The Häfele Story

Adolf Häfele takes his company safely and largely unscathed through the Second World War. After the end of the war, the plight in the country is great. On the other hand, the reconstruction results in keen demand for fittings and joinery requirements. Things are quickly moving upwards again. In February 1946, Walther Thierer, Häfele's nephew, joins the company.

In October 1948, Häfele celebrates its 25th anniversary. At this time, the company is well positioned: with a total of 29 employees and revenue rising to nearly two million DM.

Company founder Adolf Häfele dies in 1949, just four years after the end of the second World War. Right in the middle of the reconstruction efforts in Germany, his 26 year old nephew Walther Thierer takes over the management of the company with the support of the Häfele and Thierer family shareholders.

1950 starts with a catastrophe, which takes a turn for the better: a fire destroys the company building on New Year's night. But Walther Thierer acts quickly: first, a road sale bridges the emergency and the transactions are resumed in makeshift barracks. At the same time, the foundation for today's headquarters in Nagold is laid. The result is a new building with offices and a warehouse space totalling 2,500 square metres.

In April 1954, Häfele started his own production of special fittings for furniture ornaments and brass grilles. The demand for the products grows to such an extent within a short time that the production area has to be extended several times.

In the economic miracle years after World War II, Häfele initially concentrates on the domestic market.

But it's only a matter of time before the company is active abroad again. In 1964, Häfele took advantage of the spirit of optimism of the 1960s and founded the first foreign subsidiary in Switzerland.

The export department is developed in Nagold and a company-owned sales organisation for France, "Häfele France GmbH & Co." is established.

The travelling activities of the sales pioneers in Nagold become even more important and the first mobile Häfele exhibition departs on tour. In the following years, the bus also serves as an exhibition stand abroad.

"The Complete Häfele" appears for the first time, the world's biggest reference tool for furniture fittings.

The Complete Häfele does not just contain 25,000 items for purchasing, but helps with detailed drawings and assembly instructions – it is not just a reference tool but also a teaching tool.

A large exhibition bus makes a 12,000-mile trip through the furniture centres of the USA. This marks the beginning of the Häfele success story in the United States: Häfele America Co. is founded in 1973 .

These mobile exhibits have been deployed successfully in other countries and are often the first step in opening a market. At the beginning of the 1970's, Häfele therefore achieves an export proportion of 40 percent and is one of the pioneers and founders of export nation Germany.

"Der Große Häfele" appears in the global languages of English, French and Spanish under the title of "The Complete Häfele", "Le Grand Häfele" and "El Gran Häfele" respectively.

Today this comprehensive reference tool for hardware technology is available in more than 20 languages, along with many special editions aimed at specific target groups and countries.

Häfele sets up its own in-house development department. Within a short time, the company builds up a reputation with innovative fittings, and has a long-term influence on furniture manufacturing with its powerful solutions.

The same year, the distribution centre in Nagold is ready to start operations, laying the foundation for Häfele's logistics services. With a high-rise storage facility in which track guided vehicles pick products off the shelves, Häfele was a quick and reliable logistics partner, even at that time.

Häfele establishes its third foreign subsidiary in Great Britain. Things then happen quickly: branches follow in Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Ireland, The Netherlands, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Japan… a real establishment boom occurs.

Today Häfele is represented by its own subsidiary or a sales office on every continent.

In 1982 Hans Nock, export manager in Nagold since the 1960s, takes over management of the company and becomes the "Engine" of Häfele’s foreign business. Growth succeeds in a reputable way and from the power of the family-run company. The proportion of exports increases to 70 per cent.

Because of exact knowledge of the requirements of its customers, Häfele becomes a problem solver in many cases. One such example is Häfele's development of the Minifix connector system with the centric ball principle, which continues to be successful around the world, even today. The diminutive Minifix revolutionises the industry and speeds up the development of the fledgling DIY furniture sector.

Häfele's own production plant Häfele Berlin now produces 500 million Minifix in 30 versions.

Häfele puts its faith in proximity to the customer from the very start. Visits to partners on site and individual attention are a fixed constituent of the corporate culture. From 1985, investments are made in setting up sales offices in Germany. It's now all about shorter distances to the customer, smaller sales units and personal contact. Integrated showrooms make a visit to the sales offices particularly interesting and are very popular with customers.

