Bene Office Furniture

E.ON Földgaz Storage + Trade

Office Planning: Objektform Essen, BENE Budapest


Where energy flows

The new offices of the energy provider E.ON Földgaz Storage + Trade in Budapest exemplify the significance of office design in the context of a merger. Our report demonstrates the relevance of an office furnishing company equipped with planning skills and an international network of distributors in the context of such a sensitive process.

Company mergers are always a very special scenario. It requires sure instinct to blend different corporate cultures and on an international level even different mentalities. Such as in the case of E.ON, the European energy provider headquartered in Ruhr in Germany. After E.ON acquired company shares of the former oil business Mol in Hungary, which also monopolized natural gas, two new companies were founded in Budapest: E.ON Földgaz Storage + E.ON Földgaz Trade.


New companies, new offices

The new companies require new office space adequate for the new size of the corporation and changing conditions. As their new company site, E.ON chose the desirable downtown location at Roosevelt square in Budapest. The former administrative building dating back to the 1960s was completely degutted and updated to comply with expectations for a modern office building.
The office furnishing company Objektform Essen that has collaborated with E.ON ever since 2004 in international projects, was able to provide valuable assistance: Objektform Essen consulted E.ON in co-operation with Bene Budapest on site on negotiations with the operating company, as well as on the planning and monitoring of the implementation.


Office Change Management

Objektform's and Bene's know-how was – at least in terms of office – relevant for the success of the merger, whose objective it was to make all employees feel comfortable collaborating "under one roof" at the end of the day. Hungarians work side by side with Germans. In order to involve employees early on as best as possible in the planning of new office spaces, Objektform and Bene launched workshops for the staff on site in Budapest. That way their needs and expectations could be incorporated into the process. Even before moving into the new offices, they were able to identify with their new work places and the open office design – some of the employees had previously only worked in cubicle offices.


Transparency and increased communication

These were the guidelines Objektform followed when developing a new office design according to standards of the new E.ON corporation, in close observation of customer's needs: variety in the office landscape with transparent individual offices, efficiently structured "open office" areas with short walking distances and airy meeting and conference rooms. A centrally located lounge is the common communication zone for employees of both companies.
The most important aspects:
• Open Office
• Transparency
• Horizontal hierarchy
• Communication zones


Elegant rooms

Inviting, elegant rooms are borne out of a combination of cool and technically laid out transparent corridor walls with - in some areas – red carpeting and fabric panels in matching colours covering the office partitions. The lighting concept emphasises the impression of elegance.
Small, well-integrated work place units structure open office areas and create a unique design. Workstations are designed and equipped by Bene's office programme B9. Desk combinations with low partitioning facilitate communication and provide for sufficient privacy.


Office walls with modular junctions for flexibility

Individual offices and meeting rooms were designed with the partitioning systems Bene RG in shape of transparent corridor walls and Bene R2 for structuring office partitioning. Costumer needs for maximum flexibility in the office structure was met by means of modular junctions that connect the office walls.


Short distances for employees

After moving into their new offices employees positively commented: The move brought many improvements. Particularly positively assessed were short distances between the offices – which improved communication. The premium quality office furniture and storage systems that will also be used for the management offices were positively commented. Evidently, horizontal hierarchy for E.ON is not only a buzzword.


Désirée Schellerer