1960 The first IKEA restaurant The first IKEA restaurant opens in the IKEA store in Älmhult, Sweden.
1961 Product testing begins IKEA begins quality testing its products using Swedish testing standards. To read more, please visit Products and materials.
ÖGLA chair on sale The ÖGLA cafe chair is launched with the IKEA concepts of form, function and price in mind. Today it is made of composite plastic for a modern look.
1962 Marian Grabinski designs the MTP bookcase The MTP bookcase is a contemporary classic and will see numerous imitations over the years. Developing this and other wooden products develops strong relationships between IKEA and Polish suppliers during the 1960s. These relationships continue today and are an important reason for IKEA maintaining low prices so that the many people can afford them.
1963 IKEA arrives in Norway The first IKEA store outside Sweden opens in Oslo.
1965 Largest IKEA store opens in Stockholm, Sweden Thousands of people stand in line for the opening of the 31,000 square meters flagship store, IKEA Kungens Kurva. The store has a circular design, inspired by New York's Guggenheim Museum. The store's success leads to the opening of a self-serve warehouse - an important part of the IKEA concept is born. Additionally, Accenten is opened, where customers can buy quality cooking items at a low price.
1968 Particleboard makes its mark This inexpensive, hard-wearing and easy-to-process material is a natural fit for IKEA. In 1969, the PRIVAT sofa is designed by architect Åke Fribryter. It has a particleboard base with a white lacquer finish and brown floral cretonne covers by textile artist Sven Fristedt. The straight lines, no-nonsense practicality and unbeatable low price are a tremendously successful combination.
1969 IKEA arrives in Denmark The first IKEA store opens in Copenhagen.
1973 IKEA arrives in Switzerland The first IKEA store outside Scandinavia opens in Zurich.
Denim used for furniture TAJT, a multifunctional seat/recliner, is one of many good examples of how IKEA sometimes does things differently. By using a low-cost raw material from another industry, in this case denim, a hard-wearing and low-priced product is created.
1974 IKEA arrives in Germany The first IKEA store opens in Munich. The success in Switzerland paves the way for a rapid expansion into Germany, which today is IKEA's largest market.
SKOPA chair raises eyebrows Choosing a manufacturer for the SKOPA chair, designed by Olle Gjerlöv-Knudsen and Torben Lind, is wonderfully simple, even if it raises a few eyebrows. SKOPA is developed by a supplier that usually makes plastic buckets and bowls, creating a chair in which form and function are not compromised by an unorthodox solution.
1975 IKEA arrives in Australia The first IKEA store opens in Sydney.
1976 IKEA arrives in Canada The first IKEA store opens in Vancouver.
POEM is launched (later known as POÄNG) Another IKEA classic is born, the comfortable armchair POEM made of laminated wood, which will later evolve into POÄNG.
The Testament of a Furniture Dealer Ingvar Kamprad writes The Testament of a Furniture Dealer and in 1976 it is published - it documents IKEA's vision and business idea and has a strong influence on the development and vitality of IKEA's culture.
1977 IKEA arrives in Austria The first IKEA store opens in Vienna.
1978 BILLY bookcase is born The BILLY bookcase is introduced into the range - an IKEA classic.
1979 IKEA arrives in the Netherlands The first IKEA store opens in Rotterdam. Read about the 1980s
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