During this past week, I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the Duravit customer visit to Hornberg Germany, where 200 years ago, Duravit began.
We started by flying from Heathrow in to Basel, and getting a coach to Hornberg where we went straight to The Duravit Design Centre. We had a brief tour and a company presentation talking about where it all started and how Duravit has developed as a company, becoming one of the best-known bathroom specialists in the world. We seen some of their newest products, including the fabulous looking new LUV range.
After the tour, we went to our hotel in the Black Forest, where we were surrounded by wildlife. We had an amazing dinner and drinks, and got to socialize with everyone that was on the trip with me.
The next morning, we were up nice and early for a full day of learning, starting by going back to the design centre for a quick talk on the processes of making the ceramics, before going in to the main ceramic factory to see these processes put to the test. We seen every process right in front of us, from the first moulds being made, to the spraying of the ceramics, seeing them prepped for the kiln, and the final inspections. All processes being done by hand, to ensure that the quality has been checked thoroughly and when this is done, then being labelled up and boxed and shipped for awaiting customers.
Then on to the furniture factory a few miles down the road. In here we learned there are two types of wood they use. One being MDF, which can be moulded in to bends so it can be used on draw fronts for the Happy D2 for example, where you have a seamless curve around the whole unit. The other type of wood they use is chipboard, which is used mostly for the straight parts of the unit, usually the surface, sides and bottom. Watching the processes from start to finish again, we quickly learned that a lot of this is still done by hand, and only the moving of the heavy materials is done by machine. This again showing why Duravit have some of the best quality furniture in the world.
We then had our final meal as a group at a lovely local restaurant with some amazing food. Then off to Basel Airport, for the flight back to London.
Thank you to Duravit for inviting me on to the trip, would definitely recommend it.
If you would like to see any of the amazing Duravit products, then come to The Bathroom Studio Kettering, where we have them on display and can either supply or fully fit their products for you.