User:S1nealeg/Wilkhahn

Wilkhahn, based in Lower Saxon, Eimbeckhausen, is a German manufacturer of office furniture and is best known for its range of ergonomic office chairs. Founded in 1907 by Frieddrich Hahne and Christen Wilkening. The name of the two founders was later used to create the name Wilk-hahn in 1954

At the turn of the century, the production methods resembled wood processing workshop rather than a chair manufacturer. The chairs were constructed from solid beech sourced from nearby forests. The production of wooden chairs continued until the onset of World War II. The concern about waste from the manufacture of wooden chairs spurned the development of the modern chair

The sons of the founders, Fritz Hahne and Adolf Wilkening took over the reins of the company after the war and continued to make wooden chairs and furniture until the mid 1950’s. 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 an industrial production company with international operations. As a result, the modern chair evolved, with notable releases as the FS Line, Picto, Modus, A-line and ON.

Wilkhahn′s product portfolio includes high-quality commercial furniture for offices, airports, and conference centers. The products can be divided into the following four segments:

•	Task chairs - Office chairs for employees

•	Executive offices - Executive chair and desk for management offices

•	Conference and Board rooms - Large static table and conference chairs

•	Training facilities - Innovative solutions for multipurpose tables

The opportunity to form shapes from the new materials inspired Wilkhahn designers:

1954-1957	Chairs designed by Georg Leowald for the home and office

1955-1959	The three-legged chair introduced, based on Walter Papst’s design. This chair was to be reinstated in 2009 and is made from solid timber.

1971		The introduction of the first two-piece swivel chairs designed by Wilhelm Ritz.

1980		The introduction of chair with many seating variants.

1991		The first office chair designed completely under ecological criteria designed by Burkhard Schmitz and Franz Biggel. Created from eight different recyclable, CFC free materials.

Wilkhahn is also well known for the architecture of its production sites, the pavilions in wood-hanging construction by Frie Otto (built in 1987 in Bad Muender), already famous for his work on Munich’s Olympic Stadium, and the production halls by architect Thomas Herzog (built in 1992) in Eimbackhausen

Sustainability
Wilkhahn’s company strategy strongly reflects its internal environmental values. Concern about environmental issues started back in the 1970’s with the appointment of an environmental manager to develop the company’s future ecological strategies. Wilkhahn was one of the first German companies to achieve the environmental accreditation now known as the ISO 14 001 Standard. It was the first time a complete Input-Output analysis had been tested in a furniture company under scientific control.