The company

Imagination, optimism, a feel for technology and a belief in success were the start-up assets as the company was founded in 1930 by master interior furnisher Wilhelm Hachtel and his partner master joiner Adolf Stäbler.

While one of their first ideas was admittedly a commercial flop, it was nevertheless the initial spark for a brand name that later evolved into a generic term.

The product was called a 'Mechanischer Hachtel Zug' (Mechanical Hachtel Curtain Draw), an innovation that was way ahead of its time. Far too progressive at its launch, it is only now that one of this decorative item's features - when operated, the curtain lowered itself to the ground - has gained market acceptance. At that time, it was a form of decoration abhorrent to German punctiliousness.

Nevertheless, the MHZ brand was born.

One part of the 'Mechanischer Hachtel Zug' did, however, conquer the market and thus laid the commercial foundations for numerous highly marketable, patented and successful products. The part concerned was a curtain rail with a wooden inner channel.

Even in the early years, the company's founders quickly recognised the importance of providing good service and sought to get close to their customers, home furnishing retailers and decorating businesses.

MHZ systematically expanded its promotional campaigns across numerous regions of Germany and by the outbreak of World War II was already much sought-after brand. At the end of War, production had to be stopped. In March 1944, what is today the main works in Musberg near Stuttgart was totally destroyed.

After the War, the company began to rebuild itself with the same flair as when it was originally founded. In addition to introducing a broader range of products, MHZ developed into a service provider, a road haulage operator and a centre of technology for the home decoration sector.

At the end of the fifties, Wilhelm Hachtel invented the plastic curtain track and achieved what numerous specialists at major chemical companies had failed to accomplish, the combination of plastic and wood in one single product - the 'MHZ Track'.

With this success, MHZ grew into one of the leading suppliers of ultra-modern items of decoration.

In 1958, a modern production plant for plastics processing, injection moulding and woodworking, including its own tool sho and development department, was established in Niederstetten, North Württemberg.

At the same time, a strong phase of expansion began beyond the German borders, starting with subsidiaries in France, Austria and Switzerland.

As market demand increased, there followed an unimaginable period of diversification.

From the classic offering of traditional window decorations there emerged the modern MHZ, with high-tech products for decorative shade from the sun, plus screen and blind systems for domestic, commercial and industrial use.

Numerous prizes were won for design and innovation, hundreds of patents registered.

In addition to plastic and wood, an incredibly wide variety of metals and textiles are now used as well.

Today, MHZ is an internationally successful company with a product portfolio that includes decorative items, internally fitted sun blinds and every possible kind of external shade.

The range extends from curtain poles, rails and tracks, to roller and roman blinds, vertical blinds, pleated blinds, awnings and shades, all the way to complete multi-function systems.

In addition to this portfolio, customer service and support is another of the company's strengths.

This includes one of the special features of any MHZ order: All of our products are individually tailor-made to the customer's specification.

Every order is thus an 'Original'!

Every day, there are over eighty specialist advisors in Germany working for our customers, the retailers of our sector.

MHZ products are marketed not only all over Europe through our subsidiaries, but also overseas via numerous commercial partners.

However, MHZ is more than just a company in the decoration trade.

In our own technology centre we develop, construct and produce products made of plastic, metal and wood for almost every branch of industry.

State of the art production lines ensure superb quality, while test and laboratory facilities guarantee these standards.

Today, a total of over 1,200 employees work around the world on this broad, diverse MHZ product range.

The continuation of the family tradition is guaranteed by the managing partner Wilhelm Hachtel, son of the company's founder. Together with his colleagues Jochen Hachtel and Dr Dirk Commandeur, he is leading the company successfully into the future.