Gnosjö Konstsmide

About us

From forging to lighting

Behind everything was a longing for something new. The year was 1942. One day, family man Gunnar Johansson found the courage to resign from the bus company and give free rein to the contractor inside him. His idea was to forge flower stands and decorations, focusing on quality and design. Soon customers came in crowds to Gunnar, who called his company Gnosjö Konstsmide.

 

Today, more than 80 years later, the company is still run by the Johansson family in Gnosjö. Our product range currently consists of Christmas and outdoor lighting, but with the same self-evident requirements for high quality and safety, as well as for stylish and functional design.

 

 

Innovation and quality

Innovation and quality are the foundation stones Konstsmide has relied, relies and will rely on. Being innovative is a prerequisite for creating the sustainable and environmentally friendly products our customers want. That we in the mid 1990s were the first in the world to use LED technology in our Christmas lighting still keeps us one jump ahead. It is simply in our DNA to dare try new things, dare be at the forefront.

 

In order to always offer safe and durable products, our entire business needs to be shaped by distinct quality-oriented thinking. We can guarantee production thanks to our own factories in Sweden and Hungary, as well as the close cooperation with our partners in China. Our products also undergo extensive third-party testing in order to be the safest on the market.

History

As early as 1947, we were behind Sweden's very first serially manufactured Advent candle holders. After that, we have repeatedly demonstrated that investments in innovation, solid craftsmanship and long-term cooperation pay off in the long run.

Konstsmide – craftsmanship and innovation since 1942

1942

Bus driver Gunnar Johansson is tired of driving a bus and sets up Gnosjö Konstsmide. Gunnar and his two employees manufacture forged products and flower boxes.

1947

Sweden's first serially produced electric candle holders see the light of the day. The first modern Advent light candle holder is born.

1950s

Production of outdoor lighting starts.

1960s

The product range expands further in the 1960s and 1970s, especially the outdoor lighting. Copper and sheet-metal products are particularly popular.

1969

Gunnar's children Margit, Mona and Rolf take over the company. Rolf becomes CEO.

1982

The range of Christmas lighting has become so popular in Germany that Konstsmide decides to start its first subsidiary there.

1983

The world's first low-current lighting chain with transformer is manufactured by Konstsmide. Going from 230V to 24V revolutionises the safety of outdoor Christmas tree lighting.

1985

The second subsidiary is established, this time in England. Later Konstsmide further expands to Finland, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Norway.

1992

Konstsmide celebrates 50 years! A jubilee candle holder is manufactured for the occasion - a model made of iron, which has previously been taken out from the product range but is now here to stay.

1994

Cooperation with Disney begins two years after the opening of Disneyland in Paris. Products manufactured to promote Euro Disney, as it is called back then, are candle holders and lighting chains.

1994

Konstsmide acquires a moulding factory in Hungary. Here, in this factory, outdoor lighting is made by hand, focusing on high quality.

1995

Konstsmide launches the world's first LED lighting chains that revolutionise energy consumption and durability in lighting chains.

2002

Brothers Janne, Jonas and Daniel Johansson take over the company after their father.

2010s

Increased interest for LED allows Konstsmide to continue expanding its product range. Its products become more elegant and more durable, with longer service life and lower energy consumption.

2013

Konstsmide develops Soft Cable, an extremely durable cable for outdoor use, which remains pliable even at very low temperatures.

2013

New premises are opened in Gnosjö. They include a 1,500 sq mtr showroom where about 2,000 products are displayed.

The Company

Gnosjö Konstsmide was founded in Gnosjö, Småland, in 1942 and is part of the family owned Gunnar Johansson Group. The Group has around 200 employees, of which about 45 are employed at Gnosjö headquarters. The rest work in subsidiaries in Germany, England, Finland, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Norway.

The current owners are the brothers Peter, Janne, Jonas and Daniel Johansson. Konstsmide’s desire is to always be the customer's first choice for Christmas and outdoor lighting. We achieve this by offering a complete and highly competitive product range of the best possible quality, service and delivery reliability.

Outdoor Light Sets

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