Rheda-Wiedenbrück, 4 September 2024. Neither too big nor too small. This is the size of the COR seating furniture company in Rheda-Wiedenbrück. Since 1954, this has been the location of not only the administration and COR Haus showroom, but also the fully integrated production facility. From here, high-quality sofas, chairs and easy chairs are shipped all over the world. High-quality craftsmanship has been at the heart of the company for 70 years, and this requires a skilled workforce.
This is why COR has been training apprentices for many years in the professions of upholstering, upholstery and decorative sewing and industrial management. This guarantees that the expertise that has been built up over the years is passed on to talented junior staff. “Personnel is our most important resource, and the skilled trades in particular are very important to us,” confirms Leo Lübke, Managing Partner of COR. In the last two years, the training quota has remained constant at four per cent.
During their training, the future business economists work in all areas of the company and spend six weeks in production and production-related departments. Not every company offers the opportunity to accompany work processes from start to finish. COR does. The budding seamsters have several workstations with sewing machines and a cutting table at their disposal. Trainees in the upholstery department have their own training workshop with six work platforms. “We want to provide young people with excellent training in the industrial and commercial sectors, but also give them personal support," says Claude Ampßler, Head of Human Resources.
The team of trainers, consisting of Oliver Emmrich (management), Susanne Schlenke (upholstering) and Heike Kunath (sewing), are on hand to provide advice and assistance to the trainees, two of whom are released from their duties. This ensures not only professional and well-structured training, but also individual support for the newcomers.
Training at COR is complemented by regular internal training and development. Once a year, Leo Lübke accompanies the trainees on an excursion. In addition to the sound training they receive, the young people value the flat hierarchies and the familiar working atmosphere. This year, after a year and a half of preparation, the trainees even travelled to Spain. As part of the ERASMUS+ exchange programme, they spent two weeks in Valencia in April, where they were able to look over the shoulders of their Spanish colleagues.
Time and time again, COR trainees prove their worth in the CCI (Chamber of Commerce and Industry) examinations – at regional, state and national level. Over the past seven years, 29 ambitious young talents have been honoured as the best. Clearly, the success of each individual is also a collective achievement. Susanne Schlenke, head of the upholstery training workshop, explains: “The apprentices are integrated into our team right from the start and receive not only individual support, but also support each other. This gives them a particularly successful start to their careers.“
Once they have completed their training, the young staff members are guaranteed a job for a year. And it often doesn't end after one year. Many become a permanent part of the company and move into positions of responsibility as their careers progress.
About COR
The German seating furniture manufacturer COR offers design and functionality to meet the highest demands. The second-generation, family-run company manufactures fully integrated products at its site in Rheda-Wiedenbrück. In addition to timeless aesthetics, COR furniture is characterised by excellent seating comfort, outstanding craftsmanship and the highest-quality materials. All upholstered furniture has been awarded the “Blue Angel” eco-label and the Greenguard Gold certificate. In 2023, 234 employees generated a turnover of 46.4 million euros. Renowned designers such as Luigi Colani, Peter Maly, Jehs+Laub or Pauline Deltour, as well as Altherr Désile Park, have created distinctive furniture throughout the company's history, which is used to furnish both private and public spaces. References include Google, Netflix and Spotify, as well as the National Library of Luxembourg, the MS Europa 2 and various banks, hotels, corporate offices and cultural spaces. COR (Latin for heart) has been honoured with more than 60 corporate and product awards for its outstanding design and corporate achievements, including the German Design Award, the Iconic Award and the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany. The site has been carbon neutral from 2020 thanks to CO2 offsetting.
