During my workshop visit in the tranquil Upper Bavarian town of Pfaffing near Rosenheim, I received a masterly welcome in the truest sense of the word—from company founder and senior partner Johann Hanslmaier (61) and his two sons, Matthias (30) and Peter (27), who, as the second generation, are already fully active in their parents' family business.
Johann Hanslmaier first tells me about the beginnings of his company. After qualifying as a master craftsman, he was initially employed at a joinery for seven years, where he gained valuable practical experience.
Getting Down to Brass Tacks
In 1999, the opportunity arose to take over a furniture joinery. Hanslmaier got down to brass tacks and started out with four journeymen and one apprentice, with a clear focus on furniture and interior finishing. Four years later, he had already invested in his first CNC machine and a high-performance edgebander. The number of orders grew, and with it, the number of employees continuously increased.
In 2015, a new chapter in the company's history was opened: Johann Hanslmaier, whose two sons had also become joiners by then, acquired a plot of land in Pfaffing and built a new workshop. "With this step, I deliberately set the course to give my sons a solid foundation for the future," comments the likable senior partner, and I can tell that this was a matter truly close to his heart.
The building is very stylish and offers an area of approx. 1500 m². There, a total of 16 employees—including the three partners and Johann Hanslmaier's wife, Andrea, in the office—plan, design, and produce high-quality, highly customized furniture and interior fittings with great dedication and professional expertise.
A Broad and Creative Portfolio
Although panel processing is predominant, the processing of solid wood and veneer also plays a very important role in the joinery. For instance, the use of reclaimed wood is a true specialty. With the beautiful slogan "Bring stories into your home," the Hanslmaiers draw attention to this topic in a very emotive way. Whether for a bed, staircase, wall paneling, furniture, in the kitchen, or in the bathroom, there is virtually no area that the creative joiners have not yet realized with great sensitivity from this material steeped in history. For the most part, the company collaborates with architects. This ranges from hotels and complete interior fit-outs to sophisticated yacht interiors. Other key areas include commercial projects, restaurant and hotel furnishings, and trade fair stands for commercial clients. And, of course, the private client business is also very important to Hanslmaier. Here, too, they have a broad portfolio and offer the full range, including kitchens, bathrooms, stairs, and doors, as well as exclusive bespoke furniture pieces.
Committed Networkers
Johann Hanslmaier is a board member of the Rosenheim Joiners' Guild and a thoroughly committed networker. His motto, "Together, not against each other," is a guiding principle both internally and externally. Within the company, he and his sons are a fantastic team, yet each has his own areas of responsibility. Of course, the three support each other, and everyone is always there for one another. Every Friday, they sit down together and create a weekly schedule for all employees. And the after-work beer with the joinery team around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday evenings has long since become a cherished ritual. This surely contributes to the fact that there is practically no staff turnover. And yet, the three agree: "The shortage of skilled workers is a major challenge for us. We are desperately looking for reinforcements in production planning and manufacturing." Not least for this reason, the joinery is also very diligent and successful in providing training: At least one apprentice is hired every year. And the partners are always delighted with the excellent graduation results of "their" next generation of joiners.
A Flexible Supplier for Industry Peers
Externally, too, the Hanslmaiers are completely open. "We enjoy working with other workshops and do so very regularly. For us, it's a matter of course to call on the support of our peers during peak order periods. We also do this regularly, for instance, for specialized work that we aren't necessarily set up or equipped for ourselves," reports Matthias Hanslmaier. His brother Peter adds: "Conversely, we also frequently act as a supplier for our peers, and this trend is growing strongly. With our machinery, we can handle large-volume panel cutting at short notice. And our 5-axis CNC machining center enables us to carry out a wide variety of contract work reliably, precisely, and quickly. Our peers also regularly order larger quantities of ready-to-assemble carcasses from us."
High-Performance Machinery
In 2020, the joinery invested in modern machine technology from the Felder Group. Serving as the hub of the workshop, the Format4 Profit H 350 5-axis machining center, a true all-rounder, has since been handling a wide variety of manufacturing tasks with precision and speed. In seamless combination with Felder's own F4 Integrate CNC software (including the F4 Create CAD/CAM module, F4 Operate control module, and the F4 Toolbox tool database), Hanslmaier is exceptionally well-equipped. A Kappa Automatic 80 horizontal panel saw, in combination with Ardis cutting optimization software, ensures high throughput in cutting. When it comes to edge processing, high throughput also meets quality and precision in Pfaffing. Here, Hanslmaier relies on a fully controlled Tempora F60.06 L.
Johann Hanslmaier and his sons value the trust-based collaboration with their technology partner, Felder. They note that this relationship doesn't end with the sale but is also characterized by top-tier service afterward.
