One family, two centuries, lots of history
A pioneering spirit and innovation, creativity and expertise: the development of the baumann group is characterised by constant change and groundbreaking decisions. Discover the exciting history of our family company.
1929 – Four brothers
It all begins in 1929. The world is tumbling into economic crisis. The German Reichspost transmits the first test television programme.
At the same time, in Löhne in East Westphalia, three carpenters and a businessman decide to get together and start making small kitchen stools and cabinets. Together, the four "Gebrüder Baumann" set themselves up as a small joinery, working in their parents' stables. Wilhelm Baumann cycles around the village visiting customers.
1954 – Wilhelm Baumann becomes self-employed
After WWII, there is tremendous demand for furniture for new houses and apartments. An important traffic hub, Löhne benefits from the economic upturn.
Baumann's first items of furniture are made from old ammunition boxes. In 1954 Wilhelm Baumann founds the company "Wilhelm Baumann". It employs around 30 people to make kitchen buffets.
1961 – The second generation takes over
In the 1960s, the kitchen buffets are developed into what is called the "Swedish kitchen". This is the basis for the fitted kitchen, the "Frankfurt kitchen" of the 1920s.
The family-owned company "Wilhelm Baumann" is one of the first manufacturers to opt for the modular system with matching kitchen fronts. 1961 sees the launch of the "bau-for-mat fitted kitchen" product range. In the middle of the decade, company founder Wilhelm Baumann passes the baton on to his son Wilfried.
1975 – A time of change
The trained wood technician Wilfried Baumann loves trying to improve on traditional hinge technology. And he works hard on continuing to develop the traditional craft enterprise, turning it into a modern industrial company - with a machine line, the first IT systems and its own fleet of vehicles. In 1985 the company is renamed bau-for-mat.
1991 – Two traditional companies come together
Germany's reunification in the early 1990s leads to a boom in the kitchen furniture industry.
Wilfried Baumann makes a groundbreaking decision: he merges the two traditional companies, Burger Küchenmöbel in Burg near Magdeburg and bau-for-mat, and invests heavily in the East German location. Burger's first kitchen furniture is produced in 1917 at a sawmill in Marientränke, an urban area of Burg. Starting with a workforce of 100 people, Burger makes special kitchen cabinets for bau-for-mat. Just a short time later, the product "Burger Küchenmöbel" is firmly established on the market.
1996 – Delf Baumann leads the group into the future
1996 sees the third generation of the Baumann family take over at the helm: Delf Baumann assumes responsibility for the management of the family company, and holds it on its course of investment and growth.
Nomen est omen: Delf Baumann lives up to the family name and becomes a "Baumann" - a "building man". The continuous expansion of the plant in Burg makes Burger one of the biggest employers in the region. In 2000, the group also acquires the Haus Beck exhibition and training centre in Löhne. Since then, the converted manor house has served as a popular point of contact for retail partners and customers from all over the world. The purchase of other sites nearby creates opportunities to modernise the Löhne location.
1998 – Creativity and individuality
There is a new addition to the group of companies: the Badea bathroom furniture brand completes the successful programme with modern and high-quality bathroom furniture.
Thanks to a tremendous variety of planning, flexible grid dimensions and exclusive one-off productions, bau-for-mat and Burger open up the way for individual kitchen designs. The in-house paint shop uses innovative processes to ensure a great deal of design freedom so that customer wishes can be implemented quickly and competently.
2016 – Welcome to the kitchen family!
Welcome to the family! Since 2016, the group has been presenting BAUFORMAT and burger kitchens under one name: "the kitchen family" stands for quality and tradition, and successfully covers the market range from entry-level options all the way through to the premium segment. Not only that, but in 2017 the group launches its own brand of electrical appliances - BURG Appliances. 2017 brings another reason to celebrate: burger Küchenmöbel, now the city's most important employer with a workforce of 600, turns 100.
Today – Successful, mid-market, down-to-earth
Company founder Wilhelm Baumann would certainly be proud if he could see how successful the baumann group is today. Now one of Europe's leading kitchen manufacturers, the company achieves an annual turnover of 289 million euros. Day after day, 1,200 dedicated and competent members of staff at the two locations fill the four-brand strategy with life, producing 140,000 kitchens and 16,000 bathrooms a year. Then as now, the Baumann name stands for a successful mid-market and down-to-earth family company - and a story of success that truly is "made in Germany".