Whilst the German office furniture industry has been stagnating on a low level, Wilkhahn has increased its performance considerably in both domestic and international markets: in spite of plant holidays, which have just finished, sales are some six per cent up on last year and incoming orders have even increased by 15%. The development in markets in Great Britain, Spain, Eastern Europe and Australia showed extremely positive increases. Even in the difficult German market, an 8.5% rise in incoming orders is proof of clear progress.

Between working, conferencing and living: DinA, the new range and winner of numerous awards (design: Udo Schill, Timo Küchler).

Company President Dr. Jochen Hahne cites three main reasons for this lasting, positive development:
“Due to constructive cooperation with works council, Wilkhahn is able to get an immediate grip on necessary restructuring and hence cost aspects, whilst continuing to invest in product development, marketing and sales. After all, there is hardly any player in the German market that has such strong operative capability on the international scene as we do. This allows us to profit directly from upturns throughout the world.”

Design, innovation and quality: the proof of the message is in the product itself.

Director Holger Jahnke, responsible for global sales, adds that Wilkhahn’s innovation strategy is also anticyclical: “The new furnishing range, DinA, allows us to cover additional market segments as it is suitable for applications in offices, high-quality customer service and sales areas, as well as in the home environment. The same applies to the successfully launched cantilever model, Sito Club.”

“Aiming high”: the Sito Club cantilever chair (design: wiege), with elegant triple stitched leather upholstery, conveys a feeling of both dynamics and comfort.

Several events, focused on the motto of “Aiming high”, have taken place since early May to address and motivate more than 250 managing directors and sales staff from Wilkhahn’s German and international distributors. Wilkhahn feels that its strategy of swimming against the tide by means of innovative, high-quality products has been confirmed. “We create our own markets – and by so doing clearly distinguish ourselves from competitors where there is not much to choose between the one or the other, price dumping and loss of quality.”

Wilkhahn has not become disconcerted by the crisis in the industry either, but has refined its profile to an even greater extent. “Continuity and consistency of brand leadership are particularly rewarding in difficult times” Dr. Jochen Hahne sums up and adds that he is looking forward to Orgatec, the largest international office furniture fair, to be held in Cologne in October. “We will present further new products there and prove that Germany in general and Wilkhahn in particular continue to be trendsetters in terms of design, innovation and quality.”

For further details information and high-resolution print files, please contact:

Wilkhahn
Wilkening + Hahne GmbH+Co
Press + Public Relations
Burkhard Remmers
Fritz-Hahne-Straße 8
31848 Bad Münder
Germany
Phone: ++49 (5042) 999-169
Fax: ++49 (5042) 999-450
burkhard.remmers@wilkhahn.de