Strong technology for lightweight furniture

Hettichmagazin
2010
Strong technology
for lightweight furniture
02
Shaping tomorrow hand in hand
Our world is turning faster all the time. With it
becoming increasingly interconnected, information circulates the globe in seconds flat. New ideas
and products spread at lightning speed. This shortens product life cycles, increasing the pressure to
innovate.
Whereas innovations must be put on the market in
increasingly shorter cycles on the one hand, longterm action is demanded on the other. We have
responded to both of these challenges by optimising our own innovation process and participating in
Open Innovation projects.
At Hettich, identifying trends early on provides the
basis of our forward-looking corporate strategy.
It is for this reason that we have been involved in
the future_bizz network since 2008 with the aim
of joining hands and developing business ideas
for future homes, lifestyles and working patterns.
Together, expertise is developed for the future and
cultivated in a jointly used knowledge base as a
means of identifying and evaluating strategically
relevant fields of action. Conclusive scenarios of
defined future situations then serve as the basis for
creating new application ideas and driving forward
new product developments. Discussing and sharing views at cross-sectoral level provides a broad
platform for work focusing on the future, giving
everyone involved a wealth of advantages – first
and foremost the higher validity of results attributable to this interdisciplinary approach. Moreover,
the shared use of resources and pooling of competencies significantly reduces otherwise considerable
costs.
Dr. Andreas Hettich
Chairman of the Management
Hettich Holding GmbH & Co. oHG
Close dialogue with our customers also makes us
development partners to industry. Results from
workshops show that foresighted thinking and
action are a key to success and that, together, we
can shape the future.
Editorial | 03
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Contents
Editorial
Shaping tomorrow hand in hand ........................03
Title story
Strong technology for
lightweight furniture ...............................................06
Current news
The 100,000,000th Multiflex
leaves the production line .....................................09
“You can’t get a litre
of juice out of an orange“ .....................................10
Innovation
Shopping trip in a class of its own .....................12
Flexible Work Environments ..................................13
Great products, safe constituents ........................14
Kitchen Concept 2015 provides
inspiration for future trends .................................16
Insight
Furniture with the right touch ............................19
Linn Bad opts for InnoTech ...................................20
Perfect interplay of
technical expertise and
traditional craftsmanship .......................................22
“Our dream is to create
practical works of art” ............................................24
“The sum of added values
we provide sets us apart from
the competition” ......................................................26
From co-operating
to working as partners ............................................28
Hettich world-wide
The Adeo Group –
a new Division DIY partner....................................30
Michelangelo’s Kitchen Event ..............................32
In brief
Best Expo Booth........................................................34
Architects Partner Award 2009............................35
Hettich ČR k.s. Receives “
Safety Company” Certification ............................35
Contemporary design Ideas ....................................36
Doğtaş combines
functionality with elegance ...................................36
Small hardware outlet big on service ................37
Living spaces for tomorrow...................................38
Outlook
Exhibition dates.........................................................39
Publication data ........................................................39
Contents | 05
Strong technology
for lightweight
furniture
Going easy on timber as a raw material demands innovations that
allow alternative materials to be used in the same way. Hettich
was quick to recognise the potential of lightweight construction,
creating a sound basis for Hettinject connecting technology with
the Hettinject glued dowel. Partnerships now bring together
competencies that exploit previously untapped market potentials.
„Lightweight products are intelligent – their flexibility
is a unique
uuniiquee selling
selling point.“
pooin EcEckhard
khard Halemeier
Halemeier
„This makes light work of designing.“
d
06
Klaus Göcke
The company has been working closely with Halemeier and Hunger for quite some time, particularly
in relation to advancing furniture hardware. “So far,
everyone has been working in their own field. Our
focus was on connecting systems, with Hunger
specialising in ready-made lightweight furniture
components and Halemeier being at home in
lighting design and electrification. A
partnership has now been borne
that lets us all contribute what
we’re best at in”, explains
Norbert Poppenborg, Innovation Manger
at Hettich’s
Residential
Division.
Hunger:
Lightweight design
has been a subject
of attention for four years
Lightweight construction has been
a subject of attention at Hunger for
four years now. The medium-sized manufacturer
of furniture components specialises in making
ready-made furniture parts to any level. A tech-
nology for processing frameless lightweight boards
using what’s known as the “support-edge method”
has been developed with a machine maker and an
edgebanding manufacturer. “With Hettich at our
side as co-operation partner, we started to think
about the hardware solutions we needed at a very
early stage. The subjects of edgebanding and jointing technology are the classic basics we first put
to our clients”, says Oliver Hunger, Managing Director of Hunger Möbelproduktions GmbH. “Because
anyone taking hold of a lightweight panel asks how
to process and cut it, how to make 90-degree connections, and join it to existing fittings.” Today, the
support-edge system and Hettinject glued dowel
technology have been tried and proven in practice.
Hunger produces classic-style furniture elements
and custom-made lightweight products for the
living room, kitchen, office and contract furniture,
supporting manufacturers wanting to use lightweight boards but not having the means to do so
themselves.
Halemeier combines lightweight
design with lighting
“For some time now, we have been focusing attention on electrifying lightweight panels because their
honeycomb structure makes it easy to route and
conceal wiring and they are also quick and simple to
assemble”, explains Eckhard Halemeier, Managing
Director of Halemeier GmbH & Co. KG. In particular,
new perspectives are being opened up by LEDs as a
source of lighting that exposes surrounding material
to hardly any heat and keeps energy consumption
exceptionally low. As such, LEDs also make it possible to integrate storage batteries inside lightweight
boards, providing an independent and rechargeable
power supply. “Given the very low levels of power
required by LED systems, the contacts can be kept
small too. Our liaison also involves work on a fitting
that automatically provides the panel with electrical
power as soon as it’s pushed and locked into place“,
says Eckhard Halemeier, reporting on the work
that’s taking place in the partnership.
„Lightweight construction is the intelligent
wa too package
way
ac
aair.“ Professor Martin Stosch
to
„When our children start buying furniture,
lightweight
htw
weigght design
desiign willll be the norm.“
norm
m.“ Olive
Oliver Hunger
Hunge
Title
Ti story | 07
A fitting for every panel situation
Hettinject technology is capable of responding to
new demands extremely quickly. Nobert Poppenborg: “The benefits our product provides clearly
come from the consistent fastening technology we
use and the ability to apply it to particular hardware situations. Our expertise lies in the capability
of adapting the fitting to any board situation so
the fitter doesn’t have to spare a thought about
fastening when it comes to wiring or electrification.” All Hettich product solutions for lightweight
construction guarantee a constant high quality of
attachment and reliable processing results. Even in
lightweight boards with very thin face layers, the
Hettinject glued dowel provides maximum strength
and stability because it feeds the adhesive through
flow channels to the surface of the top and bottom
facing layer. It can be fitted wherever it’s needed
and used with standard hardware.
Basis for industrial use
At the same time, work has been done on advancing
the technology used for mounting the connecting
fittings. The first prototype of a fully automatic
processing machine was put into operation three
years ago in the Lightweight Construction Technical Centre at Hettich’s Kirchlengern headquarters. The experience gathered from this has helped
well-known machine manufacturers, such as Koch
Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG and Atemag AG,
to drive forward further advances. Hunger has been
using a fully automatic plug-on unit for mounting
the Hettich products since June 2010. This positions the Hettinject glued dowel in the workpiece
all automatically, fixing it in place by means of a
bonding system. In addition to a plug-on unit for
CNC machining centres that installs dowels from a
magazine, solutions for entire finished-component
lines with vertical and horizontal gluing facilities are available today as well. The interface and
type of processing always stays the same. This provides a sound basis for the industrial application of
Hettinject connecting technology.
