What Fels-Werke GmbH does

Fels-Werke GmbH is a privately held German producer of quicklime, burnt and unburnt lime products, special lime mixtures, and mineral aggregates, headquartered in Goslar and operating six production sites across Germany (Oberharz/Rübeland, Kaltes Tal, Hornberg; Saal an der Donau; Gillersheim; Münchehof; plus the Großenhädt terminal). Founded in 1938 and reorganized under its current name in 1971, the company employs over 700 people, controls roughly 500 million tonnes of limestone reserves through owned quarries, and delivers approximately 4 million tonnes of lime products annually—making it one of Europe's largest lime suppliers. The company sells primarily into steel, environmental, construction, agriculture, and process industries (sugar, chemicals, glass) via direct B2B field sales with dedicated industry-segment account managers and application engineering support, supplemented by an online silo-monitoring platform and owned railway infrastructure (Fels Netz GmbH) that moves more than half of all products by rail.

The core technology is calcination-based lime burning from own quarried limestone, with ongoing decarbonization including 100% green electricity since 2024 and a strategic partnership with Litherm Technologies (announced September 2025) to commercialize all-electric calcination with integrated carbon capture. Revenue derives from one-time industrial sales of bulk lime, limestone, and special mixtures priced through custom B2B quotes; service revenue comes from customized logistics, technical consulting, and rail-infrastructure operations. Fels has changed ownership repeatedly over the past two decades (Preussag → Haniel/Xella 2001/2005 → Goldman Sachs/PAI 2008 → Lone Star 2016 → CRH 2017 → SigmaRoc plc 2024), and operates today as a wholly-owned subsidiary within SigmaRoc's Central region. Leadership transitioned on January 1, 2026, when Dr. Lars Pfeiffer (formerly of ArcelorMittal) succeeded Dr. Burkhard Naffin, who moved to SigmaRoc Group ExCo as CCO.

Name

Fels-Werke GmbH

Legal name

Fels-Werke GmbH

Website

https://fels.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Fels-Werke GmbH is a privately held German producer of quicklime, burnt and unburnt lime products, and mineral aggregates, operating six production sites and supplying approximately 4 million tonnes annually to steel, environmental, construction, agricultural, and process-industry customers. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of London-listed SigmaRoc plc.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial lime and limestone products

NAICS

Lime Manufacturing (327410), Lime Manufacturing (32741), Lime and Gypsum Product Manufacturing (3274)

SIC

Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Soda Ash & Industrial Carbonates (IMAEAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Limestone Quarrying (Industrial & Construction Grade) (IMAKAHAC), Specialty Aggregates (Rail Ballast, Riprap/Armor Stone, Gabion Stone) (IMAKAHAJ)

Keywords

• Burnt lime production
• Limestone aggregates
• Industrial minerals
• Mineral mixtures
• Hydrated lime

Headquarters

HQ city

Goslar

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lime and limestone product sales: B2B sales of burnt and unburnt lime products as well as mineral mixtures. Products sold in various forms from lump to ground for industrial applications. Revenue generated through direct sales to industrial customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Fels-Werke GmbH manufactures and sells burnt lime (quicklime), unburnt limestone products, special lime products, and mineral mixtures produced from its own limestone quarries at six German production sites. Products are sold in various forms (lump, ground, fine, hydrate, mixtures) to industrial customers in the steel, environmental, construction, agriculture, and chemical sectors. The company also offers scientific-technical consulting, application engineering, and customized logistics services including rail transport.

Product overview

Fels-Werke GmbH is a leading European lime supplier offering a comprehensive portfolio of burnt lime (Kalkprodukte), unburnt limestone (Kalksteinprodukte), and special lime products (Spezialkalke). The product portfolio is organized around three main categories: limestone products (coarse, medium, fine, grit, and meal grades used in construction, agriculture, and industrial applications), burnt lime products (white lump lime, white fine lime, and lime hydrate for steel, construction, and environmental uses), and specialized lime products (branntkalke, special mixtures, and fine lime/hydrate blends for specific industrial processes). The company also markets branded consumer and agricultural products including Fels Futterkalk (feed lime), CalciDes stable hygiene products for various livestock, StradaCal for road construction, and products for wastewater treatment. Services include scientific-technical consulting, operational trials, customized logistics, and railway infrastructure through Fels Netz GmbH. Fels produces approximately 570 tonnes of lime per hour across multiple German locations, with annual production capacity of 1,000,000 tonnes, and operates as part of SigmaRoc plc.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fels Futterkalk: High-quality calcium carbonate for healthy animal nutrition
• Fels CalciDes
• Fels Kalkmilch
• Fels Branntkalk
• Fels Mischkalk 50
• Fels Weißkalkhydrat
• Fels Betonsplitte
• Fels StradaCal
• Fels Netz GmbH

