ERNE
Swiss timber construction company (founded 1906) that designs, prefabricates, and assembles sustainable timber and hybrid building systems — including modular, facade, and SupraFloor® wood-concrete composite solutions — serving public institutions, developers, and commercial clients in Switzerland and Germany.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1906
- HeadquartersLaufenburg, Switzerland
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ERNE does
ERNE AG Holzbau is a Swiss timber construction company founded in 1906 and headquartered in Stein AG, Switzerland, operating as the timber-construction arm of the privately held ERNE Gruppe (800+ employees across the group). The company designs, engineers, prefabricates, and assembles sustainable timber and hybrid building systems — including modular timber construction (Holz-Modulbau), timber system construction (Holz-Systembau), hybrid timber-concrete/steel/rammed-earth structures (Holz-Hybridbau), parametric facades, wood-metal window systems, and the proprietary SupraFloor® and SupraFloor® ecoboost2 wood-concrete composite floor platforms — for public institutions, residential developers, commercial real estate investors, healthcare providers, and research facilities.
The company operates as a total contractor (Totalunternehmer) under a project-based one-time contract model, delivering the full lifecycle from design through on-site assembly using its own industrial prefabrication facilities in Stein AG (Switzerland) and Sinsheim (Germany), supported by an in-house joinery and interior-fitout workshop. Revenue is generated through construction contracts, sale of prefabricated building systems, integrated joinery and service/maintenance work, and rental/sale of temporary modular buildings. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales — tenders, direct invitations, and repeat institutional clients — in Switzerland and Germany, with a regional office in Penthalaz serving French-speaking Switzerland and a wholly-owned German subsidiary, ERNE GmbH, headquartered in Wiehl. Within the ERNE Gruppe, ERNE AG Holzbau is paired with sister company ERNE AG Bauunternehmung (concrete/masonry) to deliver full-stack building solutions from a single source.
ERNE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ERNE
- Legal name
- ERNE AG Holzbau
- Website
- https://erne.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1906
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Swiss timber construction company (founded 1906) that designs, prefabricates, and assembles sustainable timber and hybrid building systems — including modular, facade, and SupraFloor® wood-concrete composite solutions — serving public institutions, developers, and commercial clients in Switzerland and Germany.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ERNE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Timber construction services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310), Siding Contractors (238170), Interior Design Services (54141)
- SIC
- General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Lumber & Wood Products (No Furniture) (2400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mass Timber & Structural Engineered Wood (CLT, Glulam, NLT/DLT) (IMADADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)
Keywords
Where ERNE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Laufenburg
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
ERNE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Construction Contracts (Totalunternehmer / TU): ERNE acts as a total contractor (Totalunternehmer) and general contractor for building projects. Revenue is earned through project-based construction contracts covering the full project lifecycle: from design and engineering through to prefabrication, on-site assembly, and handover. The company also offers partial contracts (building systems, facades, windows, modular units) and operates as total performance competition (Gesamtleistungswettbewerb) partner.
- Building Systems and Prefabricated Components: Sale and installation of proprietary building systems including timber-hybrid structures, timber modular units, facades, and window systems (Holz-Metallfenster). These are sold as standalone products or as part of larger construction contracts.
- Integrated Services (Joinery, Interior, Service-Dienst): Additional revenue streams from joinery and interior fitting (Schreinerei, Innenausbau), renovation, room-in-room systems, and ongoing service and maintenance (Service-Dienst, Wartung, Instandsetzung, Umbau).
- Temporary Modular Buildings: Rental and sale of temporary modular building solutions in Switzerland and Germany, with available modular units listed on the company website.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
ERNE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ERNE AG Holzbau is a Swiss timber-construction company that designs, prefabricates, and assembles sustainable building envelope, facade, window, and interior-fit-out solutions for public, commercial, and residential projects. The company executes complex timber, wood-hybrid (SupraFloor®), and modular construction projects—often acting as total contractor (Totalunternehmer)—serving clients in Switzerland and Germany, and combines 110+ years of timber-craft expertise with industrial digital fabrication.
