German Quality and Top Design

In Nassau, Germany, 05/11/2018 German industrial designers like Richard Sapper, Dieter Rams and Hans Erich Slany had made history. Since then, their ideas have had a major impact on products from companies like Siemens, Braun and Leifheit, and which have gone on to achieve worldwide recognition. Many major achievements owe their existence to forward-thinking entrepreneurs having a creative mind on their sides, whom they could completely trust and whose ideas they implemented with the utmost precision. Hans Erich Slany, a professor of engineering, was one of these creative minds. Together with Günter Leifheit, he developed products that significantly simplified household work for people. Only 60 years ago, he developed the Leifheit “Regulus” carpet sweeper. Since then, millions have been sold and the model is still part of the Leifheit product range today. At the same time, Slany ushered in an age of countless development and design projects which have continued to flow forth from the house of Leifheit, even after his active time with the company ended.

A demonstrator presented and explained the device. By the end of day one, the demonstrator had already sold 100 units. After that, the success of the Leifheit Regulus was no longer in doubt. Within a decade, Leifheit would produce two million carpet sweepers, making it Europe’s market leader.

The Regulus carpet sweeper was followed by the Telegant, the first wall-mounted drying rack. It showcased the idea that racks like the Telegant could be “elegantly” folded in and out. This innovation provided plenty of room for drying clothes, even in homes with limited space. With the support of industrial designer Hans Erich Slany, many other innovations were introduced, including the Perle, a table top hand-sweeping set, and the Sooger sponge mop for cleaning floors. For his achievements, Slany was named in 1996 as one of the world’s ten best industrial designers by the renowned North Rhine-Westphalia Design Centre, which even topped the ranks at that time.

To this day, Slany remains one of the most highly regarded figures in the world of industrial design. In the words of Dr. Peter Zec (61), head of the North Rhine-Westphalia Design Centre and initiator of the Red Dot Awards, one of the most renowned industrial design prizes: “Hans Erich Slany was one of West Germany’s most influential industrial designers and has had a major impact on shaping our everyday lives. For decades, the products he designed have been a fixture in households everywhere. The close collaboration between his design studio and companies like Leifheit were crucial to this success.” Dr. Zec goes on to say, “Together, Leifheit and Slany introduced iconic products to the market, starting with their famous carpet sweeper. Products from the Slany era are impressive for their usability and functionality, as well as their special attention to ergonomics.”

Next came the Profi floor wiper (1993) with its 360° swivel joint, making it especially flexible in use, and was then shortly followed by the mop press (1997). The highpoint finally came with Leifheit’s still unbeaten Twist System, which prevents moisture damage on sensitive floors during cleaning and works with playful simplicity. With this innovation, Leifheit practically revolutionised floor cleaning. In 2012, Leifheit integrated its patented spin handle into the twist system, along with a new “brake”. This clearly set the product apart from other manufacturers’ foot-operated systems, once again proving the technological prowess of Leifheit’s in-house development department in Nassau.

During its 60 years of product development, Leifheit has never lost sight of the wishes and needs of consumers, a continual focal point for the company’s engineers and designers. There are numerous practical examples of this. In the past, German housewives still ironed on heavy ironing boards which often needed to be carried up from the basement for use. Leifheit developed an ironing board that made use of “feather-light” material. The Air Board M Compact Plus weighs only 3.8 kilograms, making it the world’s lightest ironing board. This makes it so easy to fold up or set down.

Surfaces for the products are chosen based on their purpose. For example, Leifheit always uses textural surfaces whenever household products need to be slip-resistant and easy to hold. With products that need to be easily cleaned, smooth, highly glossy surfaces are used. Generally, Leifheit products feature a subdued visual design, making them an understated addition to any modern home. Current examples of the company’s consistent design aesthetic are its new innovations released onto the market in 2018. These include the battery-operated Regulus PowerVac 2in1 vacuum cleaner and the Clean Tenso steam cleaner.

The key features to Leifheit’s 60 years of ‘“Made in Germany” quality’ are simple and functional products that are easy to use and offer multiple benefits to consumers.