Ceramics, made in Germany.

The Company

The ceramic power

From mosaic tiles to ceramic facades - Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH is the specialist for residential, swimming pool and facade ceramics.

With our product brands Agrob Buchtal, Jasba and Drytile, we are not only the market leader in Germany, but also one of the world's leading manufacturers in the field of ceramic covering materials. We focus on innovation, design, sustainability and product quality "Made in Germany". We offer our customers a high-quality and comprehensive range, competent advice and custom-made products.

The comapany

Mission

Market leader as "ceramic problem solver“

Wall and floor tiles, swimming pool ceramics and ceramic facades - our core competences lie in the high quality and variety of our product range, our advisory competence and service orientation. Since 1999, the Deutsche Steinzeug Group has been the market leader in the business field of ceramic covering materials and is also one of the leading manufacturers internationally. Worldwide, we serve more than 120,000 architects and planners, to whom we offer with our brand Agrob Buchtal a variety of colours and formats especially geared to commercial construction as well as comprehensive advice with our architect service. We supply our architectural ceramics to almost 100 countries. With our Jasba brand, we occupy the top position in the ceramic mosaic market.

We see ourselves as "ceramic problem solvers" for our customers and also produce individual custom-made products if required. The easy-to-clean, antibacterial Hytect surface, which we introduced in 2000, is an example of our company's innovative spirit. Our customer and service orientation not only includes our product range and consulting services, but also extends to the shipment of our goods: For example, thanks to the special customs authorisation (AEO-F) of the EU Customs Code, our freight shipments are cleared faster.

Locations

Rooted in tradition, networked worldwide

Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH is a group with a long history. Our roots go back to 1755 and our first stock exchange listing was in 1896. Production takes place mainly at our German sites in Ötzingen, Schwarzenfeld, Sinzig and Witterschlick. With around 1,000 highly qualified and experienced employees worldwide as well as modern manufacturing processes, we ensure that our comprehensive product range and services related to ceramic facing materials are constantly maintained and further developed at the highest level. The Deutsche Steinzeug Group has its own sales companies in France, Switzerland and the USA as well as a worldwide network of local partners.

Corporate headquarters and sales companies

Headquarter
Germany, Alfter-Witterschlick
Sales company
USA, Seattle
Sales company
Switzerland, Stans
Sales company
France, Nice
Headquarter

Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH
Servaisstr. 9-11
53347 Alfter-Witterschlick
Germany

+49 228 391-0
info@deutsche-steinzeug.de
Sales company Switzerland

Deutsche Steinzeug Schweiz AG
Oberstmühle 3
6370 Stans
Switzerland

+41 41 632 50 60
info@deutsche-steinzeug.ch
Sales company France

Deutsche Steinzeug France
15 Avenue de Carras
06200 Nice
France

+33 6 48 50 72 38
buchtal@buchtal.fr
Sales company USA

Deutsche Steinzeug America Inc.
400 East Pine Street / Suite #210
98122 Seattle WA
USA

Plants

Production Alfter-Witterschlick Production Schwarzenfeld Production Sinzig Production Ötzingen

Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH
Servaisstr. 9-11
53347 Alfter-Witterschlick
Germany

+49 228 391-0

Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH
Buchtal 1
92521 Schwarzenfeld
Germany

+49 9435 391-0

Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH
Rheinallee 19
53489 Sinzig
Germany

+49 2642 971-0

Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH
Im Petersborn 2
56244 Ötzingen
Germany

+49 2602 682-0

Our history

More than 130 years of stoneware expertise

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.

1755 Establishment of a small faience factory in Bonn

Establishment of a small faience factory in Bonn, Germany, and thereby laying the cornerstone of the later Deutsche Steinzeug AG.

1755
1889 Gründung des Werkes Ostara in Meerbusch

Foundation of the Ostara factory in Meerbusch. Among other things, production of stoneware tiles. Foundation of the Witterschlick factory.

1889
1937 Founding of the Buchtal factory.

Founding of the Buchtal factory.

