Habermaaß

Children playing Haba's game Rhino Hero - Supper Battle at Dau Barcelona festival

In 1938, Eugen Habermaaß and Anton Engel founded “Habermaaß & Co.” as a “factory for fine wooden products”, and a couple of months later “Wehrfritz & Co." in cooperation with Karl Wehrfritz. In 1940, Anton Engel withdrew from the company, making Eugen Habermaaß its sole managing director. After his passing in 1955, his wife Luise Habermaaß took over the management of the company. At the same time, their son, Klaus Habermaaß, decided to start an apprenticeship in cabinetmaking. After finishing his engineering studies in 1961, Klaus became actively engaged in running the company, which grew and expanded in the following years.[2]

The company began to expand in 1980 when the American company “Skaneateles Handicrafters” was purchased by Habermaaß Inc. In 1987, in order to expand their product range, the corporate family of HABA and Wehrfritz decided to found Jako-o GmbH, a joint mail-order company for children's fashion, toys and accessories. In 2002, the company received the definitive company name of “Habermaaß Corp. Inc.". In 1993, a subsidiary was founded in the French location of Evry near Paris under the name of “HABA S.A.R.L". In 2005, the “HABA UK” site was established in the United Kingdom.

The company filed for bankruptcy in September 2023 and later presented a restructuring concept: the Haba Familygroup wanted to maintain the Bad Rodach facility and close the favric in Eisleben (Saxony-Anhalt). The company wants to fire 670 of its 1,677 employees.[1]

Since the company was founded, wooden toys have been a trademark of HABA. The company became known for its construction blocks. Over time, the product range has expanded: first incorporating other wooden toys, such as pulling figures, vehicles, clutching toys and a complex upgradeable ball track system, followed later by the first society games, such as “The Orchard”.

Even today the main focus of the company still lies in manufacturing out of wood. However, progressively different materials have been incorporated: with dolls and fabric animals, rugs, furniture for children's rooms and illumination articles finding their way into the product range.

Amongst the most prestigious awards that have been conferred on HABA are the Best Children's Game of the Year, the German Children's Games award, the Toy Innovation Award and the German Educational Game Award.

Authors signing a copy of Go Cuckoo during Dau Barcelona festival. See 1 more language

• Best Children's Game of the Year
  • 2000 – Pete the Pirate
  • 2002 – Highly Suspect
  • 2003 – Shiver-Stone Castle
  • 2005 – Akaba
• German Children's Games award
  • 2001 – Klondike
  • 2006 – The Black Pirate
  • 2010 – Dragon Diego Dart
• Toy Innovation Award
  • 2005 – Akaba
• German Educational Game Award
  • 2006 – Big Cheese
  • 2007 – Said and done!
  • 2018 – Kullerbü – Car Park-Play Track
• As d'Or Jeu de l'Année Enfant (Children's Games)
  • 2017 – Go Cuckoo[3]

Many HABA playthings have also been designated with the "Spiel Gut" ('Good Toy') stamp.

Karuba, one of HABA's strategy board games, was nominated for the 2016 Spiel des Jahres award.[4]

Kullerbü, HABA's car park play track game,[5] was one of the winners of 2018 The Toy Award: Gold for toys awards.[6]

• HABA
• HABA USA
• Cannes Festival International de Jeux (2019). LE LABEL AS D'OR- JEU DE L'ANNEE (in French). www.festivaldesjeux-cannes.com. Retrieved 31 August 2021 – via Google Drive. - pdf of awards available from the As d'Or Award page