Product overview
ERNE AG Holzbau is a Swiss timber construction company offering a comprehensive portfolio of construction systems and technologies for industrial and commercial building projects. The portfolio is organized around core construction system products — Holz-Hybridbau (hybrid timber construction), Holz-Modulbau (modular timber), Holz-Systembau (system timber construction), Aufstockungen (building extensions), Fassaden (facades), and Fenstersysteme (windows) — supported by integrated service offerings including Gesamtleistungen (total contractor services), Schreinerei/Innenausbau (joinery and interior fit-out), and a Service-Dienst (maintenance and conversion). These systems are enabled by a suite of construction technologies: Digitale Fertigung (digital fabrication), Parametrische Fassaden (parametric facades), Stahl-Leichtbau (steel lightweight construction), and the SupraFloor® and SupraFloor® ecoboost2 wood-concrete composite floor systems. Additionally, ERNE offers Temporäre Räume (temporary modular spaces) for rapid space needs. The company operates as a total contractor (TU) delivering from design through assembly, with its own industrial prefabrication facilities ensuring precision and efficiency.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SupraFloor®: Intelligent wood-concrete composite system (HBV) for floor construction
- SupraFloor® ecoboost2
- Raum-in-Raum-System
Products and services
- Holz-Hybridbau (Timber Hybrid Construction) Hybrid timber construction system combining wood with other materials (such as concrete in the SupraFloor system) to optimize material performance and sustainability for industrial and commercial construction projects.
- Holz-Modulbau (Timber Modular Construction) Factory-prefabricated timber modules enabling rapid, flexible, and economically viable construction; modules can be assembled on-site and disassembled for relocation, as demonstrated by the 155-module Kantonsschule Stein and Europe's largest timber-modular school (Gymnasium Nord).
- Holz-Systembau (Timber System Construction) Industrial timber system-construction approach providing efficient, precise, consistently high-quality building components prefabricated in the company's factory and rapidly assembled on-site for office, commercial, and industrial buildings.
- Aufstockungen (Building Extensions / Top-up Construction) Lightweight timber building extensions (Aufstockungen) installed on existing buildings to increase usable floor area while minimizing disruption to ongoing operations below.
- Fassaden (Facade Systems) Modern building envelope solutions in timber or hybrid systems, including standard and individually designed parametric facades, prefabricated for efficient installation on commercial, residential, and public buildings.
- Fenstersysteme (Window Systems) Window solutions ranging from standard products to individual custom creative solutions, including ERNE Holz-Metallfenster (wood-metal windows) supplied for residential, commercial, and healthcare projects.
- Gesamtleistungen (Total Contractor Services) Full-service project delivery acting as total contractor (Totalunternehmer / TU), covering the entire construction process including design, engineering, fabrication, on-site assembly, and handover for public, commercial, and residential clients.
- Schreinerei, Innenausbau, Sanierung (Joinery, Interior Fit-out, Renovation) Custom joinery (Schreinerei), interior fit-out (Innenausbau), and renovation services that adapt spaces to current needs and integrate with ERNE's overall construction service offering.
- Service-Dienst (Service Department) Maintenance, repair (Instandsetzung), and conversion (Umbau) services to preserve and adapt buildings over their operational lifetime.
- Raum-in-Raum-System (Room-within-Room System) Comprehensive modular room-within-room spatial systems installable inside existing structures for both everyday and specialized space needs.
- Temporäre Räume (Temporary Modular Spaces) Rental and sale of rapidly deployable, relocatable modular buildings in Switzerland and Germany for temporary space needs such as interim schools, housing, and commercial use.
Quantifiable outcome
- Kantonsschule Stein: 155 timber modules, 3-storey building 74m × 11m, delivered in under one year from commission to handover
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use ERNE
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ERNE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
ERNE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ERNE AG BauunternehmungcoreERNE AG Bauunternehmung is the sister company within the ERNE Gruppe, responsible for all concrete and masonry works (Baumeisterarbeiten). In the Kantonsschule Stein project, ERNE AG Bauunternehmung performed all concrete works while ERNE AG Holzbau delivered the timber modular superstructure. This is a core intra-group operational partnership enabling the group to offer complete building solutions from a single source.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ERNE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Stora Enso Building Solutions: Division of Finnish-Sweded pulp-and-paper-turned-CLT giant supplying CLT panels and building systems across Europe. Indirectly comparable to ERNE as an upstream CLT supplier and increasingly active in full timber building solutions, with significantly greater scale and capital base.
