On the right lines

The name says it all. Translated literally, Alinea means in line or linear, perhaps even straightforward. And the furniture that leaves Atelier Alinea in Heimberg near Thun is very definitely understated and fuss-free. In typography, however, Alinea also means to start a new line – and Atelier Alinea picks up on that thread as well. The evolution of objects is something the company cares deeply about. In that sense, you could say it likes to set its products on a new line, continuing to develop them until a texture emerges, a product family that is consistent within itself.

One of Atelier Alinea’s best sellers is its garden furniture collection, consisting of classics whose design goes back to the early 1960s. The garden table folds up for easy storage and is largely produced by hand. The tabletop is made of galvanised, powder-coated sheet steel and rests on a tubular steel frame with a hot-dip galvanised finish. A tubular steel frame also forms the backbone of the garden chairs’ construction. The seat, slatted back and armrests are made of weatherproof ash, available with a natural, impregnated finish or varnished in a choice of seven colours.

In Heimberg, the individual components are only put together. “But we take great care to ensure that the individual parts are produced and finished in the region wherever possible. The ash slats for the garden chairs, for instance, are cut to size in Brienz in the Bernese Oberland, and the tabletops are powder coated at a factory near Thun. It’s very important to us that as much Swiss craftsmanship as possible goes into our products,” says Manfred Jerney, who was production manager at Atelier Alinea AG for 17 years before taking over as director in September 2016.

Atelier Alinea AG is a manufacturing firm that grew out of Basel-based trading company Alinea AG. “Our close ties with the market mean we can pick up on customers’ needs directly and incorporate them in our ongoing developments. As a result, we’re always bang up to date,” says Manfred Jerney. AS

ATELIER ALINEA: Developing new ideas and making good products even better by adapting them to today’s needs – that’s the philosophy of Atelier Alinea AG. Based in Heimberg near Thun, the company attaches great importance to the longevity of its products. That’s why sustainable design, top-quality materials and sound workmanship are the cornerstones of its production policy.

Photos: malcolm “kazumi” maresca for Atelier Alinea

Atelier Alinea AG
Bernstrasse 229
3627 Heimberg
Tel. 0041 (0)33 438 32 72
Fax 0041 (0)33 438 32 71
info@atelieralinea.ch