A specialist with foresight

Robert Volhard: Let us take a look at the personalities who have had a significant influence on Bette: The company was founded in 1952 by Heinrich Bette and his son-in-law Günther Schlichtherle. In 1975, your father Fritz-Wilhelm Pahl joined the company and managed it as managing partner – feeling solely responsible but always in close contact with Ilse Schlichtherle, the widow of Günter Schlichtherle, who died in 1973. You have been the sole managing partner since 2013. How do you see the development of the company in connection with these personalities and yourself?

Thilo Pahl: That's a good question. I think it's interesting that it always takes people with entrepreneurial spirit to get a process going. The merger of the Pahl and Bette families was basically a twist of fate that has also given us strong roots in the region. 55 percent of the shares are held by the Pahl family, 45 percent by the Bette family, as originally determined by Ilse Schlichtherle and my father. Even if we fall out, the future of the company is not at risk. It was very visionary and responsible of the two of them to create such a clear situation.

Robert Volhard: How have relations been since then?

Thilo Pahl: We discuss things together and get along well. A lack of understanding of social systems is a major issue at the moment, so this is a real plus in our case. Even after retiring, my father came to work every day, which I thought was very nice. It worked because he waited to be asked for advice. These days, he still comes from time to time, but less often as he is no longer directly involved.

Robert Volhard: What was it like working with your father when you ran the business together for two years?

Thilo Pahl: My father was the boss in 2011, but we swapped roles in 2012. Each of us had our own area of responsibility, but we discussed important decisions with each other in advance. From 2013 onwards, he retired to the advisory board. It was very important to him not to become chairman. Knowing that he was still at my side as an advisor or even as a “confessor” was an important source of support.

Franziska von Schumann: How did you come to be the chosen successor in the company, and not your siblings?

Thilo Pahl: My two siblings and I live in Hamburg, our mother's hometown, and managing the company from afar would not have worked for us. In 2011, my father was already 70 years old, so it was clear that we would have to make a decision.

Franziska von Schumann: You studied mechanical engineering in Aachen, then completed a semester abroad at the Fraunhofer Institute in Boston, after which you wrote your thesis on industrial science at Volkswagen Consulting. In 2011, you joined the company, which went on to achieve a series of technical innovations. Looking back, what are you most proud of?

Thilo Pahl: First and foremost, the successful generational change, but we also had a few milestones in terms of product development. Of course, there is always a certain amount of luck involved. You could say that good products have emerged from good coordination processes, such as “BetteLux”, the folded edge or “BetteLux Shape”, the bathtub in the frame. Sometimes you just have to be brave, dare to do something, to realize the idea together with the team. We prefer to invest in machines, equipment and technology. In addition, my father once decided to start up a new enamelling plant, which has helped us enormously. What also strengthens us is our company headquarters, which we modernized in 2014/15 and which is a great source of inspiration for us.

Robert Volhard: With your extraordinary designs, floor-level shower trays and extensive color schemes, you have revolutionized the bathroom. How has bathroom culture changed in recent years?

Thilo Pahl: The design culture in the bathroom has changed a lot because it no longer represents a purely functional room. This makes the room more homely, and the design and choice of materials more important. The bathroom has become a place of well-being where the moment counts, which is quite understandable in the current times.

Franziska von Schumann: We were just talking about courageous designs, such as “BetteLux Shape” or “BetteLux Oval Couture” by Dominik Tesseraux, in which the tub apron is covered with woven water- and climate-resistant fabric. What can we expect at ISH 2025?

Thilo Pahl: “BetteLux Shape” was a great step forward for us, particularly in terms of internationalization. The product opened doors for us. On this basis, we were able to implement further ideas such as “BetteLux Oval Couture”. At ISH 2025, we will be showing a good combination of design and technology, with a focus on the shower area. I can't reveal any more at this point.

Robert Volhard: With the “BetteFlat” shower surface, you are contributing to barrier-free bathrooms. What is the next step in this direction?

Thilo Pahl: Accessibility is an ever-present consideration in product development. Added to this is the desire to find an appealing design for aids such as support handles. The need for well-designed, accessible design will increase in the coming years as a result of demographic change.

Robert Volhard: You have been working with Dominik Tesseraux for many years. How would you describe your collaboration with a creative jack-of-all-trades like him?

Thilo Pahl: A very appreciative partnership. Dominik Tesseraux is with us all the way, so to speak, and we work together continuously. At the same time, as an external consultant, he has a different perspective and can also advise us. Many of the ideas we have presented in recent years come from him – such as the “BetteCurve” washbasin, a design so special that it can only be made out of steel.

Robert Volhard: You have recently started working with Barber Osgerby as well. How does working with these two creative minds differ?

Thilo Pahl: Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby are actually two creative minds. The collaboration differs in the sense that we worked together with a specific focus. “BetteSuno” has become a very exciting series and the additional impetus is valuable to us.

Franziska von Schumann: Regarding the material: glass and steel are 100 percent recyclable and durable. Is the production sustainable, which requires enormous temperatures, and would electric firing of the furnaces be conceivable?

Thilo Pahl: The material enameled steel is 100 percent recyclable. However, to be honest, the sound-absorbing mats that dampen the sound of water are still made of plastic. Within the factory, the cycle of materials is closed; all production “waste” is reused. At the end of the year, we always know how many tons have been returned to the cycle and processed in the blast furnace by one of the steel manufacturers. Incidentally, the enamel does not have to be separated from the steel; it goes into the blast furnace with it and floats up as slag. At the moment, our furnaces are still gas-fired, but we are considering alternatives and switching to electric operation is definitely something we are thinking about. About half an hour's drive from Delbrück is the largest wind farm in the region, in Lichtenau, which was built with the participation of local residents. We could certainly build on this green energy.

Franziska von Schumann: Which ideas will prove successful in the digitalized bathroom?

Thilo Pahl: In my opinion, the bathroom should continue to be a place of relaxation in the future, where there is room for a maximum of a few smart home options, but otherwise there is the option of not having to be constantly “connected”.

Robert Volhard: In which direction should Bette develop in the next few years?

Thilo Pahl: Our main driving force is the material, the glazed titanium steel. We are specialists, not generalists. Our task is to continue to play a role through good product innovation, and to do so internationally as far as possible.