01 Message from our CEO

The office furniture market has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, driven by the continued adoption of hybrid working post-pandemic, stronger focus on circularity and increasing digitalisation. There is growing interest in new workplace concepts, a rising demand for the reuse of products and materials and an increasing need for flexible space solutions. Royal Ahrend has responded effectively to these shifts, continuously developing innovative products and services to meet evolving customer needs. One of the highlights of the past year was the launch of Ahrend Remode, our most sustainable office chair to date, designed by renowned architect Ben van Berkel—a product I am particularly proud of.

Sustainability is at the heart of Royal Ahrend’s strategy, helping shape the future of our industry. Our commitment to sustainability runs deep in our organisation, and over the past year, we officially opened our new gas-free and energy-efficient factory in Prague. This state-of-the-art facility plays a crucial role in our ambition to achieve near-zero emissions by 2030.

In addition, our Circular Hub has expanded significantly, now refurbishing not only Ahrend and Gispen products but also furniture from other brands, showing our leading position in circularity. Our sustainability efforts extend beyond our supply chain and are embedded throughout the organisation, including last year's initiatives such as the development of our new CO₂ dashboard for customers. Furthermore, we have also made important progress from a governance perspective. A key example is this newly enhanced integrated report which, despite no legal obligation, is a first step towards CSRD compliance. 

In 2024, we further refined our strategy and made significant progress on our strategic projects. We expanded our product range with new, relevant products and services, strengthened our position in key market segments and regions, expanded our physical presence by opening new showrooms, such as in Riyad, while redesigning a large part of our existing showrooms to better reflect our vision.

Internally, we further embedded our strategy by introducing a new organisational structure, including the establishment of a new management team. This restructuring is an important step in our ongoing integration efforts—enabling us to operate as one company, increasing efficiency and effectiveness while ultimately delivering even greater value to our customers.

In addition to business growth, we have also invested in our people. Royal Ahrend Learning was launched, providing employees with training opportunities to develop both soft and hard skills, and we placed a strong emphasis on employee well-being and vitality. I am pleased to see that these efforts are reflected in our rising Employee Experience Index (EXI) for another consecutive year. We have set ambitious goals and achieving them together—while fostering a culture of engagement and enjoyment—remains a key priority.

Over the past year, we have won great contracts and have finalised fantastic projects for many organisations around the world. These have all contributed to another year of improved results. Together, we achieved a sales volume of €273,7 million, supported by a gross margin of 50,5%. Through excellent management of operational costs, we reached a recurring EBITDA of €26,4 million. Given the complexities of today’s market, this is a fantastic result —one we can all be truly proud of.