2003 SfC in the News: Toronto Star (March 19)

Forty-three years later and now president of Toronto-based Nienkämper ICF (International Contract Furnishing) — a successful furniture maker — the 62-year-old is still in disbelief over his good fortune. Modestly, he credits much of his success to simply being in the right place at the right time.

PAUL IRISH/TORONTO STAR

Klaus Nienkämper, president of an international furniture manufacturing company, is one of six winners of the New Pioneer Awards, given to recognize the significant contributions of immigrants to the fabric of Canada — and in this case, its living rooms, boardrooms and offices, too. His manufacturing plant employs more than 220.

He also says the "wonderful people" of his new country had a lot to do with it.

His first temporary job on landing in Toronto was at a King St. car wash, where he was promptly fired after vacuuming up important business documents of a customer.

Nienkämper, who had trained as a furniture designer in Germany, was undaunted. Before long he was working as a designer with respected members of the industry. In 1968, with minimal capital, he set up a company that introduced classic European imports to the Canadian market.

In the 1970s and '80s, Nienkämper became a licensed manufacturer for various overseas brand names, and his business took off.

Today, the Nienkämper business occupies a restored heritage building on King St. Since the 1990s, it has manufactured Canadian-designed furniture in a 120,000-square-foot facility in Scarborough that employs more than 220 people.

Nienkämper furniture can be found in boardrooms and offices of major corporations as well as in homes.

Special products have included furniture for the office of the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau and the Canadian embassy in Washington, D.C.

The company has also created pieces commissioned for presentation to the Prince of Wales and the Aga Khan.

Nienkämper didn't always intend on settling in Canada. "To be honest, I was like a lot of other people during those times (the early '60s),'' he said. "I thought I'd eventually end up in the United States, but after visiting New York and Chicago I realized there were too many people with the same plans and that Toronto was basically uncharted territory."

With the help of "friendly, informative and knowledgeable" Canadians, he was able to get established and make Toronto a permanent home for himself, wife Beatrix, three children and five grandchildren.

"The one thing I couldn't help but notice was how accommodating the citizens of Canada were, and still are," said Nienkämper, who became a citizen in 1965.

"We're a quite helpful lot, even when it comes to sharing business techniques. It's a lot different here than many other countries."

He says Toronto has changed radically since he stepped off the train at Union Station so many years ago. His company, which employs people of nearly 40 nationalities, reflects that new reality.

Toronto has come a long way, he said, and a lot of the credit should go to immigrants.