At interzum 1995, Häfele started with the electronic information and ordering channel "Teleservice 24" and was thus open 24 hours a day. In April 1998, the range of services was expanded and Häfele's first homepage launched. Both the company and the product segments are presented digitally. The "Easy Link" online shop celebrated its premiere at Interzum 2001. Since then, the entire product range is available online and German customers have access to over 50,000 articles which can be ordered quickly and easily around the clock at the click of a mouse.

The main administration in Nagold is also extended. Häfele constructs a new building on an adjacent, 5,000 square metre lot at Adolf-Häfele-Straße 1.

Today, a large and modern showroom, conference rooms, offices, the data centre and a test workshop are located in the award-winning building. The company strategies are developed in Nagold, and the product ranges are selected and documented. Central IT is located here, and from here, the global sales organizations are controlled.

The flood of establishments wave covers the entire American continent. It is started in 1997 with a subsidiary in Mexico. Brazil follows in 1998, and Argentina in 1999.

Whilst the last "Häfele-free zones" on the map of western Europe are being acquired at the end of the 1990's and the beginning of the new millennium, the company is sending out feelers to eastern Europe and China. In 2002, Häfele establishes the first eastern European subsidiary in Poland. Turkey and China follow in 2005; Russia in 2006; Ukraine and Romania in 2009; and Kazakhstan, Serbia and the Czech Republic in 2010.

Sibylle Thierer, daughter of Walther Thierer, takes over the responsibility at the beginning of the new millennium in the third generation.

She paves the way to modernity, putting the focus on the use of innovative ideas and products in all decision-making.

Häfele's 360° Project Service has been the basis of ongoing, successful business with architects, investors and builders since 2006. It encompasses manufacturer-independent procurement of architectural hardware and project fittings, the "StarTec" product range, the Dialock electronic access control system, countless planning manuals, and international project coordination by Häfele project managers.

Häfele goes in new directions with the marketing strategy of "The Innovator of Functionality". "Functionality" becomes the seal of quality with which cabinet maker and joiner solutions can distinguish themselves with optimum functionality. The "Functionality World" exhibition opens in Nagold in the same year. The first edition of the "Häfele Home" magazine appears two years later, with innovative furniture and living ideas. The magazine inspires designers and architects as well as cabinet makers and joiners.

Following the 360° comprehensive project solution on the construction site, Häfele bundles sales to the furniture industry in the newly-established industrial sales organisation Häfele Engineering GmbH & Co KG. It focusses exclusively on the requirements of the furniture industry – along the entire value creation chain.

In September 1972, Häfele started construction on the first stage of its distribution centre, a high-bay warehouse with five aisles and a bar warehouse with offices and common rooms. On 1 January 1974, 6,200 square metres of built-upon area were then put into operation. Today, 50 years later, the seven hectares purchased at that time are almost completely built-upon (53,000 sqm). In the future, Häfele will expand on the other side of Robert-Bosch-Strasse, where several years ago it commissioned a state-of-the-art production facility for packing hardware and fitting systems.

Seit diesem Jahr können zahlreiche Planungs- und Konfigurations-Tools online angesteuert und im täglichen Betrieb effizient eingesetzt werden. Der Schreiner arbeitet in seiner gewohnten Umgebung weiter, plant aber sein Möbel von A-Z digital mit CAD, CAM und Konfiguratoren. Für jede Situation bietet Häfele digitale Services, die bei der Planung und Konstruktion unterstützen. So wird anspruchs-volle Beschlagtechnik nun kinderleicht digital verarbeitbar – von der Planung bis zur Fertigung.

Das Flap Competence Center (FCC) in der ungarischen Hauptstadt Budapest feiert in diesem Jahr sein 25jähriges Jubiläum. Die Entwicklungs- und Produktionsstätte für innovative Klappenbeschläge steht stellvertretend für die Innovationskraft von Häfele und ist dabei Bestandteil von insgesamt fünf Produktionswerken, deren Produkte über die weltweit 37 Häfele Vertriebsniederlassungen in 150 Ländern der Welt verfügbar sind.

