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The story of the birth of the worlds first adjustable desk system

The story of the birth of the worlds first adjustable desk system

2023-06-26

 

Electric height-adjustable desks have become one of the hottest topics in the global furniture

industry. The concept of "health + office" products, along with the enormous market potential for

both office and home office applications, has added significant appeal to this emerging category

of furniture. Furniture manufacturers, designers, and professional office media are all trying to

uncover the untold stories behind these products and technologies. Here, we will share with you

an untold story that has never been disclosed before—the pioneering team in the Danish office

industry, the "firsts" in developing the world's first modern column-based height-adjustable desk

system.Electric height-adjustable desks have become one of the hottest topics in the global

furniture industry. The concept of "health + office" products, along with the enormous market

potential for both office and home office applications, has added significant appeal to this emerging

category of furniture. Furniture manufacturers, designers, and professional office media are all

trying to uncover the untold stories behind these products and technologies. Here, we will share

with you an untold story that has never been disclosed before—the pioneering team in the Danish

office industry, the "firsts" in developing the world's first modern column-based height-adjustable

desk system.

 

The Original Prototype: The Predecessor of Modern Electric

Height-Adjustable Desks

 

 

In the early 1990s, before LINAK, a Danish company, introduced the now commonly seen column-

based legs for height-adjustable desks, there were already a few adjustable desks available in the

market. These desks primarily utilized pneumatic mechanisms for height adjustment, which not

only lacked aesthetic appeal but also came with a hefty price tag.

 

In 1991, LINAK, a company that had been specializing in transmission and height-adjustment

systems since the 1970s, collaborated with a German furniture manufacturer to create a dual-

surface desk with independent height adjustment capabilities. By utilizing LINAK's existing electric

pushrod and control system, they successfully achieved synchronized electric height adjustment

for this desk. This breakthrough in technology was considered significant at the time.

 

 

 

 

Despite the electric height-adjustment technology offering more power and a more comfortable

user experience compared to traditional pneumatic mechanisms, it also comes with clear drawbacks.

The traditional electric pushrod has limited stroke length. The parallelogram design causes the

desk to move horizontally during adjustment. It also has specific placement requirements, such as

avoiding proximity to walls or other desks to prevent horizontal collisions. The complex appearance

gives the desk a more machine-like look.

 

 

 

 

1998 • The First Modern Column-Based Height-Adjustable

Desk System: Born in Denmark with LINAK

 

John Frost, Vice President of LINAK Group, recalls the story behind creating the first dedicated office

desk height-adjustment system, saying, "Through communication and research with our customers,

we discovered that what users needed was a desk that could vertically and smoothly adjust while

having a more simplified and aesthetically pleasing design."

"We assigned this task to three mechanical engineers and three electrical engineers at LINAK. The

true innovation of this new system lies in the relationship between the motor, spindle, and guiding

system, which allows for near-perfect control of friction tolerances throughout the entire leg adjustment

process. While design aesthetics are important, the technology inside the lifting column is the core

and key," emphasized John.

 

And so, this special project team embarked on their innovative journey.

 

 

 

 

The Paradigm Shift from 0 to 1: Establishing the Technological

Foundation of Modern Height-Adjustable Desk Systems

 

Innovation from 0 to 1 is never an easy task. This special project team went through countless

discussions, research, prototyping, and testing. Finally, in 1998, within the R&D department of

LINAK's headquarters in Denmark, the world's first complete modern column-based electric

height-adjustable desk system was born.

                

 

 

This system included controllers, control boxes, and the world's first vertically adjustable desk

legs—the DL1. The introduction of vertically adjustable desk legs and the complete system

undoubtedly marked one of the most transformative and iconic events in the history of height-

adjustable desks.

 

Subsequently, to better serve users in the furniture industry who had a demand for height-

adjustment systems, LINAK officially established a new specialized division in 1998 called

DESKLINE. A series of specialized product introductions and promotional materials specifically

tailored for the field of height-adjustable furniture were created and disseminated to a broader

global audience.

                

 

 

Furthermore, in order to make more users aware of and familiar with this new type of office desk

height-adjustment technology and products, LINAK from Denmark organized a special European

touring exhibition. Staff members loaded a LINAK truck with innovative height-adjustable desks

assembled using the DL1 system, along with other adjustable furniture, and traveled to various

locations across Europe. They conducted unique and interactive height-adjustment experience

exhibitions for local users.

 

 

 

 

Ushering in a New Era of Office Height-Adjustment:

Unprecedented Success of DL1

 

What the LINAK team never anticipated was that their creation, the DL1, a sleeker and more

practical system introduced in 1998, would revolutionize the world of office height-adjustable

desks.

 

Prior to the launch of the DL1 system, there were limited options for electrically adjustable

office desks in the market, and they came with a hefty price tag (around $5,000 per desk

at the time).

 

However, with the introduction of the LINAK DL1, numerous European office desk manufacturers

began unveiling height-adjustable desks utilizing the DL1 system. These desks not only boasted

an appealing and functional design but also met ergonomic standards more effectively. What's

more, manufacturers were able to produce these desks at lower costs, allowing for more affordable

options. One Danish manufacturer achieved unprecedented success by reducing the price by 60%.

 

This breakthrough enabled more people to access aesthetically pleasing, practical, and

ergonomically designed height-adjustable desks, marking the beginning of a new era in the

industry.

                

 

 

Subsequently, LINAK's new electric height-adjustment system found widespread adoption by

furniture manufacturers around the world in various fields, including offices, industrial workstations,

kitchens, outdoor furniture, and more. The demand for these systems grew rapidly.

 

In this way, while LINAK was tirelessly seeking better solutions for users, they unknowingly sparked

a global furniture trend.