Workshops of opportunities

by Anna-Lena Huber

Hello, I'm Anna-Lena – interested in what moves people and wholeheartedly part of METALOG since 2023. If you read our newsletters, you may already know me a little – I'm the one who writes most of them.
When I started at METALOG, I quickly realised that this isn't just a place where people ‘work’. This is a place where people create! With meaning, with heart and with people who want to make a difference. I was particularly touched by the long-standing collaboration with workshops for people with disabilities.
During my visit to one of the workshops, I was able to experience how our tools are created – with precision, patience and genuine enthusiasm. And by then at the latest, it was clear to me: this work deserves more than just a ‘thank you’. It deserves a story.

How our tools enable genuine participation – hand in hand with workshops for people with disabilities

If you think our METALOG tools just fall from the sky, let me tell you: it's not quite that magical – but almost. Because where our products are made, there's real craftsmanship involved. With attention to detail and, above all, a lot of heart.
For many years, we have been working closely with various workshops for people with disabilities in the region. What began as a logical production partnership is now much more than that: a collaboration that enriches everyone involved.

Solidarity as we want to live it

At METALOG, we believe that economic success is not incompatible with social responsibility – quite the contrary. Participation, integration, cooperation: for us, these are not empty buzzwords, but values that we live by. And we do so where it counts: in everyday life, at work and in our interactions with one another.
Our tools are largely produced in workshops for people with disabilities. Here, they not only manufacture products, they also help to design them. And they do so with precision, commitment and genuine pride.

How a tool comes to life

Take the FutureCity tool, for example. The name alone is sure to pique your curiosity, right? The manufacturing process is also quite impressive.
It starts with the case: the panels are cut to size, precisely finger-jointed and glued to the frame. Then the lid and base panels are carefully glued on. Next come the fine details: after the holes for the handle have been drilled, the handle rope is heated, fused and firmly glued in place. The fasteners and hinges are also assembled with millimetre precision. And then it's time for the centrepieces: the building blocks. Spheres, square blocks, round openings or slight indentations. Made from differently shaped materials (round wood, square timber, turned balls), some of them are glued with different coloured laminate, cut to size and sanded by hand. Three colours, many variations, but in the end every piece fits.
And what's special: every FutureCity suitcase is made and packed entirely by one person. From the first cut to the final sanding – everything is done by one person. Each of the 36 individual parts then fits exactly where it is supposed to. No block is ever sorted differently – the perfect finish to a small masterpiece. ‘It's kind of my suitcase,’ says this employee proudly. ‘I can see immediately if something doesn't fit.’

Real work. Real impact.

We are proud of this partnership – not only because it works so smoothly, but because it is so much more than that. For the people in the workshops, working on our tools means taking responsibility, working in a team and experiencing development. And for us at METALOG, it is a daily reminder of what really makes our products special: not just sustainable materials, good design or clever methodology – but the people behind them.

Tools with soul

When the finished products are stacked on pallets and sent off with shining eyes, the hearts of the people in our warehouse are filled with joy. From Olching, the tools then make their way out into the wide world – and with them all the love and care with which they were created.
Because, quite honestly, anyone who works with a METALOG tool can rest assured that there is much more to it than just wood, metal, rope and paint – there is also a little piece of humanity.

Thank you to everyone who contributes to this. Every day. With your head, heart, hands and dedication.

You enable us to create unique and sustainable tools that fundamentally change the world of learning.

Why did we write this text?

Because we are proud. Proud of every single tool – and of the people who make it possible together with us.
Perhaps this article will remind you that good products are more than just functional. They are an expression of our attitude. And sometimes they are also a small miracle – the result of craftsmanship, active collaboration and genuine appreciation.
Thank you for taking the time to look behind the scenes.