When Teulo last sat down with Häfele in 2023, the company was promoting its lighting systems and preparing to launch a display of HAWA Concepta pocket doors at the Residium interior design space in Auckland. “Häfele lighting transforms the way your furniture feels,” Simon says. “It remains one of our key practices, and is still an important pillar of our organisation, globally. Over the last couple of years since we caught up with Teulo, we’ve invested in a lot of research and development around home automation, smart systems, Bluetooth, Alexa, Google - you name it. It can all now be linked to Häfele lighting. We’ve got our sights set on expanding from cabinetry lighting into room lighting over the next 3-5 years. We’re also heading back to Residium next month for the launch of two new systems from Kesseböhmer, one of our German supply partners. The first is called tRack, a customisable shelf and room dividing system; the other is the CONERO wardrobe system.”
CONERO represents an exciting new market segment for Häfele, Simon says, in a business that has been traditionally better known for its presence in kitchens and bathrooms. “Our products have always been used in wardrobes, but in a bit of a piecemeal way. With CONERO, we now have a comprehensive, mid-to-high-end wardrobe solution featuring quality, European-made products. CONERO includes a complete range of fittings, pull-out, and pull-down solutions, including drawers, racks, shelving and laundry. And because it looks so good, you don’t need to cover it with sliding or hinge doors and hide it away.”
The system is intuitive and customisable for any wardrobe design, Simon says, and it includes some clever features that are truly unique in the market. “Within the CONERO range, there are two products I’d pick out as being really special. The first is the Illuminated Clothing Rails - hanging rails with built-in Häfele lighting through the centre. As with all Häfele lighting, you can link these with the rest of the room and add motion sensors for convenience and energy efficiency. The other product is the Top Wardrobe Lift, which creates functional, accessible storage above your clothes rail that you can tuck away but still keep within easy reach.”
Häfele is also working hard on innovative waste and recycling solutions to support any project, Simon says. “We have one of the largest and most comprehensive ranges of waste, recycling, and laundry solutions on the market. We provide commercial systems for office buildings and multi-use spaces that require categorised waste such as rubbish, recycling, and compost. We also offer retrofittable options that allow our customers to upgrade their existing spaces without doing a full renovation, and we can provide systems in any size that they need. There’s no better way to maximise your space than to make your waste facilities more efficient; no matter what system or design size you need, there will be a solution here. For me, the goal is for Häfele to be known in the waste and recycling space like we are in the lighting space.”
Häfele’s waste and recycling bins are made from recycled plastic, often up to 100% recycled. “We have a strong focus on sustainability, globally,” Simon says. “It’s important for every company of our size to prioritise the environment and take on the responsibility to act sustainably. We do this with the recycled materials in our waste bins and also in our packaging, transport, and energy use. Our products are packed to minimise waste, many of our subsidiaries use solar power, and a lot of our fleet vehicles are now electric or hybrid. We’re conscious that when you work with a supplier, sustainability should be a key aspect of that partnership, and it’s important to us to understand what sustainably conscious measures they have in place. With CONERO, for instance, Kesseböhmer uses the MDF offcuts from their production processes to help power their manufacturing facility.”
Currently, Simon is preparing to head to the biannual Interzum Trade Fair in Germany, where Häfele plans to launch some new products that he will bring back to the New Zealand market. “One product range I’m excited to see is Häfele’s sliding door systems, an expanded range that will serve the market with doors from 5kg to 500kg. These are manufactured directly by us, so we have extremely high quality control over the product. The other one I’m looking forward to at Interzum is an addition to our overhead lift systems. With these, instead of a hinged door above your benchtop in the kitchen, you’ll have a cabinet that opens upward. The new Häfele Free Slim system is only 8mm thick, giving you more storage in your cabinet and more space in your kitchen. We’re expecting to see both of these in the New Zealand market in late 2025 or early 2026.”
In the meantime, Simon is excited to spread the word about CONERO through their upcoming launch at Residium, followed by a roadshow throughout New Zealand. “We’re getting ready to take CONERO on tour in our mobile showroom that will be travelling around the country from the end of June. We really want to spread the word that this system is on the market, in stock, easy to specify, and ready to go. It’s just one more way that we’re maximising the value of space.”
To learn more and connect with Simon, visit https://www.hafele.co.nz/en/, register for the CONERO launch at Residium, and keep an eye on their Instagram and LinkedIn for Häfele product and roadshow updates.
