In its search for creative minds for innovative products, fittings specialist Hettich (Kirchlengern/Germany) has shown courage to explore new avenues: but when Hettich Innovation Manager Daniel Rehage (47) looked around for an open innovation network at his new abode in Chemnitz a few years ago, he couldn't have imagined where the journey would lead. His aim was to develop future-proof concepts as well as optimise production processes. An initial contact with Chemnitz University of Technology quickly sparked the idea of finding suitable experts through the Seniors College there.
From Seniors College to their own innovation office
The project was presented at Chemnitz University of Technology at the beginning of 2016, and the interest among the "advanced students" was so great that Rehage was able to get his new innovation team off the ground just a few months later: the diverse group is made up of graduate engineers and other academics, including former designers, electrical engineers, technologists, a patent engineer and an ergonomist. Since then, the twelve or so experts in their mid-sixties to mid-eighties, including one woman, have mostly been meeting up once a week to rack their brains over innovations for the furniture and household segments. Added to this are regular meetings in smaller working groups.
The team moved from its modest initial quarters to larger project rooms on a Chemnitz industrial estate back in 2017: this is where Hettich development engineer Andreas Matthes (42), who also provides the golden agers with technical support, builds all the prototypes in the team's own workshop. A fully equipped show kitchen was added to the premises in 2018 to test the prototypes for their suitability in everyday use.
Besides the complex development work on the technical side, the "ComfortSpin" project team in Chemnitz has also turned its attention to professional market research – including an assessment of needs and, of course, the question of what price consumers are willing to pay for their product. "For this purpose, we produced our own questionnaires for test persons," says Bernd Lehmann (73), former design engineer at Thyssen-Krupp. Initial test subjects, for example, were found in the Seniors College at Chemnitz University of Technology. A programme then broadcast by Germany's MDR television station sparked interest among others for a second user survey. All of the results were so positive that fittings manufacturer Hettich decided to go into mass production with this new product.
Successful product debut
By May 2019, the time had come: Hettich officially launched the turntable on the market under the "ComfortSpin" name, initially selling it online. It didn't take long for the innovative product from the Chemnitz think tank to win its first awards, including the IF Industry Forum Design Prize for product design in gold. – A resounding debut success which rightly fills the team of senior citizens with pride. In the meantime, the creative Chemnitz experts have also had the name of their "Wirfinder" group protected by copyright - this being a contraction of the German for 'We Inventors". Its official logo comes from Chemnitz designer Karl Clauss Dietel.
Faster from the idea to volume production
Hartmut Endlerlein, (82) Professor Emeritus of Ergonomics at Chemnitz University of Technology, emphasises that the Chemnitz developers' activity is not only about money: "The work invigorates us and keeps us young. Still being able to make use of our qualifications and skills in old age enriches our lives". Daniel Rehage, too, has learned a lot personally from the contact he has with his Chemnitz-based team. One important experience shows that the synergies provided by his experts from a variety of disciplines can sometimes take new products to market readiness more quickly than otherwise possible in the development departments.
Experience comes with age – and inspires new thinking
The older team members can also contribute valuable knowledge about their generation's needs, knowledge which younger developers may still lack. This is not only about ergonomics and ease of handling products but also, for example, about wanting practical storage space for medicines. "ComfortSpin" meets this need too because it's not only suitable for fitting in refrigerators but also in cupboards or on shelves. Unlike conventional turntables made of perspex, the rectangular "ComfortSpin" virtually makes full use of the surface it stands on in the cupboard and is still easy to turn through 360 degrees. This is made possible by a new type of ball bearing which is meanwhile protected by several patents.
The creative golden agers in Chemnitz have long been working on further applications for their innovative ball bearing for furniture and kitchen appliances. "The successful start-up project has given us all inspiration and, of course, makes us want to do more," Daniel Rehage says. "We are already working on new product ideas that intelligently combine ergonomics and technology for furniture. As such, the industry has every reason to get excited about "Wirfinder" solutions that will bring even more user convenience to our everyday furniture in the future.
