Only months after Vivendo Group added DEX, another furniture company within its portfolio, Team Leader Emma Fenech Cefai explains to Business Today how the brands represented by the firm are not just eye candy, but also practical and convenient
When Ideacasa was conceived as an Italian furniture showroom ten years ago, little did its owners know that by 2008, their start-up business would grow into a fully-fledged furniture group – increasing its staff complement tenfold.
Now employing close to 80 people, the firm operates under the name Vivendo Group, incorporating within it low-cost furniture showroom Krea, doors and apertures suppliers Quadra, exclusive furniture company onepercent, the original Ideacasa, and the recently launched office décor one-stop-shop DEX.
The running of the latter showroom in Mdina Road has been entrusted to Team Leader Emma Fenech Cefai, who has been involved with the group since Ideacasa’s inception.
“DEX is a specialised outlet entirely focused on offering workspaces for office environments, including operational, management and directional stations,” Fenech Cefai said.
Offices and workstations used by the staff themselves are incorporated among the ware sold at the showroom, which is spread on two floors.
“Our idea was to create a dynamic showroom, and by using the office furniture ourselves, we get a first-hand experience of what it feels like to work in office spaces we supply,” she explained.
The DEX showroom in fact, looks like a tastefully designed office, with stock provided by the big names like Arcadia and Newform for reception, operational, clerical, managerial and executive workspaces; along with storage systems provided by Gurkan.
“Our wall systems and partitioning are also provided by Arcadia,” Fenech Cefai said as she demonstrated a transparent glass partitioning system that turns opaque at the push of a button.
“These partitioning systems are designed to suit the specific needs of a modern office, addressing the current need for businesses to react to issues of job mobility,” she said. “In work environments nowadays, people come and go, and with them, comes the need to changeover workspaces with staff growth or downsizing. The wall and partitioning systems we offer are specifically designed to address such needs. Their fixture or removal does not necessitate any drilling of holes.”
The flooring systems offered at DEX also address these needs, as the monotone sprayed floating parquet assembled at the Qormi showroom allows for all wiring to pass under the floors.
“The wiring then may be passed through the frames of our partitioning systems, since these allow total invisibility of wires needed for electricity, telephone or networks,” she said.
Hi-tech offices, however, come at a price.
“Not necessarily,” Fenech Cefai retorts. “While ensuring that quality is kept as the primary requirement of any brand we represent at DEX, we have also made it a point to offer medium-range office furniture apart from the top-of-the-range items. If on the other hand, a freelance worker would need to spend as little as possible on a workstation for his or her home, Vivendo also offers an extensive low-cost furniture range at Krea. Our client portfolio has become very extensive over time, and we attribute this to the fact that we provide quality products at a reasonable price, at a one-stop-shop.”
DEX have been chosen as the preferred bidders or suppliers for numerous high-end projects for big local names including APS Bank, European School of English, Lufthansa Technik, General Soft Drinks, Farsons plc, Go Mobile, Gasan Group, MCAST, Polidano Brothers, Malta Maritime Authority, Lighthouse Communications and Gozo Channel among others.
For further information Emma Fenech Cefai may be contacted at DEX, Mdina Road, Qormi on Tel: +356 2277 3000 or email [email protected]. The range offered at the showroom may be viewed at www.dex.com.mt
