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Odense and Funen have many expertises in many different fields. Funen is e.g. known as a green island both when it comes to nature as well as in the field of agriculture and floriculture. Funen has a large share of greenhouses producing both flowers and vegetables.
Actually Funen has the largest cluster of horticulture, floriculture and seed production in Denmark. Among those is PKM, Odense's largest greenhouse complex, producing approx. 20 million pot plants a year of which approx. 90% is exported to the European market. The products are marketed under the trademark Fairytale flowers®.
Every year Odense hosts a large Flower Festival with a large variety of flowers sponsored by the pot plants producers on Funen. This year the theme will of course be “The treasures of China”.
Danish Design
The world renowned brand of Danish design is known for the way its combines design with functionality and innovation.
One of the most famous figures in Danish design is Hans Wegner. Wegner-furniture is produced in Odense. The large factory Carl Hansen & Son has since 1950 crafted a wide range of other Wegner chairs and tables. Many of these have achieved status of as collectors’ items and design icons in their own right. Today, Carl Hansen & Son is lead by Knud Erik Hansen, grandson of the founder. The third-generation company still produces these everlasting designs according to the strictest quality and environmental standards, with exports throughout the world. A selection of furniture can be seen at the pavilion.
Another area of great expertise is combining environmental thinking with design. One of the Danish companies carrying this legacy is Damixa. Damixa is the marked leader in Denmark on the production of water taps. Damixa has its head quarters in Odense, where research, development and design are concentrated. Subsidiaries are organised in Germany, Sweden, Benelux, Russia and a strong network of own agents world-wide, introducing Damixa water taps in Europe, CIS-countries, the United States of America and Asia.
A new area, in which Danish design has progressed, is the fashion and clothing industry. In Odense you will find the company Kansas working in this field. Kansas is part of the Kwintet Group purchased in 2005 by investment banker Industri Kapital, creating the largest work wear group in Europe. Kansas has developed a whole new line of clothing for the Odense pavilion, demonstrating how comfort, leisure and design can be combined in modern work ware.
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