GERMANY - The Häfele Group's parent company for furniture and building fittings, electronic locking systems and LED lighting, Häfele GmbH and Co KG, changed its corporate form on December 1st, 2020.

With immediate effect, Häfele Germany will operate under the name Häfele SE & Co KG. “With the legal form of a ‘Societas Europaea’ (SE), we are making Häfele at the Nagold location, as an internationally active family company, fit for the future with foresight,” says company director Sibylle Thierer.

The Häfele Group generates more than half of its sales in Europe and is now also giving the company name a face to the European philosophy practiced in the company. Numerous large German family businesses have already implemented this change towards a ‘European corporate form’ or are planning to do so.

In the 97-year history of the company, Thierer is only the fourth managing director at the helm of Häfele and she will now lead Häfele SE & Co. KG as managing director. Thierer attaches particular importance to the change in the corporate form, which will have no effect on the daily work of the employees.

In its almost 100-year history, Häfele Group has grown continuously. By the end of FY 2019 the company had an export quota of 80% and generated 1.5 billion euros worldwide.