Media / Press Releases
Vorwerk & Co. KG
Mühlenweg 17-37
42270 Wuppertal
www.vorwerk.de
The Company
Vorwerk & Co. KG was founded in Wuppertal in 1883. During the course of the company’s 125-year history, what originally started out as a carpet factory has developed into a highly diversified, global corporate group. Yet Vorwerk has remained a family enterprise right through to the present day.
Since 1930, Vorwerk’s core business has been the direct selling of quality products – and the company is one of the world’s leading players in this field. The range of direct sales products includes household appliances as well as high-quality cosmetics. The akf group, HECTAS Facility Services and Division Carpets ideally complete the company’s portfolio. The personal touch, Vorwerk’s special close contact to the customer, is something all divisions have in common and ultimately what makes Vorwerk so special. The advantage of direct selling is that the sales advisers can offer their customers full assistance and advice and explain the advantages of their products on the spot while they give a practical demonstration.
This business principle, combined with the company’s adaptability and clear commitment to growth, has certainly paid off.
Number of people working with Vorwerk
Divisions in 2007 with sales (incl. value-added tax) in million €
Executive Board
Chairman of the Advisory Board
Production sites
Vorwerk regularly receives environmental accreditation. Both the products and their production methods are designed to satisfy the premises of environmental protection.
About Vorwerk
The Vorwerk & Co. KG family enterprise was founded in 1883. The holding company’s registered office is located in Wuppertal, Germany; the headquarters of the various divisions are in Wollerau, Switzerland (Divisions Kobold, Thermomix, Feelina), Westlake, USA (Division JAFRA Cosmetics), Singapore (Division Lux Asia Pacific), Hamelin, Germany (Division Carpets) and Wuppertal (Division akf group, HECTAS Facility Services, Engineering).
At the head of the corporate group are Managing Partners Achim Schwanitz and Peter Oberegger. Other members of the Executive Board are Wolfgang Bahlmann (Human Resources), Eberhard Pothmann (Finance) and Jochen Sarrazin (Controlling). Vorwerk’s core business is the worldwide direct sale of high-quality products. Vorwerk is one of the “unknown giants”. Worldwide there are around 560,000 working with Vorwerk, of whom some 30,000 are sales advisers in the business of selling household appliances and more than 500,000 working for JAFRA Cosmetics. Vorwerk generates a business volume of more than 2.3 billion euros a year and operates in over 60 countries.
Photo material and further press releases can be accessed in the press section at www.vorwerk.de.
Reproduction free of charge. Voucher copies requested.
Fact Sheet
Vorwerk & Co. KG
Mühlenweg 17-37
42270 Wuppertal
www.vorwerk.de
The Company
Vorwerk & Co. KG was founded in Wuppertal in 1883. During the course of the company’s 125-year history, what originally started out as a carpet factory has developed into a highly diversified, global corporate group. Yet Vorwerk has remained a family enterprise right through to the present day.
Since 1930, Vorwerk’s core business has been the direct selling of quality products – and the company is one of the world’s leading players in this field. The range of direct sales products includes household appliances as well as high-quality cosmetics. The akf group, HECTAS Facility Services and Division Carpets ideally complete the company’s portfolio. The personal touch, Vorwerk’s special close contact to the customer, is something all divisions have in common and ultimately what makes Vorwerk so special. The advantage of direct selling is that the sales advisers can offer their customers full assistance and advice and explain the advantages of their products on the spot while they give a practical demonstration.
This business principle, combined with the company’s adaptability and clear commitment to growth, has certainly paid off.
Number of people working with Vorwerk
| Employees incl. akf group | 22,820 |
| Self-employed sales advisers and representatives, household appliances | 28,264 |
| Self-employed consultants, Jafra Cosmetics | 515,151 |
| Total workforce | 566,235 |
| Number of countries in which Vorwerk products and services are available through Vorwerk subsidiaries and via export. | 61 |
Divisions in 2007 with sales (incl. value-added tax) in million €
| Direct Sales, Kobold: floor care system with hand-held vacuum, electric brush, Pulilux hard-floor cleaning device and the Polsterboy as well as an array of accessories; in Germany and Austria also: the Tiger cylinder vacuum cleaner | 687 |
| Direct Sales, Thermomix: Multifunctional kitchen appliance with cooking function | 331 |
| Direct Sales, Feelina Ironing System | 4 |
| Direct Sales, JAFRA Cosmetics: Skin and body care products, decorative cosmetics, SPA products and perfumes | 432 |
| Direct Sales, Lux Asia Pacific: Water purifiers and vacuum cleaners sold in the Asia Pacific Region | 42 |
| Vorwerk Carpets: Fitted carpets and carpet pieces | 78 |
| HECTAS Facility Services: Infrastructural building services | 187 |
| akf group: Leasing and financing of investment goods, fleet management | 546 |
| Miscellaneous | 17 |
| Total business volume in 2007 | 2,323 |
Executive Board
- Achim Schwanitz (Managing Partner)
- Peter Oberegger (Managing Partner)
- Wolfgang Bahlmann (Human Resources)
- Eberhard Pothmann (Finance)
- Jochen Sarrazin (Controlling)
Chairman of the Advisory Board
- Dr. Jörg Mittelsten Scheid
Production sites
- Wuppertal: This is the group’s largest production site. Division Engineering – Research & Development, Quality Control and Design – is based here. It is also where the Kobold, Polsterboy, the electric brush and the motors for the Vorwerk products are manufactured.
- Hameln: carpet production
- Vorwerk Folletto in Arcore, Italy: production of the Pulilux, the Feelina Ironing System and accessories
- Vorwerk Semco in Cloyes, France: production of the Thermomix
- Vorwerk Household Appliances in Shanghai, China: manufacture of the alva water purifier; assembly of all products sold in China
- Naucalpan, Mexico: production of JAFRA cosmetic products
- Westlake, USA: research and development for JAFRA Cosmetics
Vorwerk regularly receives environmental accreditation. Both the products and their production methods are designed to satisfy the premises of environmental protection.
About Vorwerk
The Vorwerk & Co. KG family enterprise was founded in 1883. The holding company’s registered office is located in Wuppertal, Germany; the headquarters of the various divisions are in Wollerau, Switzerland (Divisions Kobold, Thermomix, Feelina), Westlake, USA (Division JAFRA Cosmetics), Singapore (Division Lux Asia Pacific), Hamelin, Germany (Division Carpets) and Wuppertal (Division akf group, HECTAS Facility Services, Engineering).
At the head of the corporate group are Managing Partners Achim Schwanitz and Peter Oberegger. Other members of the Executive Board are Wolfgang Bahlmann (Human Resources), Eberhard Pothmann (Finance) and Jochen Sarrazin (Controlling). Vorwerk’s core business is the worldwide direct sale of high-quality products. Vorwerk is one of the “unknown giants”. Worldwide there are around 560,000 working with Vorwerk, of whom some 30,000 are sales advisers in the business of selling household appliances and more than 500,000 working for JAFRA Cosmetics. Vorwerk generates a business volume of more than 2.3 billion euros a year and operates in over 60 countries.
Photo material and further press releases can be accessed in the press section at www.vorwerk.de.
Reproduction free of charge. Voucher copies requested.
