Habermaaß GmbH is a German toy manufacturing company (commonly referred to as HABA) based in Bad Rodach, Bavaria. The company defines itself as an “Inventor for inquisitive minds”, offering a broad selection of products such as wooden and textile toys, home furnishings and accessories for babies and children. The company was owned and runed by Klaus Habermaaß and the managing director Harald Grosch.
The company filed for bankruptcy in September 2023 and is closing its factory in Eiselben.[1]
History
Children playing Haba's game Rhino Hero - Supper Battle at Dau Barcelona festival
In 1938, Eugen Habermaaß and Anton Engel founded “Habermaaß & Co.” as a “factory for fine wooden products”, and a couple of months later “Wehrfritz & Co." in cooperation with Karl Wehrfritz. In 1940, Anton Engel withdrew from the company, making Eugen Habermaaß its sole managing director. After his passing in 1955, his wife Luise Habermaaß took over the management of the company. At the same time, their son, Klaus Habermaaß, decided to start an apprenticeship in cabinetmaking. After finishing his engineering studies in 1961, Klaus became actively engaged in running the company, which grew and expanded in the following years.[2]
The company began to expand in 1980 when the American company “Skaneateles Handicrafters” was purchased by Habermaaß Inc. In 1987, in order to expand their product range, the corporate family of HABA and Wehrfritz decided to found Jako-o GmbH, a joint mail-order company for children's fashion, toys and accessories. In 2002, the company received the definitive company name of “Habermaaß Corp. Inc.". In 1993, a subsidiary was founded in the French location of Evry near Paris under the name of “HABA S.A.R.L". In 2005, the “HABA UK” site was established in the United Kingdom.
The company filed for bankruptcy in September 2023 and later presented a restructuring concept: the Haba Familygroup wanted to maintain the Bad Rodach facility and close the favric in Eisleben (Saxony-Anhalt). The company wants to fire 670 of its 1,677 employees.[1]
Company sites and distribution areas
Since it was founded, the company's production site has been located in the Upper Frankonian town of Bad Rodach, where the company headquarters are. The company holds distribution branches in the US, France and the United Kingdom. Today the company is firmly established in both the European and world markets – with distribution areas stretching from Japan, Russia, the Near East and Europe to the Americas.
Product range
Since the company was founded, wooden toys have been a trademark of HABA. The company became known for its construction blocks. Over time, the product range has expanded: first incorporating other wooden toys, such as pulling figures, vehicles, clutching toys and a complex upgradeable ball track system, followed later by the first society games, such as “The Orchard”.
Even today the main focus of the company still lies in manufacturing out of wood. However, progressively different materials have been incorporated: with dolls and fabric animals, rugs, furniture for children's rooms and illumination articles finding their way into the product range.
Awards
Amongst the most prestigious awards that have been conferred on HABA are the Best Children's Game of the Year, the German Children's Games award, the Toy Innovation Award and the German Educational Game Award.
Authors signing a copy of Go Cuckoo during Dau Barcelona festival. See 1 more language
Cannes Festival International de Jeux (2019). LE LABEL AS D'OR- JEU DE L'ANNEE (in French). www.festivaldesjeux-cannes.com. Retrieved 31 August 2021 – via Google Drive. - pdf of awards available from the As d'Or Award page
