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Walter Gerdau
Walter Gerdau was a German-born entrepreneur who, in 1908, acquired the Navegantes Furniture Factory in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Originally founded in 1893, the factory produced furniture inspired by the Viennese designs of Michael Thonet, known for their elegant bentwood forms and craftsmanship. Under Gerdau’s leadership, the workshop expanded its production and helped introduce European design influences to early 20th-century Brazilian furniture making, marking an important chapter in the country’s industrial design history.
