More than 40 years ago Mr. Matthias Birkner senior was one of the first people in Austria, who imported Mediterranean tiles. Additionally, he also was a main initiator for tile production and influenced the design and development of several Italian tiles a lot. Consistently he went to Italy, where he helped to create new tiles, especially for the Austrian sanitary market. In 1976 he founded the “M. Birkner Internationale Handelsagentur”in Kapfenberg, a town in upper Styria. With this company he sold tiles to re-sellers and wholesalers.

4 years later, in 1980, he founded the so called “Mürzhofener Tenne” out of an old gas station which later changed to the “Tenne Gastronomies GmbH”. In the basement of the building he placed the commercial agency, where Mrs. Helga Pichler managed the whole office as well as all business areas of Tenne. A few years later there was a big stroke of fate. After a large fire the whole building of Tenne burned down and it wasn’t sure at this time, if the company would be able to continue it’s business. But Mr. Matthias Birkner senior never gave up and stood his ground. In 1983 the “Tenne HandelsgesmbH” was signed in the company register and a foundation stone for a new business story of success was laid.

In 1988 Matthias Birkner junior made an internship in Italy at “Polis Ceramiche”. Only one year later he was able to show European key accounts the grand production halls of “Cerdomus” in Castelbolognese. 1997 he and his brother used these important connections to start in the retail traid. In 2000 Tenne opened the first bathroom-specialized shop in Graz. In the next 6 years Tenne opened also stores in Leibnitz, in Bruck/Mur as well as the biggest and most modern store in Vösendorf.

In 2010 Tenne built a 600 m² sized high rack warehouse in Graz. This was an important requirement for the further expansion of the company. In 2011 Tenne opened the fifth showroom in Vienna with an area of 1.400 m² and 40 show bathrooms. One year later Tenne renovated the showroom in Graz and expanded it to 900m². In 2013 Tenne reached another milestone because the company was officially registered at Austria’s patent office. In spring of 2014 Tenne expanded the warehouse in Graz to 2.270 m². In the same year the company started a cooperation with the Witborn Sanitary Ware Co. LTD and opened the first flagship store in China. Initiators were Tenne-CEO’S Mr. Matthias Birkner junior and Michael Birkner as well as Director Zhang Yong, CEO of the Witborn Group. The Headquarter of Tenne China is in Foshan, one of the biggest economic centers in the Pearl River Delta.

In 2014, Tenne stepped in China Market. And Setup factories in Foshan, China, Began to produce bathroom products. Plan to place 4 production base with covered more than 150,000.00 square meter. Mainly produce bathroom cabinet, solid surface bathtub and basin, shower enclosure, faucets, mixer and accessories.

In 2015 Tenne was able to present itself on another operating area–the Austrian fashion business. As an official sponsor and supporter of the Miss Austria Corporation Styria & Carinthia Tenne helped to vote the Miss Styria 2015 and also nominated the first Miss Tenne in history. This was followed by many news articles from the media about Tenne as well as photo shootings – for example with the world-famous photographer Manfred Baumann in the Tenne Showroom Vösendorf. In 2016 Tenne voted the Miss Styria & Miss Tenne once again and was also able to build a big Social Media Community with nearly 15.000 followers on Facebook – currently unique in the bathroom design sector.

In 2018, Tenne have already related many partnerships both China domestics and over seas markets. Partners in China domestics market are more than 1000, overseas partners are more than 100. Tenne has showed in many overseas exhibitions for example, Las Vegas KBIS , Dubai BIG 5, Bangkok ISH and so on fair in world wide. Factory certifications have past ISO9001/1400, SGS, TUV test, products under CE, SASO certification.

In 2019, brand new Tenne Asia Pacific Operation Center finished. Located in south of China, City of Foshan. Over 4000 square meter total size, combine with showroom and head office, over 460 workers. Since 2019, Tenne have cooperated with more than 2000 stars hotel project, turnover break 0.6 billion.

Under the heavy pressure of the epidemic, Tenne, in response to the changes in the consumer market, timely adjusted the development plan, rose to the difficulties, and continued to make efforts to achieve growth against the trend.  The number of exclusive stores nationwide exceeded 200.

The brand image ushered in a comprehensive upgrade: new VI new products appeared, signed the national high-speed train advertising, hold a global new product press conference, and Strive to stand in the highland of the new era with a more perfect brand matrix, with a new attitude to face the opportunities and challenges.

On march 30, 2024, Tenne high-end intelligent manufacture base was formally put in production. The first phrase has completed with 160,000 square meters and the total construction area is 250,000 square meters. Phrase one is mainly for production of smart mirror, bathroom cabinet, solid surface. Automatic and intelligent production system is key step for tenne to achieve high production capacity and service global market.