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Chairs for the whole world
In the office, the waiting room, behind a bank counter or in an industrial workplace – people need to sit, often for hours on end. That they do should so on the right chair is crucial, and also the mission of Dauphin Group. Founded in 1968, the family firm based near Nuremberg in the small town of Offenhausen produces ergonomic seating and innovative furnishing layouts, supplying these to 81 countries. Part of its production reaches the whole world via the Port of Hamburg.
EXPORT GATEWAY ■
Dauphin is firmly rooted in Offenhausen in Franconia, yet is traditionally an export-orientated family firm. In 1968 the company’s founder Friedrich-Wilhelm Dau- phin laid the foundation stone by acquiring the German branch of Evertaut, the British manufacturer of office chairs. He started importing, assembling and distribut- ing Evertaut chairs in the same year. One important milestone was the firm’s decision to develop its own of- fice chair models. With an ingenious invention, at the beginning of the 1970s Friedrich-Wilhelm Dauphin achieved a breakthrough. Using conical elements, he designed a stackable office chair that saved space when packed and could be shipped cheaply – for exports es- pecially, this provided a crucial competitive edge.
In the 1980s and 1990s Dauphin expanded its export business and product portfolio by acquiring additional companies. Soon the group became a complete sup- plier of holistic workplaces. The firm’s history is nota- ble for numerous patents, among them one for the first synchro mechanism for office chairs, along with many design and brand registrations.
GREAT PRODUCT RANGE FOR CUSTOMERS WORLDWIDE
Today the group is one of Europe’s top office furniture manufacturers. Its host of brands ranges from the uncon- ventional Trendoffice swivelling chair via ergonomically bril- liant Dauphin seating layouts, to Züco’s exclusive designer chairs, to Bosse’s well thought-out interior schemes and office furniture systems. Numerous chairs, tables and fur- nishing reaching the Middle East or other overseas centres are shipped through the Port of Hamburg.
“Among our largest export markets are the USA, Switzerland, France, Italy and the Benelux countries,” states Dr Jochen Ihring, Dauphin’s CEO. Exports ac- count for 33.6 percent of Dauphin Group’s turnover. Dauphin’s young, urban Trendoffice brand of office chairs goes especially well abroad, says Ihring. Owing to the group’s extensive portfolio, its exports are no- table for an ‘immense variety of products’, adds Chris- tian Maurer, its Export Manager.
Some countries have favourites among its products, reports Katerina Dennerlein, Dauphin’s Head of Export Customer Service. For instance, Dauphin supplies nu- merous chairs for industrial workplaces in Switzerland, with its legion of timepiece manufacturers. In Australia and Asia, nicely designed chair models with mesh backs often prove more popular than fully upholstered variants. “The distinctive design of our products often proves crucial here,” says Dennerlein.
With distributors in Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Singapore, the Netherlands and Bel- gium, its own manufacturing plant in the USA, along with numerous branches, licensees and representa- tives in 81 countries, the group is ‘internationally strongly positioned’ and has grown into being a fami- ly-controlled global player, says export chief Maurer. As ‘Gateway to the World’, Hamburg and its port have played a major part here. With its own branch, includ- ing a showroom, Dauphin cultivates a close relation- ship with the Hanseatic City. Through office equip- ment specialist Fölschow, it supplies the state government, and Hamburg Port Authority as its port management, with seating. “One can really say that we are happy to be in Hamburg,” says Maurer. ■
Dauphin manufactures ergonomic seating and innovative furnishing solutions, sup- plying these in 81 countries. Many of these are distributed throughout the world via the Port of Hamburg.
Port of Hamburg Magazine | September 2020 | 31
© Dauphin HumanDesign Group © Dauphin HumanDesign Group