Good Design: Building Good and Long-Lasting Relationships
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Good Design: Building Good and Long-Lasting Relationships

A Studio Focus on Our Partnerships

Good design we believe lasts a lifetime. It is meaningful, relevant, authentic and quality. At Pen we create objects that are ‘good design’. In order to deliver good design for our customers we must first surround ourselves with good people. During 2020 we spent time re-evaluating our manufacturing processes and connections. We hunted for makers of quality, professionals that aligned with our desire to make beautiful and functional pieces and the people that like us operate with a strong ethical platform. We are proud of the manufacturing collaborations we now have in place. Below we talk about the key principals be believe govern establishing positive long-lasting manufacturing relationships.


GOOD PEOPLE. 

At Pen we exhibit integrity and passion into every project, and we respect and recognise the worth of the people involved in the process. We value the story behind every person that works with us in sharing the passion and love for the craft that we imbue into each product. We appreciate the special skills they bring to the table and their intangible talents that ensure that both technical and artistic qualities are addressed in tandem.

Timber serving trayAt Pen, we respect everyone involved in the production process, from customers, to our designers, our engineers, and suppliers. Collectively, we share a pride in workmanship as well as a passion for the products and services we provide

Field was created by timber manufacturers that are now in their fifth generation in business – even with modernised practices over the years, the knowledge bestowed across the generations is priceless. Field in-betweens are hand turned by Neal, an artisan who has a life-long passion for wood turning. There are few with his level of understanding when it comes to timber and his depth of knowledge with shaping is impeccable

GOOD DESIGN.

At Pen, we have an unyielding commitment to delivering the quality design that customers want, with the aspiration for our customers to buy once and buy well. We achieve this by ensuring our products are not only timeless and appealing, but fully functional.

PRODUCT VALUE.

Pricing structure correlates to cost, however value is broader than tangible costs. It recognises the worth a customer places in our products. Value or the intangible worth for a brand or product can only be bestowed by the customer. At Pen, we seek to provide this worth through the intangible aspects of our brand – by maintaining our ethos, respecting the people in the process and breaking barriers in the making process through our unique relationship with Help Manufacturing.

Modern Dog KennelADEQUATE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT TIME.

Adequate timeframes are critical in the successful outcome of projects. Understanding time as a commodity and being sensitive to this resource and the people it applies to will fundamentally ensure project development runs smoothly. This is particularly pertinent in how we conduct business with social enterprise manufacturers. Working with people disabilities requires a different approach to achieve the same goals – we respect the longer lead-times necessary as well as the functions and unique set-up of their workplace. We all have time as the shared limited commodity, and how we are able to meet demands and deliver with this finite resource speaks volumes about mutual respect for producing our designed pieces.

RESPECT PROBLEMS. Silicone product

Problems are opportunities to learn more about how to improve value by analysing and learning lessons. Because our designed pieces push the boundaries, we ask our makers to produce pieces that are difficult or unusual to make. For these types of collaborations, the development and prototyping stages are paramount in the working relationship to problem solve and add value to the design. At Pen, we understand that solving issues improves the relationship with people, improves productivity, and the value we are able to create. It is impossible to remove problems from the equation, but there is always an opportunity to use them to empower us.

MOTHER EARTH.

Pen will always operate with the objective to support the planet and any issues related to preserving our precious ecosystem. Sustainability is a crucial component at Pen – we regularly revise and streamline our production locations and processes. We believe that sustainable change involves touchpoints across the world, and we are committed to positively participating and contributing in the process. Of course, we still regular make improvements to our business and are constantly searching for opportunities that assist us in reaching our operational goals towards environment commitment.


Our ethical platform is motivated by progress and the mission to create original, innovative, and architecturally inspired products that beautiful and evolved. By maintaining good and long-lasting relationships with manufacturers, we have been able to succeed in producing pieces that are imbued by these values. 

 

 

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