- Implenia: Switzerland's largest construction and real estate services group, operating across general contracting, civil engineering, and real estate development. Competes with ERNE on large Swiss public/institutional total-contractor mandates, with broader portfolio but less specialization in timber construction.
Direct peers
- ALHO Systembau: German modular construction company producing prefabricated steel/timber modular buildings for schools, healthcare, offices, and public administration. Directly comparable to ERNE's Holz-Modulbau and temporary space offerings, with a stronger German footprint and broader material range.
- Blumer Lehmann: Swiss timber construction company with a long heritage, operating in modular timber, hybrid structures, and total contractor services. Most direct domestic peer to ERNE, competing in the same Swiss institutional and residential timber markets with comparable proprietary systems and prefabrication capabilities.
- KLEUSBERG GmbH & Co. KG: German modular construction specialist focused on public-sector buildings (schools, administrative buildings, kindergartens). Comparable to ERNE on the institutional/cantonal customer segment and modular project delivery model, primarily competing in Germany.
- WIEHAG GmbH: Austrian timber construction specialist with expertise in hybrid timber-concrete-steel structures and large-scale engineered timber buildings (including sports halls and industrial facilities). Directly comparable to ERNE on hybrid construction technology and total contractor delivery of complex timber projects.
- HESS TIMBER: German specialist for timber engineering, glulam structures, and complex timber roof/facade construction. Comparable to ERNE on engineered timber components and large-span timber solutions, competing for similar public and commercial projects in the DACH region.
- SchwörerHaus: German timber construction and modular home manufacturer offering prefabricated timber buildings for residential, commercial, and public-sector clients. Directly comparable to ERNE's Holz-Modulbau and Holz-Systembau product lines, with a stronger residential focus and significant German market presence.
- Cadolto Modulbau: German modular construction company specializing in factory-built modules for hospitals, schools, data centers, and laboratories. Directly comparable to ERNE's Holz-Modulbau and modular project execution, with similar factory-driven, speed-of-delivery value proposition in the DACH public-sector market.
Emerging players
- Binderholz: Austrian family-owned timber group producing CLT/glulam and engineered wood, increasingly moving downstream into full timber construction services. Comparable to ERNE on timber system technology and hybrid construction, though larger scale and more vertically integrated in raw material production.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ERNE social profiles
Digital presenceERNE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ERNE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
ERNE subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
ERNE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ERNE 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 ERNE
What does ERNE do?
ERNE AG Holzbau is a Swiss timber-construction company that designs, prefabricates, and assembles sustainable building envelope, facade, window, and interior-fit-out solutions for public, commercial, and residential projects. The company executes complex timber, wood-hybrid (SupraFloor®), and modular construction projects—often acting as total contractor (Totalunternehmer)—serving clients in Switzerland and Germany, and combines 110+ years of timber-craft expertise with industrial digital fabrication.
Is ERNE a public or private company?
ERNE is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was ERNE founded?
ERNE was founded in 1906. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is ERNE based?
ERNE is headquartered in Laufenburg, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does ERNE make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Construction Contracts (Totalunternehmer / TU) is the primary driver. The others are building Systems and Prefabricated Components, integrated Services (Joinery, Interior, Service-Dienst) and temporary Modular Buildings.
Who are ERNE's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Stora Enso Building Solutions and Implenia. Direct peers are ALHO Systembau, Blumer Lehmann, KLEUSBERG GmbH & Co. KG, WIEHAG GmbH, HESS TIMBER, SchwörerHaus and Cadolto Modulbau. Binderholz is listed as an emerging player.
Does ERNE have an API?
No public API is recorded for ERNE.
What industry is ERNE in?
ERNE's product category is Timber construction services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADADAC, Mass Timber & Structural Engineered Wood (CLT, Glulam, NLT/DLT), with a secondary code of IMAFABAE, Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders. Its NAICS code is 541310 and its SIC code is 1520.