Fortschritt Büromöbel

Fortschritt Büromöbel is a German office furniture brand with roots going back to 1901, when the company was founded in Freiburg im Breisgau. For much of its history it was owned by the Gütermann family of Gutach im Breisgau, known for sewing silk, and it built a reputation as a manufacturer of office furniture: desk systems with mobile and under-desk containers, filing cabinets, cupboard and partition systems, screens, conference tables, and ancillary and special-purpose furniture. Its motto was 'To serve people in offices and official chambers.' The company went insolvent in 1976 and was taken over by Schärf GmbH of Worms into the Schärf Group, which built a new 20,000 m² production hall in the Freiburg-Hochdorf industrial area, later expanded to 40,000 m² in 1991. Since 1994 Fortschritt, together with the Schärf Group, belonged to the Dutch Samas Group. In 1985 the Bonn parliamentary offices were equipped with the first screen-workplace furniture, called Ergodata, which had appeared in 1979. Sales peaked in the late 1990s at around €50 million. In 2005 the Freiburg production site was closed for economic reasons, and furniture has since been made in other Samas Group plants. Administration, product development and sales are based in Worms, and Fortschritt Büromöbel GmbH now serves only as a sales branch. Products are sold through about 100 selected dealers in Germany and through foreign representatives in several European countries. At the Freiburg-Hochdorf site, the firm Büro & Objekt continues the Fortschritt brand. At the beginning of 2010 the Swedish company Kinnarps acquired the majority of the Samas Group, including the rights to Fortschritt. Today Fortschritt is a brand within the Kinnarps Group, positioned in the German and European office furniture market.

Fortschritt Büromöbel was founded in 1901 in Freiburg im Breisgau as a company of the furniture industry. For a long period it belonged to the Gütermann family from Gutach im Breisgau, who were known for the production of sewing silk. The company's motto was 'To serve people in offices and official chambers.' According to unconfirmed US reports, the company with its 200 employees was involved in armaments production during the Second World War. Fortschritt is said to have been taken over by Messerschmitt in October 1944 and used to produce parts for the Messerschmitt Me 163 and for the V2 rocket. Despite this knowledge by the American forces, the company was not hit during the British air raid on 27 November 1944. In 1976 the company became insolvent and was taken over by Schärf GmbH, Worms, into the Schärf Group. For this purpose a new production hall of 20,000 m² was built in the Freiburg-Hochdorf industrial area. In 1991 this hall was expanded by further areas to 40,000 m². Since 1994 Fortschritt, together with the Schärf Group, belonged to the Dutch Samas Group. In 1985 the Bonn parliamentary offices were equipped with the first screen-workplace furniture called Ergodata, which had appeared in 1979. The peak of sales development was reached at the end of the 1990s, when the company achieved about €50 million in sales. In 2005 the Freiburg production site was closed for economic reasons. The furniture has since been produced in various other production operations of the Samas Group. Administration, product development and sales are located in Worms. The Fortschritt Büromöbel GmbH has since served only as a sales branch. The products are sold through about 100 selected dealers in Germany as well as foreign representations in some European countries. At the Freiburg-Hochdorf site, the firm Büro & Objekt continues the Fortschritt brand today. At the beginning of 2010 the Swedish company Kinnarps acquired the majority of the Samas Group, including the rights to Fortschritt. Throughout the 20th century Fortschritt became known for several developments that were necessitated by changes in the office world, not least by the mechanization and electronification of the working world. New knowledge about work ergonomics was also taken into account. Thus hanging file systems (loose-leaf filing), furniture for special bookkeeping purposes, EDP furniture, and the first height- and tilt-adjustable office desks were developed.

• 2010

  Swedish company Kinnarps acquired the majority of the Samas Group, including the rights to Fortschritt.

• 2005

  Freiburg production site closed; Fortschritt Büromöbel GmbH becomes a sales branch only.

• 1994

  Fortschritt and the Schärf Group became part of the Dutch Samas Group.

• 1991

  Production hall in Freiburg-Hochdorf expanded to 40,000 m².

• 1985

  Bonn parliamentary offices equipped with Ergodata.

• 1979

  Ergodata, the first screen-workplace furniture, appeared.

• 1976

  Insolvency; taken over by Schärf GmbH, Worms, into the Schärf Group.

• 1944

  According to unconfirmed US reports, taken over by Messerschmitt in October and used for armaments production.

• 1901

  Company founded in Freiburg im Breisgau.

German office furniture brand with a long tradition of ergonomic and workplace innovation, now part of the Kinnarps Group and sold through selected dealers.

• Ergodata

  First screen-workplace furniture, introduced in 1979.

• Height- and tilt-adjustable office desks

  Among the first such desks developed by Fortschritt.

• Hanging file systems (loose-leaf filing)

  Developed to meet changing office needs.

• EDP furniture

  Furniture for electronic data processing workplaces.

1. 1Fortschritt Büromöbel – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
2. 2Fortschritt Büromöbel – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3samas-buero.de jetzt kaufen!domainmarkt.de