In 1971, the twenty-seven year old furniture dealer, Ib Laursen took over the Ny Form business in Ribe, and fifty years later, the firm, under the name Ib Laursen ApS has grown to become one of the largest suppliers of handicrafts in Scandinavia.

Under the logo IB, the firm has become known all over the world, to both suppliers over all of Asia and customers in five thousand physical shops and online-shops in thirty countries around the world, and throughout the years, good sales acumen and a well-developed network have been the key to Ib Laursen’s success. In a loving and creative partnership with his wife, Tove Laursen, the firm achieved serious success in the eighties when they chose to sell their shops in Ribe and on Rømø to concentrate, instead, on the wholesale import of merchandise from Asia.

Ib Laursen became a pioneer in the market for the import of handicrafts - the first purchasing trip to China and Thailand was made in 1980, and included the purchase of cloth slippers, porcelain dolls, and stuffed toy animals. Shortly afterwards, Ib Laursen ApS moved to a warehouse and office building in Øster Vedsted, which forty years later has developed into ten large halls, 3500 items, and 15,000 square metres of warehouses, packing halls, and administration.

Throughout its fifty years, the company has been involved in many innovative projects. In 1976, Ib Laursen’s shop, Ribe Hawker Shop, was the first shop in Denmark which could be open on Sundays; from 1984 to 2003, they produced their own boiled sweets under the name Ribe Boiled Sweets. Since their first trade fair in 1978, they have developed their participation extensively to sixteen trade fairs over all of Europe. They have traded in antique furniture from China and developed four registered trademarks. In 2010, the brand Mynte® came into being, which today includes over three hundred stoneware items. In 2018, the wellness concept, ALTUM®, and the Christmas line, Stillenat® (Silent Night), were introduced, and the delicacy line, Proviant®, saw the light of day in 2019.

Changes have also taken place on a leadership level. In 2003, Ib and Tove Laursen’s son, Peter joined the firm as head of sales, after working for five years in Asia at, amongst other places, the Danish Embassy in Beijing and ISS in Kuala Lumpur, and in 2006 a change of generation took place. Peter Laursen became the managing director and Ib Laursen took over the post of senior advisor, but the values of the company remain the same.

“We really only just continue with that which we are good at and expand our service and concept to new markets. An important part of the DNA of our company is to provide a fantastic level of service. We devote a lot of energy to this, and it is fantastic to experience how many firm and loyal customers we have” Says Peter Laursen, who, since joining the company, has contributed to developing web sales and trade fair activities, both domestically and abroad.

In 2011, Ib Laursen received the “King Frederik IX Honorary Award” as a recognition of a meritorious effort for Denmark’s exports. In 2015, the firm was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the accounting firm, Ernst & Young, as the growth company of the year, and in 2020, they received the distinguished prize, Success Firm 2020, from Spar Nord and BDO.

In March of the same year, Ib Laursen’s new prizewinning administration building was completed; a 1300 square metre building in the style of a barn, with a large showroom, sustainable wooden cladding, and its own photovoltaic systems - but the family was not able to launch the beautiful building in the company of customers, cooperation partners, staff and friends of the house, because of COVID-19 restrictions. However, Peter, Ib, and Tove Laursen look forward to welcoming everyone back to celebrate both the new building and their proud 50-year anniversary as soon as restrictions allow.