1937
1938 Introduction of the first slip-resistant tile of Ostara/Meerbusch.

Introduction of the first slip-resistant tile of Ostara/Meerbusch.

1938
1952 Establishment of today’s in-house planning department in Buchtal, Germany.

Establishment of today’s in-house planning department in Buchtal, Germany.

1952
1982 Introduction of Chroma.

Introduction of Chroma.

1982
1992 Merger of Deutsche Steinzeug and AGROB Wessel Servais.

Merger of Deutsche Steinzeug and AGROB Wessel Servais.

1992
1999 Commissioning of the first German porcelain stoneware plant at Sinzig.

Commissioning of the first German porcelain stoneware plant at Sinzig.

1999
2001 Market launch of the innovative Hydrotect coating (photocatalytic, hydrophilic coating).

Market launch of the innovative Hydrotect coating (photocatalytic, hydrophilic coating).

2001
2015 Introduction of ChromaPlural.

Introduction of ChromaPlural.

2015
2018 Market launch of the Drytile installation system

Market launch of the Drytile installation system

2018
Collaboration with Sebastian Herkner on the area pro series

Collaboration with Sebastian Herkner on the Area Pro series

2020
2024 Übernahme durch Metawolf AG

Change of name to ‘Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH’ and ‘Agrob Buchtal Solar Ceramics GmbH’, integration into Metawolf AG

2024

Lawyer of confidence

Appointment of a lawyer of confidence improves transparency

1. Objective
By the appointment of a lawyer of confidence Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH and its subsidiary companies contribute to the prevention of potential corruption. This appointment applies to Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH, Agrob Buchtal Solar Ceramics GmbH, Jasba Mosaik GmbH, Deutsche Steinzeug Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG, Deutsche Steinzeug France S.à.r.l., Deutsche Steinzeug Schweiz AG – jointly herein after called Deutsche Steinzeug.

A frank approach to potential corruption may be difficult to deal with for employees as well as for business partners of Deutsche Steinzeug. Persons who know of potential corruption in the company may be kept away from reporting or even charging the facts due to objections that may arouse from personal or business disadvantages.

By the appointment of a lawyer of confidence employees, business partners as well as other stakeholders shall be enabled to contribute to an investigation concerning potential corruption or even personally getting out of corruption and – should the occasion arise – not having to reveal their identity at the same time. Revealing the identity may become necessary in some very specific circumstances.

2. Duties of the lawyer of confidence
The lawyer of confidence accepts information from employees or business partners of Deutsche Steinzeug with the due discretion. These notifications may contain the suspicion of corruption or other serious offenses against Deutsche Steinzeug. His goal is to resolve corruption and to call the involved persons to account. The notifications are subject to the professional discretion of the lawyer of confidence. Nevertheless, he has to accept and record the given information. If the given information should contain a reasonable suspicion against employees, business partners or other stakeholders of Deutsche Steinzeug, the lawyer of confidence has to report the information to a committee in order to achieve further clarification of facts. This committee shall be nominated by Deutsche Steinzeug. If desired by the committee, the lawyer of confidence has to remain in touch with the informant, pursue additional investigation or give further reports.

3. Legal Status of the lawyer of confidence
The lawyer of confidence acts as an independent and autonomous attorney and is not subject to instructions of Deutsche Steinzeug, neither in legal nor in content respects. He decides on his own discretion whether and to what extent the given information shall be reported to the committee. If the lawyer has assured the informant of his confidentiality, he is not allowed to reveal his or her name and identity to Deutsche Steinzeug or any other third party.

4. Contact details
In order to get in touch with our lawyer of confidence, please use the following contact details:

Rechtsanwalt Gazi Alatas
Ebertplatz 9
50688 Cologne
Germany

Phone: 0221 99120-100
Fax: 0221 99120-109
Email: Info@kanzlei-alatas.de

The lawyer of confidence may be contacted in German, English and Turkish language.

Witterschlick, 10.04.2018

Deutsche Steinzeug Solar Ceramics GmbH