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www.IKEA.co.uk
PE25
4838
BILLYthe world’s most versatile bookcase
turns 30!
OCTOBER 2009
www.IKEA.co.uk
BILLY JÄDER bookcase £39 W80×D28, H202cm. Black/patterned 301.667.30
BILLY Limited edition
PE25
4848
When it all began in 1979, no one in their wildest dreams could have imagined what a success it would
be. Since then, the world’s most versatile bookcase has moved into the homes of millions of people all
over the world. Happy birthday, BILLY!
The world’s most versatile bookcase
Gillis Lundgren, the designer How to create a success
41,000,000 – and counting
Gyllensvaan’s furniture factory
BILLY limited editions
30 years of BILLY history
Product index
03 04
05 07
08
09 12
13
BILLY turns 30!
billy
3The world’s most versatile bookcaseWe thought BILLY was just a book-
case. Our customers proved us
wrong…
It was designed for books. But in
real life, BILLY has plenty of space
for other things. There is no right or
wrong. BILLY is a bookcase for every
passion!“I know my sketchbook is here somewhere.”
“It’s like a window to my outdoor life”
“No, I don’t actually wear them. I just love looking at them.”
“Music for my ears, candy for my eyes!”
“Sure, I’m a bookworm– and proud of it!”
“The best thing about travelling is coming home again.”
“I call it my cookcase.” “Can you keep a secret?”
You probably recognise the BILLY
bookcases in the picture. But
what about the handsome fellow
with BILLY?
Well, that young man is actually
the BILLY’s father. Gillis Lundgren
designed BILLY in 1979. And ever
since that day, his masterpiece has
grown bigger and better every year.
This year, BILLY turns 30, and we’re
happy to salute both him and Gillis!
Name: Gillis Lundgren, born in Lund,
Sweden in 1929.
Studies: Studied at the Malmö
Institute of Technology before starting
out as draughtsman.
IKEA career: Gillis joined IKEA as
the fourth employee in 1953. Initially
hired to manage the IKEA Catalogue,
he moved on to design some of IKEA’s
most loved products and become the
first IKEA design manager. He held a
series of senior management positions
within design, product development
and marketing, including 14 years in
Switzerland where he started a Design
Gillis Lundgren, the designer
and Development department within
the Inter-IKEA Group. Gillis Lundgren
is still active and has a keen interest
in IKEA design.
Famous IKEA products: BILLY
bookcase, TORE drawer unit, ÖGLA
chair (assembly version), INGO dining
table, LUNNA swivelchair and many,
many more.
Most proud of: TORE drawer unit
designed
in 1958.
Design philosophy: ”At the end of
the day, I design for the many people.
I want to make solutions for everyday
life, based on people’s needs. All my
products are simple, practical and
timeless. They should be useful, no
matter how old you are, or what your
life situation is.”
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4
Gillis Lundgren together with BILLY.
Gillis Lundgren got the idea for
TORE during a visit to a kitchen
supplier, seeing their simple
and practical kitchen drawers.
He was employee number four at IKEA,
which now has more than 128,000
employees in all. He is the man who
came up with the idea of the flat pack,
one of the key factors behind why IKEA
is what it is today.
But above all, he’s the father of BILLY.
Gillis Lundgren is a living piece of design
history, he remembers how BILLY first saw
the light of day. “I drew the first sketches
on a napkin. That was often the way we
worked. Ideas are perishable and you
have to capture the moment as soon as it
arrives,” he says.
Now everyone can have their own
library
For many years Gillis Lundgren
was one of the closest colleagues
of Ingvar Kamprad, the founder
of IKEA. Today he is 80 and still
works as a consultant for IKEA.
When he looks back on his life
as a furniture designer, he does
so with a certain contentment.
“Ingvar talked and I drew, and
all kinds of good things came
out of it. Like BILLY,” says
Gillis Lundgren.
“I’m particularly happy that BILLY has made
it possible for so many people to build their
own little library. In the old days books
were quite uncommon in most homes.
These days everyone has books, which is as
it should be.”
Function is most important
When IKEA develops a new product, the
focus is on good design and function at a
low price, so that everyone can afford to
buy it.
