SCHWENK Cement
SCHWENK Zement is a fifth-generation, family-owned German building materials producer founded in 1847, operating four cement plants and an integrated value chain across cement, concrete, aggregates, pumping, and circular economy services for German construction companies, architects, and concrete producers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1847
- HeadquartersUlm, Germany
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What SCHWENK Cement does
SCHWENK Zement GmbH & Co. KG, operating as SCHWENK Baustoffgruppe, is a fifth-generation, family-owned German building materials producer founded in 1847 and headquartered in Ulm. The company operates an integrated value chain spanning cement, concrete, sand and gravel, special building materials, concrete pumping services (subsidiary KUNO Betonpumpenservice), construction consulting, and a dedicated circular economy division launched in 2023. Manufacturing runs through four cement plants at Allmendingen, Bernburg, Karlstadt, and Mergelstetten, with 4,500+ employees and an average tenure of 15.1 years.
The product portfolio centres on sustainable cement and concrete, leveraging industry-leading alternative fuel rates, 14%+ substitution of natural raw materials, and CSC certification. Distinctive proprietary technologies include meca-clay (electrical conversion of clay into reactive cement additives), Oxyfuel and Tail-End carbon capture, and 3D concrete printing, all channelled through an in-house Technology Centre at Bernburg. The company also pursues CCS partnerships (Danish "Bifrost" project with TotalEnergies) and runs a CO2 separation test base in Brocēni, Latvia, opened in August 2025.
The business model is a direct, regionally organized B2B sales motion: regional experts are deployed by plant location and product line (bulk, bagged, special building materials, concrete, sand and gravel, consulting, technology centre), supported by an own logistics fleet with near-hourly delivery precision and a B2B service portal launched in January 2026. Customer segments include German construction companies and builders (primary), architects and planners (engaged via the annual Architektentag), and concrete producers/processors. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through regional consultants. In July 2025, SCHWENK acquired the FISCHER Weilheim Group, adding 450+ employees and a closed-loop circular economy arm covering transport logistics, soil management, demolition, and construction material recycling.
SCHWENK Cement firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SCHWENK Cement
- Legal name
- SCHWENK Zement GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://schwenk.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1847
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- SCHWENK Zement is a fifth-generation, family-owned German building materials producer founded in 1847, operating four cement plants and an integrated value chain across cement, concrete, aggregates, pumping, and circular economy services for German construction companies, architects, and concrete producers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SCHWENK Cement industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Materials (Cement and Concrete)
- NAICS
- Cement Manufacturing (327310), Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing (32732), Cement and Concrete Product Manufacturing (3273)
- SIC
- Cement, Hydraulic (3241), Concrete Products, Except Block & Brick (3272), Concrete, Gypsum & Plaster Products (3270)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cement Manufacturing (Portland, Blended & Specialty) (IMADAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ready-Mix Concrete Production & Delivery (IMADAAAA), Cementitious Binders & Additives (Fly Ash, Slag, Silica Fume, Lime) (IMADAAAH), Mortar, Grout & Masonry Cements (IMADABAL)
Keywords
Where SCHWENK Cement is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ulm
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
SCHWENK Cement business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Cement sales: SCHWENK produces and sells cement in both loose goods (bulk) and bagged formats through its four cement plants. As one of the oldest family-owned cement producers in Germany, the company supplies standard and sustainable cements.
- Concrete sales: Concrete products sold to construction companies, building projects, and infrastructure developments. Includes sustainable concretes with reduced clinker content and recycled aggregates.
- Sand & Gravel: Extraction and sale of sand and gravel aggregates for construction purposes, supporting the integrated building materials value chain.
- Special building materials: Specialty construction materials complementing the core cement and concrete product lines, serving specialized construction needs.
- Pumping services: Through subsidiary KUNO Betonpumpenservice, SCHWENK provides concrete pumping services for major construction projects including the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel.
