Craft
Interview
In the world of automotive manufacturing, the demands are as diverse as they are intricate. At Elmo’s product development division, these challenges find their answer. Helena Bonving spearheads the efforts, relishing the opportunity to craft distinctive and exclusive solutions for each customer.
With extensive experience in textiles and around seven years in leatherwork, Helena Bonving shoulders a wealth of knowledge at Elmo. Her primary focus lies in tailoring specific projects and products to meet the unique demands of the automotive sector.
“We boast a dedicated team committed to solving our customers’ intricate challenges, from our tannery in Svenljunga, equipped with a laboratory for meticulous product testing, to our Italian counterparts with whom we exchange knowledge,” explains Bonving.
The journey of automotive product development is a blend of innovation and creativity, a blend that Bonving navigates with finesse. Each new product undergoes rigorous industry certification and exhaustive testing to meet the specific car manufacture’s exacting standards. The result? Exclusive products, often developed under strict confidentiality, renowned for their exceptional performance, durability, and sustainability.
“We boast a dedicated team committed to solving our customers’ intricate challenges”
Embracing Trends and Uniqueness
In the realm of furniture, a different philosophy reigns, where designers craft color collections inspired by prevailing trends. Elmo, known as the “House of Color,” boasts a wide spectrum of hues. A current trend is the growing inclination among furniture companies to embrace the natural imperfections of leather—a step towards sustainability by reducing hide wastage.
“Traditionally, leather developed for the automotive industry has always sought to be flawless, without natural defects or blemishes, especially since our leather is used in premium cars. But now we’re starting to see that even the automotive industry is moving towards the authentic experience of leather with signs of life, at least on a conceptual level,” explains Bonving.
Moreover, there’s a surging interest in organically tanned leather, fueled by the automotive industry’s intense sustainability focus. Elmo’s tannery, whether using chrome or vegetable-based processes, consistently delivers exclusive and eco-friendly results.
We experiment with various product iterations based on diverse requests and specifications.
Where Ideas are Verified
Bonving and her colleagues, in particular Janne Liess in charge of design and development for the North American market, work intensively year-round on novelties that captivate customers worldwide in various ways. Their roles bridge the office, customer interactions, meetings, and the laboratory, where ideas are tested and verified.
“Together as a team, we develop concepts into validated end-products for serial production, by focusing on customer needs. We experiment with various product iterations based on diverse requests and specifications. We collaborate closely with technicians and customers, fine-tuning details, from color selection in trial batches to achieving the perfect finish. It is astonishing that our plant in Svenljunga, located on the beautiful Swedish countryside, incorporates both a high-tech Innovation and New Product Development department as well as an advanced laboratory for product validation,” Bonving exclaims.
Customers are always welcome to join the product development journey, either at the tannery or the lab, where they can actively participate in shaping the end result. For those unable to visit Svenljunga, samples are dispatched worldwide, or Bonving and her colleagues make customer visits.
“When you choose Elmo, you gain access to a dedicated team committed to realizing your unique visions.”
Helena Bonving and her colleague Janne Liess work intensively year-round on novelties that captivate customers worldwide in various ways.
“When you choose Elmo, you gain access to a dedicated team committed to realizing your unique visions. Time is often of the essence, and our proximity to production allows us to act swiftly. It all happens right here, with our hands,” emphasizes Bonving.
“We exert full control over production and results, driven by our collective passion for leather. I take immense pride in our sustainability initiatives and the exclusive products we breathe new life into from materials that might otherwise go to waste.”
In the re-tanning process we experiment with the properties of the product such as color, softness and elasticity.