Innovation built around you
In a market where speed and precision are critical, installers need more than just a reliable product – they need a supplier that listens. Daniel Büchner, Bohle’s senior vice president of development and engineering, explains how the hardware manufacturer use the power of in-house R&D to create tailormade products for their customers.
At Bohle, in-house design, development, and manufacturing allows the company to take on board the ideas and challenges shared by installers, and turn them into practical improvements that make a real difference on site.
With a €5 million investment into its own research and development, Bohle has evolved from a distributor into a full-scale manufacturer with its own unique portfolio of products, designs, and manufacturing capabilities.
For senior vice president of development and engineering, Daniel Büchner, that shift has one clear purpose: delivering products that work better for the people who use them.
“Installers are at the heart of everything we do,” Daniel explains. “And the beauty of having in-house R&D is that we can take their feedback directly into our design process. If an installer tells us something could be quicker, cleaner, or easier, we can make that happen.”
This direct feedback loop gives Bohle a unique ability to respond quickly to real-world needs. Whether that’s improving packaging to reduce handling time on site, or adjusting product features to simplify installation, every part of the business works in sync to support the installer.
A prime example of this approach is the Juna shower hinge. Developed entirely in-house, Juna was born from an analysis of what installers called for most: sleek aesthetics, robust performance, and easy installation.
The result is a premium hinge with fully concealed screws, a 100,000-cycle test durability, and a load capacity of 50kg – all installed using a single tool.
“We set ourselves the challenge of hiding all the technical parts of the hinge without compromising function,” says Daniel. “Installers wanted Juna to have a clean look without added complexity, so we engineered it to need only one tool for both clamping and adjustment. It’s simple, efficient, and enhances the style of a bathroom.”
This kind of innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. Bohle’s structure – with development, production, customer service and logistics all working closely together – allows ideas from the field to rapidly evolve into finished products.
It means installers aren’t just end users. They’re part of the design team.
“An installer might mention an issue to our customer support team, or give feedback during a product demo,” Daniel says. “That insight feeds straight back to our engineers, who can explore ways to address it in the next generation of products.
“That’s the power of in-house R&D – it keeps us agile, and it keeps us aligned with the people who matter most.”
For installers, this level of collaboration means more than just convenience. It means fewer delays, less trial and error, and tools designed around the way they actually work. It’s about having a supplier that listens, adapts, and innovates in collaboration with them.
