Frank Kuhnert is managing director of the Kuhnert wood-turning workshops. He and his 80 members of staff in Rothenkirchen are the experts for Erzgebirge wood carving. They produce items like pyramids, spectacle holders, tree and bouquet decorations – and particularly of course the well-known smoking manikins in all shapes and sizes and small wooden figures. We give the classic smoking manikins a modern touch. This attracts younger customers too, who still appreciate the background of traditional, Erzgebirge craftsmanship.” The company has had very good sales openings in Japan for many years – and customers in the USA and Mexico also love the cute figures. 

 

“More than 70 percent of operations at our wood-turning workshops involve manual work. We only process local wood like birch, beech or spruce – a certificate confirms that we only use wood that has been ecologically cultivated in a sustainable manner.”