SmirnovDesign and Design Continuum Enter Partnership

The alliance offers unique services to Russian industry that combines international expertise with local presence. Continuum has the capabilities to help define business and design strategies for the Russian market that are sound and strong, comparable to those applied in the western world and in Asia and focused on business success.

Services that will be provided through the partnership include:

o in-context design research
o product strategy consulting
o industrial design
o product engineering (mechanics, electronics, software, optics)
o design for manufacturing
o tooling for injection molded parts
o product launch support
o brand strategy
o communication design

The relationships between the two firms are managed by Ekaterina Khramkova for SmirnovDesign and Wolfgang Obermeier for Design Continuum. Please contact them for further details (below).

”We’re excited to have signed this alliance with Smirnov Design” says Wolfgang Obermeier, a Director of Design Continuum Italy. “Together we have the opportunity to demonstrate to the Russian market that design is not just a matter of beauty and function but how design truly acts as a strategic driver in business, holds the power to create new markets, differentiates companies from competitors and helps achieve measurable success”.

With Continuum as an alliance partner Smirnov Design has access to over 100 professionals in the area of business strategy consulting, market research, consumer research, industrial design, product engineering, brand development and architecture. Furthermore Smirnov Design can now help Russian companies to develop and grow their brand by ensuring that all touch points with the consumer are well designed and aligned to support their envisioned business strategy.

“This agreement will ensure a reputation of SmirnovDesign as a leader on the Russian market of product design”, - said Sergey Smirnov, founder of SmirnovDesign. "Today, together with Design Continuum, we are ready to meet challenges of the global economy. Having successful experience of working with leading Russian brands competing both with Chinese and Western brands for the Russian market, we are aimed at creating not only a “shape” of the product, but also a successful business strategy, at the core of which are such soft issues, as unmet customer needs and brand touch points. We strongly believe in vast experience and competencies of Design Continuum particularly in this area”, emphasized Sergey Smirnov.

SmirnovDesign is a design company based in Moscow founded in 1994 by Sergey Smirnov with a focus on Industrial Design and Mechanical Engineering. An associated company SmirnovTechnology, established in 2003, has grown into one of the leaders on the Russian market of mould tool manufacturing and plastic injection moulding. Today, together with SmirnovTechnology, Smirnov Design has 30 employees, two offices in Moscow, and a representative office in Ningbo (Zhejiang), China.

Founded in 1983, Design Continuum has three offices in Boston, Milan and Seoul and provides product strategy consulting, industrial design and brand experience design. At Continuum the focus of activities is to support clients to achieve business success.

Please contact Ekaterina Khramkova at SmirnovDesign or Wolfgang Obermeier at Design Continuum for further details.

Wolfgang Obermeier
Director Processes & Technologies
Design Continuum Italia srl
Phone +39 02 579 6871
w.obermeier@continuum.it
www.continuum.it

Ekaterina Khramkova
Head of Business Development
SmirnovDesign Moscow
Phone +7 495 112 0224
ekaterina@smirnovdesign.com
www.smirnovdesign.com