Kunkel

What Kunkel does

Künkel is a family-owned French packaging manufacturer founded in 1966 in Le Teilleul, Normandy, specializing in new wooden pallets and chipboard (agglomerated) pallet blocks. The company operates a fully vertically integrated production chain spanning in-house forestry exploitation, sawmilling (60,000-100,000 m³ of logs per year), pallet manufacturing (over 2 million units annually across multiple standard sizes including EPAL-certified 800x1200), and chipboard block production (120,000 m³ per year) from wood residues. Core production assets include a 12-hectare main facility in Le Teilleul, additional sawmill capacity at Le Molay-Litry and Soligny la Trappe, ISPM 15-compliant heat treatment and drying units for export-grade pallets, and a 9MW biomass cogeneration boiler (€27 million capex, installed January 2021) that generates 1.3MW of electricity and dries chips for block production.

The company monetizes through direct B2B sales of pallets, chipboard blocks, sawn timber, forestry services, blade sharpening, and transport/logistics via its wholly-owned subsidiary CK TRANS. Customers are industrial and logistics buyers in Northwestern France (Grand Ouest region) within a 350km radius. GTM is quote-based through website forms, phone, and account-creation portals targeting enterprise industrial accounts; no public pricing is published. Revenue is approximately €22 million annually with 90-100 employees across forestry, sawmill, pallet production, transport, and administration. The company has no disclosed external investors and remains under family control across three generations, with current leadership split between Christophe Künkel (Director), Véronique Künkel (Commercial), Emilie Künkel (Administrative), and Alexandre Künkel (Technical & Production).

Name

Kunkel

Legal name

KUNKEL SAS

Website

https://kunkel.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Künkel is a family-owned French manufacturer of new wooden pallets and chipboard pallet blocks, vertically integrated from forestry through sawmill to finished products. It serves industrial and logistics B2B customers across Northwestern France (Grand Ouest) within a 350km radius, generating approximately €22M in annual revenue with 90-100 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wooden Pallets and Industrial Packaging

NAICS

Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing (32192)

akta.pro primary industry

Wood Pallets, Crates & Industrial Wood Packaging (IMADADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Roadside/Deck Chipping & Grinding (AFAMAJAB), Contract Chipping & Residue Recovery Services (AFAMAJAO)

Keywords

• Wooden pallet manufacturing
• Chipboard pallet blocks
• Sawmill operations
• Forestry harvesting services
• Industrial wood packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Le Teilleul

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. New Wooden Pallets Manufacturing: Manufacturer of new wooden pallets since 1974, producing over 2 million pallets per year. Products include various sizes (800x600, 800x1200, 1000x1200, 1000x1000, 2000x1200), EPAL European standards, wing type pallets, and chipboard block pallets.
2. Chipboard Blocks (Agglomerated Blocks): Production of chipboard blocks also known as Palletblocks or dés de palettes, manufactured from carefully selected wood residues. Producing 120,000 m³ of blocks annually.
3. Sawmill Operations: Sawmill producing 60,000-100,000 m³ of logs per year (about 400 m³/day). Supplies 90% of wood used for pallet production, with 10% going to direct sawn timber sales. Woods used include conifers, Douglas-fir, other firs, spruce, and pine.
4. Forestry Exploitation: Forest harvesting operations including timber felling, logging, and wood trading. Operations span Basse and Haute Normandie, Bretagne, and Pays de la Loire regions. Company replants trees after forest exploitation.
5. Transport and Logistics (CK Trans): CK TRANS transport company created in 2004-2005 enabling autonomous supply of logs and delivery of finished products. Delivers within 350km radius covering Northwestern France including Normandy, Brittany, Pays de Loire, Ile de France, and Oise.
6. Saw Blade Sharpening Service: Affûtage service for saw blades, part of their industrial services offering

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Künkel is a vertically integrated manufacturer of new wooden pallets and chipboard (agglomerated) pallet blocks, operating its own forestry harvesting, sawmill, pallet production, and transport fleet from a 12-hectare site in Le Teilleul, Normandy. It produces more than 2 million pallets and 120,000 m³ of chipboard blocks per year and sells primarily to industrial and logistics buyers in Northwestern France. Supporting activities include sawmill services, forestry operations, saw-blade sharpening, and ISPM 15 export-compliant heat treatment, all powered by an on-site 9 MW biomass cogeneration facility.

