Orgatec 2006: Wilkhahn strengthens its leading position

[11-09-2006] At Orgatec, which has just closed its doors, Wilkhahn showed quite impressively that it ranks among the absolutely top companies in the international office furniture industry. The enthusiastic reaction of visitors to the exhibition stand design and new products during the Fair went to prove the exceptional position that the company has achieved on an international scale.

Bad Münder. The Wilkhahn staff and management had every reason to be pleased at Orgatec, the world's largest office furniture exhibition that took place in Cologne from 24 - 28 October and registered some 57,200 visitors - an increase of more than 5%.


A lot of visitors and keen interest throughout the entire exhibition made the Wilkhahn platform for Orgatec a complete success.

The unanimously positive reaction to the Aline product family, to the additions to the Neos office chair range, to Cura, the new cantilever chair, to the DinA Office range and to the innovative products of Travis and the Confair folding tables with 4C-Boxes for conference interiors go to show that the clear positioning of Wilkhahn with a focus on high-quality ranges for conferences, offices, lounge and office recreation areas pays dividends. "Wonderful", "completely different", "we have been looking for something like this for a long time" are just a few of the examples of reactions to new Wilkhahn products on the part of architects, interior designers and customers from all over the world.


The new swivel and visitor chairs from the Aline family turned quite a few heads, as well as the low, sitting and standing height tables that proved a perfect solution for furnishing the exhibition stand restaurant.

Clarity and reduction to essentials as a convincing principle
The stand design quite consistently reflected the same principles that apply to Wilkhahn products: clarity, spaciousness and high-quality reduction to essentials is becoming increasingly important in a world that is marked by lacklustre products and stimulus satiation. Whilst the world of living and lifestyle was being celebrated elsewhere at the Fair, the 650 m² Wilkhahn stand, developed by the wiege design studio, focused entirely on the high quality of the products themselves. A "catwalk" was used to present the design icons from the current product portfolio: this unusual perspective highlighted the quality of the products down to the very last detail. New products were presented in possible application scenarios against white, large-format panels to the left and right of the catwalk. At the top of the stand, to the left and right of the Aline cafeteria, two glazed conference interiors with optimal lighting showed holistic, innovative solutions for promoting communication.


In the centre of the Wilkhahn stand: a catwalk featuring prize-winning product icons from current ranges.

Alongside new products: innovative solutions that are unique throughout the world
In these two conference interiors Wilkhahn showed realistic conference scenarios that were equipped with everything that conference spaces are capable of offering in times of global networking:
  • The new Travis table range with an integrated, retractable display which could control the ambient lighting, presentations on the wall screen (CommBoard), the videoconference which could be switched live to head office in Bad Münder or the Gingco room booking system. The ingenious high spot was that the chair at this command base was equipped with radio technology that automatically lifted the retractable monitor out of the table top and brought it into the retracted position 30 seconds after the user had vacated his or her chair.


A conference interior pre-fitted to accept the technology of the future with the new Travis table range, design: wiege.


When the user takes a seat, this automatically raises the retractable monitor, which is otherwise integrated invisibly into the table surface.

  • In the second conference space, visitors could have a hands-on experience of the advantages of mobile, foldable conference tables: due to innovative technology, in no time at all the legendary Confair folding tables can be opened up, configured as required, networked and connected up to interactive media technology. The concept, which is unique throughout the world, met not only with great interest but fascinated visitors too. For the joint venture between Wilkhahn and its subsidiary company, foresee GmbH, combines two aspects that had so far been regarded as incompatible: self-organized, dynamic and cost effective space utilization and equipping tables with state-of-the-art multimedia conference technology which does not require the assistance of IT administrators or technicians.


Fascinating and unique throughout the world: technic-modules, developed by foresee, allow Confair folding tables to be set up, connected up and networked with state-of-the-art technology in no time at all.

The quantity and quality of visitors exceed expectations by far
It is therefore no surprise that the Wilkhahn exhibition stand was one of the greatest attractions at Orgatec this year. The point was that in the midst of the lavish stimulus satiation of the Fair, it marked a place that stood out quite clearly from others, a place in which the focus was on both guests and products. 


Wilkhahn directors Dr. Jochen Hahne and Holger Jahnke were delighted with the successful Orgatec platform.

Wilkhahn director Holger Jahnke was absolutely delighted with the success: "We had very many excellent discussions with architects and customers from all over the world who reacted to the Wilkhahn performance with unanimous enthusiasm. Interest in concrete consultation and making appointments for joint realization of projects recalls the times when demand far exceeded supply. After double-digit growth rates for the current year, we created the basis at Orgatec 2006 for good, continuing growth in the coming year too."

Anyone who experienced Wilkhahn and the throng of visitors at Orgatec 2006 will have no doubts about that.


Footloose and fancy free: some 1,000 guests from all over the world attended the traditional Wilkhahn get-together on the penultimate exhibition day.


Further information on new products (Neos, DinA Office, Aline, Cura, Conference.Excellence.) at: 
www.wilkhahn.com - Press


For further information and printable image data:
Wilkhahn
Wilkening + Hahne GmbH+Co.KG
Press + Public Relations
Burkhard Remmers
Fritz-Hahne-Straße 8
31848 Bad Münder
Germany
Phone: ++49 (5042) 999-169
Fax: ++49 (5042) 999-230
burkhard.remmers@wilkhahn.de



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