Founder Ingvar Kamprad ( 英格瓦 · 坎普拉德 ) Born:1926/3/30 He established IKEA in Sweden in 1943 when he was just 17 years old.

History The following history shows how over six decades IKEA went from the woods of southern Sweden to being a major retail experience in 40 countries/territories around the world.

1920s At the age of five Ingvar Kamprad starts selling matches to his nearby neighbours By the time he is seven, he starts selling further afield, using his bicycle. He finds that he can buy matches in bulk cheaply in Stockholm and re-sell them individually at a very low price but still make a good profit. From matches he expands to selling flower seeds, greeting cards, Christmas tree decorations, and later pencils and ball-point pens.

1940s-1950s The roots of a furniture dealer. Ingvar Kamprad is entrepreneurial in developing IKEA into a furniture retailer. This period sees the exploration of furniture design, self assembly, advertising, the use of a catalogue and a showroom to reach the many people.

1960s-1970s The IKEA concept starts to take shape. New IKEA stores open and hero products are developed. It is a time where concept takes shape and is documented in Ingvar Kamprad's The Testament of a Furniture Dealer.

1980s IKEA expands dramatically into new markets such as USA, Italy, France and the UK. More IKEA classics arrive. IKEA begins to take the form of today's modern IKEA.

1990s IKEA grows even more. Children's IKEA is introduced and the focus is on home furnishing solutions to meet the needs of families with children. The IKEA Group is formed and responsibility for people and the environment is seen as a prerequisite for doing good business.

2000s IKEA expands into even more markets such as Japan and Russia. Everything for the bedroom and kitchen is explored and presented in co-ordinated furnishing solutions. This period also sees the successes of several partnerships regarding social and environmental projects.

Current Top Manager Mikael Ohlsson (President & CEO) Awards ： IKEA was named one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers in 2004 and 2005 by Working Mothers magazine. IKEA ranked 96 in Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2006 Mission Statement: IKEA's mission is to offer a wide range of home furnishing items of good design and function, excellent quality and durability, at prices so low that the majority of people can afford to buy them

Vision & Business Idea IKEA ’ s vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. IKEA ’ s business idea supports this vision by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.

Major Line of Business: furniture & household items Location & Subsidiaries ： As of August 2010, there are IKEA stores in more than 38 countries, with 280 stores in 26 countries belonging to the IKEA Group. Staff Size ： 123,000 (2009) Markets ： Mainly in Europe