SCHWENK Cement

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.

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

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

• Cement production
• Ready-mix concrete
• Construction aggregates
• Specialty building materials
• Circular economy construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Ulm

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Concrete sales: Concrete products sold to construction companies, building projects, and infrastructure developments. Includes sustainable concretes with reduced clinker content and recycled aggregates.
3. Sand & Gravel: Extraction and sale of sand and gravel aggregates for construction purposes, supporting the integrated building materials value chain.
4. Special building materials: Specialty construction materials complementing the core cement and concrete product lines, serving specialized construction needs.
5. Pumping services: Through subsidiary KUNO Betonpumpenservice, SCHWENK provides concrete pumping services for major construction projects including the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel.
6. 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

Core 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.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TotalEnergiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025SCHWENK 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 GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 July 2025FISCHER 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

Broad 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

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61553748230856
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schwenk-zement-kg
• Instagraminstagram.com/schwenk_deutschland

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SCHWENK Cement