Wilkhahn

Wilkhahn (Wilkening + Hahne GmbH+Co.KG), based in Bad Münder, Lower Saxony, is a German manufacturer of office furniture.

[1] The sons of the founders, Fritz Hahne and Adolf Wilkening took over the reins of the company after World War II and continued to make wooden chairs and furniture until the mid-1950s.

[2] The introduction of new materials such as steel, fibreglass, and newer fabrics for upholstery, and the early development of plastic enabled Wilkhahn to transform the business from a highly manual craft to a modern industrial production company with international operations.

In the 1950s, the company obtained designers such as Herbert Hirche, Georg Leowald, Roland Rainer, Jupp Ernst and Helmut Lohmeier.

At a staff meeting in December 1970 Fritz Hahne announced a 50% profit-sharing scheme for employees to come into effect in January 1971.

In 1980 Klaus Frank and Werner Sauer developed a new office swivel chair following intensive ergonomic studies and series of tests.

Sales offices and subsidiaries were established, foreign trading and license partners were retained to work for Wilkhahn.

Wilkhahn was one of the first German companies to achieve the environmental accreditation now known as the ISO 14001 Standard and EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme).