Fábio Preto & Hugo Patrício – Tensai Furniture

Tensai Furniture is a company of the Tensai Industry group dedicated to the production and development of Contract and HoReCa plastic furniture solutions. Fábio Preto, General Director of Tensai Furniture, and Hugo Patrício, Marketing & Communication Director, talk to us about the positioning and sustainable line of thought present in the entire production process of the company.

What position do you currently assume in the national and international market?

We are, indisputably, a company with a business model oriented towards internationalization, thus obtaining recognition for the work developed and sharing a joint vision with our partners in a way that is easier and more valued by the foreign market. The current situation in which we live imposes logistical and productive challenges that call into question the most sophisticated commercial processes, and it is in these moments that companies find new opportunities. We feel that there has been a change in the paradigm of the national market, with a very significant increase in demand for products manufactured in national territory. There is currently a greater awareness on the part of customers to value and recognize what we do so well in Portugal, supported by a strong industry. A trend that we hope will continue in the future.

How does Tensai Furniture position itself in the current scenario in the face of successive attacks to which plastics are targets?

We are aware that there is a long way to go in this fight, which is to reduce plastic consumption. We want plastic to achieve a reliable, durable and sustainable image compared to other materials that cannot offer so many recycling cycles and countless reprocessing in new production cycles, while maintaining original properties.

Industry must unequivocally be a vehicle forbringing change to environmental sustainability. In this way, we seek sustainable solutions and, above all, we want to raise awareness of the fact that together, industry and consumers of our products can promote this change, which is essential, creating new habits of consumption, recycling and reuse of products. At TENSAI FURNITURE we take special care in the development of products where their level of durability and longevity are crucial for the implementation of long-term plastic products. We have as a cornerstone of our culture an attitude of change!

What sustainable solutions is Tensai Furniture developing for a greener future?

We face environmental sustainability issues as a good challenge! Throughout our process, whether in the design of new products or in the manufacture of the product itself, we maintain a sustainable approach. As an example, we recently developed a project where the product was thought to be a changeable product. This process made it possible to reduce the number of molds to be manufactured, generating the same number of products, thus drastically reducing the consumption of materials other than plastic. We seek to develop 100% recyclable products, which is why we incorporate materials of controlled origin in our production chain, which allow them to be reincorporated into new production cycles. We promote, through our manufacturing process and products, the ideals of the circular economy. It is imperative that we systematically ask ourselves in which areas of the company we can implement a more sustainable ideology of thinking and acting.

How would you describe the design of Tensai Furniture’s plastic furniture?

We aim to develop products capable of appealing to emotions and stimulating social experiences. We intend to conquer our place in the Portuguese and international design panorama with the development of products that create trends due to their irreverence, identity, mechanical (physical) characteristics and innovation. In doing so, we also know that we are contributing to the extension of the product’s useful life, as well as its use year after year without losing the role for which it was designed and desired. Whether outdoors or indoors, our products are a clear statement of their adaptability to multiple environments. All these factors contribute for the big brands to come to us and see TENSAI FURNITURE as a reliable partner.

What strategy have you outlined for Tensai Furniture to become a trend?

Above all, we want to be a disruptive company in the approaches and development of plastic products and what this represents for consumers. We currently act as promoters of change in the paradigm of its multiple uses by creating synergies between the adaptability of our products to outdoor and indoor environments.

Strategically, and in addition to the usual distribution channels for our products, we are consolidating our presence in decoration projects through designers who come to us. We plan to continue to consolidate partnerships, which have been asserting the presence of our products in various environments, such as offices (workplace), home, school, commercial spaces or hotel spaces. As the company grows, we will be able to integrate new projects and develop new ranges that will allow for greater harmonization of products in different sectors. This process will certainly reinforce the multiplicity of environments where our products can be placed, as well as their quality that allows us to combine plastic with other materials considered more noble.

What image do you seek to associate with Tensai Furniture?

We are a company that is agile in the commitments we assume and serious in what we propose to do. We think of all the variants, from design to manufacture, from the way we deal with our partners, suppliers and customers, to the delivery of our products. We are committed to sustainability and an open mind to new business concepts! TENSAI FURNITURE has at its origins the will to reflect the concerns and needs of its customers, namely by its productive flexibility, quick response capacity and openness to new projects.

When we talk about Tensai Furniture plastic furniture we talk about…?

In general, talking about plastic furniture is talking about a product to which people associate an image that is sometimes less prestigious, a pre-formatted idea that is not representative of reality.

At TENSAI FURNITURE we present products with design and versatility that involve in their development a careful selection of materials and sustainable production processes. To talk about plastic furniture from TENSAI FURNITURE is to talk about an offer of products that are committed to being quality and reliable products for the most varied uses. We believe that plastic alone or combined with other materials will gain its space and, certainly, will have its image reinforced in relation to other materials. When we talk about TENSAI FURNITURE we are talking about a company aligned with the present, but unquestionably, a company committed to a future of plastic furniture.