Hafele: A Century-Old Brand's Take on Navigating Market Downturns
Significantly affected by the real estate cycle, the pan-family industry also shows a fluctuating chain reaction. According to the National Bureau of Statistics released data on retail sales of consumer goods in the first half of 2023, from January to June, retail sales of furniture totaled 68.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.8%, while retail sales of goods in the category of construction and decoration materials amounted to 73.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 6.7%.
Furniture, construction and decorative materials goods are pan-family industry in the core segments, its market situation is so depressed, the overall development of the pan-family industry is also consistent with its recovery momentum slowed down. In the end, how to traverse the economic downturn cycle, to resist the market downturn?
"One hundred years has been a long time for any company in any industry. The funny thing is that clients and partners, they always ask me the same question: what can we learn? When a brand enters a country, it's a long-term idea. We are doing the same with the Chinese market, we are here for the long term and looking forward to the next 100 years." Daniele Attorre, president of Häfele China, told Home New Paradigm.
So, what are the outstanding advantages of this international hardware brand in the industry?
Advantage 1: Always Focusing on Details and Embracing A High Quality Mentality
Daniele Attorre, President of Häfele China, said that they have always maintained the mentality of pursuing and insisting on high quality, and that providing high-quality products and services is the core value of Häfele. At the same time, they are keeping up with design trends to optimize the value perception of their products. "Never sacrifice quality, that's the foundation of our business."
Advantage 2: Relying on Smart Manufacturing to Provide Cost-Reducing and Efficiency-Enhancing Products
"Germany and China have been leading countries in Industry 4.0, and our factories in Germany and the rest of Europe operate under Industry 4.0 principles, enhancing design and improving quality by optimizing the value of those products. Industry 4.0 is key and we are very fortunate to be at the forefront of these technologies and to be able to integrate Industry 4.0 into our business." Daniele Attorre said.
Advantage 3: Continuous Innovation, Seize the Mind of Users
Innovation is the source of product vitality, and Häfele's ability to stand for a hundred years is precisely dependent on it. At this year's Construction Expo, Home New Paradigm was impressed by the series of products launched for small house design and public construction projects.
Daniele Attorre said, " We are very proud to be celebrating our centenary this year and have been in China for over twenty years, we are here for the long term so building processes, building systems, building quality teams and thinking long term rather than short term to ensure sustainability. We're planning a lot of things and looking to scale up our business as well, as well as a new multi-channel strategy. We continue to grow our business in China, working with quality customers and launching new products to improve the quality of life for Chinese consumers. We are hopeful and looking forward to the next 100 years!"