We raise our hats and congratulate a proper Kinnarps classic - the 6000/8000 task chair is no longer a teenager and celebrates 20. Arne Ekbom, a designer at Kinnarps, tells about the greatest sales success ever for the company.

When the 6000 task chair was launched in 1994 it aroused the interest of office staff the world over. It led to a comfort seating revolution for all those people with sore backs and troublesome hips. What is still amazing though is that two decades later the success story continues. Together with its sibling, the 8000 task chair, more than 2 million chairs have been sold to date. What is the actual secret behind its astounding popularity?

We asked Arne Ekbom who was project manager and in charge of the design work.
"Back in the day comfort was mostly synonymous with padding. We now know better. A good task chair has to make sure your body does not feel tired when you sit in it. Today good ergonomics means being able to tilt, lean back and forward, to prevent your body from being stuck in a locked position."

The solution is based on a so-called "Free Float" system. When you lean backwards, the angle between your legs and back increases, when you lean forwards the seat moves independently of the chair back. Just as if the chair back and seat live their own lives. The level of resistance can be adjusted to cope with different body weights and the chair can also be locked in any position and angle.

"We were first out with this type of movement pattern, which actually makes it possible to provide quiet "motion" while seated, which is so much more comfortable for the body," says Arne Ekbom.

Down through the years the chair has undergone numerous updates, for instance the 5-star base and armrests have been given a new design, but the basic design has remained unchanged. When the chair was launched, it quickly became market leader and today the 6000/8000 chair is still a popular first choice for the individual workplace. On this day we tilt the chair back a little extra and say happy birthday!

www.kinnarps.com