New options in furniture design
There’s more behind lightweight construction than
simply reducing weight. “Modern lightweight furniture constructions and interior fittings provide the
basis for entirely new technical design options for
carpentry businesses just as they do for industry”,
says Professor Martin Stosch, lecturer in furniture
making, furniture design and furniture development at Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied
Sciences. The benefits of lightweight design are
demonstrated particularly well in spanning large
distances and in carcaseless wall shelves, explains
Klaus Göcke, proprietor of the Designbuero Göcke
firm of designers. “It’s new technical solutions that
are making it easier to overcome what appear to
be difficult design problems and therefore offer the
capability of treading new design terrain. Practical
functionality is once again at the focus of domains
that have long been regarded as exhausted. Lightweight construction, with all its facets, permits the
integration of fittings, inclusion of lighting, use
of elements spanning wide distances without sag
while at the same time employing different material
thicknesses that re-invent proportions.”
unique
„The Hettinject
selling
connecting technology
point.“
developed
by Hettich provides the basis for using lightweight
boards on an industrial scale in furniture making.“
08
lightweight design will
Norbert Poppenborg
The 100,000,000th Multiflex
leaves the production line
Manufactured at Hettich in Balingen, the Multiflex fitting can look back on a track record
that has been studded with success since 1994. The fitting for manually adjusting
the head and foot sections of slatted bed bases is the product manufactured in a volume
exceeded by no other at the plant on the edge of the Swabian Alb mountains.
Several million Multiflex are produced every year in
Balingen on a linear and a rotary transfer machine
system. Constantly optimized by Hettich Maschinentechnik GmbH & Co. KG, both machines today permit
fully automatic assembly through to the point of
acceptance inspection. The components required for
manufacturing the Multiflex are fed into the fully
automatic and highly efficient production line that
benefits from cutting-edge robot
technology and ends with
delivery of the readyto-use fitting.
The customer can choose between a version with 6
or 13 adjusting positions and various angled connectors. The adjustable fitting comes with the advantage
of a shallow fitted height, fast, zero-play engagement
at top and bottom as well as toolless installation. The
Multiflex has also been tested by LGA in Nuremberg,
receiving an LGA Certificate of Quality providing
evidence of defined, elevated and constant quality.
This attests to a product’s safety and serviceability,
confirming its all-embracing quality.
August 2010 saw the 100,000,000th Multiflex leave
the production line. This event was celebrated in
fitting style by the management and staff at Hettich
Franke in Balingen.
Current news | 09
“You can’t get a litre
of juice out of an orange”
Sustainability management enjoys a high status within the Hettich Group. Yet the many and varied
sustainability activities don’t just cover the aspect of reducing strain on the environment. The result of
these actions is ultimately reflected in the finished products with an “ecological footprint” that essentially
depends on the efficiency-boosting measures implemented at the various stages of production.
This is where an immediate benefit will be generated in future for the consumer once the use of standardised procedures for ascertaining the ecological footprints of products becomes common practice.
10
Asked about his experience with the Hettich Forum
that opened in March 2009, Martin Palmer, head of
the Environment Office/Occupational Health and
Safety at Hettich, recalls a moment during the opening ceremony. This was when one of the guests came
up to him with a wry grin and said: “You’ve certainly
built yourselves a handsome palace here, with no
expense spared on all the eco bells and whistles – it’ll be
interesting to see what your next production building
will be like!” The guest obviously doesn’t seem to know
our company well enough, Martin Palmer thought to
himself. Because resolutely following modern sustainability criteria and in 2009 being the first building to
receive the German “Green Building Award for Energy
Efficiency” from the European Community, this building
concept is a further logical milestone in a philosophy of
sustainability management that’s borne by far-sighted
business acumen. For effective and, at the same time,
economic sustainability measures have a long tradition
at Hettich.
with the credits from using of energy supplied by the
combined heat and power system as well as off-heat
from production is sufficient to cover the energy its
basic functions require.
Resolutely minimising the energy required by the building’s design concept along the lines of “cutting energy
needs to the point of solar suitability” made it possible for the Hettich Forum to become a building with a
neutral energy balance. This means that in terms of the
building’s annual energy balance, the energy generated
by the solar power system installed on the roof along
Above and beyond the building’s sustainability aspects,
it has extensively been possible to achieve a high level
of comfort and convenience despite the minimal use of
energy and resources. The building has had no problem
demonstrating this in everyday use and at various big
events. “In actual practice, this even came as a surprise to us as experts, particularly when you consider
Hettich Forum:
Energy balance after the first year of operation
Against a building constructed in compliance with
standard building-law requirements (meeting the German Energy-Saving Ordinance - EnEV 2009), the saving
calculated for the Hettich Forum was the equivalent
of 19,000 litres of heating oil. After the first year in
operation, the annual saving actually achieved is no
less than the equivalent of 24,000 litres of heating oil
which is on a par with the average amount consumed
by eight older-type detached homes. Energy-efficient,
bulb-free lighting with LED technology and lighting
management system reduced power consumption for
lighting by 49 per cent, this being 23,000 kWh a year,
over a conventional comparable building.
Sustainability management at Hettich
• An Environment Office active across
the group was set up 1992 with the aim
of being strategically placed to cope with
future ecological parameters, such as
customer demands, the development in
prices for energy and resources, tougher
statutory requirements, environmental
impacts etc.
• Since 1993, group-wide environmental
principles have been in place that formulate the requirements of ecological
sustainability and ways of meeting them.
• In co-operation with a regional energy
supplier and Kirchlengern local authority, the energy supply concept was
restructured and centralised in 1994 at
the Kirchlengern site to use the highly
efficient system of co-generated electricity and heat, with the municipal „Aqua
Fun“ leisure pool being integrated to boost
efficiency yet further. Since that time,
2,300 t of climate-harming CO2 emissions have been avoided every year.
• In the mid-nineties, the company‘s management decided to include Hettich‘s
three largest German sites in the
EMAS Eco-Management and Audit
Scheme that the European Community
had planned and set up as a voluntary
instrument with stringent criteria.
With a further German site as well as
the Spanish operation also becoming
a constant EMAS participant in the
years to follow, this decision resulted
in establishing the unique selling point
of using the „world‘s strictest ecomanagement system“ among the major
furniture hardware manufacturers.
EMAS also covers the system-related
requirements stipulated in ISO 14.001.
• 1998 saw the company‘s management
approve a second broad-based energy
the cooling unit for the entire building has no greater
capacity than the ones an open-plan intercity rail
carriage uses”, Martin Palmer reports. Following the
construction phase, various aspects were in need of
optimisation, and even today, one or the other exterior
blind still occasionally prompts a perplexed look or a
smile on the part of users as it unexpectedly moves up
and down. “In view of the 70,000 data points in the
building services management system, however, these
minor ‘puzzles’ largely meet with tolerance”, says Sven
Oßenbrink, head of Facility Management.
From “handsome palace” to production facility
The critic cited at the beginning can look forward to
the production building that’s under construction
at the moment. A new facility also benefiting from
forward-pointing sustainability features is being built
in the immediate vicinity of Hettich’s Logistics Centre
at the Kirchlengern/Bünde site. A building envelope
made of timber with a primary supporting structure
in steel (pylons) will make extensive use of renewable
building materials. The aim is to slash consumption of
the primary energy needed to run the building, under-
project involving an investment volume
of € 800,000. Just four years later,
energy prices had changed so dramatically that the return on investment
emphatically confirmed the wisdom of
deciding to implement this measure. The
environment was relieved of a further
1,200 t of climate-harming CO2 a year.
