Solutions for a Safe, Healthy and Productive Workplace

As we are all trying to navigate the current situation, offering employees a safe workplace to return to is at the top of employers’ priorities.

Essential measures such as physical distancing and increased cleaning and hand washing routines have now become the new norm.

While organisations such as Safe Work Australia and the World Health Organization recommend modifying office layouts to respect physical distance guidelines, they also acknowledge that spacial or task specific restraints mean that updating current furniture may not always be an option. In those instances, they suggest applying additional protective barriers such as screens or sneeze guards.

This is why we have developed a range of screen products that can be easily installed onto existing furniture, adding an extra layer of protection for employees and visitors.

From free standing solutions to clamp mechanisms and full screen systems, we can help you choose the right solutions for a safer workplace.

And the winner is....Vada!

We are very excited and proud to announce that Vada is a Good Design Award winner!

The prestigious award is known internationally and has been recognising excellence in design and innovation for over 60 years.

Hundreds of products entered the awards and were put through rigorous testing and a comprehensive evaluation process over the last few months.

The Good Design Awards Jury praised Vada, commenting: “A simple and elegant design, this product creates a nice backdrop for storage in an office environment. It's a good way to bring the efficiencies of shop fixtures and trade-show management into the home.”

Designed in-house and released earlier this year, our new storage and display system is highly flexible and customisable. Storage units, including floating shelves, open and hinge door cupboards, are slotted into one or multiple wall units creating a clean and minimalist storage piece. Cleverly engineered using the material’s natural strength, Vada uses minimum componentry and features a removable kickboard allowing access and mounting of electrical devices to the wall modules.

The simple yet refined system offers a highly flexible, interchangeable product locally made and available in a range of finishes well suited for storage and displays in executive offices, boardrooms and other commercial applications.

For more information on Vada, visit our website or contact our team.

Click here to check out the Good Design Award Winners.

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Vada - Shortlisted in the Good Design Awards

From its revolutionary design to its flexibility, our Vada storage and display system was shortlisted in the 2020 Good Design awards.

Respected internationally, the Good Design Awards is Australia’s oldest and most prestigious international Awards for design and innovation with over 60 years of history. The Awards celebrate the best new products and services on the Australian market and, in a new format this year, will be announcing the winners over 5 days throughout the 2020 Good Design Week from 7 to 11 September.

With hundreds of entries and rigorous testing by a panel of 55 expert judges, all products have been put through a comprehensive evaluation process over the last few months.

We can’t wait to find out who the winners are next week. Wish us luck!

To find out more and follow the winner announcements next week, visit the Good Design website below.

Krost - Celebrating 30 Years of Office Furniture Expertise

Starting as a small family business in 1989, Krost has flourished into a leading Australian commercial furniture supplier over the last 30 years. With a passion for office furniture spanning generations, Krost has always placed our customers at the heart of every decision we make.

We have kept learning, expanding and adapting to office and design trends, technological advancements and economic cycles and now have two state of the art showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne, local manufacturing and extensive warehousing facilities. We can help you find the right solution for any commercial space across Australia.

We’d like to thank our customers for their support over the years and wish for many more years of successful partnerships.

To learn more about our journey, watch our video.

Back To Work - Solutions for a Safe, Healthy and Productive Workplace

As we adapt to the new model of working, office design will be largely influenced by social distancing practices. Adhering to governmental and global health guidelines means current setups in the workplace may need to be reconfigured or new elements added, creating longer-term solutions for enhanced safety.

Through the evolving context of how we interact and the relationship to our workplace, our solutions are holistic and consider not only furniture, but also space, materials and wellbeing. Creating private, individual areas through visible defenses such as protective screens, partitions and furniture with highly cleanable properties, we are able to facilitate a safe and healthy environment for staff.

We’ve curated a collection of highly adaptable products with a focus on screens and partitions to help create spaces that are safe for people to interact comfortably and embrace new ways of working.

Know your surroundings, from Finishes to Fabrics.

Research is still ongoing as to how long viruses can live on various surfaces, with studies showing not all materials offer a lasting home for viruses. As we become more aware of the materials we use and touch on a daily basis, we begin to think about not only the aesthetic but the performance and cleanability. This is especially important on high contact surfaces within the workplace which includes desktops, tables, benches, seating and storage. 

