König & Meyer at 65

A global leader in the design and manufacture of music stands and accessories, Germany’s König & Meyer – most commonly referred to simply as “K&M” – has been celebrating its 65^th year in 2014. Distinguished by pioneering designs which both respond to and anticipate emerging technologies within the market and the needs of end-users, the organization is also widely respected for its early (and continued) dedication to environmentally sound, “green” practices.

MMR recently spoke with CEO Gabriela König and Dave Trout, U.S. brand manager with K&M’s stateside distributor Connolly Music, to get the scoop on how the company is marking the anniversary and what’s in store for the future.

MMR: 2014 marks K&M’s 65^th anniversary. Could you provide a brief background on the genesis and early history of the organization?

Gabriela König: Certainly. The company was founded in 1949 by toolmakers Karl König and Erich Meyer. The pair set up a metalworking company in a small city in Eastern Germany. The first K&M products were ice skate blades and specialized measuring gauges. König and Meyer eventually established their business in Wertheim with a handful of employees, expanding into the production of music stands in the early 1950s. Since then, they have led the way in innovative technology and design to create industry favorites in the areas of microphone stands, speaker stands, guitar stands, and a host of stage, studio, and practical application products – most recently iPad and tablet holders.

Can you describe the present-day K&M structure?

GK: The company is still a family-run organization, led by descendants of the founders, including myself, Martin König, president, and Heiko Wolz, chief technical officer. Currently, the factory employs approximately 270 people in Wertheim and is certified to meet the most demanding ISO 14001 standard for green companies, and also is ISO-9001 certified for manufacturing precision. The specialized manufacturing equipment and highly skilled craftsmen ensure only the highest quality products are built by K&M. Almost all metal and plastic items are manufactured in-house. Over 1,500 stands and brackets are produced in two plants in Germany and sold in 80 countries worldwide.

Dave Trout: K&M’s uncompromising focus on quality and long-term customer satisfaction is backed by a full five-year product warranty, plus a 10-year replacement parts program. This is a huge benefit for our users, who are able to replace individual parts when needed to preserve an otherwise functional stand. The long-term benefits of this are many – including reliability, improved value, longevity, and less landfill.

Speaking of landfill, environmental protection has been a fundamental focal point for decades. As Gabriella mentioned, the facility is ISO 14001 certified, preventing waste, conserving water, and reducing emissions whenever possible. K&M continues to review and develop strategies to minimize their impact on the environment. As one example, they have reduced water consumption by 94 percent since 1979, and even turn the wastewater into drinking-quality water at the end of the process.

Can you discuss Connolly Music’s relationship with K&M? When did the partnership begin and what’s the nature of it today?

Dave Trout: Connolly is the U.S. distribution arm of K&M. We began the partnership in late 2006 as a sales agent for the factory and in 2007 were invited to become the official U.S. distributor. We set up a warehouse operation sufficient to handle the breadth and scope of the K&M line, which has changed twice due to the accelerated growth in sales and expanded dealer base, as well as the need to have a more centrally located outlet for improved delivery. Marketing and sales are handled by Connolly and its reps – with the addition of a network of reps across the country who provide specific support to the pro audio market, in particular, as K&M caters particularly well to audiences who value quality and long-term dependability.

Are there any events or promotions planned to mark the company’s 65^th?

GK: K&M had a larger celebration in Germany for the 60^th anniversary complete with factory tours, live bands, party and family events, including life-size games of “foosball” with real employees – celebrated with distributors and partners from around the globe. A smaller 65^th celebration with our employees involved a two-day outing in Bavaria featuring sightseeing, a boat ride on the Donau River, and a big celebration party. A special 65^th Anniversary logo marks the milestone year.

Are there any upcoming developments, product introductions, or other news you’d like to share with our readers?

DT: Since the company first began making music products, K&M designs have been hailed as classics and many have been in the line for 65 years. The 210/9 microphone stand and the 101 music stand rank as two of the most widely copied products in the world. But also the in-bell instrument stands or the invention of the Ring-Lock system to firmly position speakers have become standards in the music industry over the decades. This year, K&M has introduced a completely redesigned guitar stand, “Heli 2,” an easy fold/easy open music stand, and new iPad Air holders and stands. For 2015, we are working on new orchestra stands, as well as several Pro Audio items in white, which speaks to particular event locations and houses of worship, in particular.

The R&D team in Germany is always developing new products based on innovation and what the market needs. As an example, the original iPad holders were introduced in 2011, and then quickly followed by the iPad 2, iPad Mini, and most recently the iPad Air. As the tablets changed we quickly answered with the proper holders to enable their use in all aspects of live and studio applications.

In addition, the engineers are constantly looking at small improvements to extend the life of K&M products. As another example, the thread receivers on the boom arms of stands were improved by lengthening the receiver, thus increasing the number of threads to ensure a secure set of the adjustment. In addition, nearly all speaker and lighting stands, as well as all background band instrument stands, underwent a complete revamp, changing leg assemblies, locking assemblies, and mounting flanges, and ensuring more stable, longer-lasting assemblies.

The K&M factory recently added a new flat sheet laser cutting machine, and added a second laser tube-cutting machine. The laser cutters enable the factory to do intricate detail cutting and also lower volume runs on highly specialized models. They also allow for perfection on even the smallest product details.

These unique manufacturing processes and standards contribute greatly to the quality products. These include: the use of the finest materials available, such as Swiss alloy; thicker-walled, precision-rolled tubing that is laser-cut and machined for smooth, non-marring elevation with a consistently perfect fit; in-house production of all plastic fittings; unique powder coating process; and rock-solid, die-cast bases and high performance solid rivets.

What are your expectations for the coming months and years – both for the MI industry, as a whole, and for K&M, specifically?

GK: Our long-term goal is to keep our “Made in Germany” premium quality production. The big advantages to our production facilities in Wertheim, Germany are the good infrastructure and our skilled and dedicated workers. To keep costs down in the manufacturing process, we will continue to invest in new state-of-the-art technologies. Through innovations and more intensified sales and marketing activities (social media, videos, trade shows, events, point-of-purchase activities, and so on) we want to expand and strengthen the brand knowledge of König & Meyer in the U.S. While it’s already very well known among the professional audio crowd, we are looking to gain more awareness amongst the younger generation in the industry.

DT: We are feeling that there is a resurgence in quality and price both being important factors in value recently in some areas of the marketplace – as opposed to simply price – as well as retailers and consumers being more interested in the practices and philosophies of the companies they support.