• In 2006 and with huge commitment on
the part of a small intra-group team
as well as comparatively minor expenditure, the wastewater system of
the electroplating facility at the former Brazilian subsidiary and today‘s
strategic partner, Bigfer, was converted to what is known as intermittent
operation. This made it one of the first
wastewater systems of this type in
South America to reduce its pollutant
load to such a low level.
cutting the EnEV 2009 Energy-Saving Ordinance by 50
per cent. It would take 1,200 trees to absorb the equivalent of this annual 400 t reduction in CO2 emissions.
This energy requirement level is achieved by measures, such as efficiently insulating the entire building
envelope as well as employing ventilation systems that
recover heat, a gas-fired combined heat and power
unit, energy-efficient lighting and waste compressor
heat. On top of this, rainwater is used for production
purposes and the sanitary installations.
“No ecologically responsible company management can
get round fundamental considerations”, Martin Palmer
summarises. “A limited system cannot provide the basis
for unlimited growth. Figuratively speaking, the Earth
can be seen as a ripe orange. Even if you wanted to use
every last piece of this orange, you still couldn’t press
a litre of juice out of it. It is from this deep-seated
realisation that the Hettich Group began as long ago
as the early nineties to do all it can to enhance the
efficient use of energy and resources in an effort to
place its own growth on an environmentally compatible footing and compensate for the impacts it has.”
Current news | 11
Shopping trip in a class of its own
The Hettich Endorsed Showroom programme uses Australia‘s and
New Zealand’s finest kitchen showrooms to display Hettich‘s product range in all its
diversity and offer potential kitchen buyers an exceptional experience.
Leanne Christie, Endorsed Showroom manager at
Hettich, emphasises the vision shared by the showrooms of selected companies and the Hettich Group
of creating kitchens that provide the focus of the
home. “The companies aim to improve people’s lifestyle”, Leanne Christie says. The Hettich Endorsed
Showroom programme is the only one of its kind
in Australia. The showrooms Hettich has selected
for this purpose are rated by the industry and consumers as being outstanding in terms of quality,
innovation, expertise and service. They offer the
visitor a display of future trends as well as comprehensive advice coupled with first-class service.
12
“For customers visiting a Hettich Endorsed Showroom, this is more than just a shopping trip. They
can discover the latest kitchen trends and the best
products as well trying out hardware solutions that
Hettich has to offer”, says Leanne Christie describing the concept. A comprehensive range of services
covering everything from initial plan to finished
kitchen complements the package. This also includes a tailor-made interior design service as the
basis for discussing needs and measuring up rooms
to give consumers the ideal home environment
designed with technology from Hettich.
Example Best Office Award
Flexible Work Environments
The Flexible Office Network (F.O.N.) is a platform for exchanging expertise and experience aimed
at analysing, devising, planning, introducing and evaluating “Flexible Work Environments” with a
focus on integrating and coordinating people, organisation, architecture, space and technology.
The Institut für Arbeitsforschung und Organisationsberatung GmbH, as the sponsor institute specialising
in work research and organisation consultancy, as
well as the extended circle of consultants with experts from science and business and the permanent
representatives of the 14 member companies have
the joint aim of developing decision-making criteria
and approaches in relation to creating flexible work
environments and providing the greatest possible
benefit to everyone involved. What sort of environment does it take to foster creativity and performance while at the same time ensuring a healthy body
and mind? Inspiring spaces combined with a healthy
work culture are the key to sustaining successful
corporate development. Work in a modern office
is increasingly being acknowledged as having a
productive, beneficial and social dynamic. Integrating and co-ordinating individuals, organisation,
architecture and technology are tasks the network
members address while exchanging knowledge and
experience, creating tools to help resolve the problems
tackled as well as developing and broadening expertise at workshops that take place on a regular basis.
Set up in 2002, the Flexible Office Network today
consists of 14 member companies from Germany
and Switzerland. Experts from science and business
hold keynote presentations at the quarterly workshops to provide impetus for discussion. Together
with the consultants, members discuss the situations
and problems currently facing their companies and
encountered across the industry. Hettich has been
taking part in this interdisciplinary dialogue since
2008. The subject of working in tomorrow’s office
environment is one of the central issues Hettich
focuses attention on as part of internal innovation
management and in networks. “Exchanging experience in the network and with experts along with
the diverse papers held and getting to know new
office concepts first hand, as recently at Unilever in
Hamburg, provide us with important inspiration for
our own innovation management activities”, reports
Hans Kurzknabe, marketing coordinator from the
Office division at Hettich, commenting on results of
participating in the network.
The fields covered within the network will also be
part of the Eberhard Ulich Symposium on structuring
the work environment to take place under the banner of “business success needs a health work culture”
on 1 and 2 March 2011 in Sonthofen. Eminent professors and company representatives will be joining
participants in discussing the focal topics of health,
accelerated society, trust as the basis of a sustainable corporate culture as well as inspiring spaces. In
addition to specialist papers, several workshop discussions will be taking place with participants and
experts as well as the members of the network. A
panel discussion focusing on “Healthy value creation
– Myth or signpost to the future?” will conclude the
symposium that is being organised by the Institut für
Arbeitsforschung und Organisationsberatung GmbH.
Innovation | 13
omium VI Candidate List
Environment
Chromium
Health
Furamate Reliability
Reliability
REACH
Reliability
Candidate List Chr
Cadmium
Product constituents
Candidate List Chromium VI Lead
Furamate
Environment
Candidate List Chromium VI Lead
Reliability
Customer focu
Product constituents
Chromium VI
Candidate List
RoHS
Health
Candidate List
Environment PAH Furamate Chromium VI Reliability
mium VI Lead Bisphenol A Lead Environment REACH Cadmium
HS 240
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Candidate List
Environment Health REACH
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Reliability
Lead
RoHS
Chromium VI Candidate Lis
Cadmium Environment Bisphenol A Reliabil
Product constit
Product constituents Chromium VI
Health PAH Candidate List Chromium VI Lead Candidate List
HS Candidate List Furamate
Chromium VI Reliability
Candidate List
RoH
Environment PAH
Chromium VI Lead Furamate
Reliability Health
Customer focus
14
Great products,
safe constituents
The substances products are made of can have huge impacts – both on people’s
health as well as on the environment. Reason enough for Hettich to take a close look
at the subject and develop an internal standard customers can rely on.
Hettich Standard “HS 240” shows it’s worthwhile
examining all the different legal provisions on product constituents and condensing them into a body
of company-internal rules and regulations. It is the
aggregate of national, European and international
regulations on health and environmental protection
as well as the requirements set by customers. The
comprehensive integration of demands guarantees
that Hettich’s products can be put into service and
used world-wide.
“Implementing this standard, we make sure that
our products and packaging are only made of materials that are harmless in terms of their toxic effect and environmental impact while they are being
manufactured and at the time of their disposal”,
says Oliver Schael, head of System and Standardisation at Hettich, summarising the purpose of the
standards. For over 15 years now, Hettich has been
keeping a catalogue of materials that are harmful to health and the environment. The catalogue
currently contains some 100 constituents and is
continually updated at least once a year. The standard far exceeds statutory requirements, such as
the European REACH Regulation (Registration,
Evaluation, Authorisation of Chemicals) and the
European Union’s RoHS Regulation (Restriction
of Hazardous Substances). “The requirements on
product constituents are evolving all the time. This
is why it is crucial to remain in close dialogue with
our customers and systematically refine our standard”, says Oliver Schael. Needless to say, we also
work closely with our suppliers who confirm once
a year that their products contain no substances on
the “Red List” in Hettich Standard “HS 240”.
