Eternit
Eternit is a Belgian manufacturer of asbestos-free fiber cement corrugated sheets (Ecolor, Ecolor Extra) serving agricultural, residential, and industrial roofing customers through a national distributor and installer network. Founded in 1905, it operates as a 251–500 employee brand within Etex Group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1905
- HeadquartersKapelle-op-den-bos, Belgium
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Eternit does
Eternit is a Belgian manufacturer of fiber cement corrugated sheets headquartered in Kapelle-op-den-Bos and operating as a 251–500 employee brand under the Etex Group conglomerate. Founded in 1905, the company produces two core product lines, Ecolor and Ecolor Extra, complemented by a comprehensive accessories range that includes ridge pieces, gable pieces, underpieces, bend pieces, and translucent light plates. The underlying technology is a proprietary fiber cement formulation using cement, sand, cellulose, PVA fibers, and water; Eternit ceased asbestos use in 1997 and now relies on organic fibers not classified as carcinogenic by IARC, MAK, HSE, or NTP. Products carry European fire certifications (A2-s1,d0 reaction-to-fire and Broof) and are compatible with the Esdec ClickFit EVO solar mounting system.
The company generates revenue through one-time hardware sales of fiber cement products, executed exclusively through a network of professional Belgian distributors and installers rather than direct-to-consumer channels. Its primary customer segment is the agricultural sector, providing roofing for dairy cattle, beef cattle, pig, poultry, and equine facilities, plus machinery and storage buildings; a secondary segment covers residential and industrial buildings. The customer base consists of SMBs such as individual farmers and small construction contractors (e.g., Mark Heiligers and Aannemersbedrijf Betonbouw Rooi are named references), and pricing is not publicly disclosed. Eternit supports demand generation through content marketing, technical documentation, a free-sample service, and a customer project-sharing program (hashtag #myeternit).
As a wholly-owned sub-brand of Etex Group — a Belgian industrial conglomerate with 12,500+ employees and operations in 42 countries — Eternit benefits from group-level infrastructure while retaining a narrow product and geographic focus on the Belgian agricultural roofing market. The addressable market is structurally tied to agricultural construction cycles and the European renovation/retrofit pipeline driven by legacy asbestos roof replacement.
Eternit firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Eternit
- Legal name
- Eternit NV
- Website
- https://eternit.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1905
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Eternit is a Belgian manufacturer of asbestos-free fiber cement corrugated sheets (Ecolor, Ecolor Extra) serving agricultural, residential, and industrial roofing customers through a national distributor and installer network. Founded in 1905, it operates as a 251–500 employee brand within Etex Group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Eternit industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Materials
- NAICS
- Other Concrete Product Manufacturing (327390)
- SIC
- Concrete Products, Except Block & Brick (3272)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Masonry Veneer Units (Thin Brick, Stone Veneer) (IMADABAI)
Keywords
Where Eternit is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kapelle-op-den-bos
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Eternit business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fiber Cement Products: One-time sales of fiber cement corrugated sheets and accessories for agricultural, residential, and industrial roofing applications. Products are sold through distributors and professional installers rather than directly to end consumers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Eternit product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Eternit manufactures and sells fiber cement corrugated sheets under the Ecolor and Ecolor Extra brands for agricultural, residential, and industrial roofing applications. The product portfolio is complemented by a complete range of accessories including ridge pieces, gable pieces, underpieces, bend pieces, and translucent light plates. All products are asbestos-free since 1997, using organic cellulose and PVA fibers.
Product overview
Eternit is a Belgian manufacturer producing fiber cement corrugated sheets for agricultural, residential, and industrial buildings. The product portfolio centers on two main corrugated sheet products: Ecolor (standard) and Ecolor Extra (premium), complemented by a comprehensive range of fittings and accessories including ridge pieces, gable pieces, underpieces, bend pieces, and translucent light plates. All products are asbestos-free since 1997, using organic cellulose and PVA fibers instead of asbestos. The company serves primarily the agricultural sector with roofing solutions for dairy cattle, beef cattle, pigs, poultry, and horses, as well as storage buildings. Eternit is a brand under Etex Group, a Belgian industrial group specializing in construction materials.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ecolor: Fiber cement corrugated sheet product line for agricultural and residential applications
- Ecolor Extra
Products and services
- Ecolor Standard fiber cement corrugated sheets for agricultural, residential, and industrial roofing applications. Made from cement, sand, cellulose, PVA fibers, and water without asbestos. Sold through professional distributors and installers.
- Ecolor Extra Premium fiber cement corrugated sheets with enhanced properties for agricultural, residential, and industrial roofing applications. Sold through professional distributors and installers.
- Ecolor-Lichtplaten (Light Plates) Translucent light plates for creating daylight in roof surfaces, compatible with Ecolor corrugated sheets. Sold through professional distributors and installers.
- B-onderstuk (B-underpiece) Accessory for sealing roof openings at the gutter edge and at the bottom of facade claddings. Sold through professional distributors and installers.