- Circular economy services: Since 2023, SCHWENK has bundled circular economy activities in its own division, covering construction material recycling, soil management, demolition, and material flow management.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
SCHWENK Cement product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SCHWENK manufactures and sells cement, concrete, special building materials, sand and gravel, and provides concrete pumping services and construction consulting through an integrated value chain across four German cement plants. Its offerings include standard and low-CO2 sustainable cements, resource-saving concretes (including recycled-aggregate R-Beton and carbon concrete), aggregates, and on-site concrete delivery via subsidiary KUNO Betonpumpenservice, with a separate Kreislaufwirtschaft (circular economy) division covering recycling, soil management, demolition, and material flow management.
Product overview
SCHWENK Baustoffgruppe is a family-owned building materials company founded in 1847, operating as a single unified product portfolio organized into interconnected divisions that function as a value chain. The core offering consists of Zement (cement), Beton (concrete), Spezialbaustoffe (special building materials), Sand & Kies (sand and gravel), Betonpumpen (concrete pumping services via subsidiary KUNO), and Bauberatung (construction consulting). Since 2023, Kreislaufwirtschaft (circular economy) has been a dedicated division. The company also operates a Technologiezentrum for R&D. Notable innovations include meca-clay for converting clay into reactive cement additives using electric energy, and Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) technologies using Oxyfuel and Tail-End approaches. SCHWENK's business model integrates these products through a value chain approach, combining experience from one of Germany's oldest family-owned companies with sustainability-focused innovation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- meca-clay: Innovative cement additive technology that converts various clay types into highly reactive cement additives using only electrical energy
Products and services
- Zement (Cement) Standard and sustainable cements produced at SCHWENK's four German cement plants, including low-CO2 cements with reduced clinker content and alternative raw material substitution of 14%+; sold in loose (bulk) and bagged formats.
- Beton (Concrete) Concrete products for construction companies, building projects, and infrastructure developments, including sustainable concretes with reduced Global Warming Potential, resource-saving R-Beton with recycled aggregates, carbon concrete, and lightweight concrete.
- Spezialbaustoffe (Special Building Materials) Specialty construction materials for technical requirements beyond standard cement and concrete, serving specialized construction needs.
- Sand & Kies (Sand & Gravel) Extracted and supplied sand and gravel aggregates for construction, including a new gravel and soil washing plant in Achstetten, supporting the integrated building materials value chain.
- Betonpumpen / Concrete Pumping Services (KUNO Betonpumpenservice) High-performance concrete pumping services provided through subsidiary KUNO Betonpumpenservice for construction sites, including major projects such as the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel connecting Germany and Denmark.
- Bauberatung (Construction Consulting) Expert construction consulting services supporting customers with technical questions and projects across cement, concrete, and building material applications.
- Kreislaufwirtschaft (Circular Economy Services) Dedicated division offering construction material recycling, soil management, demolition, and material flow management services to close material cycles and support sustainability.
- Technologiezentrum (Technology Centre) Research and development facility based at the Bernburg cement plant supporting product development and innovation across SCHWENK's cement and building materials operations.
- meca-clay Cement Additive Technology Proprietary innovation that converts all types of clay into highly reactive cement additives using only electrical energy, enabling climate-friendly cement and concrete products.
Companies that use SCHWENK Cement
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SCHWENK Cement technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
SCHWENK Cement partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- TotalEnergiescoreSCHWENK participates in the Danish CCS project 'Bifrost' through a strategic partnership with TotalEnergies. The project involves carbon capture and storage, with TotalEnergies serving as the energy partner in this CO2 storage initiative. SCHWENK joined the Bifrost project to advance its decarbonization strategy.
- FISCHER Weilheim GroupcoreFISCHER Weilheim Management GmbH, a leading circular economy services provider for transport logistics, soil management, demolition, and construction material recycling in Baden-Württemberg, became part of SCHWENK Baustoffgruppe. The transaction was subject to approval by the Federal Cartel Office. FISCHER Weilheim remains an independent company with its existing team and structure. The merger supports SCHWENK's sustainability-focused strategy and resource-efficient value creation.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SCHWENK Cement competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Cemex: Mexican-headquartered global building materials major with cement, ready-mix concrete, and aggregates businesses in Europe. Comparable to SCHWENK as an integrated cement-led producer pursuing lower-carbon cement products.
