GERMANY - With the new label “Furniture Made in Germany”, the number of certified furniture manufacturers is growing steadily. The kitchen manufacturer Ballerina-Küchen from Rödinghausen was the 50th company to receive the RAL award for its furniture programs, which stands for quality furniture from German production.

“We are pleased that the German furniture industry is very interested in the new certificate of origin,” said Jan Kurth, Managing Director of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM), when handing over the certificate to Ballerina kitchens. “We expect 'Furniture Made in Germany' to provide important impetus for domestic business and the expansion of export activities for the industry.”

Ballerina kitchens, is an innovative and design-oriented family company, “Since it was founded in 1978, Ballerina kitchens have been producing exclusively in Germany. In this way, we ensure the high quality and longevity of our individually planned fitted kitchens,” said Ballerina managing partner Heidrun Brinkmeyer. “With the seal of origin, we can emphasize our domestic production even more in the future,” added Brinkmeyer.

The VDM developed the geographical guarantee of origin “Furniture Made in Germany” together with the renowned German Institute for Quality Assurance and Labeling (RAL) and brought it out in August 2020. The Deutsche Gütegemeinschaft Möbel (DGM) monitors compliance with the requirements on behalf of VDM. For certification it must be proven that the construction, assembly and quality testing of the respective piece of furniture take place in Germany. In addition, the manufacturing process relevant to the quality must mainly take place in Germany.

“During the Corona crisis, a beautiful and comfortable home interior has become even more important to consumers,” said VDM Managing Director Kurth. More and more emphasis is placed on high-quality, sustainable furniture made in Germany. “The new label of origin ‘Möbel Made in Germany’ offers important guidance when buying furniture.”

Ballerina-Kitchens Heinz-Erwin Ellersiek GmbH manufactures around 28,000 kitchens per year on a production area of more than 30,000 square meters in Rödinghausen in East Westphalia. With 342 employees, a turnover of 105 (previous year: 97.5) million euros was achieved last year.