What Holzwerke Weinzierl does

Holzwerke Weinzierl GmbH is a fourth-generation, family-owned softwood sawmill headquartered in Vilshofen an der Donau, Germany, in continuous operation since its founding by Hans Weinzierl in 1935. The company processes approximately 650,000 Festmeter of round timber annually—primarily spruce with smaller volumes of fir—making it one of Germany's most powerful softwood sawmills by throughput. Its products serve B2B industrial customers across the construction value chain, including manufacturers of glue-lam beams (Leimbinderwerke), prefabricated houses (Fertighaushersteller), and pallet and packaging producers, with daily deliveries of 50-60 truck loads distributed across Germany, Austria, and Italy from a ~22-hectare Vilshofen site and a secondary Pleinting production location, supported by approximately 120-145 employees.

The company's processing stack rests on modern high-speed circular saw lines with edger optimization, a Holtec chainless round timber sorting system commissioned in 2019 with daily capacity of approximately 3,300 Festmeter, 34 kiln drying chambers with simultaneous capacity of approximately 10,000 m³, biomass cogeneration producing 250,000 MWh of heat annually, approximately 4.57 MW of cumulative photovoltaic capacity, and a proprietary HD pellet manufacturing technology. The pellet operation, marketed under the Donau Pellets brand with HD+ quality specifications that exceed ENplus A1 standards on every measured parameter, delivers ~200,000 tonnes of pellets annually—roughly enough to supply ~40,000 households with CO2-neutral heating energy. Vertical integration enables 100% energy self-sufficiency, PEFC-certified domestic sourcing, and near-zero-waste utilization (all by-products feed heat, power, or pellets), which collectively anchor the operational and sustainability profile.

Revenue is split approximately 75% from sawn timber sales and 25% from Donau Pellets plus CO2-neutral electricity and heat, yielding total annual revenue of approximately €150 million as of 2022 per company disclosure. The business model is sales-led B2B with a dedicated in-house sales department, a wholesale pellet channel, and an emerging bagged retail pellet channel; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company is managed by the Weinzierl family (Hans Weinzierl sen. and Hans Weinzierl) and recognized externally as the 14th most crisis-resistant company in Germany in 2024 by SZ-Institut, ranked #1 in its branch. Forward operational commitments include the May 2026 transition of the entire company fleet to HVO100 synthetic renewable diesel, projected to cut fleet-related CO2 emissions by up to 90%.

Name

Holzwerke Weinzierl

Legal name

Holzwerke Weinzierl GmbH

Website

https://holzwerke-weinzierl.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Fourth-generation, family-owned German softwood sawmill processing approximately 650,000 Festmeter of round timber annually into sawn timber and Donau Pellets wood pellets for B2B industrial customers in construction, glue-lam, prefabricated house, and packaging sectors across Germany, Austria, and Italy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Softwood Sawmill and Wood Processing

NAICS

Sawmills (321113), Wood Product Manufacturing (321)

SIC

Sawmills & Planting Mills, General (2421), Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031)

akta.pro primary industry

Softwood Lumber Sawmills (IMAMABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pellet & Wood Fuel Manufacturing (IMAMABAH), Wood Pellet Manufacturing (EUAAAJAA), Biomass Pellets, Briquettes & Solid Bioenergy Products (industrial/residential) (IMAMALAJ), Biomass Wood Fiber, Pellets & Residuals (Bark/Chips/Sawdust) (IMADADAK)

Keywords

• Softwood sawmill operations
• Sawn timber processing
• Wood pellet manufacturing
• PEFC certified lumber
• Biomass cogeneration energy

Headquarters

HQ city

Vilshofen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sawn Timber Sales: Primary revenue stream generating approximately 75% of total annual revenue. Produces sawn timber (Nadelschnittholz) from softwood logs, primarily spruce, for construction applications including glue-lam beams, KVH, and packaging lumber.
2. Wood Pellets Sales: Secondary revenue stream generating approximately 25% of total annual revenue. Produces 200,000 tonnes of wood pellets annually under the Donau Pellets brand in HD+ quality. Sold both as bulk to wholesalers and bagged for retail trade.
3. CO2-neutral Electricity and Heat Sales: The company operates biomass cogeneration plants that generate electricity and heat from wood waste. Electricity covers 100% of the company's own needs with excess sold to the grid. Heat energy of 250,000 MWh annually is produced.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Holzwerke Weinzierl is a vertically integrated softwood sawmill that processes approximately 650,000 Festmeter of round timber annually into sawn timber (Schnittholz), KVH construction timber, glulam lamella, and packaging lumber for industrial manufacturers in construction, glulam, and pallet sectors. The company also produces 200,000 tonnes of premium HD+ quality wood pellets annually under the Donau Pellets brand, supplying wholesale distributors and retail trade for heating applications. Byproducts are converted into heat and electricity through biomass cogeneration, achieving 100% energy self-sufficiency.

