Ed

ition

20

18 ©

Zym

bio

z I Grap

hic D

esign

perlag

rafica.b

e WWW.ZYMBIOZ.BE

DR

EA

MS

CO

ME

TR

UE

- LOO

KB

OO

K 2

018

ZYMBIOZ is not just a sophisticated interior furniture collection, it is much more than that. ZYMBIOZ fulfils your ultimate interior dreams, where conviviality and comfort converge. The symbiosis of warm, natural wood and unembellished, sturdy materials occupy central stage at ZYMBIOZ.

We are responsible for the lives of our children and the future generations. Therefore, we only produce furniture of the highest quality with utmost respect for nature. ZYMBIOZ hopes that you enjoy our furniture just as much as we enjoy making it!

DREAMS COME TRUE

3 2

ABOUT ZYMBIOZ

LIVING AND DINING

SEATING

ZYMBIOZ AND ITS GROUP OF DESIGNERS

MAINTENANCE: WOOD, METAL AND CERAMICS

Our top stylist Willem-Hans

gives his point of view on the

interior trends of the moment.

Style your interior according

to these two hip trends:

Industrial loft style and the

importance of texture.

The Wings table has won a

Red Dot Award, one of the

most prestigious awards in

the design world. Designer,

Gust Koyen, talks passionately

about his design.

Carl Mintjens and Edward

Mintjens tell you more

about their company vision

and eye on the future.

COLOFON:

Published by:Mintjens GroupMeirenstraat 82390 WestmalleBelgium

Graphic Design: perla graficaText & coördination: Greet Lemmens

Stockpictures:Shutterstock

All information is subject to

printing and typographical

errors.

Content

6-11

74-75

76-7774-75

12-82

83-87

88-89

90-91

EXCITING INTERIOR TRENDS

MAGIC TABLE SCORES

A FAMILY BUSINESS WITH REAL VALUES

26-29

5 4

About Zymbioz

Zymbioz respect natureRESPECTING THE ENVIRONMENT FROM A TO ZYMBIOZ.

The carefully selected wood is sourced only from sustainably managed forests.

Our products are manufactured using 100% renewable energy.

All the energy that is consumed in the industrial process is generated by 15.000 m2 solar panels.

The water used in the production process is filtered to have 0% impact on the environment.

The wood waste is recycled and used as biomass to generate heat and electricity for the whole company.

7 6

Made in Belgium with passion for woodFrom the very first rough

sketch on paper to the

delivery of the completed

furniture, every step is

taken by people with great

passion for woodwork and

interior design. Day after

day, these employees

put their heart and soul

into the production of

premium oak products.

Meet some of our

colleagues with a great

devotion for wood.

Made in Belgium isn’t

just some catch-phrase;

it stands for quality, ex-

pertise, punctual delivery

and reliable service.

8 9

ZYMBIOZ is always on the

look-out for the newest

technologies to create an

affordable, high-quality

and attractive product. The

wood used to manufacture

the oak furniture is carefully

selected in order to achieve

the very best results.

Our own sawmill dries more

than 13.000 m2 of timber

using natural techniques

in order to guarantee the

highest quality.

100% quality

11 10

Nice outside and inside

MODERN DESIGN OUTSIDE, ORGANISED SIMPLICITY INSIDE.

LivingandDining

13 12

15 14

The comfortable Insight sofas have been

designed specifically for this interior collec-

tion. They offer a perfect match or ‘symbiosis’

between pure and timeless design and high

quality and luxurious fabrics. We know that

our Insight designers did a great job.

Sit downand relax with

Insight

17 16

Peace of mind

Isn’t it great to have all your things neatly arranged

and organized? Stuff no longer toppling over or hiding

in the back corners of your drawers. Not only do you

save lots of time, but you have the great bonus of

added peace of mind.

AFTER

BEFORE

19 18

The best of both worlds

Appreciate Italian class in the modern design of CASCADE, whilst enjoying the natural touch

of beautiful oak. This unique combination of real wood, steel and frosted glass works perfectly

together in CASCADE.

21 20

FROM L to XXL

This dining table can be extended to provide space for an

additional four people in a flash thanks to the magically easy-

to-slide internal extension leaf.

BLACK WHITE

23 22

“Elegance

is the

only beauty

that never

fades.”

- Audrey Hepburn -

25 24

If you could really dream. What would you still like to achieve in your career?

Oops, I have just learned not to look too far ahead! (laughs). If I put my work in a broader perspective, I try to make the world a little bitmore beautiful through concepts and styling. I believe that a beautiful environment brings us closer together and can give a real “homely” feeling.

