Sit back and relax

If you don’t know the area, you could easily drive straight past Strässle’s Wigoltingen headquarters in the Canton of Thurgau. The production building that Strässle moved into after taking over upholstery firm Polsterei Fleig radiates a sense of permanence. “It’s a listed heritage building, so any alterations that might be necessary would be relatively difficult to implement,” says Roland Stauch, who has been CEO of the company for a good 20 years now. But this tranquil first impression is deceptive. Inside the production building, staff are working flat out. About 20 finished chairs pass through the gates every day, destined for countries all over the world. “Asia has turned out to be a particularly good market for us,” says Roland Stauch. The Swiss Made label and the quality expectations associated with it undoubtedly play an important role in this development.

It all started with a saddlery, upholstery and coachbuilding business in Kirchberg, which is in the Toggenburg region. At the time, upholstered furniture was mainly reserved for the aristocracy – and Gottfried Strässle wanted to make it accessible to the middle classes. His son, who trained as an interior decorator in Nice, took over his father’s business in 1929. In the book Möbel, die Geschichte machten (Furniture that Made History), numerous models from the firm’s classic collection are cited as groundbreaking designs, including the Eichberger Collection, the Arco and Nonna models by Paul Tuttle, and Hans Bellmann’s Sitwell line, which is made entirely of fibreglass and polyester.

Production is still based on the same principles today: sophisticated design and premium materials combined with excellent craftsmanship. For the last several years, Strässle has been concentrating on the production of its Relax chairs. “This focus allows us to optimise the designs right down to the last detail, adapt them to our customers’ needs and expand our production expertise,” explains Roland Stauch. But the company’s core business remains unchanged: premium leather, immaculately crafted by experts for a unique seating experience and an exquisite look and feel.

STRÄSSLE: “Design meets comfort” – the slogan says it all. Based in Thurgau, the internationally oriented upholstered furniture company has been focussing on the production of its Relax recliners for several years now. Once you’ve sat down in one of the extremely comfortable and meticulously hand-produced chairs, you wish you could stay there forever. That’s due in no small part to the top-quality leather – available in untreated, dyed or perforated options. Massage technology and stand-assist functions can also be added to all models on request.

Strässle Switzerland AG
Poststrasse 27, 8556 Wigoltingen
Tel. 0041 (0)52 762 77 11
Fax 0041 (0)52 762 77 12
info@straessle-switzerland.com

Text: Anita Simeon Lutz
Photos: René Ruis (1), Strässle (6)