The group is primarily known for its modernist designs for various types of appliances and furniture, and its interior design work is often associated with an eco-friendly simplicity. In addition, the firm is known for its attention to cost control, operational details, and continuous product development that has allowed IKEA to lower its prices by an average of two to three percent. The group is responsible for approximately 1% of world commercial-product wood consumption, making it one of the largest users of wood in the retail sector.

The company’s milestones:

In 1943 - The first IKEA company is founded by Ingvar Kamprad. He names it IKEA: an abbreviation of Ingvar Kamprad from Elmtaryd (the family farm), Agunnaryd (the local parish).

In 1948 - Furniture is introduced into the IKEA range.

In 1950 – The IKEA Catalogue makes its debut.

In 1953 – The first IKEA showroom opens in Älmhult. Here customers can see and experience the quality of the products before ordering them, and Ingvar can meet customers in person and learn from them.

In June 1960 - Only coffee and cold dishes are offered in IKEA stores. By the end of the year, the IKEA restaurant kitchen is fully equipped, including a microwave oven – a novelty at the time. Everything from hot snacks such as hamburgers to á la carte dishes are served.

In 1963 - The first IKEA store outside Sweden opens in Norway.

In 1965 - The Kungens Kurva store outside of Stockholm opens its doors. It’s the largest furniture store in Northern Europe at the time, and the store’s design is inspired by the Guggenheim museum in New York. Its location is strategic — it’s easy to reach by car and has plenty of parking spaces.

In 1970 - An electrical fault causes a sign on the roof of the flagship IKEA store to catch fire in September 1970, causing a lot of damage. It isn’t all bad news though. It is also the beginning of something new. In the chaos following the fire, IKEA open a self-service area, which turns out to be a roaring success. By the time the store re-opens in 1971, most products can be picked up in the self-service area, driven home and assembled by our customers.

In 1973 - The first IKEA store outside of Scandinavia is established in Spreitenbach, Switzerland, soon followed by stores in Germany.

In 1976 - 30 years after his business is born, Ingvar Kamprad writes “The Testament of a Furniture Dealer” with its 9 points. This is where many of his ideas are first written down, including the IKEA vision: to create a better everyday life for the many people.

In 1982 - The IKEA Group is formed and its owner is a foundation, the Stitchting INGKA Foundation, which is based in the Netherlands.

In 1985 - After its initial expantion into Norway in 1963, IKEA has now gone international opening stores in United States, Italy, France, and the U.K.

In 1991 - IKEA establishes the industrial group Swedwood.

In 1998 – “Sow a seed” launches. In 1983, a forest fire destroys 18,500 hectares of rainforest in Malaysian Borneo. When Ingvar Kamprad, hears about it he wants to contribute to the rainforest’s regeneration. So, in 1998, IKEA begins financing the “Sow a seed” project, leading to more than 12,500 hectares of rainforest being replanted.

In 2001 - The IKEA Group trials running its own rail operations through IKEA Rail AB. The use of rail continues to be an important part of the IKEA strategy to promote sustainable transportation of IKEA material and products.

In 2006 - IKEA launches its own food label covering about 30 percent of the 150 products in its food range. The range focuses on high-quality food products based on Swedish recipes and tradition, for a low price.

As of September 2015 - halogen and energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs are no longer available and the switch is made to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for all lighting sold globally.

According to timetoast.com; timetoast.com. Source of photo: internet