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Page 1: Newsroom - IKEA

www.IKEA.co.uk

PE25

4838

BILLYthe world’s most versatile bookcase

turns 30!

OCTOBER 2009

Page 2: Newsroom - IKEA

www.IKEA.co.uk

BILLY JÄDER bookcase £39 W80×D28, H202cm. Black/patterned 301.667.30

BILLY Limited edition

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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!

Page 3: Newsroom - IKEA

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?”

Page 4: Newsroom - IKEA

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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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.

Page 5: Newsroom - IKEA

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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“I’m particularly happy that BILLY has made it possible for so many people to build their own little library.”

Page 6: Newsroom - IKEA

“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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Page 7: Newsroom - IKEA

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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Page 8: Newsroom - IKEA

“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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Page 9: Newsroom - IKEA

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

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BILLY Limited editions

Page 10: Newsroom - IKEA

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

Page 11: Newsroom - IKEA

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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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Page 12: Newsroom - IKEA

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

Page 13: Newsroom - IKEA

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

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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

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BILLY bookcase £55 Designer: Gillis Lundgren. W80×D28, H202cm. Oak veneer 900.666.47

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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

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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

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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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Page 14: Newsroom - IKEA

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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Page 15: Newsroom - IKEA

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

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BILLY shelf insert £4 Adapted for BILLY bookcase. W36cm. D10cm. Aluminium 001.667.26

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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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