Arken, founded in 1993 is a leading brand at a worldwide level in the production of modular shopfitting, furnishing elements, accessories, glass cabinets and mannequins.
The Company includes four production factories, two of them based in Italy: one in Ferentino (FR) near Rome with a surface of 45.000 m2, 9.500 of them indoors and used as manufacturing plant of wood, iron, plastic materials, storage and offices; while the other one is a glassworks based in Biassono (MI), on a surface of 4.000 m2, 2.000 of them indoors where all the showcases are produced. The last two are in Pudong and Chang-Tsu in China.
Arken has two showrooms, the first one located in Pero (Milan), in front of the fair headquarters, where there is a permanent exhibition of all the collections and where Arken Shop Academy’s courses take place; the second one in Ferentino (only exhibition) opened in January 2008. Other sales offices are in Moscow, Shanghai and Dubai. Arken furnishing lines offer different modular structures that enable to set different types of shops. Furnishing can be set in infinite layouts to meet the customers' needs in the best way thanks to staved panels, different types of shelves, accessories and racks. The materials used are iron, wood, glass and plastic divided into different collections suitable for shops of different sectors, except for the ones dedicated to the food area.
After having followed the shop fitters during the planning phase, allowing them to use in the best way the patented characteristics of the various systems, Arken gives for free to its retailers a planning software able to produce, in a very short time, coloured renderings together with customised estimates.
The above mentioned software, Arken Art, runs on a Windows platform, it is very easy, intuitive and offers assistance through an Help-desk.Arken will present during the Euroshop 2008 fair in Düsseldorf its last novelties, carrying out an ambitious plan of development and renovation of its image, involving a big effort also to what concerns its exhibition stand. The one presented this year is in fact a real confirmation of this new philosophy: with its size of 200 m2, has been designed by the architect Domenico Lo Giudice, who describes in this way his creation: “the project of the stand consists of a didactic course. The products shown follow the historical development of the company untill the new design concept, that exalts the new technologies Arken has achieved during the last years. An engaging graphic catches the attention of the visitors and gets them directly in touch with the company.
A reserved area dedicated to the meetings has been created inside the stand. Multimedia supports are available for the visitors to get every kind of information about Arken’s production”.
The exhibition space has a rectangular shape, opened on one side and equipped with five big niches: four dedicated to the new modular shop fittings that will be shown as a preview during the fair, and one totally devoted to the company Glasvetrina , partner of Arken Group since last spring. The top of the stand, like an “hat”, is realised with a printed material that reproduces the logo and colours of the
company based in Ferentino (FR). Moreover everything is embellished by a delicate stylized floral decoration, oriental pattern like, reminiscent of far away countries full of charm.
Every niche has been thought as a small sale point, in order to show immediately to visitors how Arken structures can create and smarten every kind of shop.
In this way examples of “ready” sale points are suggested, but it will be only the creativity of the draftsman and of the customer that will make the difference: modular structures are ok, but add the imagination!The angular reception desk, part too of the new collection of products, realized with glass and plastic has a waving shape, that gives to him elegance and sense of movement at the same time.
The inner part of the stand has been conceived as a cosy rest point, furnished with 11 coffee tables, where the company’s clients can complete their businesses relaxing and sipping a good Italian Espresso.
A furnished wall inside the bar area, will be completely devoted to the new catalogues of Arken Group, that will be presented just during the Euroshop 2008 edition. New pictures and graphic, the same you will see outside the stand.
On the right side of the reception is placed a big platform, about 4x4 mt. On the top of it the novelties about the mannequins produced by Ennevi, partner of Arken Group, are presented.
Put together to form a choreography and lighted up from big headlamps and stroboscopic light they will be the real protagonist of the stand!
The mannequins, made of fiberglass and very realistic, in respect to the current catalogue will be presented with new positions and colours.
The back wall of the stand is characterised by a wide “window” furnished with a grove of bamboo through which is possible to peek into the bar. The Arken novelties 2008 can be divided into 3 big categories: wood, plastic and iron.
To what concerns wood category the new products are shelves and piece of furniture in double paneled wood , in the finishing light oak and wengè, and special “tiles” similar to boiserie. Iron is the main component of the structures Dalì and Tecnis, while plastic – especially the rotational technique - has been applied to realised male and female torsos, varnished with brilliant colours and to create structures for desks and suspended cupboard of sinuous shapes.
You will also find some novelties concerning new finishing for the Arkwall ranks, a new stud for the Queen line and the lighting wall Chino, revisited in some details.