Product overview

Künkel is a family-owned manufacturing company specializing in wooden pallets and composite blocks (pallet blocks) with integrated vertical operations spanning forestry, sawmill, pallet manufacturing, and transport. The core product lines include new wooden pallets (manufactured since 1974 in various standard sizes from 600×80 to 2000×1200, including EPAL-certified pallets) and chipboard blocks (blocs agglomérés) made from recycled wood residues. The company operates a sawmill producing 60,000 m³ of logs annually and produces over 2 million pallets per year. Additional services include forestry operations, blade sharpening, and transport/delivery within a 350 km radius. A 2021 investment of €27 million added a 9-megawatt biomass cogeneration facility capable of producing electricity and drying chips for block production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Wooden Pallets (Palettes bois neuves) Custom new wooden pallets manufactured since 1974 at the company's Normandy site using wood from its own forestry operations. Available in standard sizes 800x600, 800x1200, 1000x1000, 1000x1200, and 2000x1200, with EPAL European-standard, wing-type (aile débordante), and chair-pallet variants for industrial, logistics, and chair-manufacturing customers. Includes ISPM 15 heat treatment for export compliance.
• Chipboard Pallet Blocks (Blocs agglomérés / Palletblocks) Composite pallet blocks (also known as Palletblocks or dés de palettes) manufactured from carefully selected wood residues that cannot otherwise be recycled. Used as structural components in pallet construction by pallet makers, with annual production of 120,000 m³.
• Sawmill Services (Scierie) Sawmill operations processing 60,000–100,000 m³ of logs per year (approximately 400 m³/day) using woods such as conifers, Douglas-fir, other firs, spruce, and pine. Supplies 90% of the wood used for the company's pallet production, with the remaining 10% sold as direct sawn timber.
• Forestry Services (Exploitation forestière) Forest harvesting operations including timber felling, logging, and wood trading across Basse and Haute Normandie, Bretagne, and Pays de la Loire. Company-owned forestry team of 8 (forestry technicians, fellers, and forwarder operators), with a harvester and two forest forwarders, and a commitment to replant trees after each exploitation.
• Saw Blade Sharpening Service (Affûtage de lames de scie) Industrial sharpening service for saw blades, supporting sawmill equipment and offered as a stand-alone service to wood-industry customers.
• Transport and Delivery Services (CK TRANS) In-house transport and delivery service operated by wholly-owned subsidiary CK TRANS. Delivers logs and finished products (pallets, blocks, timber) within a 350 km radius covering Northwestern France, including Normandy, Brittany, Pays de la Loire, Île-de-France, and Oise.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 kg CO₂ stored per pallet, with 95% recycling rate for wooden pallets
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stade Malherbe Caen (SMC)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2009Official partner since 2009 and shirt sponsor since 2014. Became first jersey sponsor of the women's team in 2019. Three additional seasons extended with SMC in 2019. Sponsorship enables brand development and promotion of wooden pallet profession and wood sector.
• La Roue TeilleulaiseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCycling club sponsorship for several years. Club has achieved impressive results at national level.
• AAEP HandballminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTeilleul Handball Club sponsorship. Club celebrated 60th anniversary in 2019.
• Didier Hulin (ULM Mont Saint-Michel)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMicrolight pilot with extensive experience and flying hours. Partnership puts Künkel colors in Normandy sky above Mont Saint-Michel.
• KaribariominorGTM or Marketing PartnerBoat operating from Granville port. Partnership collaboration for multiple years.
• France Bois Forêt / Commission de la palette boiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterprofessional partnerships enabling firm establishment in Normandy and nationally, encouraging economic and social development in wood sector.
• Fédération du BoiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational timber federation membership for sector coordination and wood pallet commission participation.
• Karibario6minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal partnership displayed on company website.
• IUT TECH DE CO de CaenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor and godfather of IUT TECH DE CO from Caen since 2019. Training partnership for professional world opening, experience sharing, student coaching, and job offers.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Falkenhahn AG: German manufacturer of custom wooden pallets, pallet collars, and wooden packaging/containers — directly comparable to Künkel's core business, with similar focus on customized load carriers and integrated production for B2B customers in German-speaking markets.
• INKA Paletten GmbH: German maker of compressed wood pallets (INPACT system) and pallet blocks, directly comparable on the chipboard block / engineered wood pallet side of Künkel's offering and on European pallet standardization.
• PalletOne Ltd: United Kingdom's largest wooden pallet manufacturer, producing new pallets, block pallets and timber packaging for B2B logistics customers — a directly comparable manufacturer at greater scale.
• Paletten-Service GmbH: German manufacturer and distributor of EUR/EPAL-standard wooden pallets and special pallets, comparable as a regional producer focused on standardized B2B pallet supply in the DACH region.
• IPP Logipal (Logipal): European wooden pallet pooling and management services provider operating EPAL pool pallets across multiple countries; competes with Künkel's pallet offerings through pooling economics for large European customers.

Broad incumbents

• CHEP (Brambles Limited): Global leader in pallet pooling and supply-chain services, owning and renting pooled pallets to large retailers and manufacturers; competes with Künkel at the customer level (pool vs. buy) rather than as a like-for-like producer.
• Kronospan Holdings: One of the world's largest wood-based panel manufacturers (chipboard, MDF, OSB), relevant as a downstream buyer of wood residues and a potential competitor/partner for Kunkel's chipboard block and sawmill operations.
• Schoeller Allibert: European leader in returnable/reusable plastic packaging and load carriers (pallets, containers, crates), headquartered near Paris; competes with wooden pallets in the same logistics/packaging end markets and represents a meaningful alternative for industrial customers.

Others

• EPAL (European Pallet Association e.V.): Licensing body governing production and repair of the EPAL Euro pallet standard, of which Künkel is a licensed producer; ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.

Emerging players

• CABKA Group: Specialized manufacturer of pressed-wood and plastic pallets and load carriers including pressed pallets made from recovered wood, comparable to Kunkel's chipboard block technology and pallet production.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kunkelsas
• Facebookfacebook.com/kunkelsas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kunkel-sas

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Kunkel