- Cementir Holding: Italian-listed international cement group with European cement and concrete operations, including white cement and specialty products. Comparable to SCHWENK's cement and specialty building materials footprint.
- Holcim: Swiss-headquartered global cement and aggregates major with strong presence in Europe and a leading decarbonization strategy (lower-clinker cements, CCUS). Comparable to SCHWENK as a vertically integrated cement/concrete/aggregates producer pursuing low-carbon cement.
- Vicat: French-listed international cement, concrete, and aggregates group with European operations and active decarbonization programs. Comparable to SCHWENK as a European integrated cement producer with a comparable product portfolio.
- CRH plc: Ireland-headquartered global building materials leader with cement, aggregates, and concrete operations across Europe. Comparable as a vertically integrated cement and concrete producer with significant European footprint.
- Heidelberg Materials: One of the world's largest building materials groups and SCHWENK's largest German competitor, with cement, aggregates, ready-mix concrete, and an active CCS / decarbonization roadmap. Directly comparable as a cement-led integrated building materials peer operating in the same German market.
Emerging players
- Kreis Steinmeyer Beton: German regional ready-mix concrete and aggregates producer serving construction customers in Germany. Comparable to SCHWENK's concrete and sand & gravel operations as a smaller-scale regional German peer.
Direct peers
- Rohrdorfer Gruppe: Privately held German building materials group producing cement, ready-mix concrete, and aggregates with multiple German plants. Closely comparable to SCHWENK as a mid-sized German family-owned integrated cement/concrete/aggregates competitor.
- Dyckerhoff: German cement producer owned by Italy's Buzzi SpA, operating multiple cement plants in Germany. The closest direct German-headquartered cement peer to SCHWENK with overlapping product portfolio (cement, ready-mix concrete) and customer base.
- W&P Portland Zement: Austrian-German cement producer historically linked to Italian Italcementi/Heidelberg Materials, operating cement capacity in Germany. Comparable to SCHWENK as a competing German cement manufacturer with overlapping cement-only product focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SCHWENK Cement social profiles
Digital presenceSCHWENK Cement compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
SCHWENK Cement financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SCHWENK Cement leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
SCHWENK Cement subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
SCHWENK Cement funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SCHWENK Cement M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SCHWENK Cement
What does SCHWENK Cement do?
SCHWENK manufactures and sells cement, concrete, special building materials, sand and gravel, and provides concrete pumping services and construction consulting through an integrated value chain across four German cement plants. Its offerings include standard and low-CO2 sustainable cements, resource-saving concretes (including recycled-aggregate R-Beton and carbon concrete), aggregates, and on-site concrete delivery via subsidiary KUNO Betonpumpenservice, with a separate Kreislaufwirtschaft (circular economy) division covering recycling, soil management, demolition, and material flow management.
Is SCHWENK Cement a public or private company?
SCHWENK Cement is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was SCHWENK Cement founded?
SCHWENK Cement was founded in 1847. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is SCHWENK Cement based?
SCHWENK Cement is headquartered in Ulm, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does SCHWENK Cement make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Cement sales are the primary driver. The others are concrete sales, sand & Gravel, special building materials, pumping services and circular economy services.
Who are SCHWENK Cement's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Cemex, Cementir Holding, Holcim, Vicat, CRH plc and Heidelberg Materials. Kreis Steinmeyer Beton is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Rohrdorfer Gruppe, Dyckerhoff and W&P Portland Zement.
Does SCHWENK Cement have an API?
No public API is recorded for SCHWENK Cement.
What industry is SCHWENK Cement in?
SCHWENK Cement's product category is Building Materials (Cement and Concrete). Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADAAAG, Cement Manufacturing (Portland, Blended & Specialty), with a secondary code of IMADAAAA, Ready-Mix Concrete Production & Delivery. Its NAICS code is 327310 and its SIC code is 3241.