History
On May 5th, Hans-Benno Niehaus founded the company HAN-Bürogeräte as a commercial enterprise in Bielefeld and initially began manufacturing wooden letter trays with two employees. The product range expanded quickly, and wooden card index boxes were soon added.
The first company building is constructed, replacing the temporary production facility in Bielefeld. By the mid-1960s, Hans-Benno Niehaus already employs 10 people in production and administration.
The company now maintains six distribution centers in Germany with corresponding sales representatives.
Production of wooden card index boxes starts in Greece. Sales of plastic card index boxes begin from Denmark. At this point, 60 employees are already employed.
Trade in plastic card index boxes from Austria begins.
The administration building and shipping department in Herford are being built. Another production facility for HAN card index cabinets in Verl near Gütersloh is being completed. The company’s own HAN distribution warehouse near Frankfurt is being built.
The administration is moving from Bielefeld to Herford.
The company’s own production of letter trays, wastebaskets, and office sets made of plastic began with the acquisition of its first in-house plastic injection molding machines. HAN received several design awards for these initial production runs.
The expansion of plastics processing to include a wide range of office storage and archiving products, with over 50 new products, was an important step for the company. Development and manufacturing are carried out exclusively at the German site.
Plastic production in Herford is being expanded with Hall 2. An additional construction phase, Hall 3, as an extension of the warehouse and shipping area, is also being completed.
The generational change: Ralf Niehaus takes over the management from Hans Niehaus.
Construction of a state-of-the-art distribution center with 9,000 pallet spaces at the company’s Herford site. The French sales company HAN France is founded.
Establishment of the English sales company HAN UK.
Expansion of export activities: Start of in-house plastics production in Moscow.
HAN sets an example – precisely because “eco” isn’t a trend for us, but the standard. We’ve long been putting the word “environmental protection” into practice. For the HAN KARMA program, we process post-consumer materials (previously used plastic products).
Awarded the Blue Angel environmental certificate. Innovative, attractive design of the highest quality.
HAN is celebrating its 50th anniversary. 50 years of experience are based on highly qualified employees, exceptional ideas, the highest design standards, and state-of-the-art production technology.
A strong team, combined with quality rooted in tradition – for innovative, beautifully designed, and award-winning products!
HAN drawer box i-BOX receives five design awards.
HAN has been recognized for its outstanding work in brand relaunch. We are proud of this special honor, which confirms our company’s clear and successful brand strategy for many years. Further outstanding evidence of our consistent brand work includes the numerous product design awards we have received in various categories.
60 Years of Company History
For six decades, HAN has been developing intelligent and aesthetically pleasing solutions for organization in modern living and working environments. We will continue to develop and expand our product portfolio in the future – always in line with the HAN success concept: functionality, quality, and design!
With the newly created ALLISON concept, we are responding to a societal development that describes the increasing merging of work and private life into one. “I work the way I live, and I live the way I work” is a guiding principle that we are embracing and incorporating into our product development through new visions and trends.
We are a company with 70 employees who drive our brand forward with creativity every day. A full-range supplier with over 1,000 innovative, design-oriented, high-quality products for school, office, and home.
HAN-Bürogeräte GmbH & Co. KG is now HAN GmbH & Co. KG. We offer more than “just” office equipment! This will now be reflected in our company name. As a logical next step in the evolution of our brand for organizational solutions for home and office, HAN is dropping the “Office Equipment” suffix. This is another step towards tapping into new markets in the lifestyle and home sector.
Completion of the state-of-the-art and energy-efficient renovation of our administration building. The new company offices are bright, ergonomic, and equipped with the latest technology.
Everything reflects the latest insights into modern work practices and fosters creative exchange across departmental boundaries.
The CROCO card file series celebrates its 20th anniversary
We are proud to look back on 20 years of success with our CROCO card file. The colorful original impresses with its versatile functionality and is the ideal companion in all phases of lifelong learning.
KARMA office furniture series awarded the Austrian Ecolabel
The series from our recycling portfolio, which has already been awarded the Blue Angel ecolabel since 2006, was also certified with the Austrian Ecolabel in June 2022. The logo, designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, holds particular significance for the Austrian market. We are therefore delighted with this special award, which once again underscores the environmental benefits of the KARMA series.
New in the HAN product range: Toolbox LOFT
Mobile and hybrid work models are the result of the modernization and digitalization of our working world. With the Toolbox LOFT, we create more flexibility in the workplace – both at home and in the office. With the SMART-BOX ALLISON, we have already successfully integrated the structural shift between home office and office into our product development. Therefore, matching the Toolbox LOFT’s color scheme to the Allison concept was only logical.
HAN invests in expanding and modernizing its machinery
This year, the machinery will be expanded by two state-of-the-art and energy-efficient injection molding machines. With these machines, we are ideally positioned for the future. The aim of the investment was not only to improve the utilization of production capacities, but also to reduce our CO₂ emissions through optimized energy efficiency.
Completion of our showroom with in-house photo studio
Whether product studies, creative brainstorming sessions, or meetings – our new marketing area offers ample space for all of this. Here, we present the entire HAN product range and use the small product library as a source of inspiration and a hub for creative ideas. In addition, we have set up our own photo studio, which will offer us significantly more flexibility in taking product and detail photos in the future.
Certification of our entire KARMA product line with the Blue Angel and Austrian Ecolabels
We are proud that our new KARMA products – such as the RONDO pen holder and our hanging file systems – have been awarded both environmental certifications. This makes our KARMA product line not only the first office organization series to be certified with the Blue Angel, but currently also the only one in the industry to carry both ecolabels.
Introducing the new PASTEL COLOURS
Many of our products are now also available in six fresh pastel colors.
ÖKOPROFIT®
For one year, we will collect and analyze data to define and implement concrete measures for environmental and climate protection, social responsibility, and resource-efficient production. Together with other regional companies, representatives from the cities of Bielefeld and Herford, and with the support of B.A.U.M. Consult GmbH, HAN will launch the project in March 2024.
i-BOX Anniversary
Our design icon turns 15!
HAN becomes an ÖKOPROFIT® company
By participating in the ÖKOPROFIT® program, we have created central structures for operational environmental protection and implemented numerous practical improvements. The result is a comprehensive sustainability concept that encompasses all areas of our company.
URBAN COLOURS for a warm living and working atmosphere
Inspired by the popular urban style, we have expanded our new work duo “ALLISON” and “LOFT” with warm, inviting color tones.
Exacompta SAS establishes HAN Desktop GmbH and leads the HAN brand into the future
Exacompta SAS, Paris – part of the Exacompta Clairefontaine Group – is acquiring the assets of HAN GmbH & Co. KG in an asset deal. In September, the company will establish HAN Desktop GmbH as a wholly owned subsidiary. Together, we are opening a new chapter for the HAN brand.
