Erfurt & Sohn

Name

Erfurt & Sohn

Legal name

ERFURT & SOHN KG

Website

https://erfurt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1823

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Erfurt & Sohn KG is a family-owned German wallpaper manufacturer founded in the 1820s and credited as the inventor of Rauhfaser textured wallpaper. It produces PVC-free fiber and non-woven wallpapers, interior insulation systems, and digital photo wallpapers for DIY consumers and professional painters across the DACH region and selected international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wuppertal

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wallpaper and Interior Product Sales: Manufacturing and selling a wide range of wallpapers including Rauhfaser, fleece wallpapers, smooth fleece, structure fleece, and digital photo wallpapers. Also includes complementary products like adhesives, application tools, thermal insulation (KlimaTec), soundproofing, and lightweight construction systems for interior walls.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Erfurt & Sohn KG manufactures and sells decorative wallpapers (Rauhfaser, non-woven/embossed, structured, smooth fleece, digital photo) and complementary interior wall solutions (thermal insulation, lightweight construction boards, impact sound insulation, wallpapering accessories) primarily to DIY consumers and professional painters. Products emphasize PVC-free, breathable, allergy-suitable formulations, with sustainability variants and customizable digital photo wallpapers available.

Product overview

Erfurt & Sohn is a German wallpaper manufacturer founded in 1825, known as the inventor of Rauhfasertapete (rough fiber wallpaper). The product portfolio is organized into several categories: (1) Rauhfaser products including classic Rauhfaser-Tapete and Vlies-Rauhfaser for textured finishes; (2) Glattvlies smooth non-woven products including Variovlies, Variovlies Eco Green (sustainable recycled fiber option), and Makulatur underlayer; (3) Geprägte Vliestapete embossed non-woven wallpapers including Vliesfaser Basic, Protect, Ready, and Colour variants; (4) Strukturvlies structured non-woven with Basic and Premium options; (5) Interior solutions including KlimaTec thermal insulation for energy savings, Leichtbau-System lightweight construction boards, and Trittschalldämmung impact sound insulation; (6) Accessories including adhesives and repair tools; (7) ERFURT-JuicyWalls digital photo wallpapers. The company emphasizes PVC-free, breathable, and paintable products suitable for allergies, with sustainability features like recycled materials in Eco Green line.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Erfurt-Spezialpapiere: Special papers product line operated under erfurtspezialpapiere.com
• ERFURT-JuicyWalls
• KlimaTec

Products and services

• Rauhfaser-Tapete (Classic Rough Fiber Wallpaper) Original textured (rough fiber) wallpaper made from paper and wood fibers. A timeless and durable wall covering that is easy to apply and suitable for DIY consumers and professional painters. Eco-friendly, PVC-free and breathable, suitable for allergy sufferers, and can be painted multiple times.
• Vlies-Rauhfaser (Non-woven Rough Fiber) Non-woven rough fiber wallpaper made from paper, wood and textile fibers, available in many structures. Easy to apply using wall adhesive technique with no soaking time required.
• Glattvlies (Smooth Non-woven Wallpaper) Smooth fleece wallpapers and Makulatur underlay papers that bridge cracks and unevenness to provide a perfect, plaster-smooth base for paints or further wallpapers. Includes Variovlies in various weights and finishes and Variovlies Eco Green made from 100% sustainable and recycled fibers.
• Geprägte Vliestapete (Embossed Non-woven Wallpaper) Embossed non-woven wallpapers with expressive and durable patterns. PVC-free, easy to apply using wall adhesive technique. Available in Vliesfaser Basic, Protect (protective), Ready and Colour variants.
• Strukturvlies (Structured Non-woven Wallpaper) Structured non-woven wallpapers made with water-based structure foam technology, containing no PVC unlike other structured wallpapers. Available in Strukturvlies Basic and Premium variants.
• KlimaTec Innendämmung (Interior Thermal Insulation) KlimaTec thermal fleece creates a separation layer between cold masonry and the room, reflecting heat to save energy and reduce heating costs. Also delivers mold-preventive and interior insulation benefits.
• Leichtbau-System (Lightweight Construction System) Lightweight construction boards suitable for interior construction, remodeling and renovation of bathrooms and other interior spaces.
• Trittschalldämmung (Impact Sound Insulation) Impact sound insulation system whose wood grit rests only at points on the floor, minimizing sound transmission through air gaps for optimal impact noise reduction.
• Zubehör (Wallpapering Accessories) Practical wallpapering accessories for professional results, including adhesive paste, rough fiber spatula, and tools for repair of damage, cracks or drill holes.
• ERFURT-JuicyWalls (Digital Photo Wallpapers) Individual digital photo wallpapers of professional quality on durable material. Custom motifs can be realized as well as images selected from an extensive image database.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products are free of PVC and plasticizers, making them wohngesund (healthy for living)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AS Creation Tapeten: German manufacturer of wallpapers and wallcoverings headquartered in Gummersbach. Closest direct competitor to Erfurt within Germany, competing across decorative wallpaper categories with similar retail and professional painter channels.
• Marburg Wallcoverings: German premium wallpaper manufacturer (Marburger Tapetenfabrik) producing residential and contract wallcoverings. Direct peer in branded European wallpaper with overlapping product lines and trade customer base.
• Graham & Brown: UK-based designer and manufacturer of wallpapers and painted wall products with international distribution. Direct peer in branded decorative wallpaper with comparable DIY/professional channels.
• Sanderson Design Group: UK-listed owner of Sanderson, Morris & Co., and Harlequin wallpaper brands. Direct peer in branded designer wallcoverings serving both residential and contract markets internationally.
• York Wallcoverings: North American wallpaper manufacturer and design studio producing residential and contract wallcoverings. Comparable in scale and category focus, serving similar DIY retail and professional channels.
• Brewster Home Fashions: US-based wallpaper and home décor manufacturer with broad portfolio including paintable and specialty wallcoverings. Direct peer in mass-market and designer wallpapers sold through DIY retailers.
• Rasch Tapeten: German wallpaper manufacturer producing branded and licensed wallcoverings for European retail. Direct peer sharing the German manufacturing base, retail DIY customers, and decorative wallpaper product set.

Broad incumbents

• Farrow & Ball: UK premium paint and wallpaper brand owned by Hempel Foundation. Comparable in combining premium interior wall finishes (paint and wallpaper) with a brand-led, design-driven positioning across DIY and professional channels.
• AkzoNobel (Dulux): Global paints and coatings giant whose Dulux decorative brand competes with Erfurt for interior wall finish specification. Overlaps in wall preparation, paintable wallpapers, and professional painter relationships across Europe.
• Sherwin-Williams: World's largest paints and coatings company with extensive architectural coatings portfolio. Indirectly comparable as the dominant global incumbent shaping the decorative wall finish market in which Erfurt competes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ErfurtKG
• Facebookfacebook.com/erfurt.diy
• Instagraminstagram.com/erfurt.diy
• Pinterestpinterest.de/erfurttapeten

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Erfurt & Sohn