The roots of Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH go back to the companies "Deutsche Steinzeugwarenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft", founded in Mannheim-Friedrichsfeld in 1890, and Cremer & Breuer GmbH, founded in Frechen in 1906. Both companies initially focused exclusively on the production of stoneware sewer construction products. The production program was subsequently expanded to include the manufacture of acid-resistant articles and apparatus made of stoneware for the chemical industry. The companies quickly developed into the leading producers of heavy clay products.
By 1926, Cremer & Breuer had acquired a majority stake in Deutsche Steinzeugwarenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft and, at the beginning of the 1930s, prompted the latter to acquire a majority stake in "Annawerk Schamotte- und Tonwarenfabrik AG" in Oeslau. Soon afterwards, Annawerk AG founded Buchtal AG in Schwarzenfeld/Upper Palatinate. These shareholding transactions created a group whose main field of activity was in heavy clay ceramics and included the manufacture of vitrified clay pipes, tiles and slabs as well as other products such as refractory materials, roof tiles, etc.
The great demand for stoneware pipes during the reconstruction phase in post-war Germany opened up good market opportunities for this product area. This was therefore the first investment focus.
At the same time, Buchtal AG specialized in ceramic tiles and slabs and over the years became a specialist supplier of contract ceramics. In order to increase competitiveness and become a full-range ceramic supplier, Deutsche Steinzeug acquired the tile-producing companies of the AGROB Group in 1992 and 50.4% of the Czech company RAKO a.s., Rakovnik, in 1993, which it increased to around 95% at the beginning of 1998. In 1997, the parent company Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH took over operational management again by merging the ceramic flooring materials with the holding company. In the following year, Deutsche Steinzeug AG acquired all the shares in OSTARA LAUFEN Keramik GmbH, Meerbusch, thereby strengthening the Group's contract expertise in ceramic flooring materials.
In May of the same year, the stoneware pipe activities were merged with those of the Wienerberger Group through the acquisition of Keramo Wienerberger N.V., Hasselt/Belgium, making STEINZEUG Abwassersysteme GmbH the largest European stoneware pipe producer. Following approval by the European Commission in Brussels in 1999, the Wienerberger Group increased its stake from 24.9% to 50%. Since January 1, 2000, Deutsche Steinzeug AG has also only held a 50% stake in its vitrified clay pipe division.
In December 1998, the company sold AnnaWerk Keramische Betriebe GmbH, Rödental (high-performance ceramics) as part of its continued focus on the two core business areas.
The year 1999 was dominated by the goal of becoming the largest German ceramics producer. In order to achieve this goal, Deutsche Steinzeug AG acquired all shares in Jasba GmbH, Ötzingen, and Meissen Keramik GmbH, Meissen. This gave it market leadership in the German mosaic market (Jasba) and, for the first time, ownership of a traditional brand with a high level of consumer recognition (Meissen Keramik). With the acquisition of Schlenkhoff Das Baumarktsortiment GmbH, Herne, Deutsche Steinzeug also secured its share of the DIY store business. Since the beginning of 2000, European Design + Marketing LLC, based in Anaheim, California, has been part of the Deutsche Steinzeug Group, operating under the name Deutsche Steinzeug America Inc. following the merger of its business activities with the subsidiary Buchtal Corporation.
In the summer of 1999, the first domestic porcelain stoneware production plant was put into operation at the Sinzig site. In 2000, with the construction of Europe's most modern production plant for glazed stoneware mosaics at Jasba in Ötzingen, the continuous adaptation of production to state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with an extraordinarily wide range of colors and shapes was continued. Through extensive investments, Deutsche Steinzeug also expanded its Meissen site into a production facility for high-quality wall tiles with an annual capacity of almost 4 million m².
In view of economic developments, the closure of the Meerbusch plant, originally planned for 2004, was brought forward to 2001. In January 2002, Deutsche Steinzeug sold its majority holding in RAKO a.s., thereby continuing its consolidation strategy. This strategy was continued in 2003 with the sale of STEINZEUG Abwassersysteme GmbH and concluded in 2004 with the sale of Hürner-Funken GmbH, Monsun GmbH and Jasba-Ofenkachel GmbH by way of a management buy-out.
In addition to the continued successful operational development, 2006 was characterized above all by the comprehensive restructuring of the Group's liabilities side. The equity ratio was raised again to around 30%, while at the same time liabilities to banks and pensioners were reduced by around EUR 70 million. Furthermore, additional liquid funds were made available in order to finance forward-looking investments, such as the expansion of porcelain stoneware capacities in Sinzig.
Gründung einer Faïencerie in Bonn, damit Grundsteinlegung der späteren Deutsche Steinzeug AG
Gründung der „Mosaik Fußboden Platten und Thonwaarenfabrik“ in Sinzig
Gründung des Werkes Ostara in Meerbusch. U.a. Produktion von Steinzeugplatten. Gründung des Werkes Witterschlick
Gründung des Werkes Buchtal
Einführung der ersten trittsicheren Fliese von Ostara/Meerbusch
Etablierung des heutigen Architektenservices in Buchtal
Einführung von Chroma
Fusion Deutsche Steinzeug mit AGROB Wessel Servais
Inbetriebnahme der ersten deutschen Feinsteinzeuganlage in Sinzig
Markteinführung Innovation Hydrotect-Veredelung (photokatalytische, hydrophile Veredelung), heute mit weiterentwickelter Technologie unter dem Namen HYTECT
Einführung von ChromaPlural
Markteinführung des Drytile Verlegesystems
Zusammenarbeit mit Sebastian Herkner bei der Serie Area Pro
Umfirmierung als "Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH" und "Agrob Buchtal Solar Ceramics GmbH", Integration in Metawolf AG