Schönwald: for many, above all non-china aficionados, a name
that’s romantic and has a nice ring to it, but is otherwise
unknown. For people in the trade and many thousands of customers worldwide,
however, it’s a brand name. Schönwald, Upper Franconia:
home of the Schönwald chinaware factory. A factory specialising
in hotel chinaware. Setting the standard for good china since 1879.
The
factory’s beginnings When Johan Nicol Müller set up his chinaware factory
in Schönwald in 1879 it signalled an upturn in fortunes
for the whole town. But why did he pick Schönwald? Because
Schönwald offered everything that was needed for chinaware
production: energy (wood) in the surrounding forest, raw materials
in the ground (china clay, feldspar and quartz), and a sufficiently
large workforce living in the town.
Success for ‘Quality Müller’ The high quality standards demanded by the company´s
founder earned him the nickname of ‘Quality Müller’.
The factory grew rapidly. Soon new buildings were added, new kilns
installed and extra workers recruited. By 1898 the number of people
employed in the factory had grown to 340. In the same year, the operation
was incorporated as a limited company under the name of "Porzellanfabrik
Schönwald".
Schönwald
– Specialists in hotel chinaware Although the company started out producing
fine tableware and coffee services, it was way back towards the end
of the 19th century that Schönwald discovered chinaware for restaurants
as a profitable area of business. While until then hotel chinaware
had been produced in a very hefty style that gave it a very bulky
look, Schönwald took a different approach. The company only strengthened
certain ‘problem areas’ of the tableware (e.g. handles).
Not only were the newly created shapes revolutionary, but also the
philosophy behind them. Schönwald and Dr Hermann Gretsch together
created hotel chinaware with an impressive elegance that could for
the first time easily stand comparison with fine domestic bone china.
Everyday functional hotel chinaware was refined and elevated to the
focal point of table setting in restaurants and hotels.
Schönwald remains true to this philosophy today. Hotel
china must, of course, be functional and satisfy in every regard the
special requirements of the restaurant and catering business. However,
a perfect appearance on the tables of a whole range of restaurant
types is at least just as important.
With 650 employees today, Schönwald has thus developed into
one of the most renowned chinaware producers in the world. Schönwald
has a presence in many international markets and is recognised as
a creative business partner to the restaurant, hotel and catering
business.
Schönwald’s seal of approval 'Genuine brand-name china'
is considered on every continent as a guarantee of professionalism
and materials, production processes and designs of the highest standards.