Kunden in aller Welt wünschen sich neueste Technologie gerne in Verbindung mit dem Standing eines jahrzehntelang am Markt erfolgreichen Unternehmens – diesen Status festigt Häfele stetig.

Zwölf junge Geflüchtete aus neun Nationen beginnen in diesem Jahr eine zweijährige Ausbildung zum Fachlageristen bei Häfele in Nagold. Damit übernimmt Häfele als Leuchtturmbetrieb und als nationales Vorzeigebeispiel in Sachen betrieblicher Integrationsarbeit Verantwortung. Als eines der größten Unternehmen in der Region steckt Häfele seit Jahrzehnten viel Kraft in die Ausbildung im dualen System. Zwei Jahre später wird dieses gesellschaftliche Engagement mit dem Unternehmerpreis gewürdigt.

Internet, catalogue or rather personal consultation with a specialist adviser? Häfele customers have the freedom to choose where and how they find out about the product range or place their order. The new catalogue helps with planning, selection and research, and is always a welcome companion in the workshop and office when a quick overview or familiarisation with a new topic is required.

Der neue Auftritt im Internet ist nun online. Die Häfele-Markenwelt gibt es jetzt in einer neuen digitalen Dimension, höchst effektiv, äußerst einfach, selbsterklärend und mit vielen Vorteilen. Im neuen, modernen Onlineshop bestellt man sicherer, schneller und komfortabler denn je. Dieses Häfele Servicepaket schenkt mehr Unabhängigkeit und Zeit.

Häfele opens a second distribution centre in Germany in Lehrte near Hanover. With an eye on the planned expansion of the Group in the coming years, Häfele is taking the next step and plotting a course for faster service. The existing distribution centre on the Wolfsberg in Nagold and the new warehouse in Lehrte, which will go into operation in the early summer of next year , are central elements of a new comprehensive European strategy in the logistics sector of the global company. The Häfele Group operated a total of 52 logistics locations worldwide in 2018.

With the acquisition of Nimbus, Häfele announced to the professional world the strategic takeover of the Stuttgart-based LED luminaire and acoustic specialist. The company from Stuttgart has become the new global competence centre and the unit for the high-potential future areas of light, acoustics and smart within the Häfele Group from 1st September 2019 under the management of Jörg Schmid, the former managing director of the Häfele industrial division. Dietrich Brennenstuhl, the previous owner of the Nimbus Group, is now Managing Director Design & Innovation. He is therefore responsible for the Nimbus brand, the design language, innovation and communication.

With the establishment of the Häfele Adriatic subsidiary last July, Häfele has created another foothold in the Mediterranean: Häfele Adriatic is the 38th foreign sales company of the Group and serves the markets in Slovenia and Croatia. Things are also moving forward in Africa: Häfele has been servicing the East African countries of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the Seychelles from its own office in Tanzania since February 2019. This second base on the African continent is part of Häfele’s preparations for growing its presence in the emerging market of East Africa. Overall the Group generated 80% of its revenue outside of Germany.

The parent company of the world's leading Häfele Group for furniture fittings and architectural hardware, electronic acces control systems, and LED lighting, Häfele GmbH and Co KG, changed its corporate form on 1st December 2020. Häfele Germany now operates under the name Häfele SE & Co. KG. “With the legal form of a “Societas Europaea” (SE), we are thinking ahead and making Häfele at the Nagold location, a globally acting family owned and operated business, fit for the future,” says Managing Director Sibylle Thierer. At Häfele, this is a very concrete way of laying the foundation for the assumption of responsibility by the 4th generation. At the same time, this makes a commitment to future independence as a family business.

At the beginning of 2021, Häfele acquired the company moebelplus Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG. Moebelplus, a successful up-and-coming online retailer of electrical household appliances, will continue to operate as an independent subsidiary of Häfele under the operational management of the two current managing directors, Mathias Grummt and Rico Kellner. According to moebelplus, the company found the right partner in Häfele for its next development phase, because moebelplus significantly increases its reach among business customers thanks to the Häfele customer base, and becomes Häfele's new supplier of e-devices and other suitable products.