Schomburg & Graf

What Schomburg & Graf does

Schomburg & Graf GmbH & Co. KG is a third-generation, family-owned German manufacturer of rubber and polyurethane soles headquartered in a single facility in Wuppertal. Founded in 1932 initially as a heel trade and brought in-house into production shortly thereafter, the company has been exclusively controlled by the Graf family since 1948 and currently employs approximately 80 staff operating under Managing Director Wilm Graf (Dipl. Ing.). Production began in polyurethane (PUR) soles in 1979, while plastic ball production was divested in 1988 to focus the business on rubber and polyurethane soling materials.

The company's product portfolio centers on safety-shoe soles compliant with EN 344, EN ISO 20344/20345, and EN 20345, covering rubber adhesive soles, polyurethane adhesive soles, combination rubber insoles with PUR foam, ESD, ISO-insulating, and conductive soles, plus a proprietary KS-BIO natural rubber compound for children's footwear that carries the Blue Angel eco-label. Additional lines include rubber sheets, wedge strips, long soles, heels, half soles, and orthopaedic specialist products for the shoemaking craft, as well as punched parts, buffers, arresters, and rubber gaskets for industrial applications. Manufacturing is supported by an in-house laboratory for quality assurance and mixture development, with external validation through TÜV Rheinland, Satra, and PFI.

Commercially, Schomburg & Graf runs an enterprise field-sales motion in which representatives visit customer factories for custom sole development, complemented by distribution through European merchants and shoemaker associations. The company operates without a minimum order quantity (shipping from a single pair with no small-quantity surcharge), dispatches stock items within 24 hours, and serves named customers across children's footwear (Ricosta, Elefanten), safety footwear (Steitz Secura, Zel), shoemaking distributors (Thanner, Himmelsbach, Euro Service Depot, Ruckgaber Brueggemann), and mold-making partners (Desma). With annual production capacity of nearly one million pairs of soles, the company targets a focused niche rather than competing in commodity rubber volume.

Name

Schomburg & Graf

Legal name

Schomburg & Graf GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://schomburg-graf.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schomburg & Graf is a third-generation, family-owned German manufacturer in Wuppertal producing rubber and polyurethane safety, ESD, orthopaedic, and children's soles, plus rubber materials for shoemaking and industrial customers across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rubber sole manufacturing / Footwear components

NAICS

Footwear Manufacturing (3162), Rubber Product Manufacturing (3262)

SIC

Rubber & Plastics Footwear (3021), Fabricated Rubber Products, Nec (3060)

akta.pro primary industry

Footwear Components & Subassemblies Manufacturing (Soles/Heels/Insocks/Outsoles/Uppers) (IMAOAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Work, Safety & Occupational Footwear (CRAAACAE), Specialty & Orthopedic Footwear Manufacturing (Medical/Diabetic/Custom) (IMAOAIAI)

Keywords

• Rubber sole manufacturing
• Polyurethane sole production
• Safety shoe components
• Natural rubber compounds
• Industrial rubber materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Wuppertal

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sole Products: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling rubber and polyurethane soles for safety shoes, including adhesive soles, rubber insole sheets, and specialized soles (ESD, ISO, acid-resistant). Production capacity of nearly 1 million pairs annually.
2. Rubber Materials: Sale of rubber sheets, rubber panels, and rubber compounds in unvulcanized form for customers to vulcanize on their own equipment. Also includes wedge strips, long soles, heels and half soles for shoemaking.
3. Custom Development Services: Custom sole development in cooperation with customers and mold makers, including design elaboration from first drawing to finished CAD program. Technical consultation and support provided by field sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Schomburg & Graf manufactures and sells rubber and polyurethane (PUR) soles for the footwear industry, including safety shoe soles compliant with EN 344/EN ISO 20344/20345, ESD/insulating/conductive soles, natural rubber children's soles (KS-BIO), and combination rubber-PU insoles. The company also supplies rubber sheets, panels, compounds, heels, half soles, and wedge strips for shoemaking, shoemaking repair, and industrial applications (punched parts, molded buffers, gaskets), supported by an in-house laboratory for compound development and quality testing.

