Grounded: bordbar

Among the most pleasant moments of a flight is surely the legendary clicking of the wheel-latch of the trolley that brings all manner of delectations and small amenities to the passengers. And the classic airplane trolley is at the same time a little miracle of spatial efficiency, a vessel of many assets and surprising talents.

Quality out of conviction

It was these very qualities that piqued the curiosity of Stephan Boltz and Valentin Hartmann. Both men were trained in skilled craft and visual communication at the technical college for furniture design in Cologne, and both have a penchant for making clear decisions and seizing opportunities that present themselves. The airplane trolley, for instance – which in 2006 led to the founding of bordbar, a manufacturing company that taps the unforeseen potential in the familiar mechanical flight attendant. The trolleys are crafted by hand from premium materials, like aluminium and stainless steel. When it comes to quality, they leave no room for compromise. Incidentally, the innovative bordbars are certified according to the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and so would qualify to serve on any long-distance flight.

The principle of passion

‘We draw our daily motivation from creating products of the highest quality in combination with an original and timeless airplane character,’ Boltz and Hartmann explain. ‘In the last thirteen years, this has resulted in several hundred unique designs and moments of customer excitement that we look back on with pride. To do justice to our quality demands, we stay true to our hands-on attitude, and we continue to produce in Cologne as a matter of passion.’ And the partners have reason to be proud of what they make and how they make it. Their ingenious construction principle, involving over 250 individual parts, allows the specialists to tailor their products to the express wishes of their customers.

First-class service

The bordbar_new line undergoes the most stringent testing for precision and durability: nothing escapes the critical eyes of the designers. Reliability is an integral part of the company philosophy. In parallel, bordbar_used grants a second life to decommissioned airline trolleys. This is an important product line for the young dynamic company, which takes a thoughtful stance on sustainability and reuse. In an elaborate process, the bordbar_used trolleys are returned to their former lustre. After being fully refurbished, cleaned and tested, they are equipped in keeping with the design wishes of the customer – a special service earned for many miles flown.

The bar on board

One of these distinctive handcrafted products is the bordbar minibar – a striking reinterpretation of the classic house bar which, for example, graced the interior of any self-respecting middle-class home of the 1960s. Whereas a drinks cabinet and a globe were the unspectacular features of that era, however, a bordbar today allows one to coolly serve one’s guests or business partners chilled, high-proof beverages from an airplane trolley that can be elegantly placed wherever needed. It has space enough for tumblers, glasses, shakers, a bar strainer and everything the desired drink calls for – the compactly formed cooler, after all, provides 18 litres of storage space. Lime, mint or a sweet surprise rounds out the full package perfectly, whether in the kitchen, in the living area, on the terrace or in the office.

The sky’s the limit

A bordbar has a lifespan of at least a few generations. Just one of the myriad reasons this product has received so many honours – including the Red Dot Design Award, the Good Design Award and the Green Product Award, all of which attest to the trolleys’ high design quality. ‘The awards simultaneously confirm our authenticity, because such an honour is only bestowed on an original,’ say the makers. ‘For us, these distinctions are at once an acknowledgement of our work and an incentive to stick to the path we have charted.’

And a bordbar is so much more than a utilitarian object. The eleven body variations, over sixty designs and countless possible configurations convey, above all, the very special attitude towards life that this treasure chest on wheels has exuded ever since the Boeing 747’s maiden commercial voyage in 1969.


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