DRIVING EXPERIENCE

With technical expertise and the power of innovation, Volkswagen brings moving ideas to the road. Volkswagen sets new standards with its technical revolutions, which is evident in its designs for the most economical car of all time, the largest and most potent diesel power plant ever to be installed in a passenger vehicle and the fastest sports car in the world. Beyond performance, Volkswagen’s unique styling meets the consumer’s need for vehicles that are visually appealing. After all, one key to success is to look the part. Which is why the Volkswagen car group recently devised a new set of design guidelines for retail showrooms.

DESIGNING EXPERIENCE

A renowned Berlin design company created a fresh, formalized look to match Volkswagen’s global approach. Cuboids of varying size and dimension define the theme of the design, lending a sense of equality and neat angles to the furniture and fixtures in the space. The materials specification reflects many of the current trends in retail design, with white surfaces and inviting wood finishes. The main contractors for the Volkswagen showroom redesign selected three subsidiaries of Pfleiderer, Duropal, Wodego and Pergo to supply the engineered-wood products used in the showrooms.

It is not enough for the showroom design to be elegant and welcoming, the materials specified must be able to meet the performance needs of a retail environment. High-quality cherry wood laminate flooring from Pergo creates areas of warmth within the new contemporary design guidelines for Volkswagen showrooms. The finish ties into Duropal’s “Cherry Havana” HPL, which is used throughout the sales offices, waiting areas and display islands. Duropal’s award-winning “Solid Color” HPL, which has no visible joints or edges, is specified in “Icy White” for the construction of furniture elements. The design is brought together with decorative panels from Wodego. whose matching “Icy White” finish creates uniformity in color throughout all the counters, shelving, tables and design elements, regardless of a fixture’s performance requirement.

Wodego, Duropal and Pergo use consultants, who act as specification representatives, to regularly call on the architecture and design community. The consultants do not sell product, but visit firms to introduce new materials and designs into the marketplace. It was this kind of personal customer contact that helped secure the designation of Pfleiderer products for the new Volkswagen showroom design guidelines. By ensuring that the people who specify materials know and understand their products, Wodego, Duropal and Pergo consultants make it easier for their sales teams to succeed, often creating a kind of pull-through demand.

Manufacturing Experience

Pfleiderer’s fascination with wood began in 1894 with an operation that floated logs down the rivers Necker and Rhine, and it has been consistently expanded, reinvented and refined ever since. Throughout two world wars and a technological revolution, a handful of shrewd leaders guided Pfleiderer into its current position as an extremely vertically-oriented world leader in engineered wood. “Working with one of the world’s biggest carmakers shows yet again that our product portfolio is extremely attractive and meets the highest demands for design, quality and value for money,” says Michael Wolff, Chairman of the Board at Pfleiderer AG, Business Center Western Europe.

With approximately 6,000 employees worldwide, Pfleiderer currently operates 22 production and sales sites in North America, Eastern and Western Europe. Independently operated subsidiaries, or “Business Units” comprise a varied and ever evolving collection of brands, including North American board giant Uniboard. Business Units are diversified by product, region and in some cases market segment. Each is positioned to meet a targeted need of the vast global engineered- wood market. The combined international enterprises create an economy of scale that enables Pfleiderer to respond quickly and flexibly to a huge range of customers. Manufacturing competencies of Pfleiderer Business Units include the production of: HPL, TFM, MDF, HDF, adhesives, construction materials, particleboard, digitally printed materials, lightweight panel and laminate flooring.

The Business Units provide expertise at every step of the value-chain of engineered wood products, making Pfleiderer a powerful industry leader.“Being able to provide a worldwide service and meet the most stringent demands for quality means we can guarantee Volkswagen the best overall package,” explains Ralf Eisermann, Pergo’s CEO.

Not only do Pleiderer’s subsidiaries offer expansive product lines with integrated matching finishes, but they also communicate directly with the design community. So when it comes time to specify materials for nearly any project, names like Duropal, Wodego and Pergo are fresh in the minds of the people who decide. When it comes to engineered wood, Pfleiderer provides practical solutions for practically any project.