CF Group

What CF Group does

CF Group is a German, family-owned manufacturer and distributor of swimming pool equipment and water treatment products, headquartered in Wendlingen with 1,200 employees across more than 40 countries and 17 owned production and logistics sites. Operating through 16+ brands (Chemoform AG, founded 1962; DELPHIN, dinotec, STARLINE, AZTECK, HEISSNER, NEPHEA SPA, delifol, DEL SAS, and others), the company supplies the full pool lifecycle — filtration, heating, pumps, lighting, cleaning robots, liners, covers, water care chemistry, and analysis/dosing technology — alongside adjacent categories such as pond systems and drinking-water treatment.

The business is vertically integrated from chemical formulation and component manufacturing through to multi-brand distribution, supported by inside sales and a proprietary B2B e-commerce portal (Chemoform Onlineshop) targeting trade customers. Revenue mechanics are predominantly one-time transactional sales of equipment and consumables to three customer segments: public/commercial pool operators, residential pool owners, and pool trade professionals (installers, service companies, retailers), with B2B trade pricing including minimum-order surcharges, weight-tiered freight, and free-delivery thresholds.

Ownership is family-controlled with a minority private equity position held by Crédit Mutuel Equity (initial investment December 2019, reinvested January 2022 to fund expansion and acquisitions, including the 2019 acquisition of FIJA Group). The group pursues a buy-and-build strategy in a fragmented European pool-equipment market, distinguishing itself as the only family-owned multispecialist manufacturer-distributor at scale in its segment.

Name

CF Group

Legal name

CF Group Deutschland GmbH

Website

https://chemoform.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

CF Group is a family-owned German manufacturer and distributor of swimming pool equipment and water treatment products, operating through 16+ brands, 17 production/logistics sites, and 1,200 employees across 40+ countries to serve public, commercial, residential, and trade pool customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Swimming Pool Equipment & Water Treatment

akta.pro primary industry

Water Testing & Chemical Balancing (HSAIALAB)

Keywords

• Swimming pool equipment
• Water treatment systems
• Pool filtration products
• Pool heating solutions
• Pool chemical manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Wendlingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pool Equipment Sales: Sale of pool equipment, accessories, and components including filtration systems, heating solutions, lighting, and cleaning equipment.
2. Water Treatment Products: Sale of water care, sanitation, and treatment products for swimming pools.
3. B2B E-commerce: Direct B2B online sales through proprietary e-commerce platform targeting trade customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CF Group manufactures and distributes swimming pool equipment, water treatment chemicals, filtration systems, heating solutions, pool liners, and drinking water treatment products through a portfolio of 16+ brands. The company sells primarily to pool trade professionals (installers, service companies, retailers) and commercial/public pool operators via direct sales and a B2B e-commerce portal. Products serve residential, commercial, and public swimming pools, pond systems, and drinking water treatment applications.

Product overview

CF Group is Europe's only family-owned manufacturer and distributor of swimming pool equipment and water treatment solutions, operating as a multi-specialist in the pool equipment market. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized across three main product categories: Pools Equipment & Accessories (including filtration, heating, pumps, lighting, cleaning robots, and water attractions), Ponds (for garden water features), and Drinking Water Treatment (for clean water supply). The product portfolio includes both own-manufactured components and multiple acquired brands such as Chemoform AG (water care products, established 1962), delifol (pool liners and membranes), DINOTEC (water analysis technology), DELPHIN (water treatment), STARLINE (premium pool equipment), AZTECK (pool systems), HEISSNER (pool and garden), and NEPHEA SPA (premium spa products). The company operates 17 production and logistics sites with 1,200 employees across 40+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Balena: Pool equipment brand
• Aqualux
• AZTECK
• delifol
• Chemoform AG
• DEL SAS
• Pool Partner
• DELPHIN
• dinotec
• Drnüskén
• HEISSNER
• lacoform
• NEPHEA SPA
• Ocea
• planet pool
• ROLDECK
• STARLINE
• CF Pool Products