With more and more manufacturers integrating antimicrobial technology inside their products, it can be easy to alter your current space to introduce such materials with this property for preventive measures. An antimicrobial finish is a chemical treatment applied to the material to inhibit the growth of micro-organisms, including bacteria, mold, and mildew. Although it does not kill viruses, it acts as a second layer of defense. 

Here we explore materials and coatings that reduce surface transmission of bacteria and viruses, from finishes to fabrics.

Finishes 

Studies have shown that the best practice is to regularly clean all surfaces with appropriate cleaning solutions and wash hands thoroughly, however some materials options have added properties worth considering.

1. Laminex - Absolute Matte

   Our premium Laminex Absolute Matte features natural silver ion antibacterial protection. Silver is a well-documented antimicrobial that has been shown to kill bacteria, fungi and certain viruses. The antimicrobial properties of AbsoluteMatte make it a hygienic choice for high traffic or higher risk areas such as offices, medical/aged care facilities, food preparation/service areas, communal spaces such as sports centres/libraries and education projects. 

   Available in black or white, this material can be used on desktops, tables, storage and screens. 

2. Porcelain and Terrazzo 

Our new porcelain and terrazzo tops offer similar properties to Absolute Matte and are a great option for high traffic environments such as hospitality, lunch and break out areas. The composition of terrazzo and porcelain are impermeable to dirt and liquid, due to its lack of grouts and joints. Both surfaces are easy to clean with any alcohol based disinfectant, adding to its anti-mildew and antibacterial properties. 

Fabrics:

Depending on the environment, proper material selection is essential. With the ever growing consciousness about textiles and their preventative properties or maintenance, we focus on smooth, impermeable surfaces and easy to clean fabrics.

When searching for materials for seating or screens, properties to consider include non-absorbent, durable, scrubbable surfaces and antimicrobial fabrics. 

1. Vinyl 

   Vinyl, as opposed to fabric, has the benefit of being moisture resistant and waterproof; therefore it is easily wipeable, cleanable and can be disinfected making it an ideal material for healthcare, hospitality, education and offices. Some vinyls are also treated with antimicrobial or antibacterial properties. 

2. Crypton

The current composition of Crypton has been perfected over the years and includes water-based antimicrobial and fluorochemical agents that fight bacteria and create a water and stain resistant surface.

The chemicals used in the manufacturing process will prevent bacteria from spreading. This is just one reason why it is a popular choice in offices, hospitals and other areas that experience a large amount of traffic. 

In addition to the above, fabric suppliers have also developed fabric treatments which can be applied to any textile. It works as a seal, applied throughout the fibres to exhibit antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal properties. 

Have a chat with us today about how to customise your space and furniture to facilitate a safe and healthy workplace.

Krost's Latest Products Featured in Indesign Magazine

From our new Elki range of workstations, tables, and desks, to our new hospitality offering, office chairs and lounges, our latest products cover all the needs of the commercial industry with a touch of residential flair.

Featured in the latest copy of Indesign magazine, also available online, our new additions respond to the need for more biophilic design elements in the office.

The full page feature highlights the diversity of the range and our long standing expert experience of over 30 years in the commercial furniture industry.

Discover our new 2020 product range here and flick through Indesign online magazine below.

https://readymag.com/p7765700

Featured Products

Our 2020 Catalogue Makes the Headlines

The recent launch of our 2020 catalogue has been celebrated by the Australian Design Review, Australia’s leading design website.

From its six cover variations to over 20 new product ranges launched this year, ADR commends our 31st edition for “capturing the essence of the design trends”.

From inspiring in-situ renders to new collections responding to the need for biophilic design and breakout spaces, our catalogue has undergone a complete redesign and we cannot wait for you to see it.

Check out ADR article here and visit our website to order your copy of the catalogue or view it online.

A NSW Government approved supplier for furniture and bushfire affected communities (SCM0771 & SCM8271)

We’re an approved supplier on the following government contracts:

• SCM0771 - NSW Government and Department of Education under the Office Furniture Scheme. We are an advanced supplier on this scheme and can deliver and install office furniture across all areas of NSW, rural and metro up to any value. 

