A deep dive into commercial shelving

Manufactured in Auckland, New Zealand, and designed in Sweden, Lundia’s range of modular shelving brings a simple and highly sought-after Scandinavian minimalism to a space. Designed with premium quality and environmental standards in mind, Lundia keeps biophilia at the forefront of its design ethos and promises to create a unique and efficient shelving system perfectly tailored to your commercial needs.  

In this article, we speak to Wendy Claydon, Business Management Developer of Lundia, about the art of commercial shelving, its evolution over the years, and how it can truly transform your commercial space when designed correctly.

Speaking to Wendy, the decision to specialise in shelving for commercial spaces stemmed from an apparent market demand. 

“Since 1962, it was a product intended for commercial/retail and residential spaces,” explains Wendy. “There were a lot of paper and stock items that needed to be stored in commercial buildings, and our mobile storage was a product that offered space efficiency/our classic shelving could be used in a multitude of ways around an office/library or in a retail space and a design aesthetic that could be front or back of the house with the application of paints, stains and lacquers. It appeals to the designers as it offers a soft and warm biophilic solution instead of grey and industrial steel on the market.”

“No mass-produced adjustable modular timber shelving was available on the market in a sustainable wood like FSC-certified pine.”

Pine is known for its versatility and low carbon emissions, and offcuts of the material can often be repurposed into other products, naturally minimising waste and adhering to Lundia’s green design philosophy.

“Sustainably grown and sourced materials like FSC-certified pine have low carbon emissions, unlike imported products, and they rarely contribute to landfills. Pine can be repurposed and recycled into ottomans and soft furnishings, extending the material's life cycle; offcuts and pine wood chips can be used as firewood or around playground equipment.”

“Circular economy design is where it is at; the longer you can keep a product in circulation in the economy through great design, the better it is for the planet. A lot of fast furniture contributes to landfills, which is not economically sustainable for the planet. We also use Resene Low VOC water-based paints, stains and lacquers. Lundia’s unique shelf design in pine holds up to 200kg per shelf with a span of up to 1200mm, unlike inferior materials that tend to bow.”

Customisation plays a determining role in your shelving design, ensuring it maximises space efficiency and meets the specific needs of a commercial space.

“The Lundia range offers a wide variety of heights, depths, and widths together with the option of adding doors and drawers, enabling the designer or customer to build many different shelving and storage systems to suit all the different products they store across multiple areas in a commercial space,” says Wendy.

“From utility areas where paper, stationery and photocopiers are stored, to at the desk where you require bookcases and or cupboards and drawers or lockers. Above desk wall-mounted storage in kitchen areas or below for recycling bins and general waste. Lundia also manufactures kitchens for Casett, so we have a full commercial solution.”

“For back-of-house stock or marketing storage, using our Mobile storage or Classic Lundia shelving with all the different-size shelf depths and widths means you can hang uniforms and store items flat or in bins or boxes and cartons.”

“Boardroom credenzas, display cases, Veneer Tops and visible panels can be made by Lundia, as can Coat Cupboards for storing jackets/coats, shoes, laptops and personal items. We also have curved shelving and the option of adding castors for moveable shelving for libraries or commercial spaces.”

Lundia's bespoke furniture goes beyond shelving. Their soft seating range boasts comfort and functionality through expert craftsmanship. Designed using offcuts to create soft seating and ottomans, Lundia embodies a zero-waste philosophy, ensuring that every material serves a purpose.

“Lundia also has an in-house upholstery division. We use offcuts and recycled Lundia shelves to manufacture our soft seating and ottomans—nothing goes to waste at Lundia. Last year, we launched Coral soft seating in collaboration with Wisewool and Warwick Fabrics, our first commercial soft seating in-house design. We also manufacture bespoke one-off designs.”

One of the most important factors to consider overall is the maintenance and longevity of your product. Lundia provides shelving systems that require little maintenance without compromising on longevity. 

“The general rule is if the installation is done correctly, little to no maintenance is required. Depending on the finish, a wipe-down with a cloth is required for Lundia products.” 

“During the design phase, what is being stored is established, and then the correct finish to the pine is applied, whether natural pine with no finish, paint, stain, or clear lacquer for longevity.”

“We have waterproofing options for projects in highly humid and hot environments, such as schools that may be on islands and traditionally have no windows. To increase longevity in these environments, we use more durable lacquers, although we prefer to use Resene Low VOC water-based finishes.”

Discover how Lundia’s bespoke shelving solutions can transform your commercial space. Explore the range enquire through ArchiPro today.