Products and services

• Pool Equipment & Accessories (Pools Equipment & Zubehör) Complete range of pool equipment and accessories including filtration systems, heating solutions, pumps, LED lighting, automatic pool cleaning robots, pipe fittings, roller covers, safety covers, pool enclosures, pool liner membranes, water attractions (counter-current systems, massage stations, waterfall showers), and pool shells (styrofoam, polyester, steel wall) for residential and commercial swimming pools.
• Pond Systems (Teiche) Pond products and complete ecosystem solutions for garden and decorative water features, serving residential and landscape customers.
• Drinking Water Treatment (Trinkwasseraufbereitung) Drinking water treatment products and systems for clean water supply, serving commercial and municipal water treatment applications.
• CHEMOFORM Water Care Products Water care, sanitation, and chemical treatment products for swimming pool maintenance under the CHEMOFORM brand, including chlorine-based and alternative sanitizers, pH adjusters, algaecides, and specialty water care chemistry.
• DELPHIN Water Care Products Water care and treatment products for swimming pools under the DELPHIN brand, including chemical sanitizers and maintenance chemistry.
• dinotec Water Analysis & Treatment Technology Water analysis technology, dosing technology, UV disinfection, and measurement systems for professional pool water quality monitoring and chemical treatment delivery under the dinotec brand.
• delifol Pool Liner Membranes Pool liner membranes (delifol Schwimmbadbahnen) for waterproofing swimming pools, including standard and custom-made solutions, anti-slip protection (Trittschutz), and Elbe brand membranes.
• STARLINE Pool Equipment & Heat Pumps Premium pool equipment and accessories including STARLINE heat pumps for pool heating under the STARLINE brand.
• AZTECK Complete Pool Systems Complete pool systems under the AZTECK brand, including pool shells and integrated pool equipment packages.
• Aqualux Pool & Wellness Products Pool and wellness products under the Aqualux brand for residential and commercial pool markets.
• HEISSNER Pool & Garden Products Pool and garden products under the HEISSNER brand, serving residential pool and pond markets.
• NEPHEA SPA Premium Spa Products Premium spa and wellness products under the NEPHEA SPA brand for the high-end residential spa market.
• Ocea Pool Cover Products Pool cover products under the Ocea brand, including safety covers and roller covers for swimming pools.

Quantifiable outcome

• European market leadership as the only family-owned manufacturer and distributor in the pool equipment market

Named customers3 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

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fluidra: Spanish-listed global pool equipment and water treatment manufacturer/distributor. Closest direct competitor to CF Group, with overlapping product categories (filtration, pumps, chemicals, automation) and pan-European distribution — though Fluidra is significantly larger and publicly traded.
• Hayward Holdings: US-listed pool equipment manufacturer with strong North American and European presence. Directly comparable product portfolio (pumps, filters, heaters, automation, cleaners) and channel model serving trade and OEM customers.
• Waterco Limited: Australian-listed manufacturer of pool equipment, water treatment, and spa products with European distribution. Comparable product range (pumps, filters, heaters, chemicals) and similar multi-brand positioning in the trade channel.
• Maytronics: Israeli-listed global leader in robotic pool cleaners (Dolphin brand). Direct overlap with CF Group's AquaCat, VIRTUOSO, and ORCA automatic pool cleaner product lines, particularly in the European trade channel.
• BWT Group: Austrian/European water treatment group with a dedicated pool and spa division. Directly comparable to CF Group's dinotec and Chemoform water treatment businesses, with overlapping chemistry and dosing technology offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Pentair: US-listed water solutions company with a Pool segment offering pumps, filters, heaters, and automation. Competes in many of the same product categories but as part of a diversified industrial portfolio with broader flow and water treatment exposure.
• Lonza Group (Pool Chemicals): Swiss-listed specialty chemicals giant owning the Arch pool chemicals franchise. Competes with Chemoform AG's chlorination, pH control, and algaecide product lines as a global chemical incumbent with deeper R&D and regulatory resources.
• SCP Pool Corporation: US-listed wholesale distributor of pool supplies and equipment. Sits on the buy side of the same trade channel CF Group targets; useful comparable for channel economics even though SCP is a distributor rather than manufacturer.

Emerging players

• Intex Recreation: Global leader in above-ground and inflatable pools and pool accessories. Competes with CF Group's lower-end residential pool offerings (Stahlwand-Becken, AZTECK) in the consumer/DIY segment, though largely through retail rather than the B2B trade channel.

Regional players

• Behncke Group: German-based manufacturer of pool equipment, heat exchangers, and water treatment systems. A smaller but technically focused regional competitor serving the same DACH trade channel as Chemoform AG.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chemoform-ag

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about CF Group