As laws demand that information be passed on
along the supply chain, leading industrial companies have joined together to form the “Product
Constituents” working group of the German Association of the Furniture Industry (IVM). The aim is to
develop an IVM Standard with a view to structuring
the flow of information as efficiently as possible.
Innovation | 15
Kitchen Concept 2015 provides
inspiration for future trends
Kitchen Concept 2010 presented back in 1999 clearly confirmed Hettich’s innovative
and future-focused development competency: many of the forecasts from that
time now either form part of modern kitchens or are about to be included in them.
Kitchen Concept 2015 aims to provide kitchen furniture and white-goods
manufacturers with inspiration in taking the kitchen forward as the hub of the home.
16
Developed as part of Hettich’s innovation management activities, the Kitchen Concept 2015 powerfully illustrates the subject of “how we will be
cooking and living in 2015” using the prototype that
was presented for the first time at the 2009 interzum trade fair. Constantly taken into consideration,
the four themes of design, ergonomics, convenience
and protecting the environment are interpreted in
a way that focuses on the user. Doing so, Hettich
assumes the position of development partner to the
kitchen-furniture and white-goods industry with
the aim of strengthening the innovative capacity of
all parties involved.
Discussion basis for innovation workshops
The responses to the innovative concept were overwhelming when it made its debut at interzum 2009.
Customers, show visitors and the press were left
spellbound following the live presentation and discussed the numerous features of the study. Since
the fair, the prototype has been on display at the
Hettich Forum in Kirchlengern where it provides the
basis for discussion in innovation workshops with
customers from the kitchen and white-goods segments. “I personally like the successful interpretation
of kitchen and home living very much. When not
in use, all you see are neat and clearly structured
surfaces. To my mind, the hob with variable cooking
zones and the multifunctional elements rank among
the kitchen’s highlights”, says Andreas Rieke, head
of Technical Development at SieMatic Möbelwerke
GmbH & Co., commenting on the concept.
Rainer Kalesse, head of Product Development and
Design Management at Nolte Küchen GmbH &
Co. KG, is fascinated by the possibilities offered by
a multifunctional room structure: “The Kitchen Concept 2015 demonstrates the direction the home is
set to move in over the next few years: away from
dividing the home into set spaces, such as hallway,
bedroom, dining room, living room and towards
melting individual living areas more and more into
one big room with a structure and layout that’s
defined by multifunctional cabinet or furniture
elements.” For instance, a unit that provides storage
space on one side in the kitchen can be used on the
other side in the living area to hold the flat-screen
television. The problem with this concept is providing
sufficient wiring and plumbing (power, aerial and,
in the kitchen area, even water and drainage) from
the outset at the places where they’re needed. Then,
interzum 2009
Innovation | 17
it’s only the bathroom that will remain a separate
room. “What’s most interesting is the approach that
home living in future will take place in a large space
structured by furniture that can be moved around
for flexibility. This will make it possible for users to
adapt their homes to changing living situations or
stages in life without having to make costly modifications or even think of moving.”
Hettich customer
“For me, the drawers that open from both sides are
the best part about the Kitchen 2015. This significantly cuts down on the need to walk around the
kitchen island, adding to convenience. As far as
I’m concerned, Hettich can put this product on the
market tomorrow”, says Paul Peters, Managing
Director of Ledro Keukens NV.
event in Milan 2010
Hideyuki Takaku, who manages the development
and planning department of Sunwave’s Design
Group, is shown to be particularly impressed by
the technical features: “The Kitchen Concept 2015 is
defined by good design as well as good functionality
in the living and dining area. This is what particularly impresses me: the cooking area or position of
the induction surface can be matched to the end
user’s preferred style of cooking. When the kitchen
is not being used, it’s left displaying a wonderfully
flat design. Household appliances in the kitchen will
become personal digital devices similar to the way
iPad and iPhone are. The dishwasher is accessible
from both sides, optimising the flow of work.”
“Interesting, novel, innovative”, says Mireia Porres,
sales manager from Gellida e Hijos S.L., expressing
her opinion of the concept. She not only likes the
central cooking island that allows all pullouts to
be opened from both sides but also the integrated
furniture block. Although she believes it won’t
be easy to sell this type of kitchen, she thinks it’s
“fabulous”.
Many workshops made it clear that with the creative potential of all involved and by concentrating
on the wishes of the kitchen user, solutions can
be designed that gear every aspect of the kitchen
experience and its communication and practical
values to modern and open home environments.
Kitchen Concept 2015
Design The kitchen is the hub of the home. It is integrated in the home environment rather than claiming the centre
of attention. It is the essentials that count, with the technology disappearing behind fronts when they are not needed. Hardware
ideas for flush-fitting fronts generate new architectural options: On demand, they are electrically retracted and free up the work
surface. An extremely shallow sink discreetly blends into the forward-pointing kitchen landscape and reduces the consumption
of water. Retracting taps underpin the trend of reducing kitchen design to what’s needed without compromising on function.
Convenience
Drawers and saucepan pullouts that can be opened from both sides provide access to contents
from every side of the kitchen island. Electrical appliances are also set to provide greater convenience: Separately controllable
drawers in the dishwasher can be opened from both sides, making cooking with friends even more of a pleasure.
Ergonomics
Wall-mounted cabinets are adjustable in height. Control panels on the worktop provide the
capability of lowering cabinet contents to a level that is ergonomically correct for the user. As such, the kitchen is fitting in
more and more with the people who use it. Thy are becoming the yardstick for product design.
Multimedia networking
Different electrical appliances communicate with each other.
The touch screen in the hob or large screen in the kitchen front can be used, for example, to display oven temperature and
remaining cooking time. On top of this, Internet, television as well as other building services are operated and controlled from
a central point.
18
Boytas
·
Company headquarters:
Kayseri
·
Sales outlets in Turkey:
over 2,600
·
Worldwide 13.000
members of staff
·
Turnover in 2009:
TL 3.8 billion
Furniture with the right touch
Boytas, by far the largest furniture manufacturer in Turkey, is now picking
up on handleless furniture design. Quadro with push to
open gives it new selling points to thrill furniture owners.
Boytas sells upholstered and living-room furniture
under the brand names of “Istikbal” and “Bellona”.
Kitchen furniture from Boytas is known in Turkey
under the “Regina” name. Quality, unique design,
comfort and convenience define the company’s
portfolio. Boytas has been using various products
from Hettich since 2000, including the Quadro
partial-extension runner. Before a fitting is used, it
must pass through the company’s own test laboratory and prove it can meet the rigorous demands
that are placed on quality.
Boytas is now also offering drawer runners with the
convenient push to open function, providing even
greater latitude in designing handleless furniture
with a purist look. The opening mechanism is triggered by lightly pressing the front of the drawer. A
precision actuating mechanism with high triggering
accuracy automatically opens the drawer in virtual
silence. Fitting the push to open system leaves the
qualities of the Quadro runner’s tried and proven
technology completely unaffected: providing excellent running properties that enhances the added
value of furniture just as it does the lasting performance of the Quadro runner system. Consumers
can see the benefits for themselves at over 2,600
sales outlets in Turkey.
“With a keen focus on the consumer, we develop
new furniture trends all the time. As a strong partner and reliable supplier of furniture fittings, Hettich provides us with innovative hardware solutions
that allow us to create new design trends – like
handleless furniture fronts, for instance”, says Savas
Öztas, head of development at Boytas, describing
the business relationship it has with Hettich.
