Looking back, the past seven years at COR have been characterised by steady, healthy growth. 2021 and 2022 were particularly successful years – to some extent because of the pandemic. As a result of the many external challenges triggered by the Ukraine war, 2022 was at times a difficult year that wasn’t made any easier by the high levels of absence due to illness in recent months. In spite of that the order volume reached a record high of 49,1 million in 2022.
COR followed up the successful market launches of new products in January 2022, including the Jalis Lounge armchair (designed by Jehs+Laub) and the Noto chair and armchair collection (designed by Pauline Deltour), with its presence at the furniture fairs in Milan, Paris and Amsterdam. The highest profile project in 2022 was the provision of Alvo and Noto chairs, and the Elm sofa, for the G7 summit in Elmau.
As is traditional, the company showcased its products at the Milan Design Week by staging colourful and comfortable interior design concepts in a historical apartment at Via Solferino 11. The climate-neutral furniture manufacturer’s first sustainability report was presented at a press breakfast event. COR already offsets its low site-specific CO2 emissions of 770 t by the acquisition of certificates and is now working towards the ambitious objective of being climate neutral through its own efforts by 2030.
Investments in the future and digitalisation
In 2022, as in 2021, the focus was on the digitalisation of internal processes and the modernisation of work environments at headquarters. To the delight of the entire workforce the extensively renovated company restaurant opened in May and it soon became a popular meeting place for staff. Productivity-boosting investments were made in new machines and in the internal infrastructure. The intranet went live in November, improving the transparency of internal communications.
New appointments
Digitalisation has been one of the upholstered furniture manufacturer’s key strategic objectives over the past three years. In fact it is now a firmly integrated business unit that has been headed by Tobias Janorschke since 1 January 2023. As the new Head of Process Management and Digitalisation he has been in charge of the digital team since 2020 and part of the COR family since 2007.
Over the past year the company’s headcount has grown to 225 and the newly created position of Sustainability Project Manager has been filled with Berenike Austermann. Manuel Haberer is a new addition to the Contract team. He has been the sales representative with responsibility for the regions of Baden-Württemberg and Switzerland since the beginning of the year. Manuel has worked for various well-known furniture manufacturers in the past and has an excellent network and outstanding expertise in the commercial property sector.
Outlook for 2023
Digitalisation and sustainability will both continue to be key corporate objectives in 2023. A new 3,100 m² warehouse has been constructed to improve internal production workflows and accommodate the company’s growth. The first Sustainability Strategy 2022 projects will be implemented in the focus areas of Ecology and Products.
“As a premium furniture manufacturer, we remain optimistic. Now we have to focus on consolidating what we have achieved over the past three years,” said Leo Lübke, Managing Partner. “2023 will be the TRIO anniversary year at COR and we will also be presenting a new upholstered furniture range in Milan. For those reasons we are looking ahead with confidence.”
In addition to exhibiting in Milan from 18 to 23 April COR will be at the imm Spring Edition in Cologne, which is taking place this year on the new dates of 4 to 7 July.
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