Kiehl

What Kiehl does

Kiehl (legal entity: Johannes KIEHL KG) is a fourth-generation, family-owned German manufacturer of professional cleaning and hygiene products, founded in 1904 and headquartered in Odelzhausen near Munich. The company operates two co-located manufacturing sites — Johannes KIEHL KG for professional building cleaning formulations and KAW KIEHL KG for automatic vehicle wash products — and offers more than 2,500 product variants across eight categories: eco-labeled products, building cleaning, vehicle wash, disinfection, textile laundry (ARENAS), kitchens and food industry, hand care, and accessories. Its customer base spans professional building cleaners, automatic vehicle wash operators, healthcare facilities, food processing firms, HoReCa operators, and textile laundries, with field application extending to floor coatings certified to DIN 18032-2, DIN EN 14904, and DIN 51130 R9 (sports halls and public areas).

The business model is B2B direct sales executed through a regional consultant field-sales force (56 consultants in Germany, plus coverage in Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, the UAE, and additional markets totaling 17 countries), with pricing conducted on a quote-based, multi-year contract basis. Distribution is supported by an in-house digital ecosystem — the KIEHL mobile app (iOS/Android) offering safety data sheets in 26 languages, a consumption calculator, and barcode scanning; an interactive Germ and Disinfectant Guide; an e-learning platform via Easygenerator; plus a workshop and trade fair program. Kiehl monetizes primarily through formulation manufacturing and consumable product sales, augmented by compliance-driven demand from institutions requiring EU Ecolabel (33 products), Nordic Swan (9), Austrian Ecolabel (14), Blue Angel (2), and VAH disinfection certifications, alongside EN ISO 9001/14001/45001/50001 management system certifications. The company has no external institutional investors or parent ownership and is controlled by the Kiehl family, with Johannes Peter Kiehl serving as CEO of both main operating entities.

Name

Kiehl

Legal name

Johannes KIEHL KG

Website

https://kiehl-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1904

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kiehl is a fourth-generation, family-owned German manufacturer (founded 1904, ~500 employees) producing 2,500+ professional cleaning and hygiene products for building cleaning, vehicle wash, healthcare, food processing, and textile laundry customers across 17 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Cleaning Products

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256), Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246)

SIC

Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Janitorial & Sanitation (JanSan) Supplies Wholesale (CRAOAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cleaning Chemicals & Disinfectants Distribution (CRAOAGAB), Car Wash, Auto Detailing & Vehicle Cleaning Supplies Distribution (CRAOAGAM)

Keywords

• Professional cleaning products
• Industrial detergents manufacturing
• Vehicle wash chemicals
• Eco-certified disinfectants
• Floor care coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Odelzhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cleaning Products Manufacturing and Sales: Manufactures and sells high-quality detergents for professional building cleaning and automatic vehicle washing through direct sales and regional consultant networks

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kiehl manufactures and sells professional cleaning, hygiene, and care products for building cleaning, vehicle washing, disinfection, textile laundry, kitchen hygiene, and floor coating applications. The company offers over 2,500 product variants through direct field sales and a regional consultant network, targeting commercial and institutional buyers in Germany and 16 other countries.

Product overview

KIEHL is a family-owned company (4th generation, since 1904) manufacturing high-quality cleaning products for professional building cleaning and car wash operations. The company offers over 2,500 product variants across eight main categories: Eco-products with environmental labels, Building cleaning products, Vehicle wash products, Disinfection products, Textile laundry products, Kitchens and food industry products, Hand cleaning and care products, and Accessories. Key products include the Legnodur-Titan 2.0 and Legnodur-TiGloss permanent floor coatings, ARENAS textile laundry products line, and the KIEHL mobile app for product information and usage guidance. The portfolio serves industries including healthcare, hospitality, food processing, automotive, and building maintenance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KAW KIEHL: Vehicle wash products division for automatic vehicle washing
• ARENAS
• KIEHL-Legnodur
• ARENAS-liposol
• Kiehl-Legnodur-Titan 2.0
• Kiehl-Legnodur-TiGloss

