipp and The Conran Shop are hosts of a London auction, whose revenue is given to the organisation Oxfam. Here the Vipp-pedal bins are auctioned, which were redesigned by Ron Arad, Sir Terence Conran and Nicole Farhi from England and Karim Rashid from the USA.

The biggest event of the Vipp-history occures in april 2006, when Vipp exhibits it in the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris. The Chilenish designer Mauricio Clavero was authorised to create fancy art objects. The solution are 36 unique works from the Vipp-pedal bins and soap dispenser with Swarovski-crystals, Sicis-mosaiks and a light of Ambiance Lumiére. Aftre that the exhibition goes on a tour through the European metropolises.

Today the production is multiplicated, and Jette Egelund doesn't go alone with Vipp to other companies. She gave the daily control of the company to her kids Sofie and Kasper and an experienced management team. Jette took the place as president and daily works with the Danish Business-to-Business-Company.

website of the manufacturer: http://www.vipp.dk