“Obviously this was also our point of
departure when developing BILLY,” says
Gillis Lundgren. “But when you’re designing
a piece of storage furniture, which is what
a bookcase essentially is, there’s one thing
that’s more important than anything else:
function.
“After all, a bookcase is primarily for storing
books. It’s no more complicated than that.
This means that it had to be constructed so
it can store as much as possible, while also
being able to hold a heavy weight, without
the shelves buckling after a while.
The next task was to create a system that
is flexible.
How to create a success
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5
“I’m particularly happy that BILLY has made it possible for so many people to build their own little library.”
“Not everyone lives in the same type of
home. Some have very little space, some
have more. But BILLY fits in everywhere
with its different heights and widths, wood
types and colours. “You might say there’s
always a place for BILLY, whether it’s the
living room or an unassuming little corner in
the hall, or wherever there’s a free space.”
Design that never goes out of style
Appearances do matter too of course – a
lot. “When we were developing BILLY, we
wanted to make a bookcase that would be,
how should I put it, discreet in its form,
while also being attractive and timeless. A
bookcase is the typical kind of furniture that
you want to add to later, when you have
more books. So you want to know it’s still
available to buy. “That’s why a bookcase
can never go out of style! I think that’s also
one of the biggest reasons why BILLY has
so many friends all over the world,” Gillis
Lundgren explains. “Someone told me that
more than 41 million BILLY bookcases have
been sold since 1980, when BILLY first
appeared in our catalogue.
“I think that’s a world record that’ll be hard
to beat!”
Price not unimportant
Nice-looking furniture products are often
made for a few people that can afford to buy
them. But at IKEA, the look of the price tag
is as important as the look of the product.
“Anyone can come up with an expensive
solution,” as Gillis Lundgren puts it. “It’s
harder to make something more reasonably
priced that most people can afford.” That’s
why the designers and product developers
who work at IKEA are in direct contact with
the suppliers, to ensure the low price can
start from the factory floor. They consider
which raw materials are most suitable.
How the machines used in production can
be utilised optimally. How waste can be
kept to an absolute minimum. And they
always consider flat packs and products that
customers can put together themselves.
Quite simply, they strive to find smart
solutions that benefit customers in the
shape of a low price. Apart from being
the father of BILLY, Gillis Lundgren also
developed the idea of the flat pack. The
brainwave came one day when he and
Ingvar Kamprad were packing up after a
photo shoot for some advertising. He simply
unscrewed the legs from LÖVET, a table
made in the mid-1950s, and laid them under
the table-top. Ingvar Kamprad thought
that was a great idea, and ever since then
the flat-pack furniture that customers put
together themselves has been part of the
IKEA concept.
“That’s really all there is to it!”
Gillis Lundgren concludes.
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41 million BILLY bookcases have been made since 1979. If
you laid them all out in a line, the line would be over 70,000
kilometres long. That’s a distance equivalent to almost twice
around the world at the equator.
Smart solutions, lower price
Since BILLY was first launched 30 years ago, continuous
product development combined with more efficient production
methods as well as increasing volumes has allowed us to
make BILLY even more affordable. Since the start, we’ve
reduced the price by more than 30% in today’s monetary
value!
41,000,000 and counting
Flatpack is one of the reasons why BILLY is so affordable.PE244816
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“We want to buy furniture.”
So begins the letter,
postmarked Älmhult, Sweden,
3 May 1952 and signed not by
Ingvar Kamprad, but by his
wife at the time, Kerstin.
It was a letter asking whether the
Gyllensvaan’s furniture factory
in the small village of Sandhem,
southern Sweden, would consider
making and supplying furniture
for IKEA. The company’s chests
of drawers were of particular
interest, and the letter also said:
“Due to our continuously
increasing sales, we are in need
of several reliable new suppliers.
We are therefore interested in
stocking one or more of the items
you make in our range. Every
factory tends to have a speciality
that has gone well and which can
be delivered at a favourable price
through series production. It is
these very items we are interested
in.”
Brought home a “large order”
Little did Nils Gyllensvaan
imagine, as he slit open the
envelope, that the letter would
change his life completely.
In his reply he explained,
in friendly terms, that yes,
Gyllensvaan’s would consider
supplying furniture to IKEA. It was
soon decided that Nils Gyllensvaan
would come to Älmhult to show
some samples.