Products and services

• Unburnt limestone products (Kalkstein grob, mittel, fein, Kalksteingrieß, Kalksteinmehl) Coarse, medium, and fine limestone aggregates, crushed stone grit, and ground limestone meal produced from Fels' own quarries. Used in road base layers, asphalt production, concrete aggregates, frost protection layers, flue gas desulfurization, plastics and paint, glass industry, construction industry, and mixed feed plants.
• Burnt lime products (Weißstückkalk, Weißfeinkalk, Weißkalkhydrat) White lump lime, white fine lime, and white lime hydrate produced by calcination of Fels' own limestone. Main applications in the iron and steel industry, chemical industry, building materials industry (lime sandstone, aerated concrete, plaster, mortar), environmental protection (water and wastewater treatment, air purification), and earthworks.
• Special lime products (Branntkalke n/g, Spezialgemische, Feinkalk- und Kalkhydrat-Gemische) Specialty burnt lime and lime mixtures including non-ground and ground burnt limes for earthworks, sludge treatment, and fertilizer lime; lime-magnesium and dolomite mixtures for pig iron and crude steel production and ladle metallurgy; and lime-coal blends used as sorbents for flue gas cleaning in municipal solid waste, special waste, and waste wood incineration plants.
• Fels Futterkalk (feed lime) High-quality calcium carbonate feed lime with over 97% calcium carbonate content, made from unburnt ground Harz limestone. Supports bone development and immune function in livestock and can reduce antibiotic use; sold to livestock farmers and agricultural retailers.
• Fels CalciDes stable hygiene product line (cattle, poultry, pigs, horses) Hygienic litter and stall hygiene products with pH >12 for walking and lying surfaces in cow stalls, poultry stalls, pig stalls, and horse boxes. Sold to livestock farmers and agricultural retailers for barn hygiene and animal health.
• Fels Kalkmilch zur Stallhygienisierung (lime milk for stable hygiene) Lime milk used for stable hygienization, providing a healthy barn climate. Sold to livestock farmers and agricultural retailers for use across all types of livestock housing.
• Fels Branntkalk -körnig- (granular burnt lime fertilizer) Alkaline granular burnt lime used as fertilizer for natural soil fertilization by arable farmers and agricultural retailers to neutralize soil acidity and supply calcium.
• Fels Mischkalk 50 -feucht- (moist 50% mixed lime) Moist 50% mixed lime for healthy soil and high crop yield performance, sold to arable farmers and agricultural retailers for soil improvement.
• Fels Weißkalkhydrat -hochaktiv- (highly reactive white lime hydrate) Highly reactive white lime hydrate for effective pollutant reduction in environmental applications, including air and water treatment. Sold to industrial and environmental services customers.
• Fels Betonsplitte (concrete split aggregates) Concrete split aggregates from high-quality hard limestone providing quick strength development, low thermal expansion, and frost resistance for concrete production. Sold to construction materials manufacturers and ready-mix concrete producers.
• Fels Weißkalkhydrat im Asphalt (white lime hydrate for asphalt) White lime hydrate additive used in asphalt mixtures to increase durability and load-bearing capacity of road surfaces. Sold to road construction firms and asphalt producers.
• Fels StradaCal (road and earth construction lime) Specialized lime product for road and earth construction that improves soil physical properties including compressive, shear, and tensile strength. Sold in bulk and Big-Bag packaging to civil engineering and road construction firms.
• Fels Biologische Abwasserbehandlung (biological wastewater treatment product) Lime product for biological wastewater treatment that prevents acidification and improves cleaning performance. Sold to municipal and industrial wastewater treatment operators.
• Fels Klärschlammbehandlung (sewage sludge treatment product) Lime product for safe and natural sewage sludge treatment with hygienizing effects. Sold to municipal and industrial wastewater treatment operators for sludge stabilization and disposal compliance.
• Scientific-technical consulting and operational trials Application technology support including laboratory and pilot plant investigations, scientific-technical consulting, and on-site supervision of operational plant trials. Sold to industrial customers as an engineering service alongside lime product supply.
