The innovative training and further education center in Löhne begins operations

HERFORD/LÖHNE. The furniture industry training factory in Löhne in East Westphalia was opened with a ceremony today, Tuesday. After a construction period of 16 months, the innovative training and further education center for the furniture industry is starting up.

“The ultra-modern training factory is pioneering for East Westphalia-Lippe. The learning location is an attractive contact point – both for prospective and experienced specialists. This strengthens the local furniture industry and the business location of East Westphalia-Lippe. The Detmold district government was happy to support this exemplary facility with funding,” said Jens Kronsbein, the responsible department head at the Detmold district government, at the official opening. The innovative project is being funded by the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia with 22.5 million euros; the investment in the building and equipment totals around 25 million euros. Bernd Poggemöller, Mayor of the City of Löhne, emphasized in his speech to around 150 guests: “The training factory is a major coup for the furniture industry and its need for skilled workers and a flagship project for our established business location. A blueprint for other important industries in the region and beyond.”

The chairman of the training factory’s supervisory board, Andreas Wagner, thanked local and state politicians, the furniture manufacturers involved and the technology partners for their broad support. “We are proud of the realization of this unique project. With the training factory for the furniture industry, our industry is actively counteracting the shortage of skilled workers by further increasing the attractiveness and professionalism of training,” said Wagner, who is also chairman of the Association of the Wood Industry and Plastics Processing Westphalia-Lippe (VHK), one of the initiators.

Groundbreaking initiative to secure skilled workers

“The training factory is a groundbreaking initiative to secure skilled workers for our manufacturers in East Westphalia-Lippe and beyond,” says Jan Kurth, Managing Director of the Association of the German Furniture Industry and Board Member of the Training Factory. The worsening shortage of skilled workers is bringing major challenges for the industry, especially since the average age of all employees in the furniture industry is high at 46.4 years (2023) and, for example, above the value in the metal and electrical industry of 43 years.

“The furniture industry training factory offers first-class vocational training and further education,” says Training Factory Managing Director Markus Kamann. Trainees are given the opportunity to practice practically on ultra-modern, complex systems – something that is often only possible with restrictions in everyday production. The training modules in the training factory take place in addition to the practical work in the respective training company and the theoretical education in the vocational college.

Complete production chains for industrial furniture manufacturing

The two-story training factory covers 3,700 square meters and is equipped with complete production chains for industrial furniture manufacturing – from goods receipt to the production of assembled and disassembled furniture to quality assurance and shipping. “We have created a realistic learning environment that enables the most modern training and further education opportunities,” says Kamann. The equipment includes sawing machines, computer-controlled processing machines for milling and drilling wood and other materials, as well as software-driven production control and planning systems. The topics of digitization and networking are integrated in all areas, as is the topic of sustainability. “We prepare our trainees for work in a digitized working world and the ecological challenges in the furniture industry,” says Kamann. Robotics, electronics, pneumatics and logistics labs have also been set up for special training courses.

Wide range of educational offerings

The furniture industry training factory offers a wide range of educational offerings, ranging from career orientation to classic training and professional development to specialized additional qualifications. Wood mechanics, mechatronics engineers, IT specialists, machine and plant operators, electronics engineers for industrial engineering, technical product designers, warehouse logistics specialists and commercial professions will be trained. The training factory will be part of the BANG networks (professional training network in the commercial sector).

Further training programs and specialization courses in the technical field and on digitization topics such as industrial image processing systems are aimed at those already in employment. In addition to management training, the program also includes offers for retrainees in various professions in wood processing and electrical engineering, trial internships for students and vocational preparatory training measures. A total of up to 450 participants are expected per year. The training factory team has been building a network with schools in Löhne and the surrounding area for several months in order to reach out to potential trainees at an early stage. Special recruiting formats such as summer camps and the “Night of Training” (on December 12, 2024) are also planned.

Sustainable building

The training factory building was built as an Efficiency House 55 (BEG) with self-sufficient energy supply through photovoltaic systems on the roof and carport. Air heat pumps are used for heating, which are powered by electricity from the company’s own photovoltaic system. The lighting is provided by LED lamps. A solar thermal system on the roof is used to generate hot water. Rainwater is used for outdoor irrigation and for flushing toilets. Charging stations for electric vehicles and e-bikes have been installed in the parking lot.

Cooperative as sponsor of the training factory

In response to the shortage of skilled workers, the furniture associations under the leadership of the VHK Westfalen-Lippe developed the training factory project together with the service partner Zeus GmbH. With numerous cooperation partners from the furniture industry and the municipalities involved, a cooperative acting as a sponsor (Lehrfabrik Möbelindustrie eG) was founded in July 2021, which now has 16 members, including the Herford district, the city of Löhne, the furniture associations and numerous furniture manufacturers from the region. In November 2022, the 9,000 square meter property in Löhne was purchased, on which the state-of-the-art training center for furniture manufacturers and their technology partners was built in 16 months.

Further information can be found at: https://www.lehrfabrikmoebel.de