Bad Münder, Germany. The new production facilities for surfaces include machinery for pre-treating tabletops, as well as applying veneers and varnishes. The different steps in the process, such as calibrating, sanding, staining, varnishing and drying are carried out in separate areas. Particularly delicate steps are even carried out in clean rooms. As a result, processing times are shortened and the high quality of the Wilkhahn table ranges is guaranteed. The facilities also offer new opportunities for tabletop sizes. In the past, widths of up to 1.30 metres were possible, but the new facilities allow tabletops up to 1.60 metres in width.

The new production facilities offer ideal conditions for customised and rapid manufacture of high-quality wooden surfaces for conference tables. Photo: Wilkhahn

Remote control colour mixing
At Wilkhahn, so-called 2-component machinery is used to varnish surfaces in a precise and eco-friendly manner. The machinery allows the different components in the varnish to be metered and mixed by remote control. While the final varnish for the high-quality tabletops is still carried out manually, roller-varnishing technology will soon take over the majority of the manual jobs required beforehand. Ideal control of air-feed and exhaust air, as well as advanced filtering technology, also improve health and safety in the clean room. And by using water-based varnishes, solvent-based varnishes are avoided to a great extent.

Better health and safety and enhanced energy efficiency are some of the other benefits the new facilities have to offer. Photo: Wilkhahn

Up to 80 percent heat recovery
For many years, Wilkhahn has concentrated on eco-friendly processes to reduce CO2 emissions. Heat recovery equipment that is connected to the new surface production facilities is now also helping to maintain the green focus. Slowly rotating slats (10 - 20 revolutions/min) extract heat from the exhaust air which they then release to the fresh air drawn from outside. This form of direct heat transmission is as simple as it is efficient. The degree of heat recovery reaches up to 80%, so that 210,000 kWh of energy are saved each year. This figure equals the amount of energy consumed by about seven houses annually.


Wilkhahn table ranges are some of the best the industry has to offer. For example: the Palette range, Design: Karlheinz Rubner. Photo: Wilkhahn

Competitiveness of the site enhanced
Nowadays, customised solutions are more important than ever. “Our new facilities mean we are fully equipped to deal with market demands in the top quality segment. More flexibility, shorter lead times and better quality will sustainably improve our ability to compete”, explains Wilkhahn’s managing partner and president Dr. Jochen Hahne. “For more than 20 years now, one of our core principles has been to protect the environment when we make investments”. 

Project players:
Project management: Marcus Niebert, Wilkhahn Technical Dept.
Calibrating and sanding machine: Karl Heesemann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany
Veneering machine: Heinrich Kuper GmbH & Co. KG, Rietberg, Germany
Clean room varnishing machinery: Rippert Anlagentechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Herzebrock-Clarholz, Germany
Application technology: L&S Oberflächentechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock, Germany

Further information contact:

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

mai public relations GmbH
Matthias Mai
Dessauer Strasse 6
10963 Berlin, Germany
Tel. +49 30 8411 4808
Mobile +49 163 325 0099
mm@maipr.com