Insight | 19
Linn Bad opts for InnoTech
Linn Bad AS is the leading manufacturer of bathroom furniture in Norway. Having grown
continuously for 35 years, the company today supplies furniture to Norway’s largest
bathroom equipment companies. The InnoTech platform concept has been an integral
part of the company’s production process for many years.
Originally operating as “Vik Interiør ANS”, the company changed its name to “Linn Bad” after the birth
of Linn, the founder’s grand-daughter. Today, Linn
is 33 years old and works for the company as
marketing manager. Linn Bad is in private hands and
run exclusively by women. Turning over 90 million
Norwegian kroner in 2009, the company presently
employs 28 members of staff. The factory is located
in the municipality of Vik i Sogn on the south coast
of the Sognefjorden district in the Norwegian region of Vestlandet. Linn Bad’s bathroom furniture
collection is extremely varied, featuring both simple
as well as exclusive drawer and cabinet models
for the bathroom. Linn Bad’s clientele is made up
of bathroom and plumbing retailers right across
Norway, including Comfort-kedjan, VVS-Experten,
Rörköp and Baderingen. For the second time in
succession, Linn Bad was voted supplier of the year
in 2009 by Comfort-kedjan. This is an accolade
the 100 members of Comfort-kedjan award to
the supplier with the best product range, delivery
performance and service.
Quality for first-class bathroom furniture
For the first time, Linn Bad has used InnoTech components in the manufacture of kitchen furniture
Ragnhild Årestrup Larsen, Managing
Director of Linn Bad AS
20
that makes up a small share of the company’s
product portfolio. Production concentrates primarily on its bathroom furniture range. In the last five
years though, the InnoTech platform concept has
been fitted in all bathroom furniture with drawers.
“We have been using Hettich products for many
years and are extremely pleased with the service.
For us, InnoTech was the system to choose as we
were highly satisfied with the other products from
Hettich, a company with a broad range of products
you know you’re getting quality from. The service Hettich’s staff in Norway provide is extremely
helpful, and being kept up to date on innovations
is also valuable”, commends Ragnhild Årestrup
Larsen, Managing Director of Linn Bad AS. Linn Bad
uses several components from the InnoTech platform concept in its production processes and is
impressed with their quality. “We find it reassuring
that InnoTech components are never any cause for
complaint which speaks volumes for their quality
and stability. InnoTech means first-class bathroom
furniture across the board, and Hettich products are
easy to install. This also makes them a rationalisation factor in the production process”, Ragnhild
Årestrup Larsen explains. She is convinced that with
consumers becoming more demanding all the time,
the trend she describes towards quality bathroom
furniture is set to continue: “These days, there are
many products that look more and more alike. We
have concentrated on high quality as one way of
being able to stand apart from other suppliers.”
InnoTech DesignSide
Since 1 May 2010, Linn Bad has been using InnoTech
DesignSide with glass. There is a huge demand for
eco-friendly materials, and using glass is one way
of giving bathroom furniture a special touch in the
respect. “Competition in the bathroom design stakes
is fierce, not least stimulated by the product lines
of foreign suppliers. Yet there’s also a demand for
home-grown bathroom furniture, and we believe in
quality combined with sensible prices. This is why
we manage to claim an ever bigger slice of the
market”, Ragnhild Årestrup Larsen concludes.
Insight | 21
Perfect interplay
of technical expertise and
traditional craftsmanship
Good design, finest materials and a perfectly crafted quality finish are the hallmarks
of furniture from Wöstmann Markenmöbel. Since January 2010, the company
has been committed to Sensys, the hinge with integrated soft-closing system.
22
Wöstmann
Markenmöbel
GmbH & Co. KG
·
Established: 1998
·
Company headquarters:
Gütersloh (Germany)
·
5 production sites in
Germany
·
Members of staff:
approx. 600
·
2009 turnover:
€ 85 million
Offering comprehensive home interiors cast from
the same mould, Wöstmann gives its customers a
service of a special kind. All items of furniture –
from cabinetry and dining rooms with tables and
chairs to upholstered furniture – are matched in
material and colour to give the consumer flexibility
in combining them. And customised solutions leave
nothing to be desired either.
In addition to customer service excellence, quality
is central to the philosophy of Wöstmann Markenmöbel. Finest materials meticulously crafted for an
exquisite finish guarantee a constant and extremely
high level of quality. “The modern furniture hardware
technology we use provides gratifying convenience
in everyday use”, says Helmut Niemann, product
manager and head of marketing at Wöstmann. “This
is why the entire furniture collection on display at
imm cologne 2010 was equipped with the Sensys
hinge from Hettich.” The new generation of hinges
with integrated soft-closing function affords convenience in a class of its own: reliable closure of
furniture doors and evenly controlled, gentle closing
action from an opening angle of about 35 degrees
meet the most exacting of demands and will set a
new benchmark in future furniture collections from
Wöstmann Markenmöbel.
Insight | 23
24
“Our dream is to create
practical works of art”
Jela Jagodina D.O.O. is the leading manufacturer of chipboard furniture in Southeast Europe.
Right from the start, the aim was to make practical furniture that also grabs
attention – in other words, furniture that’s distinguished bothby durability and novel design.
Jela Jagodina can look back on a long tradition of
manufacturing furniture: set up in the year of 1991,
the company has undergone a process of expansion
with new machinery and factories. The first assembly line for producing “KIKI” furniture for youth
rooms went into operation at the end of 1999. The
philosophy was to offer an inspiring and innovative
range that brings generations together and creates
a homely atmosphere. The line comprised 14 elements, all compatible with each other and available
in three colours. At the time, there was no comparable collection on the market there.
Nowadays “Jela Jagodina” D.O.O. is using modern
technology and today manufactures three furniture
ranges “KIKI”, “RADDA” and “KALLA” covering 66
elements in 13 finishes. Colour and finish can be
combined in any way, providing a creative basis for
furnishing different rooms easily and efficiently –
no matter whether it’s a youth room, living room,
bedroom or hotel room, hallway or office.
Efficiency with Hettich Interpack
“The market our strategy focuses on covers Slovenia, Slovakia, Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro, the
Czech Republic, Greece and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The aim is to continue expanding our international
activities”, reports Miroljub Radovanović, owner of
Jela Jagodina. “To do this, we need reliable partners
so we can ensure the quality of our products and
optimise processes.” Hettich has been supplying
pre-packed bags of fittings since 2010 to the manufacturer that only produces RTA furniture. Before
this cooperation, Jela Jagodina used to make the
bags up by hand in a laborious and costly process. After developing a packaging concept geared
specifically to its needs, the company is currently
being supplied with three bag families: Slide-on
hinges, Rapid S with Rastex as well as the DU 321
dowel. “With Hettich Interpack, there’s no need for
the cost-intensive work of making up the bags, and
no complex and costly coordination and inspection
processes are involved anymore either. And we also
benefit in other ways: Future orders can be called
from stock and we have also been able to reduce the
number of versions which has improved our speed
and efficiency. And, if we wish, the bag is labelled in
Serbian. We have come to know Hettich as a reliable
partner who can guarantee us peace of mind for the
entire business model”, Miroljub Radovanović sums
up. Initial results from the way Jela Jagodina and
Hettich are working together could be seen at the
M.O.W. fair in April 2010 as most of the furniture
on display was equipped with fittings from Hettich.
And there are also plans to expand co-operation in
the future, for example in the sliding-door segment.
“Internationally renowned partners like Hettich allow us to realise our dream of creating practical
works of art”, Miroljub Radovanović says.
