The roots of Deutsche Steinzeug Cremer & Breuer AG go back to the company "Deutsche Steinzeug-Warenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft", founded in Mannheim-Friedrichsfeld in 1890, and Cremer & Breuer GmbH, founded in Frechen in 1906. Both companies were initially exclusively dedicated to manufacturing sewer construction goods made of clay. The production range was subsequently extended by adding the production of acid-resistant goods and apparatus made of clay for the chemicals industry. The companies quickly developed into the leading manufacturers of coarse ceramic products.

By 1926, Cremer & Breuer had acquired a majority stakeholding in Deutsche Steinzeug-Warenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft and prompted this company to acquire a majority involvement in "Annawerk Schamotte- und Tonwarenfabrik AG" in Oeslau at the beginning of the thirties; soon thereafter, Annawerk AG founded Buchtal AG in Schwarzenfeld/Oberpfalz. These participations led to a concern whose main field of operations was in coarse ceramics and included the manufacture of clay pipes, tiles and panels, as well as other products such as refractory materials, roof tiles, etc.

The intense need for clay pipes during the reconstruction phase in post-war Germany opened up great market opportunities for this product area. That is why the first investments were focused here.

At the same time, Buchtal AG specialized in ceramic tiles and panels and over the years became a specialist supplier in project ceramics. In order to boost competitiveness and to become an across-the-range ceramic supplier, Deutsche Steinzeug acquired the tile-manufacturing companies of the AGROB Group in 1992. Stakeholdings in the Czech company, Rakonické keramické závody akciová spolecnost a.s., Rakovnik, and LAUFEN-Fliesen GmbH were added in the following years. In 1997, the parent company, Deutsche Steinzeug Cremer & Breuer AG once again took over operative management by merging the ceramic covering materials into the holding company.