Perstorp Announces Final Winner of Innovation Challenge

Kashyap and Chintan Gohel receiving the 1st prize of the Innovation Challenge Awards from Eric Appelman and CEO Jan Secher (© Perstorp)

Perstorp Holding AB, Malmö, Sweden, has announced the final winner of its Innovation Challenge. “We had three extremely interesting finalists ,” says Marie Grönborg, Executive Vice President of Business Area Specialties and Solutions. “They came to Sweden to present their submissions to the Perstorp leadership team, and we had the chance to interview them and have some in-depth discussions."

Winner is Flexii, a submission for flexible furniture from Kashyap and Chintan Gohel. The two brothers are students at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Juja, Kenya. Flexii is a concept for making furniture out of Capa Thermoplastics which increases its versatility in design. The plastic furniture can be repaired easily and remolded into new forms and designs in franchise-like nationwide remolding centers. Flexii also incorporates the idea of combining Capa Thermoplastic with other materials to improve their properties, such as recycled timber, broken glass and other recycled materials. Overall, the remoldability aspect of Flexii and Capa reduces the need for disposal of used and broken furniture in landfills. Where it is not profitable to remold products, they can be fully biodegraded by composting them: Capa Thermoplastic is fully and fast biodegradable.

Flexii: prototype coffee table (© Perstorp)

The jury’s decision was based on the fact that Flexii takes full advantage of the beneficial properties of Capa, says Jesper Fahlén, global Product Manager Capa and jury representative. “It’s a creative idea with strong potential. What we have seen in terms of design so far is really appealing and prototyping is already ongoing. This is a new and explorative area for Capa,” Fahlén notes.

Kashyap and Chintan Gohel say that over the coming year they plan to explore blending different materials with Capa Thermoplastic to create beautiful furniture and art, and hopefully pioneer the business of remold furniture in East Africa.

Company profile

reduce