Peter Hamberger awarded the Parkett Star 2016 – for lifetime achievements as a pioneer in the European parquet industry

Stephanskirchen/Ziegelberg – Peter Hamberger received the Parkett Star 2016 award for his lifetime achievements on 17.01.2016 at a ceremony at Domotex, the global trade fair for floor coverings. The prize was awarded by the Parkett magazine, Europe's leading magazine for wood, cork and laminate floor coverings.

Right there from the start – that's what the extraordinary entrepreneur Peter Hamberger stands for, and that's what shapes his special relationship with parquet and the parquet industry. Born in Munich, he gained his "Abitur" (general qualification for university entrance) in Rosenheim and went on to study at Munich Technical University. In his dissertation, the mechanical engineer and business graduate focussed on the manufacture of parquet flooring, and this topic continues to fascinate him to this day.
Under his leadership, sales revenue grew from 11 million euros to the current 300 million euros, thanks to a new infrastructure, cutting-edge technology and constant product innovations and patents. The introduction of multi-layer parquet in Germany under the Haro brand name was just as important to him as was the newly created sales channel through wood wholesalers.
With its Haro flooring brand, Hamberger Flooring has become the market leader in Germany, and one of the largest parquet manufacturers in Europe. Global exports began with the foundation of international subsidiaries. Today, exports account for 45% of sales, with exports to over 90 countries.
For Peter Hamberger, a sustainable approach is an essential prerequisite for lasting economic success. This can be seen in procurement, transport and production: 90% of the wood used originates from Europe, essentially from sustainable managed forests and, where possible, from forests in the surrounding region. The wood is sawn at the sites in Rosenheim and (since 2007) Kleinostheim near Aschaffenburg. The company's combined heat and power plant produces environmentally friendly heat and power with the residues from the parquet and laminate floor production. Hamberger is not only up there with the top players when it comes to flooring, but also online. A free home and lifestyle app provides tips, ideas and advice on users' iPads and iPhones. There's also a groundbreaking Internet concept for dealers and installers that forwards potential customers to retail partners.
Alongside his main role as managing partner, Peter Hamberger is involved in a host of trade and cultural organisations. He was a member of the board of the Association of the German Parquet Industry (VDP) from 1965 to 2014, and the European Federation of the Parquet Industry (FEP) from 1972 to 2010, playing a significant role in the FEP "Real Wood" campaign. He has been a committed member of the supervisory board for the Rosenheim Institute of Wood and Plastic Technology for a number of decades.
Today, Peter Hamberger has largely withdrawn from the day-to-day running of the business. But he certainly hasn't retired. He continues to be active and is responsible for the sanitary segment, Europe's largest producer of WC seats. 2003 saw the construction of a production site for WC seats in Bulgaria, the first such facility outside Germany in the company's history.
In 1997, he received the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in special recognition of his extraordinary achievements. In 2001, he was awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit by the then Bavarian Minister President Dr Edmund Stoiber. For his services to the public good, Peter Hamberger was made an honorary citizen of his home town of Stephanskirchen in 2006, and of the Bulgarian town of Sevlievo in 2015. Peter Hamberger radiates calmness. And justifiably so. His life's work is unrivalled: He has both built a dynamic and successful family business and passed it on to the next generation. Peter Hamberger is still managing partner of Hamberger Industriewerke, leading the company together with his son Dr Peter M. Hamberger.