THE STEINWAY & SONS LACQUER BUILDING

INNOVATIVE — ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE — FORWARD-LOOKING

Steinway & Sons sets an example for innovation and environmental protection with its new polishing centre which began operations in 2022 onsite at the Hamburg Factory. Future capacity permits up to 1,800 grand pianos and 450 uprights per year that can be coated with the high-gloss polish in the 3,300-square-metre, three-storey building, all in keeping with the most up-to-date guidlines.

In addition to the ineffable Steinway Sound, Steinways are known for their high-gloss ebony finishes, generally achieved with polyester and polyurethane polish.

EFFECTIVE EXHAUST AIR PURIFICATION

Given our volume of polish increasing in recent years, a project to curb emissions from polishing plants was launched two years ago. The result achieved impressive emissions, as Steinway & Sons is now well below the legal limits — and can reduce the emission of solvents into the environment by over 90 %. This is ensured by the activated carbon system on the façade of the building, to which all solvent-relevant air streams are collectively fed.

The polishing area in the new building extends over two floors, with the polishing system and necessary ventilation technology distributed over both. Due to the very individual polishing process, a specially designed polishing system was created currently unparalleled in Europe.

STATE-OF-THE-ART WORKING CONDITIONS

Steinway craftspeople enjoy top working conditions because, as in all the Steinway Factory departments, health is the top priority. And since the company always strives for the best and is constantly working on further developments to improve the quality of its high-quality grand and upright pianos, the construction of the innovative polishing centre has made it possible to produce qualitatively better polishing results. Another positive effect is the lower noise level inside the building. This particularly benefits the departments where work is done on the sound of the instruments.

The state-of-the-art polishing centre: a milestone for Steinway & Sons and a commitment to Hamburg.