When did you discover your passion for design?

I grew up in a parsonage with around a dozen rooms. Each piece of furniture carries a piece of history and tells the story of previous genera-tions or stylistic periods. As a child, the furniture often made me dream of the past and I made up stories about how the furniture was made and where it came from. I am convinced that my sense of style and space comes from that.

Where do you get your inspiration?

Obviously I browse through a lot of magazines and I regularly visit trade shows, but often clichés are magnified here. My inspiration comes from real people in my environment or from the street, their stories, way of life and thinking inspire me. Why does someone prefer a rural or urban style? Does clothing tell you something about a person’s interior? Or how do you com-bine a practical family life with a stylish interior? These are all questions that occupy me daily.

What do you love most about your job?

Creating is often very liberating and addictive. I am most happy when something was successful

and this is also experienced in the same way by the customer or end user!

Are there certain rules that you stick to when styling somebody’s interior?

It is extremely important that the customer rec-ognises themselves if I am developing something for them, that the interior suits their personality and style. I do not have to live there; it is my task to coordinate everything nicely in the available space. What I personally experience as nice is of-ten subordinate because personal taste is often difficult to discuss.

What tips can you give to the readers for their own interior?

Stay true to your personal taste and seek help if you cannot work it out yourself! This protects you against bad buys or items that do nothing for the space. Cut, tear and collect all the images that inspire you in a file or box and take these to someone who can translate it into your space. A space is successful if we experience it as a whole, when all elements are coordinated.

Do you have a life motto?

The things that are really valuable in your life...

You do not own them, but you love them!

Personal taste is difficult to discuss

Interview Interview

Willem-Hans is the creative brain behind the styling and concept

creation of Zymbioz. He makes sure that the picture is perfect.

Willem-Hans has been a renowned stylist for different interior brands

for many years now. We asked him a couple of questions:

Name: Willem-Hans Beens

Nationality: The Netherlands

Profession: Stylist Zymbioz

The things that are

really valuable in

your life... You do

not own them,

but you love them!

I believe that a beautiful

environment brings us closer

together and can give a real

“homely” feeling.

27 26

Industrial loft

Tactile sense: A rich mixture of textures

Modern living with rough edges.

Materials such as wood and steel are

combined with powerful shapes and

textured surfaces. But always keep in

mind; less is more.

Trend 1 Trend 2

Mix and match several

different kind of materials

and textures. The touch and

feel is priority number one in

today’s interior. Experience

the interesting contrasts of

“warm” materials such as

wood and textile with “cold”

materials such as marble,

bronze or metal.

29 28

Nordic, Italian or oriental

30 31

My home is my office

Working at home becomes much more pleasant with a desk from the Bloom collection.

The desk not only looks pretty, it is also very practical to use. Cables from computers or chargers are

all nicely hidden in the back of the desk. The drawer extends fully for maximum access for extra space

easing the storage of documents or writing materials. In short, it’s the ideal partner in your workspace.

33 32

35 34

Silk BrownS4

Silk BlackS5

Silk WhiteS1

6 WOOD COLOURS

Silk WhiteWashS8

Silk NaturalS2

Silk GreyS3

5 COLOURS FOR THE METAL CUBES

Choose the colour of the open-backed or closed-backed cubes*

Choose the colour of each drawer

Choose the colour of the wood

*option

Minimalistic design, maximal possibilities

4 DRAWER

COLOURS

Traffic

White

Oxide

Red

Azure

Blue

Glacial

Grey

Organic

Green

White

Grey

Taupe

Anthracite

37 36

WALL RACK

WARDROBE

WALLRACK+ DRAWER

Perfect in every room

39 38

“Modern craftmenship with a vintage touch”

Cloud 41 40

“Rediscover the essence of quality”

43 42 Cloud

Cloud 45 44

47 46

OVI

Unique and pure

The Ovi collection is characterised by its organic, oval form. Not only the table top,

but also the legs are cut in oval shapes, which gives the collection its very own,

elegant personality.

49 48

OVI 51 50

Elegance

with a

strong

edge

52 53

54 55

The wood used for Brooklyn is character oak

veneer. Made using a unique process that

renders the look and feel of old oak beams.

This authentic look shows the characteristic

cracks and knots which are unique to a

natural product like oak.

Wood full of character

56 57

Dinner’s ready!

Thanks to the innovative mechanism

you can extend the Brooklyn table by

100 cm in a snap. The extension leaf is

nicely hidden to maintain the modern

design of the Brooklyn table.

+100 cm

1.

2.

3.