Product overview

Holzwerke Weinzierl operates as a vertically integrated wood processing company with two core product lines: (1) Sawn Timber (Schnittholz) - processed from approximately 650,000 solid cubic meters of round timber annually, primarily spruce with some fir, supplied to construction, glulam, and packaging manufacturers; and (2) Donau Pellets in HD+ Quality - approximately 200,000 tonnes per year of premium wood pellets produced using proprietary HD pellet technology with superior quality specifications (higher bulk density, lower dust content, higher calorific value) exceeding ENplus A1 standards. The company processes all incoming wood material with zero waste, utilizing by-products for energy generation and pellets production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Donau Pellets: Wood pellets brand produced by Holzwerke Weinzierl, marketed under the Donau Pellets name.
• HD+ Qualität

Products and services

• Schnittholz (Sawn Timber) High-quality sawn timber processed from fresh, small-branched round logs (primarily spruce with smaller quantities of fir). With annual processing of approximately 650,000 solid cubic meters, it is one of Germany's most powerful softwood sawmills. Exacting and dimensionally accurate cuts from modern circular saw technology ensure consistent quality for construction manufacturers.
• Donau Pellets (HD+ Quality) Custom-made wood pellets produced using proprietary HD pellet technology under the Donau Pellets brand. Pellets feature ideal length mix without excess lengths, with drastically reduced short particles, breakage, and dust content. Annual production capacity of approximately 200,000 tonnes, making Donau Pellets one of Germany's largest pellet manufacturers. HD+ quality exceeds ENplus A1 standards with higher bulk density, lower dust, higher calorific value, superior mechanical strength, and lower ash content. Sold both in bulk to wholesalers and bagged for retail trade.
• Konstruktionsvollholz (KVH) Raws Construction timber supplied as raw material to manufacturers for the production of KVH (Keilgezinktes Vollholz / finger-jointed solid timber), used in sustainable construction worldwide.
• Brettschichtholz Lamella (Glulam Lamella) Lamella (planks) supplied as raw material for glulam (Brettschichtholz) beam production, serving manufacturers of engineered wood construction products for structural applications.
• Holzverpackungen (Packaging Lumber) Timber products supplied to manufacturers for wooden packaging materials, including pallets and crates, serving industrial packaging producers.
• CO2-Neutral Electricity and Heat CO2-neutral electricity and heat generated from wood waste byproducts through biomass cogeneration plants. Electricity covers 100% of the company's own needs with excess sold to the grid. Annual heat energy production of 250,000 MWh is supplied to supply the company's operations and external users.

Quantifiable outcome

• 650,000 Festmeter processed annually, ranking among Germany's most powerful softwood sawmills
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• HolteccoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017Holtec supplied the complete new short-log sorting system (Rundholzsortieranlage) including the chainless chainless-stufenschieber technology. The system was commissioned in 2019 with capacity of approximately 3,000 Festmeter/day. Life-cycle costs and operational efficiency were key factors in supplier selection. Custom requirements were implemented including a thick-walled PE pipe for the metal detector.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• UPM-Kymmene: Finnish forest industry group with European sawn timber operations and a growing biomass/biofuels business. Functions as a broad incumbent in the same softwood sawmilling and biomass energy space, though UPM's center of gravity is in pulp/paper and forest ownership.
• Stora Enso: Major Nordic forest products group with sawmill operations, engineered wood, and pellets across Europe. Broad incumbent overlapping with Holzwerke Weinzierl in softwood sawn timber and pellets, but at much larger scale and with a wider product portfolio including packaging and biomaterials.

Direct peers

• Binderholz: Austrian family-run sawmill and engineered wood products group (solid wood, glulam, pellets, biogas). Directly comparable as a vertically integrated softwood processor with pellet production, energy self-sufficiency via biomass cogeneration, and a similar B2B industrial customer base in the DACH region.
• Pfeifer Holz: Austrian family-owned softwood sawmill group producing sawn timber, glued laminated timber, and wood-based panels for construction across Europe. Directly comparable on product mix (sawn timber to industrial customers), DACH-centric operations, and integration into downstream wood products, with substantially larger scale.
• Mayr-Melnhof Holz: Austrian sawmill and wood-processing company producing sawn timber, profiled wood, and pellets with biomass cogeneration. Comparable integrated model with sawn timber and pellet operations serving European industrial and heating customers.
• Klausner Holz Sachsen: German/Austrian sawmill group focused on softwood sawn timber and by-products (pallets, pellets, biomass energy). Comparable scale player in the same softwood segment serving construction and packaging end-markets in Central Europe.
• Rettenmeier Holding: German family-owned softwood sawmill with sawmill operations, wood-based panels, pellets, and own-brand hardwood products. Closely comparable on German softwood sawmilling, pellet manufacturing, and integrated biomass energy operations serving B2B industrial and heating customers.
• Hasslacher Holding: Austrian sawmill group producing sawn timber, glulam, cross-laminated timber, and pellets with biomass energy generation. Highly comparable on integrated operations, sawmill-to-engineered-wood value chain, and pellet capacity serving European construction and heating markets.

Emerging players

• Holzpellets.de / German Pellet Federation members (e.g., German Pellets): Specialized wood-pellet producers in Germany operating in the same HD/enriched-pellet segment. Comparable on the ~25% pellet and biomass-energy revenue line, with narrower focus than Holzwerke Weinzierl but serving the same wholesale and retail heating channel.

Regional players

• Holzwerke H. Schneider: German softwood sawmill and pellet manufacturer based in Bavaria with comparable product mix (sawn timber for glulam and packaging, plus pellets). Comparable regional German player but at smaller scale and with a narrower geographic footprint than Holzwerke Weinzierl.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/holzwerke.weinzierl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holzwerke-weinzierl-gmbh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Holzwerke Weinzierl