Manufacturer · Denmark · Vejen · 1904–1978
Søren Willadsen
Søren Willadsens Møbelfabrik (1904–1978) – Danish furniture factory in Vejen, producing furniture designed by Finn Juhl, Nanna Ditzel and Kristian Vedel.
About the manufacturer
- Years active
- 1904–1978
- Country
- Denmark
- Location
- Vejen
Søren Willadsens Møbelfabrik operated in Vejen, Denmark, from 1904 to 1978. It was founded by master cabinetmaker Søren Willadsen (1880–1956). The business began as a small workshop and, from 1912, undertook larger-scale production. In 1944, it celebrated its 40th anniversary; in the following decades, its ownership structure changed and the company went through periods of crisis.
The factory produced furniture designed by, among others, Finn Juhl, Nanny and Jørgen Ditzel, Illum Wikkelsø, Kristian Vedel, Kai Lyngfeldt Larsen, Stig Thoresen Lassen and Bernt Petersen, as well as modular furniture designed by Arne Jacobsen and designs by architect Magnus L. Stephensen. For Willadsen, Finn Juhl designed a series then known as SW 50, including a sofa dated 1950. Willadsen presented its products at furniture fairs (Købestævner) in Fredericia, using light local wood species.
The company outfitted private homes, hundreds of hotel rooms and ferries, while individual pieces appeared in films by Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut. The history of the workshop was presented in an exhibition at Vejen Kunstmuseum (9 June 2024 – 11 May 2025) and in the book “Historien om Søren Willadsen” by Mette Mærsk. Finn Juhl’s Willadsen series is once again being produced by House of Finn Juhl in Vejen.