58 59

aMazing tables

THE FASTEST OPENING DESIGN TABLES IN THE WORLD

Amazing tables

60 61

RED DOT, GREAT PATENT

Wings has a unique patented opening system which is licensed to selected furniture producers.

The technological process and the skill of creating a purely solid oak table with this complexity

earned a Red Dot Award.

NORDIC LOOK, GREAT PRICE

We have opted to create a beautiful combination of solid natural oak legs with a white tabletop

that gives the table a unique Scandinavian look.

WINGS 4 SECONDS62 63

Graphic Design

Plyer

The Plyer collection is based on a pleated shape that starts

from a straight line and ends in a 90-degree corner. This

gives the table a stately personality and it fills your room

with great bravado!

64 65

“Made by nature”

Discover the power of nature. This solid walnut collection shows the

purity of real wood in combination with elegant design. Even the

metal legs are inspired by nature as they refer to tree branches.

M a i n e66 67

M a i n e68 69

“Solid wood in its most attractive form”M a i n e70 71

Multi-functional eye-catcher

The eye-catcher of the

Feliz range is, undoubtedly,

the “intelligent room-

divider”. This rack has

been designed in a way

that you can choose the

height, the number of

boxes and the dimension

of the boxes to suit your

own taste. The boxes slide

in the shelves so that you

can choose the direction of

the fronts. This makes the

rack suitable as a wall unit,

as well as a nice room-

divider in an open space.

72 73

Name: Gust Koyen

Nationality: Belgium

Profession: Designer Zymbioz

Red Dot Award winner Wings Table

THE FOUR SECONDS TABLE

Text: Citta Kempen GVA - Chris Segers

The Wings table has won a Red Dot Award, which is one of the most pres-

tigious awards in the design world. The table was selected from fewer than

5,000 entries in the category of Product Design. What makes Wings so spe-

cial is that it spreads its wings within four seconds or rather, is transformed

from a rectangular to a round or oval table. Thus ideal for those who do not

have much space, but are often in need of a large table.

Interview Interview

He won two prestigious awards with his Wings table, but Gust Koyen (50) from Hoogstraten (Belgium) remains very modest. The twinkle in his eyes as he talks about his design reveals that he nevertheless enjoys the success. Gust is in-house designer at Mintjens Group “Together with Bart Coolen, our Chief Designer, I design the collections. Each year we create new models for the bedroom and the dining room.”

SOMETIMES ROUNDThe first design of Gust’s table was a hit immediately. Gust created a smart table. It is made of solid oak, rectangular and can be made round in just four seconds. “I called my design ‘sometimes round’ (in Dutch ‘soms rond’). I thought that sounded good”, says Gust. But we wanted a name that would catch on interna-tionally. Ultimately, we chose Wings. “I believe that it was one of our sales people who came up with this name. He said that it is a table that spreads its wings.” And Wings was flying high straightaway. Two months after the launch Gust’s table wins the Innovation Award at the renowned international furniture fair in Shanghai, China. And later in 2017 Gust was amongst the lucky ones again. His table won a Red Dot Award in Essen (Germany). And Wings was flying high straightaway.

A table that spreads its wings.

74 75

77 76

THE FOUR SECOND TABLE

Text: Citta Kempen GVA - Chris Segers

Interview Interview

The Mintjens Group has been designing and manufacturing wooden furniture for almost 60 years. What has changed over the course of this period, and what has remained the same?

In recent years the furniture industry has evolved enormously. In the eighties and nineties, there were only about ten major players in the market and products were mainly produced and sold lo-cally. Nowadays, the world has shrunk to the size of a peanut. In just a few hours you travel to the other side of the world, and your smartphone has become your organiser, computer and cam-era. Just to show that it has become much easier to buy from, and sell to, foreign companies.

In addition, customers have become more de-manding and articulate, and they are right. This is due to the fact that there is simply much more available supply. Fortunately, at Mintjens Group we stay with solution-oriented thinking, and the relationship with our customers is central. Being a Belgian company through and through, this is also one of our greatest assets.Innovation is becoming increasingly important. Today, there is absolutely no room for standing still. Not only in terms of product development or at production-technical level, but also in terms of presentation and communication.

The head office of the Mintjens Group is located near Antwerp, Belgium. What are the advantages of this location?

It is not the location but our employees who make the difference. Whether the customer speaks Dutch, French, English or German, our staff always address the customer personally,

and in his or her own native language. Because we mainly produce in Belgium, we ensure correct delivery times and a fast and reliable service.

Environment-neutral manufacturing processes, energy efficiency, sustainability and ethical working conditions are at the moment very important topics. Can Mintjens Group keep up?

