Bright, inviting and clearly structured according to scenarios: the Wilkhahn exhibition stand (design: wiege) at Orgatec 2008. Photo: Wilkhahn

Bad Münder. The Cologne Messegesellschaft recorded 62,500 visitors from 113 countries, which meant a rise in the total number of visitors of more than nine per cent. Although there are no statistics to bear it out, one could clearly observe the concentration of exhibition visitors to the stands of the few brand manufacturers, also those who are internationally known and successful. The Wilkhahn stand was one of these highly attractive magnets – particularly for the press, radio and television: photographs and film sequences from the Wilkhahn stand were featured in many daily newspapers and even in a television news programme.

A pleasant atmosphere of sensual understatement
“With an average of 60 members of staff, we were challenged at Orgatec from the first to virtually the last minute in order to satisfy visitors from Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, as well as from North and South America”, Holger Jahnke, Wilkhahn President International Markets, says by of summarizing the response. “Once again it was the clarity of the Wilkhahn stand and the strength of the new products which were the main topics of discussion at the exhibition.” The stand, designed by the wiege design studio, was an ideal means of transporting the Wilkhahn-typical design approach and the brand values, and also of “taking people on board” emotionally. “In spite of the hustle and bustle of the fair, our guests felt at ease and welcome in this atmosphere of sensual understatement”, Holger Jahnke says by way of describing the general mood and opinion.

Celebrated by both the trade press and exhibition visitors alike: the prototypes of the Chassis multi-purpose chair (design: Stefan Diez), using manufacturing technology that opens up completely new design scope. Photo: Wilkhahn

Reliable competence for providing furnishing solutions for conference and communication environments
Wilkhahn had shown various space and communication situations at its stand: ranging from an informal lounge, an exclusive boardroom, a management workplace and a dynamic conference room application to conference rooms fully equipped with media technology for globally networked communication. The concept of incorporating newly presented ranges into high-quality application scenarios also met with a positive response. This goes to show that Wilkhahn stands for both first-class individual ranges with international appeal and relevance and for holistic furnishing concepts. “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, but the quality of individual elements always defines the quality of the whole – which means that focus on product and focus on solutions have become inseparable for us”, says Holger Jahnke, explaining Wilkhahn’s approach.

Winner of the Innovation Prize Architektur + Office: Velas, the new lounge chair range (design: Eric Degenhardt) provided a place for relaxation and informal info-exchange in the hustle and bustle of the fair. Photo: Wilkhahn

Breaking down barriers and continually striking new paths
Anyone who believed that hardly any more real innovations were possible in the history of mankind after almost 2,000 years of chair design were quickly put right at Wilkhahn. Especially Velas, the extremely graceful and ergonomically innovative relaxation chair, (design: Eric Degenhardt), Ceno, the attractive and practical conference chair (design: Läufer + Keichel) and the prototype study for the Chassis multi-purpose chair (design: Stefan Diez) caused quite a stir. Velas was awarded the Innovation Prize Architektur und Office on the very first day of Orgatec while the acclaimed “Zeitmagazin” and the internet platforms of Stylepark and Architonic have since devoted multi-page articles to Chassis. The Chassis range by Stefan Diez marks the first time that state-of-the-art technologies from sheet steel production have been used in chair manufacture. This opens up completely new dimensions in design, which were excellently expressed by the exhibited prototypes. Chassis creates a fascination which hardly anyone can resist”, Dr. Jochen Hahne, Wilkhahn President and Head of Production, notes with great delight.


Ideal for conference interiors allowing variable applications: Ceno, the new conference chair (design: Läufer + Keichel) combines professional handling and a high degree of comfort with high-calibre, sensually understated design quality. Photo: Wilkhahn

A wonderful party to finish
25 per cent of the international visitors to the Wilkhahn stand were architects and interior designers, 30 per cent were international Wilkhahn specialist dealers and 45 per cent were customers from various branches. Many of these came back to the Wilkhahn stand on the last but one evening to celebrate the successful exhibition performance. Well over 900 people experienced a perfectly organized party, an exciting live band and a feeling of togetherness that is otherwise rarely found. “We appreciate our partners and customers and that is why so many of them also appreciate us – besides the quality of Wilkhahn products and services this is a really important aspect, perhaps even the most rewarding one in business life”, says Holger Jahnke, putting the evening’s atmosphere into a nutshell.

Full material with images and written information online
With immediate effect, all catalogues, press texts, photographs of products and the exhibition stand are available via the Wilkhahn website:

• The Wilkhahn “News & Views” booklet is available as a download at www.wilkhahn.de – “Orgatec” or it may be ordered online
• For the Carus, Velas, Ceno and Chassis ranges, there is now also a brief trailer on the “Making of” available as a download
• All press texts on new products and range additions can be accessed under “Press”
• New images have been added to the Wilkhahn Image Database: http://images.wilkhahn.com, Login: email address “Press” / password: “Orgatec”

If required, we would be delighted to send you press material by post. Press folders are available in German, English, French and Spanish.

Further information:

Wilkhahn
Wilkening + Hahne GmbH+Co.KG
International Communications
Burkhard Remmers
Fritz-Hahne-Straße 8
D-31848 Bad Münder
Tel.+49 5042 999 169
Fax  +49 5042 999 130
Mobil+49 172 544 9975
burkhard.remmers@wilkhahn.de

mai public relations
Matthias Mai
Chausseestr. 8, Aufgang E
D-10115 Berlin
Tel.+49 30 8411 4808
Fax +49 30 8411 4807
Mobil+49 163 325 0099
mm@maipr.com