Adolf Häfele takes his company safely and largely unscathed through the Second World War. After the end of the war, the plight in the country is great, however, the reconstruction results in an active demand for fittings and joinery needs. Things are quickly moving forward again. In February 1946, Walther Thierer, Häfele's nephew, enters the company.

In October 1948, Häfele celebrates its 25th anniversary. At this time, the company is well positioned: with a total of 29 employees and revenue rising to nearly two million DM.

Company founder Adolf Häfele passes away in 1949, only four years after the end of the Second World War. Right in the middle of the reconstruction efforts in Germany, his 26 year old nephew Walther Thierer takes over the management of the company with the support of the Häfele and Thierer family shareholders.

The year 1950 begins with a disaster, however one that turned out for the best: a fire destroys the company building during the night of New Year's Eve. But Walther Thierer acts quickly: first, a road sale bridges the emergency and the transactions are resumed in makeshift barracks. At the same time, the foundation for today's headquarters in Nagold is laid. The result is a new building with offices and a warehouse space totalling 2,500 square metres.

In April 1954, Häfele starts his own production of special fittings for furniture ornaments and brass grills. Demand for the products quickly grows so much that the production area must be expanded several times.

In the economic miracle years following World War II, Häfele first primarily serves the domestic market.

But it's only a matter of time before returning to the activities abroad. In 1964, Häfele takes advantage of the spirit of optimism of the 1960s and founds the first foreign subsidiary in Switzerland.

The export department is developed in Nagold and a company-owned sales organisation for France, “Häfele France GmbH & Co.” is founded.

The travelling activities of the sales pioneers in Nagold become even more important and the first mobile Häfele exhibition departs on tour. In the following years, the bus also serves as an exhibition stand abroad.

"The Complete Häfele" is published for the first time and is the largest reference tool for furniture fittings in the world.

The Complete Häfele offers more than 25,000 articles for sale, but also contains detailed drawings and installation instructions – not only a reference book, but an instructional textbooks as well.

A large exhibition bus makes a 12,000-mile trip through the furniture centres of the USA. This is the beginning of Häfele’s success story in the United States: In 1973, Häfele America Co. is founded.

These mobile exhibits have been deployed successfully in other countries and are often the first step in opening a market. By the early 70s Häfele achieved export levels of 40% and became one of the pioneers and founders of the export nation Germany.

"The Complete Häfele" appears in English, the world's lingua franca, as well as in French as "Le Grand Häfele" and in Spanish as "El Gran Häfele".

Today this comprehensive reference tool for hardware technology is available in more than 24 languages, along with many special editions aimed at specific target groups and countries.

Häfele launches an in-house development department. The company quickly causes a sensation by producing innovative hardware and exerts a lasting influence on furniture construction with its successful solutions.

The same year, the distribution centre in Nagold is ready to begin operations, laying the foundation for Häfele's logistics services. With a high-rise storage facility in which track guided vehicles pick products off the shelves, Häfele was a quick and reliable logistics partner, even at that time.

Häfele establishes its third foreign subsidiary in Great Britain. Things then happen quickly: Subsidiaries are opened in Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Japan... A veritable founding boom sets in.

Today there is no continent that Häfele is not represented by its own subsidiary or a sales office.

In 1982 Hans Nock, export manager in Nagold since the 1960s, takes over management of the company and becomes “the Engine” of Häfele’s foreign business. Growth is successful thanks to the power of the family company and its earnest efforts. The export share rises to 70 percent.

The thorough understanding of customer needs allows Häfele to become a problem solver for many challenges. One such example is Häfele's development of the Minifix connector system with the centric ball principle, which continues to be successful around the world, even today. The small Minifix revolutionises the industry and accelerates the growth of the newly created RTA furniture sector.

Häfele's own production plant Häfele Berlin now produces 500 million Minifix in 30 versions.

Häfele relies on proximity to the customer right from the start. Visits to partners on site and individual approaches are an integral part of the corporate culture. From 1985 onwards, the company also invests in the establishment of sales offices in Germany. It's now all about shorter distances to the customer, smaller sales units and personal contact. Integrated showrooms are a highlight of any visit to the sales offices and are very popular with customers.

Häfele headquarters in Nagold is also expanded. Häfele constructs a new building on an adjacent, 5,000 square metre lot at Adolf-Häfele-Straße 1.

Today, a large and modern showroom, conference rooms, offices, data centre and a test workshop are located in the award-winning building. The company's strategies are developed, and the product ranges are selected and documented at headquarters. Central IT is located here, and from here, the global sales organizations are controlled.

The founding wave covers the entire American continent. It is started in 1997 with a subsidiary in Mexico. Brazil follows in 1998, and Argentina in 1999.

While the last "open spots" on the map of Western Europe were developed by Häfele during the late 90s and at the beginning of the new millennium, the company now puts out its feelers to Eastern Europe and China. In 2002 Häfele establishes the first subsidiary in Eastern Europe, in Poland. Turkey and China follow in 2005; Russia in 2006; Ukraine and Romania in 2009; and Kazakhstan, Serbia and the Czech Republic in 2010.

Sibylle Thierer, daughter of Walther Thierer, assumes responsibility for the company at the beginning of the new millennium and represents the third generation of family management.