Jela Jagodina D.O.O.
·
Established: 1991
(SZR JELA)
·
Company
headquarters:
Jagodina, Serbia
·
Members of Staff:
150
·
Turnover:
10 million euros
·
Award: “PRO-BUSINESS LEADER” for the
best medium-sized
enterprise in 2010,
given by the Serbian
Chamber of Commerce
and the Club of Business Journalists
(Belgrade, June 2010)
Insight | 25
„The sum of added values we provide
sets us apart from the competition“
Assmann has been manufacturing system furniture for the attractively priced segment
in the office furniture market for seven decades. Continuity and reliability define the company
and its 30-year partnership with Hettich.
The story of today’s ASSMANN BÜROMÖBEL GMBH
& CO. KG began in 1939 when Heinrich Ahsmann
took over a village carpenter’s workshop. By 1967
he had built it up into a craftsman’s business with
13 members of staff. When the company relocated
to the current premises in 1968, Dieter Ahsmann
turned it into an industrial enterprise that two
decades later ranked among Germany’s top-selling
manufacturers of office furniture. Since 1999, Dirk
Dirk Aßmann, managing partner of Assmann
Büromöbel GmbH & Co. KG
Mr. Aßmann, how did you deal with the
crisis in 2009? The segment’s turnover
took a 23 per-cent dive, your sales fell by
17 per cent. What strategy did you follow
and what are your expectations for 2011?
Dirk Aßmann, managing partner: We
pursue a clear and logical strategy. For us,
it’s not a case of reacting but of acting.
Using the experience from the crisis that
beset the industry from 2002 to 2004, we
introduced measures early on to bring
costs down. This is where the flexibility
of adjustable production capacities plays
an extremely important part. Long-term
26
Aßmann has been taking the family-run business
into its third generation. A clear strategic direction, well masterminded investment in the Melle
premises and an improvement process that is firmly
entrenched in the Assmann philosophy have led to
a further strengthening of the company’s market
position. Today, Assmann employs over 260 members
of staff, turning over € 59 million in 2009.
efforts to tap new target groups in the
middle segment provide additional security. 2006 saw the launch of the ‘TriASS’
furnishing system and in 2008 we completely revamped the design and upgraded
the look of our desk lines in the core segment. The ranges we offer now provide
variable options from starter desk to executive office. This year marks the launch
the ‘Intavis’ designer-look storage system.
These measures are now beginning to take
effect so noticeably that we are currently
expecting marginal growth for 2011 in the
region of two to three per cent.
Where do you see your competitive edge
on the market?
Dirk Aßmann: As a financially independent, family-own company that’s not part
of any group, we are free to gear our
decisions to the demands of the market
without having to embark on any long,
drawn-out process. In terms of continuity
and reliability of the company as a whole,
this is a key advantage for our retail partners. Equally as important for our intermediaries and business clients, however,
is our flexible and logically structured
product line-up of desk ranges and cabinet furniture. This makes it possible to
put together and also afford individually
tailored solutions for the everyday office
situations from the systems we offer.
High-quality advice is exceptionally important from the aspect of being able to
use this advantage. This is why we only
sell our furniture through specialist office furniture retailers we give extensive
support to in the form of a wide selection
of measures extending from training opportunities to furniture logistics. Together
with our specialist retail partners, we
can offer our business clients a comprehensive range of services from planning
office concepts through to delivering and
assembling furniture on location. This is
where the sum of added values we provide sets us apart from the competition.
As a matter of course, the target we
set ourselves is to provide high-quality
products and services at all times. Satisfied customers who gladly come back
to Assmann in meeting their office needs
are our yardstick.
“Intavis”: the new
designer-look storage system
You’ve been working with Hettich for
30 years. What defines this partnership?
And what demands do you place on your
suppliers?
Dirk Aßmann: Producing high-quality
fittings offering good value for money,
Hettich is brand leader that develops its
own products. Being supplied with standard components is important for us. From
our point of view, involvement in practical
tests on new products, such as soft-closing
drawer runners, is a particularly significant
aspect. Alongside advancing the current
product range to meet market demands,
being prepared to provide tailored solutions on a ‘limited’ scale is also important.
‘Just in sequence’ supply logistics as well as
shortening the ordering process in general
from order placement to product shipment
is becoming an increasingly important
factor in terms of optimising productivity
at Assmann, and it is an area we see major
potential in.
The Evonik Group’s offices have been fitted out with the BigOrg@Tower. What did
using this product set out to achieve?
Dirk Aßmann: High-rise pedestals were
one of the specifications defined in a
project tender based on the plans for
an office space concept drawn up by an
external service provider Evonik had
commissioned. High-rise pedestals provide
a wealth of advantages in the context of
reduced floor space. On top of this, they
create small, intimate working spheres in
office situations where desks are laid out
in linear format. Seen from the aspect of
planning, the BigOrg@Tower is an intelligent piece of furniture.
What will the office furniture industry
need to focus on in future?
Dirk Aßmann: I think the office will be
seen in an integrated context. In other
words, there will be more at stake than
just the office as a place to work in. Instead, the focus will be on the overall
office environment. Efficient use of space,
flexible office furnishings, acoustics, media systems, workstations for standing up
and sitting down at, and areas for formal
and informal communication will play an
important part here just as environmental
awareness will do in developing, producing
and recycling furniture.
Let’s turn to the office of the future:
What are the key trends and how do you
see tomorrow’s office?
Dirk Aßmann: The main trends will be
defined by the way in which work forms
evolve and by the desire for greater cost
efficiency. New communication and work
media as well as downsized workstations
will be the determining factors. Areas
and furnishings for communicating at
formal and informal level will gain significance. Resulting from these trends, it
will be necessary for office furnishings
to permit easy adjustment to new situations. This means furniture will need to
provide greater mobility and systematically structured flexibility in putting desks
and storage space together. Although the
workplace will ultimately always remain a
workplace, it’s the underlying conditions
that will change.
Insight | 27
From co-operating
to working as partners
Hettich Russia has been working with the “Advanced Technology” company on a successful
basis since 2006. Working hand in hand, projects are formulated and implemented for
producing furniture and interior appointments for various means of transport.
Sochi railways station
The partnership between Advanced Technology and
Hettich has been in existence since 2006. As one
of its specialities, Advanced Technology develops
and produces interior appointments for passenger
trains. The company supplies Tverskoy Vagonostroitelny Zavod who produces trains for Russian
Railways. Doing so, it makes particular demands
on the equipment fitted inside carriages from the
aspect of ruggedness, strength and flammability. On
top of this, fitments are required to last for up to
28
25 years. Many stress tests have demonstrated that
hardware from Hettich is ideally suited for installing
inside means of transport. The fittings are used for
manufacturing furniture and fixtures in passenger
compartments, ship cabins and aircraft. Today,
Hettich fittings can be found in all types of railway
carriages in Russia: over the last three years, 1,500
carriages have been produced with Hettich hardware, with ten to 13 fittings being used in each.
“During our co-operation with Hettich Russia,
Hettich has been shown to be an exceptionally
reliable partner – not only in the manufacture of
furniture for railway carriages but also in the support they give with new designs. Many years of
troublefree service in our carriages without ever
having to make a complaint verifies the reliability
of Hettich products”, says Nikolay Sirotov, deputy
head of design at Tverskoy Vagonostroitelny Zavod.
Over the course of time, work with Hettich Russia
has changed, Nikolay Sirotov says. “From two large
companies working together to a partnership-like
wishes without having to make structural modifications”, Nikolay Sirotov explains.