Absolutely. Respect for Mother Nature is central at all times. Not only do we care deeply about our products, the entire production process is important. That is why we are very choosy about our choice of materials. For example, the wood has been carefully selected and only comes from sustainably managed forests. The oils and paints we use meet the most stringent standards. In addition, our entire production process runs on renewable energy.More than 90% of our products are manu- factured in Belgium, the remaining 10% of production takes place in other European countries. In this way, we guarantee high quality and good working conditions, because we believe that proper ethical values and standards are more important than profiting from low-wage countries.

Zymbioz, a brand-new shop concept Zymbioz is a carefully considered shop concept of the Mintjens Group,

where experience is of central importance. A sophisticated selection

of furniture from the wide range of different brands offered by the

Mintjens Group play a main role. We asked Carl Mintjens (CEO) and

Edward Mintjens (commercial director) a few questions.

Name: Carl en Edward Mintjens

Nationality: Belgium

Profession: CEO & Commercial Director

Today, there is absolutely no room for standing still.

We believe that proper

ethical values are more

important than profiting

from low-wage countries.

79 78

Graphic design WITH AN ARCHITECTURAL EDGE

The Taille collection certainly lives up to its name. It has a distinctive architectural character.

A play of graphic, pure lines results in a unique design.

81 80

83 82

Seating

COWBOYCOWBOYCOWBOY Range of leather looks:

COWBOY

CRUSH

VINTAGE

BORA

SCARLET (CAT. E)

BREAK

LIVORNOLIVORNO

BREAK BREAK Range of fabrics:

BREAK

LIVORNO

MAGIA (CAT. I)

LANOSO (CAT. F)

ERICA (CAT. F)

CRUSH CRUSH CRUSH

VINTAGE

BORA

VINTAGEVINTAGE

BORA

SCARLET

VINTAGE

BORA

SCARLET SCARLET

85 84

At Zymbioz we carefully selected the most beautiful and qualitative materials for your chairs.

Our range exists out of different types of leather, leather looks and fabrics, each with its

own look and feel. We present a couple of examples of each range:

LIVORNO

MAGIA

LANOSO

Range of leathers:TOLEDO

TOLEDOTOLEDOTOLEDO

In every color & flavor

MAGIA

LANOSO

MAGIA

LANOSO

ERICA ERICAERICA

Chairs à la carte

2

6

7

8

5

4

3

10 1211 13 14 15 16 17

1. N° 50: LIVORNO

2. PLYER: CAT A / B / C / D / E / F / G / H / I / LEATHER

3. TAILLE: CAT A / B / C / D / E / F / G / H / I / LEATHER

4. OVI: CAT A / B / C / D / E / F / G / H / I / LEATHER

5. N° 67: LIVORNO

6. N° 68: LIVORNO

7. N° 70: BORA /CRUSH / VINTAGE / BREAK / TOLEDO

8. N° 71: BORA / CRUSH / VINTAGE / BREAK / TOLEDO

9. N° 80: BORA / CRUSH / VINTAGE / BREAK / TOLEDO

10. N° 82: BORA / CRUSH / VINTAGE / BREAK / TOLEDO

11. N° 86: BORA / CRUSH / VINTAGE / BREAK / TOLEDO

12. N° 52: LIVORNO

13. N° 88: LIVORNO

14. N° 51: LIVORNO

15. N° 87: LIVORNO

16. TRIANGLE: CAT A / B / C / D / E / F / G / H / I / LEATHER

17 . N° 53: LIVORNO

1

9

87 86

Meet our designers

Mathias De Ferm (1985) studied product devel-

opment at the Antwerp University College and

furniture design at the Catholic University Col-

lege in Mechelen. Because he wanted to learn

more about different materials and techniques,

he also obtained diplomas in metalwork and

woodwork.

In 2010, Mathias decided to launch his own busi-

ness as an independent designer. Meanwhile. He

has been honoured with multiple awards.

Axel Enthoven (1947) is a Belgian designer of

a wide range of objects. He graduated as an in-

dustrial designer from the Academy for Industrial

Design in Eindhoven. Subsequently, he studied at

a Japanese design school, the Salesian Technical

College in Tokyo.

In 1970 he started working as an independent

designer. In 1972 he became a professor at the

National Higher Institute for Civil Engineering

and Urban Development in Antwerp (which

would later become the Henry Van de Velde

institute and has now been merged with the

Artesis University College).

Gust Koyen (1965) studied woodwork at VITO

in Hoogstraten. In addition to his specialisation

in stylish furniture, he also discovered he had a

passion for sculpting.