The trip to Älmhult was a success.
On the way back, Nils could
contentedly note that he had
brought home a “large order.” In
the first delivery, 20 or so chests
of drawers were to be delivered
and there was a serious rush to
get everything ready in time.
One of the first to start making
BILLY
Soon, there were more and
more orders from IKEA, and the
operation grew year by year.
After a few years production was
running at maximum capacity, and
it was time to build a new factory.
The neighbouring town of
Kättilstorp was chosen, and the
factory has been there ever since.
Today the company is run by Nils’
children Mats, Eric and Karin.
Gyllensvaan’s was also one of
the first companies that was
commissioned to make BILLY for
IKEA. Today it is an ultra-modern
facility that produces 15 BILLY
bookcases a minute, or a quite
incredible 3.1 million a year.
A place for everyone
The factory is the very lifeblood
of Kättilstorp. It is a tranquil,
calm and idyllic place. Most of
the people who live here work at
Gyllensvaan’s. As do the owners,
who have a broader approach to
the company than just ensuring
furniture gets made. For them it
is just as important that the more
than 200 employees enjoy their
work and feel well, and that there
is room for everyone, including
those with some form of disability.
The basic philosophy is that
everyone can bring something to
the table, and that’s why everyone
is welcome.
Gyllensvaan’s furniture factory
Gyllensvaan’s BILLY
production:
• 1 bookcase every 4 sec.
• 15 bookcases a minute
• 900 bookcases an hour
• 21,000 bookcases per day.
• 70,000 bookcases a week
• 3.1 million bookcases a year
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billy
8
We wanted to pay homage to the world’s best bookcase on its birthday. But it had to be with something quite special. Something unique, that didn’t exist before. So we asked some fine designers to help.
The result are some limited editions of BILLY. Available from 1 October 2009 to 31 January 2010. But when they’re gone, they’re gone. So perhaps they’ll be antiques in years to come…?
BILLY JÄDER glass doors £40/each W40×H193cm. Frosted/aluminium 801.667.08
BILLY JÄDER bookcases are covered in quotes from Shakespeare’s love sonnets.BILLY JÄDER bookcase £39/each W80×D28, H202cm. Black/patterned 301.667.20 Orange/patterned 701.667.18 Green/patterned 501.667.19
BILLY BJÄSTA was inspired by Japanese manga motifs.BILLY BJÄSTA bookcase £39 W80×D28, H202cm. Multicolour 901.667.17
BILLY KIABY glass doors are a simple way of breathing new life into your old bookcases.BILLY KIABY glass door £30/each W40×H193cm. White 701.667.23
BILLY BOOK-ENDS come in six different colours and two sizes for large and small books.
BILLY book-end H15cm £1.49/each Assorted colours 901.666.99 White or black 901.667.03 H23cm £2.49/each Assorted colours 301.667.01 White or black 101.667.02
BILLY limited editionsbilly
9
BILLY Limited editions
BILLY BJÄSTA
“How does a colourful, trend-conscious young
girl want her BILLY bookcase to look? That was
my starting point when I created the pattern on
BILLY BJÄSTA bookcase. To celebrate the 30th
birthday of BILLY, I wanted to make a practi-
cal piece of furniture that was also a work of art
that makes you feel happy. My inspiration came
from Japanese manga, which I transformed into
something like furniture graffiti. My hope is that
the girl I had in mind really loves the bookcase.
Just like I do!”
Designer: Annika Bryngelson
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BILLY JÄDER
”BILLY JÄDER bookcase has been created specially to celebrate
the 30th birthday of the BILLY bookcase. When I designed the
pattern I had a young, romantic kind of guy in mind and that’s
why I used quotations from William Shakespeare’s love sonnets.
There’s plenty of strong emotions, love and heartache – yet the
pattern is still cool with its graffiti-inspired look.”
Designer Annika Bryngelson
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BILLY book-ends
“BILLY book-ends have been made to
celebrate the 30th birthday of BILLY
bookcase. Our idea when we designed
them was to make playful book-ends
in several different colours and in two
sizes to fit both large and small books.
The fact that BILLY is getting on in
years is symbolised by the leaning B.
