Vienna. Wilkhahn has been operating successfully in the Austrian market for some 35 years. Based on collaboration with Austrian market leaders bene and Hali, this was followed by a sales office in the capital in 1982 and the systematic expansion of national sales coverage through Wilkhahn specialist dealers. Wilkhahn Handelsgesellschaft mbH with head office in the 14th district was founded in 1991. Joint market development with bene was intensified in subsequent years, thus creating an effective sales structure on a national basis. The move into attractive converted loft premises in the 7th district of Vienna means that everything is set for strengthening market presence in Austria and proving Wilkhahn's high competence, especially for first-class conference furnishing solutions.

For example, the Federal Ministry for National Defence, Vienna: table configurations, chairs and integrated media technology make Wilkhahn the leading provider of conference furniture on the highest level

Herbert Schmitz, managing director at Wilkhahn in Vienna since 2001, is pleased with the prospects: "Wilkhahn stands for intelligent, innovative solutions on a coherently high level of design and function. For table configurations, system tables or matching seating. All those having to take decisions on a furniture solution, can also try out room-filling, versatile and dynamic table configurations in our loft for themselves and touch, design and experience "their" very own solution hands-on."
Another advantage is that interested parties can also witness competence in terms of media technology in the loft together with cooperation partner innvision. "Furniture becomes technology, technology becomes furniture", Herbert Schmitz emphasizes how important it is for a design-oriented company like Wilkhahn to demonstrate the benefits of drawing the customer's attention to perfect integration of media technology from the very beginning, namely in the planning stage.

The quality of function and design of conference solutions can be tried out and experienced hands-on at the new Wilkhahn Forum

The concept of a "communication factory" for the Wilkhahn loft can be taken quite literally. The building complex, erected between Wimbergergasse and Kaiserstraße in 1889, is a symbol of the change from an industrial to a service-focused society. It was initially used as a cable factory, then for trading in watches and clocks and later as a silver rolling mill. Today the three-storey factory building houses an art studio, a well-known photographic studio and the Wilkhahn Forum, and can thus boast a user structure that is devoted to creation of cultural value. Herbert Schmitz summarizes the cultural dimensions of interior design as follows: "An integral part of the Wilkhahn image is, besides successful business, to make a cultural contribution to our contemporary life too. Design, approach and behaviour are after all very closely linked."

The press conference on the occasion of the opening of the showroom in Wimbergergasse 12 (access: Kaiserstraße 69) will be held at 6 pm on 9 March, followed at 6.30 pm by words of welcome by the host and managing partners of the international Wilkhahn Group. The focus will be on discussions among guests - after all, planning, consulting and furnishing are the tasks to which the concepts of the new "conference workshop" are committed .

Wilkhahn Handelsges.m.b.H.
Wimbergergasse 12
Customer access: Kaiserstraße 69,
Entrance 2/3
1070 Vienna
Austria
Tel. + 43 (0) 1 894 21 68-0
Fax. + 43 (0) 1 890 32 39-15
office@wilkhahn.at

For further details and images, please contact:

Wilkhahn
Wilkening + Hahne GmbH+Co
Press + Public Relations
Fritz-Hahne-Straße 8
31848 Bad Münder
Germany
Phone: ++49 (5042) 999-169
Fax: ++49 (5042) 999-450
burkhard.remmers@wilkhahn.de