About

About us

Family-owned. Sweden-based. Global reach.

 

Markisol – from one-man business...

Markisol’s founder, Bo Persson, began his career in the sun-protection industry at the age of six! As a young boy, Bo and his older brother Lars, helped their father manufacture venetian blinds at the kitchen table in their home in the small town of Ronneby, Sweden. Neither Bo nor Lars could have dreamed that years later their toil would result in a world-leading company.

Throughout his school years, Bo worked in his father’s business as a part of his home chores and for a small allowance. Once he finished school, Bo went to work at a small company making electrical resistors. At the same time, he took correspondence courses to learn how to make construction drawings. In the late 1960s, when he had completed this education, he took up a position at a white goods manufacturer. But it was not long before he founded his own company, a business that later would evolve into Markisol.

... to a global player

In the beginning, he had two partners – his oldest brother, Nils-Erik, and one other person. The company produced awnings, roller blinds, and venetian blinds and from the very start, one of its hallmarks was the reliance on self-made machinery.

Mechanization made production efficient and the company expanded rapidly in terms of turnover, market share, and geographical reach. By the 1970s, the company had an almost nationwide presence.

In 1983 Markisol became a subcontractor to the furniture giant IKEA, which further spurred the efforts to streamline the production. The result was a new, self-developed semi-automatic machine that could deliver the quantity and quality IKEA required. 

The next milestone in Markisol’s development came in 1989 when the company started its first foreign operation by building a production plant in Poland. Today, the factory in Wejherowo in the north of Poland is the largest and most modern facility of its kind in Europe. Since the strategic decision to expand abroad, Markisol has established a foothold in Russia, China, Australia, and the US. The production is further supported by a sales network spread around the globe.

Our history

early 1960

Markisol – from one-man shop to global player

Markisol is one of the world’s leading producers of roller blinds, Roman blinds and panel blinds. Marketing and sales of the products take place in many parts of the world and our customers include some of the big names of global interior decoration. Markisol of today has production sites in Sweden, Poland, Russia and China, but its activities started on a small scale in the early 1960s.

early 1960

late 1960

Unique self-built machines

At the end of the 1960s, after education in drawing technique and construction, Bo Persson started a business that was later to become Markisol. The production consisted of awnings, roller-blinds and Venetian blinds, manufactured using self-built machines. It was also the start of what was to distinguish Markisol throughout the years: the self-construction and development of automatic machines with superior efficiency.

late 1960

1970

First world patent

During the 1970s the enterprise was continuously expanding in Sweden. Now the first world patent was obtained for a unique Venetian blind for domestic use.

1970

1983

IKEA becomes a client

The next big step was taken in 1983 when the well-renowned furniture giant IKEA became one of the company’s clients. At the same time, a new, self-developed semi-automatic machine was introduced into production. The result was even higher efficiency and quality.

1983

1989

International expansion

In 1989 the strategic decision to establish a production plant abroad was taken. The choice fell on Poland and today Markisol´s biggest production plant is situated in Wejherowo, northern Poland. It is modern and efficient, equipped with self-constructed automatic machines which guarantee the highest possible output.

1989

1992

Mairo trademark is created

In 1992 the Markisol concern expanded still more by creating its own trademark Mairo that designs, produces and sells home furnishing products, mostly in the form of various textiles. A year prior Markisol had bought Alingsås Textile Printing Plant in Sölvesborg, a company with long experience and broad knowledge within textile printing. Mairo now started to develop its own patterns and in 1994 it was time to launch the first textile collection printed in its own textile printing plant in Sölvesborg. Mairo is today an established trademark with shops and retailers in a number of northern European countries.

1992

2001

Expansion to Russia

In 2001 another step in the international expansion was taken. Markisol acquired an industrial property in Kaliningrad and established a new assembly plant, partly in order to increase activity in the quickly developing Russian market. 

2001

2003

Expansion to China

In 2003 Markisol opened a trading office and production facility in the city of Shaoxing outside Shanghai. This addition enabled Markisol to supply both the new eastern market and older existing markets with ready made products as well as material sourcing.

2003

2010

M2M and Project market

Since year 2010 Markisol has developed systems to enter M2M and Project market in Scandinavia. We have since then gained market shares and are getting popular with the architects, who have been asking for and appreciated our products and expertise. 

2010

2011

Acquisition of Krenholmi fabric factory

Markisol buys a part of Krenholmi fabric factory in Narva, Estonia and moves the entire company´s fabric production to Estonia. This greatly upgrades our production capacity and also our possibilities for new developments, thus accomplishing a major step in our drive for vertical integration.

2011

2015

Expansion to Australia

With our well-established production in China ready, the natural step for Markisol is to start selling our products in Australian and New Zeeland market. We opened our first selling office in the region and started to work with some of the biggest retailers in those markets.

2015

2016

Expansion to USA

In 2016 Markisol took a big step across the ocean into the USA by opening a factory and securing some of the biggest clients in that market.

2016

2016

Second factory in Poland

When our production facility in Wejherowo got too small we built brand new, state-of-the-art factory in Goscicino, 10 km from our old factory. With 10.000 sqm of space and 500 – 700 employees, we are able to produce up to 50.000 blinds a week. 

2016

2017

Polish M2M factory

Our old factory in Wejherowo got fully renovated and equipped to be a modern M2M production plant. 40 employees are producing various M2M products for our European customers.

2017

2018

New factory in Russia

In 2018 we built a new factory in Russia so we would be able to keep up with the growing demand for roller blinds in Russian market.

2018

Present day

World leader within window sun protection, window decoration and interior decoration

Markisol thus has factories in six different countries in Europe, USA, Asia and Oceania. The small, local company has evolved into an international corporation with the entire world as its market. The goal is to always have the absolutely most modern and efficient factories on the market, in order to be able to offer the best prices and the highest quality. This strategy has made Markisol a world leader within window sun protection and window decoration.

Present day

Contact us

Are you a wholesaler, retailer or similar looking for new business opportunities in the solar shading industry?
Please feel free to contact us we are constantly looking for new partners.

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