Russia will host its first ever Winter Olympics in
2014 in Sochi – a city situated in the south of the
country. Under the program of preparation for the
Olympic Games Russian Railways are carrying out a
modernization of the trains for southward. Thus in
2012 new double-decker trains will go into operation. Hettich RUS participates in this project as a
strategic partner and a supplier of the hardware for
all areas of the train: from passenger compartments
The new double-decker carriage will be going into operation in 2012
undertaking that is defined by immense trust. This
is why every carriage that leaves our company is
equipped with fittings from Hettich.”
to dining-car. In future such trains will be also
produced for other regions of Russia.
Currently the focus is on a project dealing with
fitting out dining cars. “We are examining various
options for optimising the area used for preparing food and storing provisions on the basis of the
InnoTech platform concept. The tremendous flexibility this system offers allows us to meet client
Insight | 29
The Adeo Group –
a new Division DIY partner
France’s Groupe Adeo is one of the fastest growing DIY retail organisations
in Europe and has been selling Hettich fittings
in several countries since the beginning of this year too.
From the left: Ralf R. Rammo (Managing Director of Division DIY), François Lernon (Hardware Merchandising Manager, Leroy Merlin), Laurent Glaser (Directeur de Groupe Centrale d’achat, Leroy Merlin), Alban Seulin (Hardware
Merchandising, Leroy Merlin), Klaus Schumacher (Head of Export Division DIY), Olivier Corbin (Chef de Produit Quincaillerie, Leroy Merlin),
Sébastien Pandini (DIY Marketing, Hettich France), Birgit Müller (DIY Customer Service, Hettich France), Jens Heyroth (Business Support Manager DIY),
Stefan Kükenhöhner (Management, Hettich France)
Particularly in France, the Adeo Group is one of
the brand leaders on the DIY market with its Leroy
Merlin flagship. But the group also operates under
the Leroy Merlin name in other European countries,
such as Spain, Greece and Poland, as well as in
China and Brazil. With up to 19,000 square metres
of retail space, the DIY stores sell product ranges
for all DIY jobs. In addition, over 300 services are
available to make shopping, implementation and
30
follow-on work easier for the customer. Today, the
Leroy Merlin brand name is sold in 236 outlets.
From January to April 2010, 115 French DIY centres
were fitted out with no less than 920 metres of
shelf space offering Hettich fittings. On top of this,
a further four Leroy Merlin outlets in Greece, and
thirty-seven stores were fitted out in May and June
2010 in Poland. The Italian market is being tested
for the first time in two Bricocenter outlets, another
Adeo Group brand with over 100 DIY stores.
Compiling the product range for the Adeo Group
was a tough challenge for Hettich DIY, particularly
its Category Managers, buyers and merchandise
planners: as furniture hardware products cover a
broader range in France, a large number of new and,
in particular, typically French-style products, such
as finial hinges, had to be made ready for marketing in just a short time at Hettich in Melle-Neuenkirchen. Extending the line-up in this way, however,
is already paying off as many of the new products
are meanwhile also being sold in other markets.
Not only complementing the “core furniture fittings
range”, this has also made it more competitive at
international level.
For Hettich DIY, the new partnership with the Adeo
Group means a further step towards international
growth – but also a lot of responsibility. Because
as a Global Player turning over € 10.2 billion a year
(2008), the Adeo Group is committed to world-wide
expansion and all-new marketing concepts: this
calls for a strong and reliable partner that’s also
in a position to keep up with the pace of growth
internationally. Moving into the Ukrainian and
Romanian markets, for instance, is planned for
2010/2011.
Innovative sales concepts are a further favourite
with the Adeo Group: exhibition-style shop-in-shop
systems in the interior-design segment and sensory
marketing with fragrance dispensers in different
areas of the outlets are just two examples. And this
is another area in which the group puts its money
on retail partners capable of providing conceptual
and strategic support.
The sales and marketing team from Hettich Poland at the site of a newly constructed Leroy Merlin outlet in Poland: Piotr Koprowski (sales force), Marcin Trela
(Key Account Manager) and Piotr Moczydlowski (sales force)
Yet growth and global expansion are not the only
items on the Adeo Group’s agenda – at home in
France, it is one of the country’s longest-established commercial enterprises. Established in 1923
by Adolphe Leroy and Rose Merlin as a classic trading company, the first large-scale DIY and garden
centre was opened in 1960. In the meantime, the
group covers the entire DIY retail spectrum in
France, from discounter Bricoman, Leroy Merlin
Megastores in conurbation areas to Kbane-brand
stores with their ecological focus. Together with the
colleagues from Hettich France, the export team
around Klaus Schumacher and the French sales
force under Sébastien Pandini attend to the new
partnership in France.
Hettich world-wide | 31
32
Michelangelo’s Kitchen Event
Architects, designers, cabinet makers and the media from all over Australia
came together on the evening of 20 May 2010 to attend an
informative and entertaining Italian experience in the heart of Sydney.
Mal Corboy, the internationally renowned kitchen designer, guided the guests
through a veritable rollercoaster of kitchen designs that
had recently been on display at Eurocucina in Milan, Italy.
On arrival, guests were treated to a scene of Vespa
scooters and a black Ferrari accompanied by the
sounds of live classical Italian music on a roof
terrace decked out with a Mediterranean theme.
The attendees were welcomed by Richard Abela,
the managing director of Hettich Australia, and
entertained with traditional Italian food and wine.
The guests received a stimulating and informative
presentation by Mal Corboy and were then surprised
by an impressive fashion show from the “Varino”
designer boutique. The evening came to an end with
a five piece band that had numerous guests up on
their feet and dancing to some popular classics.
The event was rated a huge success by everyone
there, doing much to establish Hettich Australia as a
major brand in the cabinet hardware market,
reinforce relationships with customers and open up
new doors for Hettich amongst architects, designers
and the media.
Hettich world-wide | 33
+++
Best Expo Booth
Hettich Canada was awarded a prize at this year’s
“BuildEX Vancouver” expo for being the best
display booth. Over 650 exhibitors entered for
the title at the trade show that took place on
21 and 22 April 2010 – in the end it was Hettich
who came out in front.
“One company attracted particular attention with
its impressive display booth”, commented the adjudicators, speaking about Hettich’s presentation.
The spacious booth left no margin of doubt with
its contrasting look of black and white elements.
Mike Squizzato, President of Hettich Canada, Laura
Dewhirst from the Project Business team and many
others were involved in designing the booth and
were there to take the award on the evening of the
first exposition day.
It was Hettich Canada’s second time at “BuildEX
Vancouver”. The trade show for building management in the field of renovation, retrofit and refurbishment is one of the country’s largest expositions
and of particular importance for our target group
ofarchitects and designers. It takes place annually
at the Vancouver Convention Centre, an impressive exposition venue located directly on the Pacific
Ocean at the heart of the Canadian metropolis.
© Vancouver Convention Centre
34
+++
Architects Partner Award 2009
The "Architects Partner Award" was presented for the first time on 18 January 2010. Offering the
award, the AIT (Architecture, Interior Design, Technical Finishes) and xia (Intelligent Architecture) trade
journals aim to make a contribution toward further optimising technical and architectural competency
in consultancy services. From now on, the "Architects Partner Award" will be given once a year.
Over 1,000 architect and interior design firms in
Germany were asked to state the qualities a good
architectural consultant must show and the way
they would like to see sales work in its ideal form.
They were also requested to name companies that
had made a particular positive impression and specify which architectural consultants are highly competent and well received. Those surveyed responded
spontaneously, quoting more than 350 companies
and over 550 architectural consultants.
