Wuppertal, March 2013 - (fpr) For Erfurt & Sohn, 2013 is all about woodchip. The Wuppertal-based family business is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its most famous paintable wallpaper. To mark the occasion, the manufacturer will be running a limited edition promotion featuring a special retro box between 6 March and 14 April 2013.
 
Where it all began: from wood fibre to bestseller
Woodchip wallpaper was invented in 1864 by pharmacist Hugo Erfurt, a grandson of company founder Friedrich Erfurt. While on the lookout for a suede-like material he decided to stain wood fibres, and in the process developed a paper with structure that could be applied to walls. It was originally manufactured by hand, but this soon gave way to machine production. Initially it was used only in shop window design, but sales to private customers really took off in the early 20th century. This was because it was possible to paint over the woodchip wallpaper, which opened up a whole new range of options for interior design. The 1980s witnessed a real renaissance of this rough wall covering and since then it has become a true classic of creative wall design.
 
Erfurt woodchip today: offering greater diversity than ever before
The development of woodchip has played a key role in shaping the company over the years. Paintable wallpaper is more contemporary than ever before in terms of healthy living, sustainability, and product variety. The company’s range includes classic woodchip with small, medium and large fibres, non-woven woodchip wall coverings which can be applied directly to an already pasted wall, and the intriguing waves and lines of the new Swing and Stripes ranges which are perfect for innovative wall design. From a health perspective woodchip wallpaper is completely safe: the absence of any solvents, plasticisers and PVC during production, along with the use of mainly recycled paper, ensures that this timeless wall covering is ecologically compatible, breathable, moisture-regulating and even compostable.
Despite a wide range of in-house competition, most recently from the creative Erfurt-On wall photographic wallpaper, woodchip has now been in the upper market segment of wall design for over 150 years. To celebrate this extraordinary success story, the Wuppertal-based family business will be running a limited edition promotion from 6 March to 14 April 2013. With the slogan “150 Years | 150 Metres”, the large 125-metre roll will be extended to 150 metres for the same price, representing a 20% bonus for customers. The product will be sold in special retro packaging bearing a portrait of Hugo Erfurt. The promotion will also involve display stands in wholesale paint shops.
 
What next? Signs of progress for the future
Erfurt has no intention of resting on its laurels. The company is always striving to make progress and bring about development, which is why it has launched the Erfurt-laboratory. The plan is to carry out experiments based on former, current and future Erfurt products. New materials, compositions, applications, and application tools will all be tested there, sometimes for a purpose other than that for which they have been designed. The Erfurt-laboratory will start with a five-day workshop led by Professor Axel Kufus and Jörg Höltje from InterInstitut Berlin. The aim will be to explore the material qualities of woodchip through experiments, and test a variety of new applications and impressions. A team of two directors, four designers and a cameraman will be on hand to film the project. Using 25 kilometres of woodchip they will create cinematic shorts which will be available to view on various channels such as the Erfurt website, YouTube and Facebook. The short films will also be screened on the Erfurt stand at the Paint – Finishing & Facade trade fair from 6 to 9 March. The aim is to establish the Erfurt-laboratory as a real and virtual forum for a variety of creative services. Even at the age of 185, the company’s innovative product ideas show that it is right up to date and keeping pace with the times.
 
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Image 1
150 years of woodchip: Erfurt celebrates its anniversary with a limited-edition promotion featuring a special retro box.
 
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Hugo Erfurt – the inventor of woodchip.
 
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Wood shavings give the woodchip wallpaper its unique structure.
 
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Woodchip wallpaper can be painted over, which opens up a whole range of options for interior design.