What Erlau Freiraum does

Erlau Freiraum is the outdoor and street furniture brand of RUD Ketten Rieger & Dietz GmbH u. Co. KG, a family-owned German industrial group headquartered in Aalen, Baden-Württemberg. The brand manufactures durable, weather-resistant outdoor and street furniture — benches, seating sets, tables, sun loungers, concrete furniture, bicycle stands and lockers, and waste bins — sold exclusively to commercial buyers including municipalities, public-sector clients, and industrial enterprises.

The underlying technology centers on hot-dip galvanized steel frames with powder-coated finishes, wirbelgesintert (whirl-sintered) polyamide-Rilsan coatings for wire mesh components, and proprietary anti-graffiti surface treatments. Products are developed and assembled in Germany, and the brand operates within the global RUD Group distribution footprint spanning 120+ countries and more than 1,700 employees across the parent organization.

The business model is B2B direct: there are no published price lists, transactions are quote-based, and the brand supplements direct sales with an e-commerce online shop, custom/special construction services, and catalog distribution. Delivery via the Erlau Freiraum online shop is currently restricted to Germany despite the parent's international reach. The brand competes in the public and commercial outdoor furniture segment where durability, vandalism resistance, ease of maintenance, and procurement-standard continuity are the principal buying criteria.

Name

Erlau Freiraum

Legal name

RUD Ketten Rieger & Dietz GmbH u. Co. KG

Website

https://erlau-freiraum.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1828

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Erlau Freiraum is a German B2B manufacturer of durable outdoor and street furniture — benches, tables, bicycle infrastructure, and waste bins — serving municipalities and commercial buyers through direct e-commerce and project-based sales, operating as a brand within the RUD Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor and Street Furniture

NAICS

Household and Institutional Furniture Manufacturing (33712)

SIC

Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590), Public Bldg & Related Furniture (2531)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Furniture Retail (Patio Seating, Dining Sets, Umbrellas, Outdoor Storage) (CRAIAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sunrooms, Screen Rooms & Enclosures (HSAPALAF)

Keywords

• Outdoor furniture
• Street furniture
• Urban equipment
• Bicycle parking systems
• Public seating

Headquarters

HQ city

Aalen

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, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (B2B): Direct B2B sales of outdoor furniture including benches, tables, seating sets, concrete furniture, bicycle stands, waste bins, and accessories through online shop and catalog. Prices exclude VAT and shipping costs.
2. Custom/Special Solutions: Custom design solutions and special constructions (Lösungen und Sonderbau) for specific project requirements including concrete furniture customization

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Erlau Freiraum manufactures and sells outdoor furniture and urban equipment (benches, tables, seating sets, concrete furniture, bicycle stands, bike lockers, waste bins, sun loungers, chairs, planters, and accessories) to commercial customers in Germany through an e-commerce online shop and direct sales channels. The products are designed for public spaces, parks, urban areas, and company premises, featuring proprietary anti-graffiti coatings, polyamide-Rilsan corrosion protection, and galvanized welded steel frames for durability and vandalism resistance.

Product overview

Erlau Freiraum is a German outdoor furniture and public space equipment manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of urban furniture solutions. The product line centers on core outdoor furniture categories including benches (Bänke), concrete furniture (Betonmobiliar), sun loungers (Liegen), waste bins (Abfallbehälter), seating sets (Sitzgruppen), table-bench combinations (Sitz-Tisch Kombinationen), tables (Tische), bicycle stands (Fahrradständer), bike lockers (Fahrradboxen), and chairs (Stühle). The offering is complemented by accessories such as planters (Pflanzbehälter), cigarette bins (Ascher), dog waste bins (Hundetoiletten), and parasols (Sonnenschirme). Key product series include the modular Olympia seating system with its Luna and Luna Flow variants, the Solaris sun lounger, the Parador table-bench combination, and the Patio industrial furniture line. The company also provides extensive spare parts and components for seating groups including armrests (Armlehnen), frames/Zargen (Nova series), seat shells (Sitzschalen) in various designs like Drahtgitter and Pagholz, feet (Füße), and fixing sets (Befestigungssets). Erlau emphasizes weather-resistant, vandalism-proof, and ergonomically designed products made from durable materials such as galvanized steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and concrete, all manufactured in Germany with anti-graffiti coating options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bänke (Benches) Outdoor seating benches for public spaces, parks, and urban areas, available in various materials including wood and metal. Sold to commercial customers.
• Betonmobiliar (Concrete Furniture)
• Liegen (Sun Loungers)
• Abfallbehälter (Waste Bins)
• Sitzgruppen (Seating Sets)
• Sitz-Tisch Kombinationen (Table-Bench Combinations)
• Tische (Tables)
• Fahrradständer (Bicycle Stands)
• Fahrradboxen (Bike Lockers)
• Stühle (Chairs)
• Patio Serie (Industrial Furniture Line)
• Solaris Sonnenliege (Sun Lounger)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• RUD Ketten Rieger & Dietz GmbH u. Co. KGcoreOthersParent company of Erlau brand. Founded in 1875 in Aalen, Germany. International successful family-owned enterprise with over 1,700 employees worldwide, distributing products in over 120 countries and achieving annual sales exceeding 200 million euros. Erlau operates as a brand within the RUD Group portfolio.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lappset: Finnish manufacturer of outdoor furniture, playground equipment, and park & street fitness solutions. Overlaps with Erlau on outdoor benches, seating groups, and public-space equipment supplied to municipalities.
• Thieme GmbH: German street furniture manufacturer focused on benches, seating systems, litter bins, and bicycle infrastructure for municipalities. Domestic German competitor with the most directly overlapping product range and target customers.
• Metalco: Italian manufacturer of street and urban furniture (benches, litter bins, planters, bike racks) with strong European municipal customer base. Closely comparable in materials (steel/aluminum), product range, and target segments.
• Streetlife: Dutch designer and manufacturer of street furniture, benches, tree products, and bicycle infrastructure with comparable modular systems. Direct overlap with Erlau on benches, bike stands, and public-space equipment sold to municipalities.
• Santa & Cole: Spanish outdoor and urban furniture brand offering benches, bollards, lighting, and planters with strong design pedigree. Overlaps with Erlau on premium public-space seating and Mediterranean/European municipal projects.
• Nola Industrier: Swedish designer and producer of outdoor public furniture including benches, tables, planters, and bicycle stands. Highly comparable product mix and Scandinavian/European design-led public-sector positioning.
• Vestre: Norwegian outdoor furniture brand producing benches, tables, chairs, and litter bins with sustainability and Scandinavian design positioning. Comparable to Erlau on durable public-space seating, modular systems, and pan-European B2B/public-sector sales.
• mmcité: Czech designer and manufacturer of urban and street furniture (benches, litter bins, planters, bollards). Directly comparable product portfolio and target customer base (cities, architects, public-sector projects across Europe).
• Hess: German manufacturer of urban furniture, lighting columns, and bollards for public spaces. Comparable as a German-made, design-led B2B supplier to municipalities across Europe.
• Fundició Dúctil Benito: Spanish manufacturer of urban and street furniture (benches, litter bins, bollards, planters, bike racks). Overlaps with Erlau on municipal-targeted street furniture and park equipment across European markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erlau-freiraum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Erlau Freiraum