Forty-seven companies from the doors/gates and
lock systems/fittings industries were named by the
architects and interiors designers interviewed. The
ten companies with the highest number of votes
were nominated for the Top 10, with a gold medal
going to the winner and a silver medal to all of the
runners-up. Hettich received silver for the outstanding way in which it works with Germany’s architects
and interior designers.
+++
Hettich ČR k.s. Receives “Safety Company” Certification
The Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Mr. JUDr. Petr Šimerka, and the general inspector from
the national office for industrial safety, Mr. Rudolf Hahn, Mgr. Ing., awarded “Safety Company”
certification to eight companies at Opava Civic Hall on 26 May 2010. Three of the companies, including Hettich ČR k.s., qualified for the first time whereas certification was renewed for the others.
Conducted on an annual basis since 1996, the
“Safety Company” project is aimed at improving
occupational health and work safety at companies,
encouraging implementation of an effective safety
management system (industrial safety, environmental protection and plant safety) and at helping
companies to meet Czech and EU legislation. So far
only 56 companies employing some 55,000 members of staff have managed to obtain certification.
This demonstrates how selective and demanding the
award is. Those receiving certification are required
to improve occupational health and work safety at
their companies on a continuous basis. Hettich is
planning to address this subject at a session of the
Regional Chamber of Commerce in Žďár nad Sázavou
to be attended by the region’s leading employers.
In cooperation with Mrs. Jiřina Velínová, engineer
and regional safety inspector, Hettich staff have
been working hard for eighteen months to obtain
this certification. Together, they have managed to
improve the standard of health and work safety as
well as the quality of everyday working life at the
company. These activities illustrate the relevance
of the subject to the Hettich Group.
Mgr. Oldřich Pól, Prokurist of Hettich CR, JUDr. Petr Šimerka,
Minister of labour and social affairs in the Czech republic, Ing. Horst
Blom, Managing director of Hettich CR, Bc. Vladimír Holán, Safety
inspector of Hettich CR und Ing. Jiřina Velínová, Safety inspector of
Hettich CR (f.l.t.r.)
In brief | 35
+++
Contemporary Design Ideas
The largest Australian architectural and design expo took place in Sydney at the Darling Harbour Convention
centre from 22 to 24 April 2010. Hettich had a stunning display stand that featured the latest in the Hettich
product range, including the Sensys integrated dampening hinge and the InnoTech DesignSide. Displaying contemporary design ideas integrated in the overhead cabinetry and InnoTech drawers, the Hettich Australia/ bleux
design collaboration attracted particular interest.
This project created a large amount of interest amongst the architectural
and design community as well as the Channel Seven film crew shooting
footage for the Better Homes and Gardens programme.
Another new layout design was introduced in terms of showing the product
range in a number of living space applications rather than only focused on
the kitchen area. This approach supported the “Making living spaces work
beautifully” positioning and demonstrated the use of the Hettich product
range across a number of different applications in business channels
including the residential, hospitality, health and age care environments.
The expo generated over 800 leads that should help to drive the Hettich
brand and project sales in the near future.
+++
Doğtaş combines functionality with elegance
The right furniture for any room, manufactured to international quality standards – this is what
the Doğtaş name stands for. In the bedroom segment, Doğtaş has been placing its trust in Hettich
technology for seven years.
The furniture manufacturer sets store by the TopLine 22 sliding door system with Silent System Flexible 80 for
its high-quality sliding door units. It allows the doors to glide past each other in stylish elegance, providing
full access to wardrobe contents at all times. The sliding door’s soft-closing function plays a key part from
the aspect of safety and producing a feel-good effect. The Silent System Flexible soft-closing systems from
Hettich offer special solutions for medium and heavy-weight sliding doors. Doğtaş uses this product solution
to continue growing in the high-quality furniture segment and installs it in its “Exclusive” premium range.
36
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Small hardware outlet big on service
It the beginning of 2010 Hettich Russia opened a small hardware outlet which is situated on Hettich
RUS territory in Zheleznodorozhny, Moscow region. Although a far cry from the nearby main warehouse in terms of size and product range, it’s an important component in the partnership with customers from the Professional segment.
Hettich in Russia has successfully been matching its supplies to the needs of different customers from one
general warehouse for quite some time. Using a new concept, particular attention is now being paid to small
furniture manufacturers. There are many architects, designers and private companies in Moscow that make
customized furniture. They are mobile and want regular advice accompanied by swift service.
Opening in autumn 2010, two new Hettich RUS branches in St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk will be meeting the needs of furniture maker in corresponding regions. The main objective of these two new branches
will be the service for dealers’ network and industrial customers as well as acting as outlets for carpenters.
Meanwhile the Moscow outlet provides the opportunity to try out new sales promotion aids intended to
attract customers’ attention which could be of use for the new regional sales points. A loyalty scheme has
been developed that allows customers to benefit from a discount card. The specialist outlet also serves as a
showroom presenting the latest hardware solutions from Hettich. Skilled staff assists retailers with qualified
information on the items being sold and also advise them with regard to fitting out and presenting Hettich
products in their own showrooms.
In brief | 37
+++
Living spaces for tomorrow
Sharing expertise can produce some excellent results as clearly demonstrated by the liaison between
Team Wuppertal and Hettich in the Solar Decathlon Competition. The students received an award for
their future-proof dwelling on 27 June 2010 in Madrid.
Twenty selected universities from all over the world entered the Solar Decathlon Competition with the aim of
designing and building a dwelling by June 2010 that uses solar power as the only source of energy. After the
buildings had been presented to some 190,000 visitors for a week in Madrid, it was known who the winners
were. Team Wuppertal came second in the architecture category, earning third place for equipment function
and coming sixth overall. In addition to concept, energy balance and innovative content, competition criteria
also included comfort and convenience, design, communication and marketability.
Hettich supported the team of 40 students in designing as well as implementing a kitchen concept. “After
presenting the Kitchen Concept 2015 concept study at interzum 2009, this was a further step in encouraging discussion of future kitchen design”, explains Wilhelm Bulling, marketing coordinator for kitchens/
bathrooms at Hettich, commenting on the liaison. The Hettich Group is in close dialogue with universities
world-wide, fostering students and actively researching into the future. “The competition was searching for
marketable concepts that combine consumer benefits and sustainability”, Wilhelm Bulling says. “Supporting
Team Wuppertal provided the opportunity to discuss these aspects within a completely different circle, this
being the architects of tomorrow.”
© Amparo Garrido
38
EXHI
BITION
DATES
Ligno Novum, Budapest, Hungary; 06.10. - 09.10.2010
Index, Mumbai, India; 08.10. - 11.10.2010
Holz, Basle, Switzerland; 12.10. - 16.10.2010
Furniture, Minsk, Belarus; 12.10. - 16.10.2010
Intermob, Istanbul, Turkey; 16.10. - 20.10.2010
Sicam, Pordenone, Italy; 20.10. - 23.10.2010
Mebel, Moscow, Russia; 22.11. - 26.11.2010
ZOW, Bad Salzuflen, Germany; 14.02. - 17.02.2011
Eurotips, Lyon, France; 15.02. - 18.02.2011
DesignEx, Melbourne, Australia; 13.04. - 15.04.2011
K/BIS, Las Vegas, USA; 26.04. - 28.04.2011
interzum, Cologne, Germany; 25.05. - 28.05.2011
Subject to change without notice
Publication data
Publisher
Production
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Hettich Management Service GmbH
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The next issue of
Hettichmagazin
will be coming out in May 2011.
Phone: +49 5223 77-1736
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Fax: +49 5223 77-1737
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Outlook | 39
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