100 percent quality. Easy to say but often difficult to achieve. Not so at the North German office furniture manufacturer Wilkhahn. Perhaps it’s because this family-run company can rely on more than 11 decades of furniture production experience and know-how. Or because they have always placed more emphasis on proven, sustainable performance than on pretentious advertising campaigns. Or because their corporate culture has valued the work of each individual employee to the highest degree for generations and continues to do so. This philosophy has turned the former chair factory into an international, globally renowned brand. With products of unsurpassed quality.
113 years. Sounds rather conservative and like lots of old-school tradition, doesn’t it? Then this company is sure to surprise you. Although Wilkhahn can certainly look back on a long corporate history, the company has always kept its distance from customary standards in every respect. When Friedrich Hahne and Christian Wilkening founded their factory back in 1907, they already knew that success ultimately depends on quality. As one of about 100 other companies dedicated to the production of chairs in the Hanover region, competition was fierce. By consistently pursuing their quality standards for materials and production as well as being open to the use of industrial technology and their customers’ wishes, the company has managed to build continuously on its pioneering role. Wilkhahn became a pioneer of German industrial design with chairs made of solid beech – outstanding in terms of both workmanship and design – allowing for a minimalist Bauhaus style alongside classic elegance. The result was success and growth. The family-run company is now in the competent hands of the third generation, with around 500 employees and renowned customers all over the world. They have remained true to their quality credo: lateral thinking is desired, precision is indispensable, innovative solutions are welcome. In doing so, their understanding of quality is directed both inwards and outwards, which means that they take their customer’s needs as seriously as those of their employees. Social responsibility and sustainable mindfulness are thus firmly integrated into the everyday life of the company – as well as into workplace and building concepts.
When Michael Kruppe cuts the fine leather for the Modus office chair, he does so with the utmost concentration. When Tanja Wiedecke sews together the parts for ‘her’ Graph chair, she does so with a precise sense of proportion. Not a centimetre is wasted, everything has to be perfect. Careful, efficient handling of the high-quality materials is a matter of course here. Both have been with Wilkhahn for more than twenty years – and they both still love their work. This is surely due to the corporate culture, in which partnership, personal responsibility and trust form the basis for a genuinely feel-good atmosphere. It is surely also due to the pleasant working atmosphere in the production hall, which is surrounded by greenery, creating a spatial concept of light, air and ease based on architect Thomas Herzog’s spectacular design. And it’s ultimately the Wilkhahn products themselves that generate enthusiasm and fascination: stylish classics that spruce up any boardroom or conference room with their elegant look. Innovative comfort items that prove that healthy ergonomic sitting can be stylish and multidimensional. Clever table solutions that can be folded up, changed from sitting to standing work, tilted, rotated or turned into a presentation surface in one go. Comfortable designer chairs that are eye-catching in cafeterias and bistros, their robust surface and softly upholstered seat inviting you to take a seat. A portfolio that, considering its sophistication as well as meticulous and precise production process, truly deserves to be referred to as a premium product. Simply 100 percent quality workmanship.
Whether in the Bentley showroom in Madrid, the Sega Sammy headquarters in Tokyo, the Lukoil headquarters in Singapore or at Woodside in Perth, Australia: Wilkhahn office furniture is found all over the world. The design is always very different, and a wide range of constructions, materials and surfaces are available for table and chair models, depending on the respective requirements and spatial concept: be it legs or castors, wood or leather-covered, aluminium or metal, matt-coated or chrome-plated... there is actually almost nothing they do not offer. The range of colours in which you can choose fabric, wood, leather or lacquered surfaces is just as varied. The shape of every seat shell is designed to ensure maximum comfort and with modern health criteria in mind, so even when you sit for long periods of time, your back is protected and your concentration stays high. That spells premium quality for every requirement. Do have a seat.
