ASSMANN Büromöbel: Good work for sustainable growth

ASSMANN Büromöbel GmbH & Co. KG has continued to show growth in a challenging market environment. The family-owned company from Melle, Germany, ended the 2019 financial year with a slightly increased turnover of EUR 132 million. Opening showrooms in Manchester and Vienna, together with the Swiss exhibition in Aarau, the Melle-based, family-owned company has now expanded its number of locations in Europe to 16. 

“Back in 2018, we ended the year with the largest absolute increase in turnover that the company has ever seen, and we are thoroughly satisfied that we have been able to build upon this further in the year of our company’s 80th anniversary,” states Managing Partner Dirk Aßmann. It is therefore fitting that at the start of this year Munich Strategy confirmed the furniture manufacturer’s spot as one of Germany’s top 100 SMEs.

As part of its study “TOP 100 Ranking of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises 2019” the management consultancy once again evaluated over 3,500 German companies from across all sectors with an annual turnover of between ten million and one billion euro, with a view to their lasting success as a business. “We are proud that after having secured our place last year, we have now become an established name on the list of Germany’s top 100 SMEs and have successfully managed to move up a further 10 places,” beamed Head of Marketing Marc Schumann. 

Responding to market requirements with new products and services 

The growth of previous years, coupled with the distinction of making the top 100, validates the company’s long-term strategy. The principle of “good work”, which is integrated into everyday practice, combines sustainable management, targeted investment in production and staff, and the continuous expansion of the product portfolio and wide range of services offered, thanks to which ASSMANN has long been more than simply a manufacturer of furniture systems. “Office work is currently undergoing a transformation; topics such as Work 4.0 and the accompanying changes in customer requirements mean that we are faced with new challenges,” acknowledges Aßmann.

“Cementing our position at both a national and international level in this environment requires constant development, both in regard to ourselves and the services that we offer.” 
The company’s products range from ergonomic single and group work stations and acoustically effective lounge furniture to trendy communication zones, furniture solutions for reception and seminar areas, and innovative storage and shelving systems for flexible work environments. Furthermore, with its new Consento soft seating range, the family-owned company is now also moving in a new direction within the seating furniture segment.

This is the first time that a wide range of chairs, armchairs, sofas and variable seating module systems have made their way into the range. The “ASSMANN OPEN” in-house exhibition, originally planned for May, was to provide an opportunity for the latest products to be presented to the company’s sales partners. However, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, it had to be cancelled at the last minute, but there are plans to host it at a later date. 

Focusing on digitised production processes and the most stringent quality standards, the company is tackling the challenges of the 21st century head-on. “Our automated and order-based production enables us to ensure quick delivery times,” reports Aßmann. And with a focus on values such as reliability, social responsibility and treating its customers, distributors and employees as valued partners, ASSMANN remains true to itself: During the selection process for the German Sustainability Award 2019, the furniture manufacturer made it to the top 3 in the “medium-sized enterprises” category.

But the company has been recognised for more than just sustainable management. In 2019 ASSMANN also received awards for its product design, including the German Design Award and the British Mixology Design Award for its flexible and innovative Cubas storage space furniture. “We are resolute in our aim to further expand the ASSMANN brand and secure our place as a comprehensive furnisher of modern work environments. In order to achieve this, we are active in many areas and are always looking to find the best solutions for our retail partners, customers and employees,” explains Dirk Aßmann.

Dealing with the challenges of the COVID-19 period and furthering digitisation

In the midst of the current coronavirus crisis, ASSMANN too finds itself faced with entirely new tasks and challenges. Thanks to its long-term and sustainable budgeting, the company is well positioned to make it through the current situation with minimal financial losses.
Even at the very start of the pandemic, wide-ranging measures were implemented and precautions taken in order to ensure the safety of employees and keep production running as smoothly as possible.

“Right at the start of the pandemic, we set up home offices for the majority of our administrative staff and changed the working hours of our industrial workers to prevent points of contact and encounters between the early and late shift during changeover,” recalls Aßmann. Strict safety precautions were put in place for the company’s lorry drivers to minimise contact with customers when delivering furniture. Furthermore, the company has implemented stringent regulations concerning hygiene and social distancing, and every employee is required to wear a face mask if they are to be standing less than two metres away from another person. “We are complying with all legal regulations and provisions, as well as implementing additional safety measures of our own in certain areas,” assures Aßmann.