IKEA is a privately held, international home products retailer that sells flat
pack furniture, accessories, and bathroom and kitchen items in their retail
stores around the world. The company, which pioneered flat pack design
furniture at affordable prices, is now the world's largest furniture
manufacturer.
IKEA was founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden and it is owned
by a Dutch registered foundation controlled by the Kamprad family.
IKEA is an acronym comprising the initials of the founder's name Ingvar
Kamprad, the farm where he grew up Elmtaryd, and his home county
Agunnaryd, in Småland, South Sweden. INGKA Holding B.V. is the parent
company for all IKEA Group companies, including the industrial group
Swedwood, which manufactures IKEA furniture, the sales companies that
run IKEA stores, as well as purchasing and supply functions, and IKEA
of Sweden, which is responsible for the design and development of products
in the IKEA range.
INGKA Holding B.V. is wholly owned by Stichting INGKA Foundation,
which is a non profit foundation registered in Leiden in the Netherlands.
If you are not familiar with IKEA, you have probably lived in Arizona for a very
long time and you don't get to California too often. Lets start with the basics.
IKEA is a retailer of home furnishings and accessories. It was founded in
1943 by Ingvar Kamprad, who grew up on a farm in Sweden.
The store specializes in Swedish style furniture and accessories for people
on a budget. Today, IKEA has more than 200 stores in 32 countries.
The store in Tempe is the first one to be opened in Arizona, and it's
huge at 342,000 square feet. On the pages that follow, you'll learn more
about Arizona store, and about the company's philosophy.