It’s up to you to decide what the letter
stands for – BILLY, books, bookworm
or…”
Designer: Marianne Hagberg
Designer: Knut Hagberg
Designers Knut Hagberg and Marianne Hagberg
BILLY KIABY
“The idea behind BILLY KIABY glass doors is that you can use them to easily
renew BILLY bookcase. Perhaps you’d like to move your bookcases to anoth-
er room with a different décor – with new doors you can make use of what
you have and give the bookcases a new life. The glass doors have a modern,
minimalistic look that matches BILLY. You get dust-free storage – at the
same time you can see what’s in the bookcase.”
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1979 1980
1993
2000
1995
2003
1988
1996
2004 20092007
BILLY, launched in oak and pine, makes its debut in IKEA stores around the world.
BILLY starts being sold also in birch veneer.
BILLY also starts being sold in black-brown.
BILLY, now also in white, makes his first of many appearances in the IKEA Catalogue and quickly becomes a favourite in many homes.
BILLY is now also available in cherry.
Just in time for the new millennium, BILLY has sold over 10 million bookcases.
More than 1 million BILLY bookcases have been sold since the beginning. This year BILLY also becomes available in a new size when 90 cm becomes 80 cm.
BILLY gets a best friend, BENNO, specially designed for CDs, videos and DVDs. The BILLY corner bookcase is launched.
BILLY has sold a quite incredible 20 million. BILLY 60 cm wide becomes BILLY 40 cm wide.
BILLY, the world’s best bookcase, reaches 30 years of age and more than 41 million bookcases have been sold. This year’s news includes an exiting limited edition!
BILLY gets a girlfriend, BERGSBO, for larger and wider books.
30 years of BILLY history
1992
BILLY with glass doors as an optional extra is launched, as is BILLY in antique stain.
1999
Three new versions of BILLY appear: silver, medium brown and dark brown.
BILLY´s first appearance in the Swedish IKEA Catalogue 1980.
billy
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billy
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1980.jpg
Product indexPlease fill in local information for the journalists
regarding how to access pictures and information.
BILLY
13
BILLY bookcase £40 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W80×D28, H106cm. Oak veneer 100.666.46
BILLY bookcase £40 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W40×D28, H202cm. Oak veneer 600.857.13
BILLY bookcase £19 W40×D28, H202cm. White 400.857.14
BILLY bookcase £25 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W40×D28, H106cm. Oak veneer 700.857.03
BILLY bookcase £9.99 W40×D28, H106cm. White 800.857.07
BILLY bookcase £29.90 W80×D28, H202cm. White 836.882.10
BILLY bookcase £20 W80×D28, H106cm. White 636.883.10
BILLY height extension unit W40cm £15 Oak veneer 100.946.06 W80cm £25 Oak veneer 100.773.48
PE139449
PE105153
PE139442
PE126400
PE151069
PE110575
PE139450
PE110574
PE139445
BILLY bookcase £25 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W40×D28, H106cm. Beech veneer 400.964.30
BILLY bookcase £40 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W40×D28, H202cm. Beech veneer 200.964.31
BILLY bookcase £40 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W80×D28, H106cm. Beech veneer 400.940.30
BILLY bookcase £55 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W80×D28, H202cm. Beech veneer 200.940.31
BILLY height extension unit W40cm £15 Beech veneer 900.946.07 W80cm £25 Beech veneer 300.940.40
PE144974 PE145835 PE144972 PE145834 PE146741
PE144982
BILLY bookcase £55 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W80×D28, H202cm. Oak veneer 900.666.47
PE105154
BILLY bookcase £25 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W40×D28, H106cm. Birch veneer 900.857.02
BILLY height extension unit W40cm £15 Birch veneer 600.946.04 W80cm £20 Birch veneer 736.908.07
PE139441 PE151065
PE097285
BILLY bookcase £40 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W80×D28, H106cm. Birch veneer 936.907.07
BILLY bookcase £40 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W40×D28, H202cm. Birch veneer 400.857.09
BILLY bookcase £55 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W80×D28, H202cm. Birch veneer 136.906.07
PE027036 PE139447 PE027035