- SC-onderstuk (SC-underpiece) Accessory for sealing the junction between S-windveer piece and C or B underpiece. Sold in pairs and must be cut in half before mounting. Sold through professional distributors and installers.
- Knikstuk (Bend piece) Accessory for sealing the roof-facade transition at the gutter edge when both roofing and facade cladding are executed in Ecolor corrugated sheets, and for sealing bends in roof surfaces. Sold through professional distributors and installers.
- Z-nokstuk (Z-ridge piece) Accessory for sealing the ridge on shed roofs or monopitch roofs. Installation direction depends on the version (sleeve right or left). Sold through professional distributors and installers.
- SG-topgevelstuk (SG-gable piece) Accessory for sealing the interface between S-windveer pieces and G-ridge piece. Sold through professional distributors and installers.
- SL-topgevelstuk (SL-gable piece) Accessory for sealing the interface between S-windveer piece and L-ridge piece. Sold through professional distributors and installers.
- SZ-topgevelstuk (SZ-gable piece) Accessory for sealing the interface between S-windveer piece and Z-ridge piece. Sold through professional distributors and installers.
- C-onderstuk (C-underpiece) Accessory for sealing roof openings at the gutter edge. Sold through professional distributors and installers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50-year lifespan under normal conditions
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Eternit
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Eternit technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature4 records
Eternit partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Etex GroupcoreEternit is a brand dedicated to fiber cement corrugated sheets under Etex Group, a Belgian industrial group specializing in construction materials. Etex Group operates in 42 countries with more than 12,500 employees. Eternit leverages the Etex Group's global infrastructure and expertise while maintaining its focus on the agricultural roofing market in Belgium.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Eternit competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cedral: Cedral is a sister brand under Etex Group producing fiber cement cladding and panels, sharing parent infrastructure, distribution, and fiber cement R&D with Eternit - making it the most operationally comparable peer.
- James Hardie: James Hardie is the global leader in fiber cement building products (siding, panels, trim) and the closest scaled direct comparable to Eternit's fiber cement sheet technology, although focused on residential siding rather than agricultural roofing.
- Swisspearl: Swisspearl (formerly Eternit Switzerland / Swiss subsidiary lineage) is a European fiber cement panel and roofing manufacturer directly comparable on core fiber cement technology and European market presence.
- Euronit: Euronit is another fiber cement brand under the Etex Group umbrella, explicitly listed on Eternit's website as a related international brand, producing fiber cement slates and sheets across several European geographies.
Emerging players
- Onduline: Onduline manufactures bituminous corrugated roofing sheets competing for the same agricultural roofing applications as Eternit's fiber cement sheets, offering a lower-cost alternative substrate with shorter lifespans.
- Nichiha: Nichiha is a Japanese fiber cement siding and panel manufacturer with growing European distribution, comparable on core fiber cement technology but with a residential-facing product mix.
Broad incumbents
- BMI Group: BMI Group is a major European pitched and flat roofing systems incumbent (tiles, membranes, accessories) whose agricultural and industrial roofing lines broadly compete with Eternit's corrugated sheet offering through installation channels.
- Wienerberger: Wienerberger is a leading European manufacturer of clay and concrete building products including roofing tiles and wall systems, a broad incumbent in the agricultural/industrial building envelope that overlaps with Eternit's value proposition.
- Saint-Gobain: Saint-Gobain is a global building materials conglomerate with roofing, cladding, and insulation product lines (including CertainTeed and Saint-Gobain Distribution) that compete in adjacent categories to Eternit's fiber cement sheets.
Regional players
- E. Missel GmbH: E. Missel is a German manufacturer of profiled/long-span roofing and cladding sheets, comparable in corrugated roofing form factor but serving primarily DACH-region markets rather than Belgium.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Eternit social profiles
Digital presenceEternit compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Eternit financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Eternit leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Eternit funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Eternit 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 Eternit
What does Eternit do?
Eternit manufactures and sells fiber cement corrugated sheets under the Ecolor and Ecolor Extra brands for agricultural, residential, and industrial roofing applications. The product portfolio is complemented by a complete range of accessories including ridge pieces, gable pieces, underpieces, bend pieces, and translucent light plates. All products are asbestos-free since 1997, using organic cellulose and PVA fibers.
Is Eternit a public or private company?
Eternit is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Eternit founded?
Eternit was founded in 1905. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Eternit based?
Eternit is headquartered in Kapelle-op-den-bos, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Eternit make money?
One revenue line is on record: fiber Cement Products.
Who are Eternit's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cedral, James Hardie, Swisspearl and Euronit. Emerging players are Onduline and Nichiha. Broad incumbents are BMI Group, Wienerberger and Saint-Gobain. E. Missel GmbH is listed as a regional player.
Does Eternit have an API?
No public API is recorded for Eternit.
What industry is Eternit in?
Eternit's product category is Building Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADABAI, Masonry Veneer Units (Thin Brick, Stone Veneer). Its NAICS code is 327390 and its SIC code is 3272.