By Oliver Ohmann
The Royal Porcelain Manufactory was founded in 1763 by Frederick II. Since then, the manufactory has been producing the finest porcelain. KPM’s best customer was the King of Prussia himself. His order: 21 sets with up to 500 parts each.
Today, Frederick the Great hangs larger than life in the KPM visiting area. But not as an old ham, but as a modern portrait à la Warhol. “That could well symbolize the company in the 21st century,” says Jenja Carow (44), marketing manager of the manufacturer with sales rooms on Wegelystrasse in Charlottenburg.
Guided tour of some of KPM’s rooms Photo: Charles Yunck
First, a tour of the past and present. A white coffee cup from KPM (recognizable by the scepter mark on the bottom of the cup) is created in the 21st century in practically the same way as in the old Fritz’s time.
Carow: “25 people work on one cup for a total of 14 days. The cup is made in 29 steps and is picked by hand ten times.” This all happens in the heart of Berlin, from the production of the porcelain dough to the packaging for sale all over the world.
KPM marketing manager Jenja Carow (44) in the factory, holding the famous KPM to-go cup (from 69 euros) in his hand. Photo: Charles Yunck
Cup and saucer from the Kurland series cost an impressive 495 euros Photo: Charles Yunck
When it comes to sales, KPM does not simply see itself as a shop. “You could call it more of a brand experience location,” says Carow, who has been with the company for ten years. In the historic buildings, the fine porcelain is presented like in a modern museum.
You can see the individual parts of the famous group of princesses in the middle of an ancient ring kiln wall. Schadow’s masterpiece from 1797 is a KPM classic (25,000 euros) and is assembled from almost 90 individual parts before firing at 1,400 degrees. “If even a part of it is defective, the whole piece is sorted out,” explains Carow. This applies to all KPM porcelain – from breakfast plates to magnificent vases – and explains the price.
In the historic buildings, the fine porcelain is presented like in a modern museum Photo: Charles Yunck
Big plans for the future
How is the 260-year-old manufacturer with its 220 employees preparing for the future? Carow: “We listen to our customers and look at the big trends of our time and then think about what attitude we should adopt towards them. We also think about what the KPM could look like in 50, 100 or 200 years.”
One of the company’s mottos is: We are traditionally innovative and open to the spirit of the times. The best example: 60,000 sold coffee-to-go cups made of the finest KPM porcelain, in the style of the Kurland series. “They provide that KPM moment that makes the coffee taste even better, and at the same time they make a valuable contribution to the environment,” says the marketing professional.
With the KPM, “Founder” Friedrich truly elevated Berlin’s craft and trade to the nobility.