Stöcklin uses laser technology for edgeband processing

Stöcklin kitchens promise to cause a stir. The tradition-conscious, high performing, family-run business in the north-west of Switzerland prioritises aesthetics, individuality and state-of-the-art technologies to create kitchens that meet all requirements and all tastes.
We spoke to Managing Director Daniel Hofer (from the Hofer family of owners) about industrial kitchen manufacturing and the advantages of laser-processed edgebands on kitchen furniture for kitchen manufacturers and customers.

Mr Hofer, Stöcklin is synonymous with Swiss precision and innovation in the kitchens industry. What do you think the kitchen of the future will look like? What are customers demanding of you today?

Our customers expect to see individuality expressed in their kitchens. It’s no coincidence that the headline on our website is ‘your kitchen, your life, your home’. From our perspective, this means we must be flexible enough to meet the needs of our clients in terms of both dimensions and materials. It also means we depend on strong partners to deliver the high-quality materials that we need, fast.
That’s why I don’t think there will be a typical kitchen in the future, as least not as far as Stöcklin is concerned. Our customers should feel free to tell us what they dream of and envisage – and we should be in a position to realise their dreams.

Daniel Hofer of the owning Hofer family, and the Managing Director of Stöcklin Möbel AG

You have relied on quality edgebands from REHAU for many years. What would you say are the advantages of this, and what characterises the partnership?

REHAU has a wealth of experience in laser technology, so the company covers a very wide range of possibilities. As far as we are concerned, keywords like quality, individuality, reliability and customer proximity apply perfectly to REHAU. The fact that we practise these very values from day to day is what makes our partnership with REHAU so valuable and productive.

Highly automated production systems for Stöcklin Möbel AG

Your business was one of the first to bring in laser technology for component production. What was the decisive factor in introducing this technology to your production operation?

The main factors behind the decision were our pioneering spirit, courage and our readiness to risk breaking new ground – plus our belief in what was a new and promising technology at the time, and the knowledge of having the right partner by our side. Looking back now, with over 10 years’ experience behind us, we can say we made the right move.

Would you say zero-joint technology delivers on its promise of quality?

Certainly as far as the visuals are concerned, and in normal kitchen usage, but things get tricky when normal conditions no longer apply – perhaps because of a lack of cleaning, damage to front panels, defective appliances or dishwashers, changes to room climate during installation and so forth.

When hot steam comes into contact with wood-based furniture elements in day-to-day kitchen situations, a sealed component without joints or seams will provide protection. In which situations would you recommend the RAUKANTEX pro OMR version (in other words, edgebands with greater steam resistance) to customers?

We are always reviewing new materials and processing technologies with our partners to ensure ideal results. Steam will definitely be one of the big challenges over the years ahead, and we will have to take account of various factors to ensure good outcomes. Alongside bonding technology, these include board quality, the edgeband material, the tools used and the sharpness of those tools. Since we always work to the highest standards of quality, we deploy OMR edgebands wherever possible.

No limits to kitchen design for Stöcklin Möbel AG

Views of the Stöcklin showroom

Kitchens are at the heart of people’s lives. Do you have clients who value the idea of a sustainable kitchen?

Yes, the demands on kitchens are changing most markedly wherever kitchens become more of an integral living space. At the same time, many more new materials and technologies are being used.
At Stöcklin, we are giving this issue a great deal of thought. At the moment, we are trying to determine what is already satisfactory and what else we could do to address the needs of customers in this way. In the second step, we will need to identify the improvement potential that exists in many areas to define and implement appropriate measures.
As for myself, I am a member of an association that deals with plastics in the oceans and aims to eliminate these vast islands of plastic, or at least stop them getting any bigger. I have managed to speak to experts at REHAU about this, and I have been amazed at what is already being done and by the exciting projects and products that lie ahead.