Hansgrohe was founded in 1901 by the trained clothier and exceptionally gifted innovator Hans Grohe (1871-1955) in Schiltach, a village in the heart of the Black Forest, Germany.

During its 111-year history, the company Hansgrohe (www.hansgrohe-int.com), with headquarters in Schiltach, has acquired a reputation in the sanitation sector as one of the innovative leaders in technology and design. With its mixers, showers and shower systems, Hansgrohe creates the original products that make the bathroom more functional, more comfortable and more beautiful. It is no coincidence that they can be found in prominent prestige projects such as on the giant cruiser “Queen Mary II”, in Terminal 5 of Heathrow Airport in London, in the tallest man-made structure ever built, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, as well as at the Chancellor's office in Berlin, in the Yoo luxury apartments in New York or at the Masdar City Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi. In 2010, the company generated sales of about EUR 693 million with its Axor, Hansgrohe, Pharo and Pontos brands (2009: EUR 610 million). The Hansgrohe Group currently has a global workforce of about 3,271 employees, with about two-thirds of them working in Germany.

The company, which takes tough action against product piracy and intellectual property theft, manufactures its products in six German plants, in France, the Netherlands, in the U.S. and in China.

The Hansgrohe Group follows five strategic approaches:

• Innovation and design – development of the position as an innovation and design leader
• Global speed – expansion of the international market presence and development of the emerging markets business model
• Quality and productivity – improving product quality and developing a “Global Production Balance”
• Lean business processes – internationalisation and streamlining of business processes to improve customer services
• Organisation – development of the company organisational structure and international personnel development

Living responsibility at Hansgrohe

The Hansgrohe Group is an industry pioneer in sustainability and environmental and climate protection. It looks back on decades of “green” company history and sets high goals for an ecological future. After all, assuming corporate responsibility and living sustainably are part of Hansgrohe’s self-image and company goals. Our passion for water continually spurs us on to extend our range of energy and water-saving products. And to set global trends using innovative technologies.

For Hansgrohe, climate protection, sustainability and a sense of responsibility mean:

• Water and energy-saving products with a long service life
• Sophisticated recycling systems
• Environmentally-friendly sites and manufacturing technologies
• Use of renewable energy
• Global environmental protection projects and knowledge for the sustainable management of water resources
• Social responsibility