How do you get five excellent, classically trained musicians to play their instruments to the rhythm of machines that produce high-quality hardwood? How do you make sure their fine instruments can be heard at all, when playing alongside rather loud machines? – And why would anybody worry about any of this?
For people in the European furniture industry a new year always begins like this: The last late New Year's Eve rockets have just burned down, the resolutions are still fresh - the bags are packed and off we go to Cologne, to the IMM (Internationale Möbelmesse) and then, usually without taking a breath, straight on to Paris for the Salon Maison et Objet.
To be honest, previous to my time at Danzer I had never been particularly interested in wood. I could barely differentiate Walnut from Maple, let alone real veneer from fake one and I had no idea what the difference between hardwood and softwood was.
You may ask yourself why on earth I chose to do an internship at Danzer.
The well-known American sociologist Richard Sennett says that quality in a product is created through actions and attitude. A few weeks ago I got the chance to experience those factors that define the quality of Danzer products as an apprentice with master Rietschel.
“Sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”. Great definition, right? But what does it mean?
