Komar Magazine
Facing the future together – at home in Bavaria, at home in the world
With customers and partners in over 100 countries, Komar from the Bavarian town of Kolbermoor, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of wallpaper. In the following interview, CEO Sabine Komar-Häusler and her son Matthias Häusler offer some insights into the company's 50-year history and explain why their home base is so important to them despite their international success.
Matthias Häusler and Sabine Komar-Häusler
Matthias Häusler and Sabine Komar-Häusler
Q: Ms Komar-Häusler, Mr Häusler, biographies about Franz Beckenbauer and Sepp Maier published by Komar-Verlag are currently on show at the "Made in Rosenheim" exhibition in the town's municipal gallery. How did this come about?
SKH:The company was founded in 1967 by my father Gerhard Komar as "Komar - Werbung & Verlag".At that time, the company published books about world-famous football professionals such as Gerd Müller, Sepp Maier, Franz Beckenbauer and Berti Vogts.I can still remember watching an obviously very sporty, funny young man playing football in our garden.I later found out that Sepp Maier, who my father published a book about (Mensch Maier), was a star player with FC Bayern.
Q: Komar brought its first photomurals onto the market in 1976. Which designs were fashionable back then?
SKH: The most popular designs were beaches, forests and sunsets.I had jungle-patterned wallpaper in my bedroom and in the kitchen we had a photomural with a meadow of flowers and a church.
Q: Today, Komar is a global company. Its photomurals decorate walls in Moscow, Hong Kong and Bogota. With Walt Disney, you have a licence with one of the world's biggest licence partners. Mr Häusler, would your grandfather be proud?
MH:(Grinning) I hope so! We were very close,so the thought of him probably being very proud today makes me all the happier.
Q: What fascinates you most about your product?
MH:What's most fascinating for me is the impact photomurals can have on a room.Helping people make the most important place in their lives more beautiful with our products makes us all incredibly happy.
Q: What are the current trends?
SKH:We have just brought out a new collection, RAW.We see an interior design trend towards clear, light basic tones which are then combined with photomurals in soft pastels or elegant stucco and marble looks.We make this possible with our new RAW collection.
Q: Having such a broad client base means a lot of travel. Is this sometimes a problem for you?
SKH:No, thankfully not at all.I love travelling!I'm in Moscow almost every month because we have a subsidiary there.But I love other cities and countries and in a way feel at home in the world.
MH:(Grinning) At home in the world, but of course we'll always be at home in Rosenheim, Bavaria.We still have very strong roots here.
Q: What fascinates you about Bavaria and Rosenheim compared to other cities and countries?
MH:Bavaria and Rosenheim are unique.The economy, the countryside, the people.But also the dialect. On my last business trip to Armenia, I listened to the Bavarian cabaret artist Gerard Polt in my hotel one evening.He tells the truth about Bavaria – that in itself is really funny.
Q: Where will Komar be in ten years' time?
SKH:We'll definitely still be designing and producing photomurals.We recorded an increase in turnover last year.Online trade has developed really well and sales have risen continuously.We want to build on this.
MH: In mid-February 2019, we added a Xeikon 3500 digital roll printing system including coating unit and wallpaper rewinder to our range of production machines.This was a very forward-looking decision.Our customers expect increasingly individual solutions and a manufacturing process that is geared to their specific requirements.The range of designs and sizes is continuing to grow.We want to build on this and pave the way to a positive future.
Q: Ms Komar-Häusler, Mr Häusler, many thanks for the interview and for your time.
