OUR STORY

The idea

The KÜHLA project was started in autumn 1988 on the property of the family Niehaus in Langförden. The vision: to combine the manufacturing of cooling cabinets and gastronomy equipment with the competence in shopfitting and wood processing to one strong corporate business concept.

No sooner said than done! In addition to the wood processing KÜHLA has integrated the processing of stainless steel and solid surface materials to its own business portfolio at an early stage.

Customers, especially from the catering industry, benefit from this special portfolio.

KÜHLA then and now

This idea from the early days is also the brand essence of the modern KÜHLA. With a holistic range of services and its high-range tailor made special construction, the company has set important impulses and priorities.

Today KÜHLA is producing with more than 50 employees for customers and partners from Germany and abroad.

As an executive partner of the architects, technical planners and furnishers the company realizes innovative furnishing ideas and custom-made cooling concepts for the food sector.

Excursion: The Niehaus familiy - 175 years tradition in Wood processing

There is hardly no other location in Langförden and the neighbour region that shows such a deep bonding to the wood processing industry than the Niehaus estate in the Nordkämpe. In 1912 it was built by the family Niehaus at the current location in Langförden ̶ including workshops and premises.

(picture left: the estate Niehaus in the 50ies of the 20th century, picture right: view of the estate Niehaus with business premises of the current KÜHLA GmbH)

Obviously the family Niehaus controls their handicraft almost masterfully already in the 19th century. This shows an authenticated document from 26. April 1841. The document states that the carpenter Johann Niehaus is allowed to use the title master carpenter and that he is also allowed to maintain a workshop for wood processing.

"Das Amt Vechta 26.4.1841: Der Tischlergeselle Johann Niehaus hat sein Handwerk gehörig gelernt, hat der Wehrpflicht genügt, besitzt das erforderliche Vermögen, hat die erforderliche Geschicklichkeit durch eine Probearbeit dargetan und darf sich […] als Tischlermeister niederlassen.“

(Abb links: Meister-Brief aus dem Jahre 1926)

A masterly story of wood and wood processing

Another elaborately designed master document (see figure above) from 1926 owns Joseph Niehaus, builder of the Niehaus estate in Nordkämpe, Langförden, and furthermore the great-great-grandfather of the current owner of the KÜHLA company Franz-Josef Niehaus.

A lot of things have changed greatly during the last 100 years, many modifications and additions were adjusted to the Niehaus estate. But one thing hasn't changed at all till the present day ̶ the deep bonding of the family Niehaus to wood and to the wood processing industry.