Innovation born of Tradition

How about a little time travel through the history of German furniture design? Once upon a time, there was a beautiful mid-­century sofa system called Addi­form. Launched in 1964, it comprised elements that could be used singly or positioned together to create corner seating, and included a coffee table with the elegant wooden finish typical of the time. We then take a flying leap into the casual Seventies, with a soft landing on a deeply cushioned pile of bean bags, perfect for sprawling on. Then it’s full speed ahead into the Eighties and sleek leather sofas in black and white, designed for cool straight-backed posing that kept every blow-dried hair in place.

German upholstered furniture manufacturer ROLF BENZ is celebrating a milestone birthday this year, and the journey back in time through the company’s history is a journey through the zeitgeist of past eras. Or, as Man­aging Director Jürgen Mauß puts it, “keeping a finger firmly on the contemporary pulse, yet still creating timeless design”. After all, he points out, a ROLF BENZ sofa has an average life­span of 25 years, but many continue to give sterling service for much longer. For Mauß, the zeit­geist of 2024 revolves around sustainability. And the most convincing confirmation can be found in the company’s own portfolio: the latest sofa system from cutting-edge brand freistil ROLF BENZ. ECHT features an innovative design concept made up of individual elements. It is recyclable and is delivered as flat packs directly to customers’ homes. If covers or upholstery start to show wear and tear, the affected parts are easily replaced. ROLF BENZ created ECHT by reimagining the sofa , 60 years on.

The Black Forest—home of vertical integration

ROLF BENZ’ ability to maintain such stellar innovation even after 60 years is closely bound up with the company’s tradition. In its vertically integrated structure, every level of manufacturing, from the carpenters that create the wooden frames to the seamsters that sew the covers, still takes place in-house at the production facility on the edge of the Northern Black Forest. The company employs around 400 people and offers its own training programs. “That’s essential if we still want to employ skilled workers in the future”, says Jürgen Mauß. A proactive advertising campaign seeks to attract new trainees. But the international character of ROLF BENZ—one in every two of its sofas is sold abroad—is a powerful pull for young people. As a result, the company’s expertise and skills can be passed on, and the in-house research and development department can trial ideas and new concepts from a practical perspective. 

“This is Swabia”, continues Jürgen Mauß. “We’re a region of inventors and tinkerers. And our team is filled with enthusiastic engineers; it’s all part of our DNA.”