Interior-iD
Austrian brothers, Bernd and Johann Radaschitz have defied the odds of the current economic climate and taken the master joinery company, INTERIOR-iD they launched back in 2006 and transformed it into a flourishing and prosperous international business within seven years.
From humble beginnings working from Bernd’s flat in Notting Hill, where the joinery commissions had limited budgets of £5,000 to £10,000, they now run a company where the joinery resources for one house or apartment can go from £100,000 to limitless amounts. They employ 30 people at Tischlerei Radaschitz, the family run Austrian factory and have a team of 10 at INTERIOR-iD in London. With a combined workforce of 150 craftsmen from their affiliated companies in Austria, they have the resources to handle up to 50 projects in a year. It would be naïve to assume that their survival during the current economic situation was merited only by a judicious amount of luck, prodigious talent and astute financial planning, aligned with shrewd use of modern networking facilities, although there is no doubt those qualities contributed to their success. But as Matthew Woodthorpe, the architect and co-owner of MWAI architects believes, “there is something extraordinary about Bernd and Johann that sets them apart from the competition.” For Bernd the answer is straightforward, “the key to our success is impeccable quality and craftsman-
ship, reliability, meeting deadlines and making sure the customer is happy.” “If these resources weren’t already in place, we would not have succeeded during the recession. At this level architects and clients want a company they can rely upon. Our set-up symbolizes our strength”. That strength and competitive edge meant they have swiftly became one of the leading go-to joinery companies. Everything they produce is utterly bespoke, crafted in their workshops in Austria and delivered on time. Most orders are completed in 8-10 weeks and some even faster. Entire rooms of bespoke joinery are assembled in the Austrian factory, ensuring accuracy to one millimetre; dismantled and dispatched on Friday in time to reach their destination by Monday. As Johann points out, “doing it this way may seem laborious, but it minimises costs in the long run, as we spend less time on site and thus don’t encounter any problems or tricky situations. It means that compared to the British market our prices are extremely competitive”. “The world of bespoke joinery these days is a niche market where you have to be conversant with all
By Gail Rolfe Thanks to The Donovan Bar at Rocco Forte's Brown's Hotel, London. 10