Visiting the CHICO bosses: where the threads come together

On the left the building of the fire brigade, on the right the first houses of the Oeppinger community. Shortly thereafter, the town square with the pointed parish church comes into view before the winding road leads back into the middle of the Mühlviertler landscape. Between rolling hills and lots of forest. And then suddenly a striking farm appears. In stone bare style. And with a sunny courtyard that invites you to linger. You could say: anyone who makes their way to the CHICO headquarters gets an introduction to rural life in the Mühlviertel at the same time. And yet there is always a touch of internationality in this place - to be more precise, Mühlviertler crafts mix with Brazilian lifestyle. And the management has been demonstrating for many years that this is an ideal combination. At the end of our series, the CHICO bosses Sylvia and Georg Katzlinger chat inside out, talk about their most important activities and reveal when the emergency chocolate is used.

From stable to office

First, let's mentally wander back to the sunny inner courtyard of the Steinbloß farm. Because from there it goes directly to the office and to the sales room on the right side of the wing. The ceiling here is vaulted and the granite door frames would surely have a lot of stories to tell. However, it is hard to imagine that not so long ago cows, pigs and chickens were still housed here – even less so when you immerse yourself in the background noise of the office: the telephone ringing there, the printer rattling here. And right in the middle: Sylvia and Georg. While Sylvia takes care of the commercial management, accounting as well as administration and marketing agendas, Georg has dedicated himself to the management and is responsible for smooth production processes, maintenance and fair sales. "In general, we always talk to each other and important decisions are made together," reveals Sylvia. An unbeatable duo.

A pinch of rainforest in the Mühlviertel

But the CHICO hammocks and hammock chairs not only contain the expertise and know-how of the two, but also a pinch of rainforest. Rainforest? Yes, you read that right. We are actually talking about this tropical forest of South America. Sylvia and Georg owe the idea for the CHICO company to their uncle Franz: “He was a development worker in the Brazilian rainforest. When he came back to Austria, he not only had a hammock with him, but also the knowledge of how to make it.” And the rest is history. Well, not quite, because in order to actually be able to produce hammocks in this country, some adaptations and analyzes were still required. And many machines first had to be found or self-manufactured. When the production process and the final products were finally mature, her uncle Franz and his wife Hilde founded their first company in 1981. "In 1985 our parents joined and the location was relocated to us in the Mühlviertel," report Sylvia and Georg.

When it's time to pull out the "emergency chocolate".

The company grew over the years, which meant that more and more rooms on the former farm were filled with machines, fabrics and finished products. And the customers and their wishes and requirements have also changed, as Sylvia reveals: “Nowadays everything should be done very quickly. It has happened that someone orders in our online shop in the evening and asks before 8 a.m. the next day why they have not yet received an invoice.” In such cases, Sylvia emphasizes that the orders at CHICO are still processed and invoiced by people. And with a wink she adds: "Then it's: stay calm, keep your composure and don't forget the emergency chocolate." But in most cases the customers are uncomplicated and often the two receive nice thank-you lines or photos, which they are very happy about . The selection of materials has also changed recently: while synthetic fabrics were more in demand in the last ten years because such products can be left outside from March to October, cotton is now increasingly being used again and people are not afraid of the work of clearing away. "I think the climate aspect or the idea of nature plays a very important role here," says the management.

"Direct feedback is incredibly enriching"

After the challenging Corona years, Sylvia and Georg are now looking forward to finally being able to go to trade fairs again without restrictions and to be able to maintain direct customer contact. "Online shop, social media, etc. - that's all well and good, but being able to experience the reactions and direct feedback from customers up close is incredibly enriching for me," summarizes Sylvia. The greatest challenge at the moment is the reluctance to buy of some customers, which the management can understand: "Our products are certainly in the luxury category and you don't afford them that easily anymore. But: They score with a long service life. On average, a hammock or a hammock chair lasts 15 years - even longer if you take good care of it. And that argument is more important than ever at times like this.”

The Mühlviertler nature as a source of strength

So there is no doubt: the two are passionate about CHICO products. Nevertheless, they also need breaks to gain new strength for all upcoming activities - and the Mühlviertel nature plays an important role in this. “In winter I´m drawn to the Hochficht slopes and in summer I try to find mushrooms in the forest. If it's too hot, the pool offers cooling or you can find me in the shade in one of my hammocks," reveals Sylvia. And Georg adds: "Because I'm lucky enough to have the company at my house, I can make extensive use of the beautiful inner courtyard with the many hammocks in summer. In autumn and spring, I go out with my father in my own forest and find my balance there in the forestry work.”