Product overview

Schomburg & Graf is a manufacturer of rubber and polyurethane sole solutions for the footwear industry, shoemaking crafts, and industrial applications. The product portfolio centers on safety shoe soles compliant with EN 344/20344/20345 standards, including rubber adhesive soles, polyurethane adhesive soles, and combination rubber insoles. The company also produces specialized lines including ESD (electrostatic discharge), insulating, and conductive soles for specific industrial requirements. For shoemaking, they offer rubber panels, wedge strips, long soles, heels, and half soles. A key differentiator is their natural rubber children's soles (KS-BIO compound) that meet Blue Angel eco-label requirements. Industrial materials include rubber sheets, punched parts, and molded rubber components. The company operates an in-house laboratory for quality control and product development, with nearly 1 million pairs of soles produced annually at their Wuppertal facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rubber Adhesive Soles (Gummi-Klebesohlen) Rubber adhesive soles particularly suitable for shoes used in areas with high temperatures or specific stresses, such as steel industry, fire service, or agriculture. Sold to safety shoe and industrial footwear manufacturers.
• Polyurethane Adhesive Soles (PU-Sohlen) Lightweight polyurethane adhesive soles suitable for many areas in industry, handicraft, and construction, representing the largest group used for safety shoes today. Sold to safety shoe manufacturers.
• Rubber Insoles (Gummi-Einlegesohlen) Rubber insoles with polyurethane foam layer for direct soling systems, enabling combination soles that offer low PUR weight with rubber advantages. Sold to footwear manufacturers.
• Rubber Compounds (Gummi-Mischungen) Rubber compounds supplied in unvulcanized form for customers to vulcanize on their own equipment into molded parts. Sold to industrial customers and shoemakers.
• Natural Rubber Children's Soles (KS-BIO Compound) Children's soles made from proprietary natural rubber compound (KS-BIO) without SBR, NBR or other rubber types, meeting Blue Angel eco-label requirements and tested safe for skin contact and mouthing. Vegan option available. Sold to children's shoe manufacturers.
• Rubber Panels (Gummiplatten) Rubber panels and sheets for shoemaking and industrial applications. Sold to shoemakers and industrial customers.
• Wedge Strips (Keilstreifen) Wedge strips for shoemaking, packed in quantities of 5 or 10. Sold to shoemakers and shoe repair trades.
• Long Soles (Langsohlen) Long soles for shoemaking applications. Sold to shoemakers and shoe repair trades.
• Heels and Half Soles (Absätze und Halbsohlen) Heels and half soles for shoemaking, packed in quantities of 5 or 10. Sold to shoemakers and shoe repair trades.
• Orthopaedic Specialist Products Special products for production of orthopaedic specialist products and orthopaedic safety shoes in accordance with European norm EN 20345. Sold to orthopaedic shoemakers and orthopedic footwear manufacturers.
• ESD Soles (Electrostatic Discharge Soles) Electrostatic discharge soles meeting DIN EN 61340-5-1 ESD standard requirements, preventing spark hazards in electrical industry or flammable/explosive material handling. Sold to safety shoe manufacturers for electrical industry and hazardous environment footwear.
• ISO Insulating Soles Insulating soles for electrical engineering that protect wearers from electrical flow through the body. Sold to safety shoe manufacturers for electrical engineering worker footwear.
• Conductive Soles Soles used to derive or prevent electrostatic charge, providing exclusion of electrical shock from energized parts. Sold to safety shoe manufacturers for electrical industry applications.
• Materials for Industrial Applications Industrial rubber materials including punched parts, sheet products for vehicle and machinery lining, medium-weight molded parts (buffers, arresters), and rubber gaskets. Sold to industrial manufacturing customers.
• Laboratory Testing Services In-house laboratory with testing devices for quality assurance, mixture developments, and material value determination, with external testing through TÜV, Satra, and PFI. Sold to industrial customers and shoe manufacturers for material testing and compound development.

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• FaguscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForm and last maker partnership for custom sole development. Supports Schomburg & Graf in developing soles from first drawing to finished shoe. Collaborates on mold and last design for customer-specific solutions.
• DesmacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMold maker partnership for custom sole development. Enables Schomburg & Graf to provide customized soles according to individual requirements for design, designated purpose, and fit in cooperation with various mold makers.
• SiemasupportingTechnology or IntegrationAdhesive manufacturer partner supporting the shoe development process. Works with Schomburg & Graf to ensure compatibility of soles with appropriate adhesive systems for various applications.
• ReniasupportingTechnology or IntegrationAdhesive manufacturer partner for shoe industry applications. Collaborates with Schomburg & Graf to provide complete sole solutions including appropriate bonding systems for different shoe types and industries.
• TÜV RheinlandsupportingOthersIndependent testing institute providing quality certifications and test reports. Certifies suitability of soles for norm-compliant safety footwear (EN ISO 20344/345). Provides SG test reports confirming product quality standards.
• SatrasupportingOthersIndependent testing institute providing external reviews and certifications for products. Supports Schomburg & Graf in guaranteeing norm-compliant production of articles.
• PFI (Prüf- und Forschungsinstitut)supportingOthersIndependent testing institute providing external reviews and product certifications. Regular external reviews guarantee norm-compliant manufacturing of products.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Elten GmbH: German manufacturer of safety and work footwear that is also vertically integrated with proprietary sole development. Comparable to Schomburg & Graf in serving the European safety-shoe market with certified products, and is a relevant potential customer and competitive reference point.
• Vibram S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of high-performance rubber and PUR soles for safety, outdoor, work and fashion footwear globally. Closest direct comparable to Schomburg & Graf in product (rubber/PUR soles), customer base (footwear OEMs) and specialty positioning, though at significantly larger scale and brand recognition.
• Steitz Secura GmbH: German safety-shoe manufacturer and named customer of Schomburg & Graf. Comparable as a similarly-sized, family-influenced European safety footwear specialist and reflects the type of mid-sized OEM that is core to Schomburg & Graf's customer base.

Others

• Renia GmbH: German manufacturer of shoe-industry adhesives and bonding systems and a named strategic partner of Schomburg & Graf. Not a direct competitor, but a complementary ecosystem participant addressing the same footwear-OEM customers, useful as a comparable for German shoe-industry B2B specialty suppliers.

Broad incumbents

• Freudenberg Group: Large German global industrial group with rubber, polymer and footwear-component activities. Comparable as a much broader incumbent with adjacent rubber-product capabilities that competes for industrial and specialty rubber business alongside Schomburg & Graf.
• Birkenstock Group: German footwear brand that produces its own footbeds and soles at scale in Germany. Comparable as a vertically integrated German footwear company with proprietary sole/footbed technology, illustrating the scale and in-house manufacturing that a specialty supplier like Schomburg & Graf competes against for OEM mind-share.
• Uvex Safety Group: Large German PPE and safety-footwear group with broad product portfolio across occupational protection. Comparable as a much larger incumbent operating in the same European safety-footwear end market that Schomburg & Graf's customers serve.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SCHOMBURGundGRAF
• Instagraminstagram.com/schomburgundgraf/?hl=de

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Schomburg & Graf