In 1986, he started working for the Mintjens

Group as a mechanic. Following a great career

path, he made it all the way to house designer

with the R&D department in 2013.

Bart Coolen (1963) studied Industrial Design &

Product Development at the Catholic University

of Limburg where he achieved a Master’s degree

in Product Design.

He is also a juror for IKO, the School of Arts in

Hoogstraten. In addition, he has a passion for

photography and a keen eye for spotting upcom-

ing talent. He also supports young designers who

are taking their first steps into the world of interi-

or design at Mintjens Group.

DESIGNER Axel Enthoven

DESIGNER Gust Koyen

DESIGNER Bart Coolen

DESIGNER Mathias Deferm

“As an Industrial designer, my

goal is always to design a

product that is much more than

just aesthetically pleasing.

Ergonomics, manufacturability,

functionality, sustainability,

and timelessness are always

my challenge.

“Every piece of furniture starts

from a wild idea, a vague

sketch, or a specific need.

A strong design is one that

makes you fall in love with it

the minute you see it, combined

with useful functionality and

technological feasibility.

“The trick is to reflect

functionality, technique and

ergonomics in an aesthetic

way in a piece of furniture.

These are the aspects that,

in combination with pure and

minimalistic lines, characterise

a great design.”

89 88

“Gust’s designs always

start from a technical

perspective. How does a

certain mechanism work,

or how can we combine tech-

nical innovation with design in

such a way that they reinforce

one another?

MAINTENANCE OAK WOOD

Oak is a natural product with a long history, one that

precedes its use as furniture. Every oak tree has its

own story, because they are all subject to different

fluctuations in temperature, light, and humidity. This

makes every grain, colour shade, or gnarl different, and

that is what makes every piece of furniture unique.

We colour and treat our furniture as efficiently and

sustainably as possible. However, oak wood is and will

always remain a ‘living’ natural product, so the colours

will keep evolving through the years because of the

light and humidity. After all, just like you and me, your

furniture goes through a natural ageing process.

Oak is a type of wood with course pores. So always be

careful not to use too much water. You can clean solid

oak with a wrung out, clean cloth that has been soaked

in water. Always remove stains as quickly as possible to

prevent permanent damage to the surface.

Never use ‘miracle products’, sprays, detergents,

polishing agents, sandpaper, steel wool, or corrosive

products because they erode layers of varnish.

Oak table tops are subject to the levels of humidity in

the air. If humidity is too high, the wood will expand. If

it is too low, the wood will shrink. Consequently, cracks

may arise in the table top and/or the wood may bend.

Ensure a constant degree of humidity in the room where

your table and/or chairs are located. The ideal humidity

degree is 50-60%. A water pot or humidifier next to the

central heating is a very good start.

Varnish and paint are not scratch-resistant. Over time, a

patina effect (slightly shiny) will occur in certain places

through the natural traces of use.

Never place hot objects such as a cooking pot, oven

dish or coffee mugs directly on your table top.

Protect your table from direct sunlight. Exposure to

sunlight will make the oak dry out, but it will also affect

the colour of the table top.

MAINTENANCE METAL

Powder coating, brushed or polished stainless steel,

and brushed or polished aluminium all require very

little maintenance. Just some weekly dusting and, if

necessary, cleaning with a wrung-out microfiber cloth

or soft sponge soaked in lukewarm water and a little

detergent will do the trick.

Be sure to use the mildest cleaning products. For

example: never use cleaning agents that contain

abrasive substances. These products leave behind

irreparable scratches. Be very mindful of solvents,

alkaline substances, salty or acidic substances too.

Vinegar, lemon juice, acetone, ammonia and iodine, for

example, may damage the base. Make sure to clean the

base immediately after contact with such substances.

Any residue of cleaning agents can be removed with a

microfibre cloth and clean water, after which you dry

the surface with a different, dry and well-absorbent

cloth. Keep in mind that there should be no moisture

left behind. Metal is not scratch-free, beware of sharp

objects!

MAINTENANCE CERAMIC

A ceramic table top is perfect for dining in ease and

comfort. No need to panic if you spill a glass of red wine,

coffee, spaghetti sauce, oil, butter ... on the table top. A

ceramic table top is impermeable and therefore ex-

tremely hygienic and easy to maintain. The top can

be cleaned in no time with a sponge or brush and

soapy water.

Note, ceramic is a strong material but not unbreakable!

If a hard object falls on the tabletop, it may cause

irreparable cracks.

Recyclable

Stain resistant

Thermal Shock resistant

Chemical resistant

Scratch resistant

Extra care and love

91 90