Bringing Box Sociaal’s vision to life on a strict budget and tight timeframe.

About Box Sociaal

Box Sociaal combines Aussie hospitality with Dutch ingredients. Alex Than Aye and Yudhi Srinivasan opened the doors of their Plantage, Amsterdam location in 2018 which soon became a staple of great good and even better coffee. Box Sociaal is growing, with a second location in Jordaan, and is now in the process of renovating its third location in Rotterdam.

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The Challenge

Alex and Yudhi got in touch with Cutr because they were looking for a partner that could make table tops for their second location, opening in the heart of the Jordaan in Amsterdam. They had a specific design but hadn’t been able to find a partner to help bring the vision to life.

Cutr had been on Alex’s radar for a while. He approached them a few years ago, but Cutr was still in the setup phase and didn’t have the knowledge in-house like it does today.

When the Jordaan location came around, Box Sociaal received 4 quotes from different companies, which were “crazy expensive” Alex says, so he kept looking when he thought of Cutr again.

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Alex showed Rodny 2D drawings of table tops with a composite layer and solid oak trimming. With composite being a durable material, it’s perfect for the intensive use of tables in hospitality.

There were 2 challenges: Box Sociaal needed the table tops in 2 months, which meant time was ticking and there was a strict budget.

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“The hospitality industry doesn’t faff about. We’re straightforward and I need straightforward communication from my partners. Cutr always told me exactly how it is.”

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The Solution

Cutr’s expertise in materials was invaluable for Box Sociaal. Furniture for hospitality has different priorities from a table in a house. It needs to be robust, of course aesthetically pleasing but also easily cleaned. Cutr put a Request for Quote out on the platform because this design required craftsmanship. AtlanticWood Portugal offered a good lead time and a price that fit the budget.

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Box Sociaal found a great production partner in AtlanticWood Portugal. They turned the 2D drawings into 3D and got them approved by Alex and Yudhi after which production started.

Alex: “We want to keep the Box Sociaal identity and soul, but bring the quality to the next level. It’s a hard thing to put trust into a product that you don’t get to physically touch when you spend a lot of money. When the product was delivered, we were so impressed with the quality and finishing. The process and working with Cutr was super easy and smooth.”

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Alex specifically liked the open communication with Cutr. He’s updated regularly during the process. As he describes: “The hospitality industry doesn’t faff about. We’re straightforward and I need straightforward communication from my partners. Cutr always told me exactly how it is.”

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The Future

Box Sociaal is going full steam ahead, and a third location in Rotterdam is on its way. After a successful collaboration, Cutr and Box Sociaal are also working together on this project. This time, Cutr will help them bring more visions to life such as benches, wall paneling, upholstery, the bar, and of course those beautiful table tops.

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“The end product is of such high quality, we get compliments on the tables all the time.”

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A need Alex and Yudhi have is getting advice on material choices. Not every material is suitable for hospitality, and Cutr has all this knowledge in-house. By using durable materials, the Box Sociaal locations will look great for years to come.

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Rodny from Cutr is very excited to expand the work Cutr is doing with Alex and Yudhi.

If you’re ever near a Box Sociaal location, be sure to try their Kater Breakfast at one of the Cutr-made tables. You won’t regret it.

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Conclusion

Working together with a partner that understands what the standards are in the industry that the products are made for, is critical to ensure the quality is at the right level. With Cutr having all this knowledge, they can give Alex and Yudhi great advice on the right materials. What started with only table tops, has grown into a collaboration for all wood and upholstery work in their newest location, from wall paneling to the bar. With both Cutr and Box Sociaal being on a great growth trajectory, their partnership will continue to grow as well.

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“When the product was delivered, we were so impressed with the quality and finishing. The process and working with Cutr was super easy and smooth.”

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The Production Partner

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AtlanticWood Portugal is a family business, that started 2 generations ago. Rui Gordalina now heads up the company. In 2016, Rui made big investments in the company, for new facilities and machinery to increase the quality and speed of production.

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Working with them on these table tops has been a great process, and the results are beautiful and of very high quality.

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