Interview with Daniel Achermann - LEHMHUUS AG

Hello Dani, 

We are happy to introduce you as one of our biggest distributors here. 
Daniel Achermann is the managing director of the Lehmhuus and we invited him to "Töpfertalk": 


About me (Daniel Achermann) :
Apprenticeship as a potter (formerly Rheinfelder Keramik)
After completing my pottery apprenticeship, opening my own ceramics studio with 15 years of independent activity. Since 1987 intensive preoccupation with gas reduction firing (I had the first ROHDE high firing gas kiln in Switzerland) and the first Raku firing with a wood kiln, later also with gas operated Raku kilns. 
During this time, leading of various pottery courses for the LEHMHUUS AG as well as more than 12 years’ workshop classes in the advanced education of teachers in Basel.
Since 2002 co-owner and managing director of LEHMHUUS AG

 

How long has the company existed and how did its foundation come about?

The trading company LEHMHUUS AG was founded by Pierre Wechlin more than 35 years ago in 1983. The LEHMHUUS AG emerged from the LEHMHUUS pottery school, which was in about 1979. Under the direction of Daniel Achermann since 2002 and Denise Binggeli since 2012, both co-owners of the AG, LEHMHUUS AG has become market leader in Switzerland.

 

How many employees does Lehmhuus have and how is it organised?
Where else are you represented, outside Basel?

The head office is our shop in Aesch/BL with more than 5500 different products of clay, glazes, tools, raw materials right up to kilns and machines. This covers a total area of over 2400 m², of which 300 m² are showroom, a large sales area and a high-rack storage area, as well as 220 m² for the pottery school and 20 customer parking spaces. We are 8 km from Basel by car or tram (with stop directly in front of the building). We have a partner in French-speaking Switzerland and have a branch near Bern


We employ 10 people. 5 customer consultants (all trained in ceramics), 1 employee each responsible for shop, purchasing and administration, 1 service technician, 1 warehouseman and and a number of course instructors depending on the course content

 

 

Which business fields does Lehmhuus have and how do they complement each other?

We are active in all business fields in the pottery and ceramics sector, we supply customers in the hobby sector, schools, potteries, small manufactories, specialized classes and we give support to ceramic art projects (in cooperation with Marc Zumstein, Basel amongst others).


How many ceramic bodies are sold in Lehmhuus and how many bodies of G&S do you have  in your range of products?

Our range of products includes 100 bodies and 12 porcelains, 40 of those bodies are from G&S

 

What is the most popular body sold by Lehmhuus? Is this also the body that is most popular on courses, or is another body preferred for this?

Very popular are bodies 254 for the production of thrown stoneware ceramics, the 264 and 364 for school lessons and 468, 474 and 480 for figures, sculptures and RAKU. 

 

How many courses are offered per year and from which sectors?

We offer 90-100 courses per year with more than 500 participants. These are in all ceramic fields, led by well-known national and international course leaders. 


Which bodies are preferred on the courses and why?

We use a wide range of G&S bodies on the courses, since in many fields consistently high is crucial for us and leads to outstanding results.
 

 

Our pottery school is the perfect place for everybody who wants further professional training in  this field. LEHMHUUS AG courses >>

 

What is your wish for the future? 

Our motivation is to make the fascination of "working with clay" in all its aspects more accessible to people and to inspire them.

 

More Information:  LEHMHUUS AG >>