NIEDERFULLBACH, Germany—Höpke Mobelstoffe International is reaping the benefits of an aggressive export program after five years in foreign markets, according to Olaf Maier, General Manager of this E30 million upholstery distributor with 80 employees, one of the largest in Europe, right up there with Eurotex and Textaafoam.

“It’s more unusual to be an upholstery only distributor in Europe than to be a decorative fabrics distributor,” Maier says. The business grew three percent for the first half of 2014, Maier states, with export now accounting for 30 percent of total sales. Maier joined the business in 1985 and married the boss’ daughter, he says. He took over the business in 1990 when it was doing E3.5 million and watched it grow tenfold in 24 years by doing things a little differently than his father-in-law. 

For example, Maier has his own designs which he converts to produce exclusive product that is commission woven. He does volume business with four Turkish mills. The goods are delivered to his German warehouse in one week, he says. He also sells his line to customers in India. What’s more, he feels confidence in his future with two children in the business; a son, Lars, 25 and a daughter, Caroline, 28. Both Maier children also majored in textiles. Olaf Maier, General Manager of Hopke Mobelstoffe International in Niederfullbach, Germany with Anke Kondek, President of Prismatek International, a jobber in Fort Myers, FL and Bob Coleman, Managing Director, RNB Partners, Princeton, NJ consultant.

Höpke’s substantial base of accounts covers EFTA, Eastern Europe and Asia with a new emphasis now on the USA. The product line is called ‘Active Line’ and is composed of performance fabrics in the 40,000-100,000 Martindale rub range. Most of the goods are Oketex 100-Class 2 approved. The US bound collection consists of 50 patterns, mostly textures, in 12-40 colors each and is made by European mills, landed duty paid at $7-$16 for the piece. Cut yardage is also available in the States through Prismatek on selected items. Prismatek offers special colors with 200-meter minimums through Höpke.

“We can deliver from receipt of order in two weeks by Fedex from Germany to the customer’s airport in the USA, FOB Port of Entry,” Maier says

Höpke clocked its second Showtime USA in High Point, NC in June and after ten years exhibiting at Heimtextil Europe, plans to continue to participate   in Frankfurt in January 2015. This is its major European fair, Maier says.

Anke Kondek, President of Prismatek in Fort Myers, FL and her husband Dieter, distribute the Höpke line of residential upholstery in the USA. The Kondeks bought Prismatek in 2012 from Hans and Karen Stuber (who returned to their native Germany) and the Kondeks soon teamed up with Höpke in a partnership for the US market.

Prismatek is a specialist in the hospitality market where it focuses on the interior designer; but with Höpke, Prismatek concentrates on sales to the American furniture manufacturers, a nice compliment to Prismatek’s core business, Anke says.

Robert Coleman, Managing Director of RNB Partners in Princeton, NJ is advising the Kondeks in their marketing activities to the manufacturers. Coleman was a one-time member of the now defunct Waverly fabrics division of F. Schumacher, an American jobber.

Prismatek has access to the Höpke inventory in Coburg. Höpke’s products for US export are middle to upper end and don’t deal with Chinese goods, Maier explains. However, in the German domestic market, Chinese fabrics are the bulk of sales for Höpke, Maier says. “Germany is primarily a low priced upholstery market today,” he adds.

In Germany, Höpke also has two cut length divisions; one selling 7,000 items to the retail market with 24-hour delivery and another division geared to the sofa manufacturer and contract. The business is run from two automated warehouses in Coburg and Niederfullbach with a recently completed third warehouse that opened this past July in Coburg.