News - Spotlight on Suppliers- Nolte Archive

Tuesday, May 15th 2012

Nolte Küchen is a long standing family enterprise. The company is committed to their production site near Hanover in order to produce “Quality, Made in Germany”. Nolte Küchen expands creates apprenticeship places and supports junior staff to further develop their skills. That, too, is part of the quality assurance with which the manufacturer has made a name for itself nationally and internationally.

Creating a brand

Nolte Küchen has continually strived for more awareness in order to establish the company as a brand. Since 2005, for example, the manufacturer has been a main sponsor of the trade show “eat & STYLE”, supplying the kitchens for the famous TV chefs' performances. As Germany's second largest kitchen brand Nolte is now more widely known than ever. According to a survey 48 percent of the interviewees are aware of the company, associating the brand first and foremost with quality (BBW 2010).

Company History

At the close of the 1940s the furniture industry feels a breath of fresh air: Konrad Nolte pioneers by introducing assembly line production, encouraged by the entrepreneurial spirit of his father Georg, who had become self employed producing polishing discs and had laid the foundations for the family empire buying a furniture company in Delbrück in 1932.

In 1958 Konrad founds Nolte Küchen in Löhne. Today, the company is part of the Nolte Group located further south in Germersheim. There, Georg Nolte represents the third generation of the family, his children Maren Schmitt-Nolte and Georg Konrad Nolte the fourth generation. Even the names are evidence of how the family feels an obligation towards the achievements of their forefathers. Diligence, competence and honesty are highly valued virtues whilst Germany remains the focus for production.

Protecting the environment is also a big issue for Nolte. The group runs worldwide unique chipboard recycling facilities. Since September 2010 Nolte Küchen has not only been PEFC, but also FSC® certified, being the first German kitchen manufacturer to hold both environmental labels for sustainable forestry. Like all the other companies of the group Nolte Küchen has been receiving clean energy from hydropower in the River Rhine since January 2012. The energy is certified with the independent “Green Electricity Label” and a part of the cost is reinvested in new local, renewable facilities, which is a further contribution to energy transition. A co-operation with the company “Pfalzwerke”, unique and trend-setting in terms of volume, makes this possible.

Next to quality, performance and innovation skills service is part of the Nolte

Philosophy. The standards are high, and this is something that also goes for the trade partnerships that have been established over the years in Germany and abroad.

Nolte Küchen is looking for continuity and reliability. To keep up those high

standards, the company offers education and advanced training as part of corporate culture and also supports the University of Cooperative Education for Wood Technology (Berufsakademie Holztechnik) located nearby in Melle.

Nolte Küchen is deeply rooted in Germany, but thinks internationally. To give an example: The company employs native speakers to look after their partners abroad.

“Quality, Made in Germany” is the guiding principle for international trade.

Facts and Figures

60 people worked for Nolte Küchen when it was founded. Today, there are about 1.100 employees. They are highly valued as qualified staff are regarded as part of the company's capital. In 1997 the information and exhibition centre in Löhne was opened. It is where the current highlights are showcased each year from September to about mid July. Around 50 kitchen designs on three floors enable staff, partners and participants of advanced training to take a closer look at the Nolte range. End customers can visit the exhibition by appointment. They take the opportunity to come by with their dealer and have a look at the vast choice Nolte Küchen has to offer, at present including

over 100 fronts, and to see how flexible the Nolte design is.

Nolte Küchen has continually expanded the production sites. The area today is divided between the two locations in Löhne and Melle, comprising around 85.000 square metres in total. Melle is also where the logistics centre is located. About 750 kitchens are dispatched every day to customers in Germany and over 50 export countries worldwide. They are produced “just in time” when the order comes in.

Milestones in Production

“Quality is not a standard, but a process”, CEO of production Hans-Heinrich

Hagemann once said. With the customer in mind the family enterprise therefore not only keeps investing in their staff and state-of-the-art machinery, but is also always on the lookout for new trends. To combine high functionality and longevity with a beautiful design is the motor for the Nolte Küchen design department. Driven by the notion that only the best is good enough Nolte Küchen enjoys the reputation of being the kitchen industry's leader in innovation. Here are a few milestones of the more recent past: 2000 Introduction of ComfortLine pull-outs for a maximum weight of 80 kilos.

2001 The new sealed edge matches the unit décor.

2002 The high-capacity pull-out for water crates is introduced.

2003 A depth of 75 cm can now be planned.

2004 The interior décor of the units now matches their outsides as a new

standard feature with Nolte kitchens for “Perfection inside and outside!”

2005 Worktops and panels are now available in 50 mm thickness.

2006 ChromLine brings a new shine to drawers and pull-outs.

2007 Introducing the Arena S+ rail system.

2008 On the occasion of the company's 50th anniversary the grid Matrix 150

is launched.

GlasLine with transparent glass side frames provides an overview of the

contents of the new, higher pull-outs with improved storage capacity.

Airmaxx is the new worktop that saves 30 % in weight.

2009 Matrix Line 150 gives Nolte Küchen's grid a handleless appearance for

additional emphasis of the horizontal lines and without loss of storage

space. There are almost 70 fronts available for this new design. The

lacy appearance is underlined by the new 16 mm worktop.

2010 The new season is rounding things off with SOFTform and SOFTline.

2011 “Naturally Nolte Küchen” is the motto for 2012 featuring natural wood

décors and colours as well as organic shapes.

Matrix 150 sets new standards

For the 50th anniversary in 2008 Nolte Küchen launched Matrix 150. The units are based on steps of 150 mm for height, width as well as depth, which is new and makes the grid unique. The dimensions are easy to calculate. The grid also offers more storage space, harmony in appearance and is ergonomically sophisticated.

Production had to be changed completely for Matrix 150, involving high costs and a lot of work. But Nolte Küchen wanted all or nothing, not doing things by halves.

For Hans Hermann Hagelmann, CEO for Marketing and Sales since 2001, this is a reason to be proud: “With the introduction of Matrix 150 as our modular grid, we have managed the most successful changeover of a complete product range in the history of the German kitchen furniture industry, and we have also mastered what was probably our biggest challenge.“

Looking back Nolte Küchen has done everything right with Matrix 150. The switch was made before the economic crisis. Afterwards the elaborate system meant an incentive to buy and a unique selling proposition. That helped come through and emerge from the crisis with new strength. Foresight and a sure feeling for the market are amongst the strong points of the company and its owners.

For more information please visit www.nolte-kitchens.com