• SCM8371 - Under the Bushfire-affected Communities Rebuild Portal scheme we can provide goods and/or services to the most hard hit areas in the bushfire crisis of early 2020. 

Additional Certifications

We are pleased to announce that our Hana, Sonic and Alex chairs now hold blue Australian Furniture Research & Development Institute (AFRDI) certifications. 

View our full range of AFRDI Blue and Green Tick certified products here.

In order to achieve the Level 6 certificate of the AFRDI Standard 4438:1997 - Height Adjustable Swivel Chairs, these products have been put forward for rigorous commercial testing and have successfully met all of the requirements of strength, durability, stability, function, flammability, reasonable finish and workmanship. 

AFRDI is an organisation that provides standards, testing, product certifications and research for buyers and sellers of furniture based in Australia and New Zealand. 

We are also proudly ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certified demonstrating our commitment to best practice and sustainable business practices. 

View our full product range here. 

Have you Received your Copy of our 2020 Catalogue?

With more than 20 new product ranges this year, we have expanded our collection with a new workstation, desk and table range, a myriad of new chairs, some new coffee tables and many more exciting additions.

Emphasising the need for and benefits of biophilic design elements in the workplace, our new ranges reference nature through materials such as wood, terrazzo and Carrara porcelain to name a few.

With many of our products also suited to the hospitality industry, we are well equipped to furnish all commercial furniture spaces.

Working from Home? Take our Showroom Virtual Tour

Whilst our Sydney HQ and Melbourne showroom both remain open and are staffed with a skeleton team ready to help, we understand that, given the current situation, many of us are working from home and are trying our best to minimise the number of outings we undertake each day to help slow the spread.

If you are looking for office furniture and would like to see our complete offering from the comfort of your current work space, our showroom virtual tours are here to help.

SYDNEY

MELBOURNE

COVID-19 UPDATES

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve affecting our daily lives, including the way Australians work and run businesses.

The health and safety of our customers and employees are our priority. We are constantly monitoring the situation and following the latest government recommendations.

We will keep you updated on the latest changes and measures put into place on this page as the situation continues to develop and new decisions are being made. You can bookmark this page to find out more about the ever changing situation or contact us on 1800 1KROST or email us at sales@krost.com.au.

We wish you and your loved ones health and safety during these uncertain times.

22/04 - Update

All our services continue to operate and we are able to assist and supply our customers within our usual lead times. Precautionary measures are still in place to help keep our customers and employees safe.

Our showrooms in both Sydney and Melbourne are open to the public where social distancing measures are in practice.

Our factory, warehouse and operations (including drivers and installers) are still in full effect.

If you are unable to visit our showrooms, we also have a virtual tour available here where you can immerse yourself in our entire range from the comfort of your home or office.

31/03 - Update

In an effort to minimise the spread of the virus, following the delivery or installation of furniture, our teams will now be signing our electronic devices on behalf of our customers with their approval.

Additionally, the number of employees working from home has been increased to only leave a skeleton sales staff within our showrooms. All administrative functions are working from home.

If your office building is closed, please contact us to re-organise deliveries and installations. All manufacturing and current orders are on schedule.

26/03 - Update

Our NSW and VIC showrooms remain open with a split sales team ready to help and support our clients. Social distancing measures have been implemented and practiced by all our staff since 16/03. Both employees and customers are strongly encouraged to use hand sanitiser put at their disposal throughout the showroom and offices. .

The rest of our team for whom working from the office/showroom is not essential to their role, has been working from home since last week.

Our delivery and installation teams are all equipped with hand sanitiser, masks and gloves and are minimising contact with other on-site personnel.

16/03 - Update

As we continue to monitor and act on the impacts of COVID-19 through the guidance issued by the Australian Government Department of Health and the World Health Organisation, whilst our showrooms remain open and operations continue to run, we have enforced precautionary measures to help keep our employees and customers safe.

Click on our COVID-19 Policy below to find out more about the strategy Krost is implementing during this unprecedented time.