• Customized logistics services (rail and truck delivery) Individual logistics concepts developed with railway and transport partners, offering a full delivery service package by rail or truck. Over 50% of Fels products are transported climate-friendly by rail using the company's own Fels Netz GmbH railway infrastructure. Sold as a service bundled with lime product supply to industrial customers.
• Online Silostände (online silo monitoring service) Online-accessible silo level monitoring that allows customers to check their lime product inventory remotely and trigger re-orders. Provided to industrial customers as a self-service digital layer on top of bulk lime deliveries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4 million tonnes of lime products delivered annually to industrial customers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Litherm Technologies GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Strategic cooperation for development of CO2-emission-free lime production technology. Litherm's all-electric calcination technology with integrated carbon capture is being commercialized based on existing pilot at Fels-Werke. First commercial demonstration plants to be built at Fels sites. Technology eliminates additional energy input for carbon capture.
• SigmaRoc plccoreOthersSigmaRoc is the London-listed parent company of Fels-Werke since 2024. Fels operates within SigmaRoc's Central Region covering Germany and neighboring countries. As part of SigmaRoc, Fels benefits from shared expertise and innovation investments.
• Fels Netz GmbHcoreOthersSubsidiary operating public railway infrastructure company in the Harz Mountains. Railway network spans from Blankenburg via Rübeland to Hornberg. After extensive renovation, line can be operated electrically with unique 25kV/50Hz secondary voltage system.
• Harz EnergieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for e-charging station at Münchehof facility opened in February 2024.
• Initiative Sauberer PhosphorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation founding member working on clean phosphorus initiatives. Association meeting held in Berlin in November 2025.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lhoist Group: Belgian-headquartered, world's largest privately-held lime and limestone producer. Direct competitor to Fels-Werke across bulk burnt lime, hydrated lime, dolomite, and aggregates serving steel, environmental, construction, and agricultural customers in Europe.
• Carmeuse: Belgium-based global lime and limestone producer operating dozens of kilns in Europe and North America. Competes head-to-head with Fels in steel-flux, environmental, and construction lime markets, with comparable product range and application engineering.
• SCHAEFER KALK GmbH & Co. KG: German family-owned lime producer operating quarries and kilns primarily in Hesse. Closest domestic rival to Fels-Werke in German burnt lime, hydrated lime, and specialty lime for steel, environmental, and agricultural uses.
• Nordkalk (Rettig Group): Finnish-headquartered producer of limestone and quicklime products for paper, steel, and environmental applications across Northern and Eastern Europe. Comparable vertically integrated lime-and-aggregates business serving adjacent industrial customers.
• Graymont Limited: Canadian privately-held lime producer with significant operations in the US and selected European markets. Directly comparable in product mix (high-calcium and dolomitic lime, aggregates) and end-market exposure.
• Calmit GmbH (CRH): Austrian lime producer, formerly part of CRH (Fels-Werke's previous owner), serving construction, agriculture, and environmental markets in Central Europe. Direct regional competitor with similar product portfolio.
• Mississippi Lime Company: US-headquartered high-calcium lime producer with growing European specialty footprint. Comparable quicklime and hydrated-lime focus for industrial, environmental, and specialty chemical customers.

Broad incumbents

• CRH plc: Dublin-listed global building materials group and Fels-Werke's owner from 2017 to 2024. Operates broad aggregates, cement, and lime activities across Europe, providing the strategic-incumbent reference point and a likely competitive counterparty.
• Heidelberg Materials AG: Major German-headquartered building materials incumbent producing cement, aggregates, and downstream products. Competes with Fels indirectly via aggregates and cement-adjacent portfolios and as a German industrial neighbor.
• Holcim Ltd: Swiss-listed global building materials heavyweight with aggregates, cement, and lime adjacencies in Europe. Serves overlapping construction and infrastructure customers and represents the broad-incumbent reference for industrial minerals players.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Fels-Werke GmbH