Products and services

• Dopomat Intensive cleaning product for mechanical floor cleaning machines, used by professional building cleaning companies.
• Dopomat-brillant Gloss-enhancing cleaning product for mechanical floor cleaning machines used in professional building maintenance.
• Dopomat-secur Mechanical floor cleaner with anti-slip care components for building cleaning professionals.
• Rivas Surfactant-free intensive cleaning product for mechanical floor cleaning, targeted at professional cleaning companies.
• Rivamat Surfactant-free special cleaning product for mechanical floor cleaning applications, used by building cleaning professionals.
• Kiehl-Legnomat Mechanical floor cleaner specifically designed for wooden floors in professional settings.
• Rollomat Cleaning product designed for escalators and passenger conveyors in commercial facilities.
• Corvett Deep cleaning product for ceramic grout tiles used in professional building cleaning.
• Kiehl-Legnodur-Titan 2.0 Ceramic-reinforced 2K-PU permanent coating for floors with optimized anti-slip properties, meeting multiple international sports hall and public area standards (DIN 18032-2, DIN EN 14904, DIN 13036, DIN 51130 R9).
• Kiehl-Legnodur-TiGloss High-gloss permanent floor coating providing long-lasting mirror-like shine for sports halls and public areas, meeting DIN 18032-2, DIN EN 14904, and DIN 13036 standards.
• ARENAS-liposol Strong liquid degreaser and special additive for professional textile laundry, effective at 30-90°C, compatible with all ARENAS washing components, targets food processing plants, hotels/spas, and industrial cleaning.
• Tafit-eco Surface and plastic cleaner for professional cleaning applications.
• Vehicle Wash Products Complete range of products for automatic and manual vehicle washing, including pre-wash, wheel cleaning, foam cleaners, shampoos, drying aids, wax/care, polish, water treatment, and seasonal items, marketed under KAW KIEHL brand.
• Building Cleaning Products Professional building cleaning solutions including mechanical floor cleaning, surface care, and maintenance products for facility management and cleaning companies.
• Disinfection Products Professional VAH-certified disinfection products for healthcare facilities, nursing homes, and hygiene-critical environments.
• Textile Laundry Products Professional textile laundry products including degreasers, shampoos, and specialized additives for commercial and industrial laundry operations, marketed under the ARENAS brand.
• Kitchens and Food Industry Products Professional cleaning products for commercial kitchens, food processing plants, and HoReCa hygiene.
• Hand Cleaning and Care Products Professional hand cleaning and care products for industrial and commercial use.
• Eco-Products with Environmental Labels KIEHL cleaning products with verified environmental labels including EU Ecolabel (33 products), Nordic Swan (9), Austrian Eco-label (14), and Blue Angel (2) certifications.
• KIEHL App Smartphone and tablet application providing product information, application guidance, safety data sheets in 26 languages, integrated consumption calculator, barcode scanner, and step-by-step instructions for professional cleaning.
• Germ and Disinfectant Guide Interactive web tool that enables professional users to identify optimal Kiehl disinfectant products by searching for specific pathogens or infectious diseases.
• Accessories Supporting accessories and equipment for professional cleaning applications, including application tools and related consumables.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products available in 26 languages
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Systemhaus Liebchen GmbHminorOthersExternal data protection officer and whistleblower system provider. Handles data protection compliance and anonymous reporting services.
• KOCHAN UND PARTNER GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides support services for the Kiehl website project execution.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Christeyns: Belgian-headquartered manufacturer of hygiene, laundry and cleaning chemicals serving professional and industrial customers across Europe. Comparable in vertical breadth (laundry, kitchen, building cleaning, vehicle wash) and European B2B go-to-market.
• Dr. Schnell Chemie GmbH: Mid-sized German manufacturer (Munich) of cleaning and disinfection products for professional building cleaning, healthcare and HoReCa. Directly overlaps Kiehl on customer segments, distribution model (direct field sales) and product categories in the DACH market.
• Dr. Weigert: German manufacturer (Hamburg) specializing in cleaning, disinfection and hygiene products for healthcare, laboratory and food-industry customers. Highly comparable to Kiehl's healthcare and food-industry segments, with similar certifications (VAH, RKI) and direct B2B distribution.
• Werner & Mertz (Tana Professional): German family-owned manufacturer of professional and consumer cleaning products with an explicit eco/sustainability positioning (Tana Professional, green care Professional). Directly comparable to Kiehl on eco-label positioning, German Mittelstand ownership, and professional B2B focus.
• Buzil-Werk Wagner: German family-owned manufacturer of professional cleaning and hygiene products (Buzil, green care PROFESSIONAL, Sutter) headquartered in Memmingen. Among the closest head-to-head competitors for Kiehl in the DACH professional-cleaning channel, with a very similar Mittelstand profile and product breadth.

Broad incumbents

• Ecolab: Global leader in water, hygiene and infection-prevention solutions serving food service, healthcare, hospitality and industrial customers. The closest large-scale analog to Kiehl's professional cleaning and disinfection business, with overlapping end markets and a far larger global footprint.
• Henkel (Professional / Laundry & Home Care): German global manufacturer with a sizable professional cleaning, industrial and institutional hygiene offering inside its Laundry & Home Care and Adhesive Technologies portfolios. A relevant benchmark on scale, certification depth and multinational reach, even if it is far broader than Kiehl.
• Diversey (Solenis): Provider of hygiene, cleaning and sanitation chemicals and tools for foodservice, hospitality, healthcare and building care, now part of Solenis. Directly comparable in product mix (cleaners, disinfectants, floor care) and B2B go-to-market, with substantially greater global reach than Kiehl.
• S.C. Johnson Professional: Division of S.C. Johnson producing cleaning, hygiene and floor-care products for professional and institutional markets globally (including trusted brands like SC Johnson, Dr. Strange). Comparable in targeting facility management and HoReCa with significantly greater geographic reach.

Emerging players

• Stockmeier Chemie: Family-owned German chemical company (Bielefeld) that has expanded into specialty cleaning and hygiene formulations alongside its core chemical distribution business. Comparable as a Mittelstand competitor with growing vertical overlap in cleaning chemistry and European customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kiehl
• Instagraminstagram.com/kiehl_group
• Facebookfacebook.com/KiehlItalia

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries6 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 Kiehl