BILLY height extension unit W40cm £12 White 800.946.03 W80cm £15 White 536.893.10
BILLY bookcase £29.90 W80×D28, H202cm. Red 001.181.70
BILLY bookcase £29.90 W80×D28, H202cm. Black 701.040.99
BILLY bookcase £29.90 W80×D28, H202cm. Blue 801.473.38
BILLY JÄDER bookcase £39 W80×D28, H202cm. Black/patterned 301.667.20
BILLY JÄDER bookcase £39 W80×D28, H202cm. Green/patterned 501.667.19
BILLY JÄDER bookcase £000 W80×D28, H202cm. Orange/patterned 701.667.18
BILLY BJÄSTA bookcase £39 W80×D28, H202cm. Multicolour 901.667.17
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BILLY
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BILLY NYCKELBY glass door £25 Designer: Monika Mulder. W40×H96cm. Floral patterned/ aluminium 801.040.89
BILLY NYCKELBY glass door £40 Designer: Monika Mulder. W40×H193cm. Floral patterned/ aluminium 601.040.90
PE162936 PE162935
BILLY BYOM glass door £10 W40×H35cm. White 501.166.73
BILLY BYOM glass door W40×H98cm £20 White 401.339.70 W40×H194cm £30 White 601.040.85
BILLY MOREBO glass door £40 W40×H193cm. Aluminium 201.040.92
BILLY MOREBO glass door £25 W40×H96cm. Aluminium 401.040.91
PE204927 PE162938 PE162936
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BILLY BYOM door £15 W40×H98cm. White 301.040.82
BILLY BYOM door £15 W40×H35cm. Oak veneer 901.166.71
PE183914
PE162927
BILLY BYOM door £30 W40×H98cm. Oak veneer 301.040.77
BILLY BYOM glass door £30 W40×H98cm £30 Oak veneer 601.339.69 W40×H194cm £40 Oak veneer 701.040.80
PE162923 PE204926
BILLY BYOM door £30 W40×H98cm. Birch veneer 501.040.81
BILLY BYOM glass door £15 W40×H35cm. Birch veneer 001.166.75
BILLY BYOM glass door W40×H98cm £30 Birch veneer 201.339.66 W40×H194cm £40 Birch veneer 901.040.84
PE162926 PE204923
BILLY BYOM door £30 W40×H98cm. Beech veneer 201.040.87
BILLY BYOM glass door £15 W40×H35cm. Beech veneer 101.166.70
BILLY BYOM glass door W40×H98cm £30 Beech veneer 401.339.65 W40×H194cm £40 Beech veneer 001.040.88
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BILLY YDRE door £15 W40×H194cm. Transparent/white 001.472.24
BILLY JÄDER glass door £40 W40×H193cm. Frosted/aluminium 801.667.08
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BILLY KIABY glass door £30 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. W40×H193cm. White 701.667.23
BILLY JÄDER glass door £25 W40×H96cm. Black/patterned 401.667.10
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www.IKEA.co.uk
BILLY
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BILLY book-end £1.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H15cm. Assorted colours 901.666.99
BILLY book-end £1.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H15cm. Assorted colours 901.666.99
BILLY book-end £1.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H15cm. Assorted colours 901.666.99
BILLY book-end £1.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H15cm. Assorted colours 901.666.99
BILLY book-end £1.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H15cm. Assorted colours white, black 901.667.03
BILLY book-end £1.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H15cm. Assorted colours white, black 901.667.03
BILLY book-end £2.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H23cm. Assorted colours 301.667.01
BILLY book-end £2.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H23cm. Assorted colours 301.667.01
BILLY book-end £2.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H23cm. Assorted colours 301.667.01
BILLY book-end £2.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H23cm. Assorted colours 301.667.01
BILLY book-end £2.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H23cm. Assorted colours white, black 101.667.02
BILLY book-end £2.49 Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. H23cm. Assorted colours white, black 101.667.02
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BILLY shelf insert £6 Adapted for BILLY bookcase. W76cm. D10cm. Aluminium 201.667.25
PE240512
BILLY shelf insert £4 Adapted for BILLY bookcase. W36cm. D10cm. Aluminium 001.667.26
PE240506
BILLY book/magazine rail Designer: K Hagberg/M Hagberg. Edging that attaches to the shelf; keeps your magazines and books in place. W36cm £6 Aluminium 901.463.43 W76cm £9 Aluminium 701.463.44
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