The Ofen Weiss family business looks back on a long and rich history: founded in 1689, the company has been passed on from generation to generation. “Then and now, Ofen Weiss stands for trust and the love of good and honest craftsmanship. I am very proud to have the privilege of continuing to run our company in the tenth generation with the same passion and dedication as my forebears”, explains Volker Weiss. The managing director is also a master stove builder. With his family background, there was no escaping the profession – the trade basically runs in his blood. Today, the family-owned company has seven employees. “We strive to maintain the high level of quality that my father established. At the same time, we want to remain individual and authentic. So we would rather stay small and compact than grow too large and loose our heart.”
Tenth generation family business: Volker Weiss took over the company from his father.
The history of Ofen Weiss began in 1689 when Leonhard Weiss became an independent craftsman with his “Stove and cutlery market”. Initially, he manufactured pottery jugs and plates. Over the course of the years, stone building replaced pottery, the company’s original business. Stove makers used to be known as “crockers” because they made the pot or cup-shaped stove tiles themselves. The term “potter” also has its origins in the past: This originally referred to crockers who also produced the stove tiles. In southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the name is still used for the profession.
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Once upon a time, the tiled stove was the heart of the home. It was positioned prominently in the room and heated the entire house. Since the advent of modern central heating, the stoves serve more as prestige or design objects, explains Volker Weiss. “We primarily build heating stoves. These are bricked-in, plastered objects with panorama glass on three sides. This has been the most popular design among customers for many years.” A lot has changed over the years when it comes to innovative technology. Combustion control systems ensure that people no longer have to regulate the stoves by hand. A control unit manages the airflow fully automatically. A door contact and temperature sensor controls the fire perfectly. “This increases the efficiency, creates less exhaust gas and a better combustion process – everything is optimised”, explains the master stove builder.
From customer advice to the calculation and offers along with drafts and visits to the various building sites – the master stove builder’s working day is full of different tasks. “To begin with, we advise the customers extensively and determine what they actually want.” Would they prefer a large visible fire or long heat storage? We explain the benefits and disadvantages, and which stove best matches their requirements. “The people who come to us often have special requests. But fulfilling these is one of the best parts of the job.” The next step consists of viewing the premises where the stove will be installed: how large is the living area, where will it be located? Once these details have been cleared up, it is time to start the drafts: “Bricked-in stoves and tile stoves are built to last a lifetime or even longer; that is why they need to perfectly match the customer’s wants and needs.”
A good stove is well-designed, well-planned and made to match the customer’s wishes. And it also has to function well.
The shown conversions were carried out by independent third parties. The suppliers and conversions were not checked by Mercedes-Benz. In this respect, these illustrations do not represent an assessment of the supplier and/or conversions by Mercedes-Benz.
Photos: Louis Cieplik
More Links to explore: ofenweiss.de – @Pinterest
