On Tuesday (4 March 2008) on the opening day of the computer trade fair CeBIT in Hannover, the new “Kitchen for Men” with the product description P’7340, which has been developed by Poggenpohl in cooperation with Porsche Design, was awarded one of the oldest and most coveted design prizes in the world: as one of the fifty best-designed entries it received the “iF gold award 2008” at an award ceremony.
“This is an enormous compliment to the team of technicians and designers who have realised this development,” said Elmar Duffner, Managing Director of Poggenpohl Mbelwerke GmbH in Herford, Germany, commenting on the award: “We see it as confirmation of our efforts. This new product, which we have developed with Porsche Design in an unusual collaboration between two strong and well-known traditional brands, marks a milestone in German and international kitchen history not only for us as a furniture manufacturer but also for the strong German kitchen furniture industry.”
“Each of the products in our brand range is designed in our studio in Austria,” adds Roland Heiler, Director of the Porsche Design studio in Zell am See in Austria. “We focus on technically inspired products of timeless, functional and purist design. Our aim is to create Porsche Design products as companions for life. We are delighted that our design philosophy has now been honoured by this special award.”
For more than fifty years the red square logo with the two striking letters, the label for outstanding design, has stood for qualitatively high-ranking design awards. For the new prize round, companies from 35 countries submitted 2,292 product entries. For the 2008 iF product design award, the international jury of experts newly composed each year chose 821 prize winners in 14 categories, again including 50 winners of the iF gold award. The presentation of the prize-winning products and concepts attracts 250,000 to 300,000 visitors annually, primarily from the business world, and is therefore one of the most important design exhibitions in the world.
The new kitchen will be on display as a show kitchen and sold in Poggenpohl studios in Germany as of may 2008.
Porsche Design is among the leading luxury brands in the segment of upmarket men’s accessories. Ever since Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche established the Porsche Design brand in 1972, his products have been identified with functional, classic and purist design, at the same time convincing customers with their technical innovations. Around the world, Porsche Design products are exclusively sold in company-owned retail and franchise stores, upmarket department stores and by authorised dealers.
Being the oldest furniture brand in Germany, Poggenpohl owes its continuing sales success to its exports to over 60 countries with an export share of 75 per cent. Most kitchens are sold internationally in 450 studios and in exclusive specialist retail stores. As far as the kitchen furniture industry goes, ‘Made in Germany’ is an internationally coveted special sales argument.