She paves the way for modern times by focusing all decisions on the benefits of innovative ideas and products.

Häfele's 360° Project Service has formed the foundation of the ongoing, successful business with architects, investors and builders since 2006. It encompasses manufacturer-independent procurement of architectural hardware and project fittings, the "StarTec" product range, the Dialock electronic access control system, countless planning manuals, and international project coordination by Häfele project managers.

Häfele embraces the marketing strategy "The Innovator of Functionality" and develops new ways to lead the way. "Functionality" becomes a quality seal in itself that allows cabinet makers and joiners to brand their own perfect functional solutions. In the same year, the first “Functionality World” exhibition opens in Nagold. Two years later, the first edition of “Häfele Home” magazine appears, containing innovative furniture and living ideas. The magazine inspires designers, architects, abinet makers and joiners.

After establishing the 360° Project Service , Häfele bundles all of its sales activities aimed at the furniture industry together in the newly established, international sales organisation Häfele Engineering GmbH & Co KG. It focuses exclusively on meeting the requirements of the furniture industry – along the entire value chain.

In September 1972, Häfele started construction on the first stage of its distribution centre, a high-bay warehouse with five aisles and a bar warehouse with offices and common rooms. On 1 January 1974, 6,200 square metres of built-upon area were then put into operation. Today, 50 years later, the seven hectares purchased at that time are almost completely built-upon (53,000 sqm). In the future, Häfele will expand on the other side of Robert-Bosch-Strasse, where several years ago it commissioned a state-of-the-art production facility for packing hardware and fitting systems.

Since this year, numerous planning and configuration tools have been efficiently controlled online and used in everyday operations.  The joiner continues to work in his usual environment, but plans his furniture from A-Z digitally with CAD, CAM and configuration tools. Häfele provides digital services supporting planning and construction, for every situation. This makes it easy to digitally process sophisticated hardware and fitting systems  – from planning to production.

The Flap Competence Center (FCC) in the Hungarian capital of Budapest celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The development and production facility for innovative flap fittings symbolizes Häfele's innovative strength and forms part of a total of five production plants whose products are available through the 37 Häfele sales offices in 150 countries around the world.

Customers all over the world like to have the latest technology combined with the standing of a company that has been successful on the market for decades – Häfele is constantly consolidating this status.

Internet, catalogue or rather personal consultation with a specialist adviser? Häfele customers have the freedom to choose where and how they find out about the product range or place their order. The new catalogue helps with planning, selection and research, and is always a welcome companion in the workshop and office when a quick overview or familiarisation with a new topic is required.

The new Internet site is online. The Häfele brand world is now available in a new digital dimension: highly effective, extremely simple, self-explanatory and with many advantages. In the modern online shop, ordering is safer, faster and more convenient than ever. This Häfele service package gives you more independence and time.

Häfele opens a second distribution centre in Germany in Lehrte near Hanover. With an eye on the planned expansion of the Group in the coming years, Häfele is taking the next step and plotting a course for faster service. The existing distribution centre on the Wolfsberg in Nagold and the new warehouse in Lehrte, which will go into operation in the early summer of next year , are central elements of a new comprehensive European strategy in the logistics sector of the global company. The Häfele Group operated a total of 52 logistics locations worldwide in 2018.

With the acquisition of Nimbus, Häfele announced to the professional world the strategic takeover of the Stuttgart-based LED luminaire and acoustic specialist. The company from Stuttgart has become the new global competence centre and the unit for the high-potential future areas of light, acoustics and smart within the Häfele Group from 1st September 2019 under the management of Jörg Schmid, the former managing director of the Häfele industrial division. Dietrich Brennenstuhl, the previous owner of the Nimbus Group, is now Managing Director Design & Innovation. He is therefore responsible for the Nimbus brand, the design language, innovation and communication.

With the establishment of the Häfele Adriatic subsidiary last July, Häfele has created another foothold in the Mediterranean: Häfele Adriatic is the 38th foreign sales company of the Group and serves the markets in Slovenia and Croatia. Things are also moving forward in Africa: Häfele has been servicing the East African countries of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the Seychelles from its own office in Tanzania since February 2019. This second base on the African continent is part of Häfele’s preparations for growing its presence in the emerging market of East Africa. Overall the Group generated 80% of its revenue outside of Germany.

At the beginning of 2021, Häfele acquired the company moebelplus Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG. Moebelplus, a successful up-and-coming online retailer of electrical household appliances, will continue to operate as an independent subsidiary of Häfele under the operational management of the two current managing directors, Mathias Grummt and Rico Kellner. According to moebelplus, the company found the right partner in Häfele for its next development phase, because moebelplus significantly increases its reach among business customers thanks to the Häfele customer base, and becomes Häfele's new supplier of e-devices and other suitable products.

With a company history spanning almost 100 years, the family-owned company Häfele is a globally positioned and experienced specialist in intelligent hardware and fitting systems, lighting and electronic locking systems. Häfele employs more than 8,000 employees in 38 subsidiaries and numerous additional agencies all over the world. However, an exciting history is only one side of the story. and can only develop in the long term if the focus is always on the future. Focusing on moving forward and "Thinking ahead." - that is the credo we have written on our banner.