The 90-year history of our Rotpunkt range

When Rotpunkt was founded

Rotpunkt has a long history of providing top quality products. Halo Interiors designs and installs Rotpunkt's range of kitchens. Here we look at its 90-year history to see how the company evolved and innovated to ensure it is still just as productive (if not more) than when it first started. 

The company was founded in Buende by Heinrich Rabe and Wilhelm Meyer in 1930. Rotpunkt started its life as a cigar box factory because, at the time, Buende was the heart of the cigar-making industry. 

Between 1939 and 1948, the war and the subsequent currency reform meant that many families could only afford to purchase the absolute everyday essentials. So as not to rely solely on one product, Rabe and Meyer decided to use their wood processing machinery to produce both children's toys and sewing boxes. These innovations to their business helped them navigate through this traditional period, but it wasn't without its hurdles. Up until 1946, they hadn't needed to use large quantities of paint. The sewing boxes they had been contracted to create needed to be painted white. To allow them to manufacture this product, they incorporated a painting room. Solving this problem meant they could use their newly acquired knowledge in painting on a larger scale for their kitchen manufacturing enterprise. 

Rotpunkt's first kitchen

In 1950, Rotpunkt first manufactured a kitchen sideboard or so-called 'buffet-style kitchen'. This freestanding kitchen comprised of a lower and upper section designed to hold plates, cutlery and food. These were hugely popular and demand was high which in turn meant Rotpunkt needed larger premises. 

Once they constructed their new warehouse (which underwent expansion more than once to accommodate their growing business) they cemented their place in the kitchen furniture building industry. They went on to create Swedish style built-in kitchens with standardised cabinets in 1958 and later modular kitchens (like we see today) in 1967. The end of production for their mainstay product, cigar boxes, was secured in 1968. 

The business is going from strength to strength 

The now internally renowned kitchen brand, once known as 'Rabe & Meyer', was rebranded to 'Rotpunkt' in 1982. Since their rebrand, Rotpunkt has created colour matched cabinetry, handleless doors (2005) and their innovation has only sped up in the last 16 years. They launched their Greenline BioBoard in 2015, converted the interior appearances of their fittings and drawers in 2017 and were certified as having carbon-neutral production in 2020. 

This family-run business now employs over 300 staff members! If you'd like to incorporate high-quality, German design and craftsmanship into your home, visit our showroom. You can see our two Rotpunkt display kitchens and discuss how to create your own. 

Image taken from Rotpunkt Achieve - 90 Year Anniversary Book