Gfeller Holzbau

What Gfeller Holzbau does

Gfeller Holzbau GmbH is a family-owned Swiss timber construction company headquartered at Bollstrasse 63 in Worb, Canton Bern, operating since 1976 (reincorporated as a GmbH in 1995). Under second-generation owner-Managing Director Urs Gfeller, who succeeded founders Franz and Marianna Gfeller in 2017, the firm delivers a full-stack wood construction service: traditional carpentry (roof structures, attic conversions, floor additions, dormers), prefabricated timber element construction (Holzsystembau) for multi-story and Minergie-standard buildings, heritage renovation and conversion, wood and fiber-cement facades, and an interior finishing suite covering custom doors, parquet flooring, joinery/built-in furniture, staircases, and terrace construction. Production is conducted in the company's own workshop and prefabrication halls with CNC machinery, enabling rapid on-site assembly.

The business model is project-based, sales-led, and entirely domestic to Switzerland with regional concentration in Canton Bern and adjacent markets (Thun, Konolfingen, Interlaken). Revenue streams are one-off construction contracts across four horizontal customer segments — homeowners and property developers (primary), public institutions, agricultural businesses, and commercial/hospitality clients. Distribution runs through direct project contracts and architect specification relationships, supplemented by ARGE joint ventures with peer firms (e.g., Wenger Holzbau AG, Hirsbrunner Holzbau) to bid on larger public-sector projects. Project ticket sizes range from approximately CHF 75,000 for small residential renovations up to CHF 2.8 million for heritage and commercial builds, with named customers spanning government, enterprise, nonprofit, and rail infrastructure (BLS Netz AG).

The firm competes on craft specialization (notably heritage restoration and complex operational-context projects), workforce tenure (multiple staff with 20–30+ years), and in-house prefabrication capability. It holds no external funding, operates as an independent GmbH with no parent or subsidiaries, and has been regionally recognized via the Worber Wirtschaftspreis 2019. The current service portfolio is delivered through human labor and CNC manufacturing rather than software or AI-driven systems, positioning the company as a traditional industrial-services SME rather than a technology-enabled platform.

Name

Gfeller Holzbau

Legal name

Gfeller Holzbau GmbH

Website

https://gfeller-holzbau.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gfeller Holzbau GmbH is a family-owned Swiss timber construction firm in Worb, Canton Bern, delivering traditional carpentry, prefabricated timber elements, heritage renovation, facades, and interior woodwork to homeowners, public institutions, and commercial clients across the Bern region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Timber Construction Services

NAICS

Prefabricated Wood Building Manufacturing (321992), Residential Remodelers (236118), Residential Building Construction (2361), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220), Custom Architectural Woodwork and Millwork Manufacturing (337212)

SIC

Prefabricated Wood Bldgs & Components (2452), General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Millwood, Veneer, Plywood, & Structural Wood Members (2430)

akta.pro primary industry

Wood Trusses, I-Joists & Framing Components (IMADADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Whole-Home Renovation (High-End Finishes & Custom Build) (HSAPAEAI), Structural Wood Repair & Framing (Studs, Joists, Subfloor Patching) (HSAGABAF)

Keywords

• Timber construction
• Carpentry services
• Prefabricated wood elements
• Heritage building renovation
• Wood facade systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Worb

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Construction Contracts: Project-based revenue from timber frame construction, renovations, and building modifications for residential, commercial, and public sector clients. Revenue varies by project size and complexity, ranging from small residential work to multi-million franc commercial projects.
2. Custom Carpentry and Interior Work: Custom woodwork including built-in furniture, doors, parquet flooring, staircases, and interior fittings. One-off custom solutions manufactured in their own workshops.
3. Prefabricated Element Sales: Prefabricated timber elements for construction projects, both for their own installation and potentially for other contractors.
4. Renovation and Restoration Services: Building renovation, modernization, and heritage restoration services including structural modifications, conversions, and additions to existing buildings.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gfeller Holzbau GmbH is a traditional Swiss timber construction and carpentry company offering comprehensive wood-based building services from foundation to finishing. Core offerings span structural carpentry (roof structures, attics, additions), prefabricated timber element construction for residential and multi-story buildings, building renovations and heritage restorations, wood and Eternit facade installation, and interior finishing including custom doors, parquet, joinery, and staircases. All work is produced and assembled through their own production halls and workforce in Worb, Switzerland.

Product overview

Gfeller Holzbau GmbH is a traditional Swiss timber construction company offering a comprehensive portfolio of wood-based construction services. The company operates as a single unified service provider rather than a platform architecture. Core offerings include: Zimmereiarbeiten (traditional carpentry for roof structures, attics, additions), Holzsystembau (prefabricated timber element construction for large buildings and Minergie-standard homes), Umbau (renovations and conversions including heritage buildings), Fassaden (wood and Eternit facades), and an interior finishing suite comprising Türen (custom doors), Parkett (parquet flooring), Schreinerarbeiten (joinery and built-in furniture), Treppenbau (custom staircases), and Terrassenböden (terrace construction). All services are delivered through their own production facilities and workforce in Worb, Switzerland, with element prefabrication conducted in-house for rapid on-site assembly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zimmereiarbeiten (Carpentry / Timber Work) Traditional carpentry services including roof structures (Dachstühle), attic conversions (Dachausbauten), floor additions (Geschossaufstockungen), dormers (Dachlukarnen), roof windows, carports, and related timber construction work using conventional rafter and purlin techniques for residential and commercial clients in the Bern region.
• Umbau (Renovations & Conversions) Building renovation and conversion services including transformation of farmhouses into multi-generational homes, bank buildings into daycare facilities, old railway stations into commercial spaces, and heritage-protected building renovations. Focuses on economic implementation under ecological considerations for homeowners, developers, and public institutions.
• Holzsystembau (Wood System Construction) Prefabricated timber building system construction including large timber buildings (Holzgrossbauten), multi-story constructions, and Minergie-standard single-family homes. Wall panels, floor cassettes, and roof components are produced in Gfeller's own production halls for rapid on-site assembly within a few working days.
• Fassaden (Facades) Wood facade construction available as shingles (Schindeln) or cladding (Schalung), in untreated or paint-finished variants. Also offers Eternit (fiber cement) facades. Includes integrated thermal insulation and weather protection capabilities for residential, commercial, and public buildings.
• Terrassenböden (Terrace Floors) Terrace construction and flooring services including consultation on material selection based on customer wishes and existing substrate conditions. Expert craftsmanship ensures level and stable terrace floors using wood decking systems for residential and commercial outdoor spaces.
• Türen (Doors) Custom-made interior and exterior doors including entrance doors with security locking systems, interior doors with sound protection and fire resistance options, and bespoke door solutions manufactured in Gfeller's own workshops for residential and commercial clients.
• Parkett (Parquet Flooring) Parquet flooring installation with various colors and treatments, including repair and renovation of parquet floors. Services span consultation through to final finishing for homeowners and commercial clients.
• Schreinerarbeiten (Joinery) Custom joinery including built-in cabinets (Einbauschränke), wardrobes, space-optimization solutions, furniture repairs, and door and window repairs, all crafted in Gfeller's own production facilities for residential and commercial clients.
• Treppenbau (Staircase Construction) Custom solid wood staircases including elegant curved designs, freestanding stairs, and practical constructions featuring comfortable step measurements and high static quality, manufactured and installed for residential and commercial clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Projects completed ranging from CHF 75,000 to CHF 2,800,000
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Wenger Holzbau AGmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Joint venture (ARGE GfeWe) for the Schulanlagen Rüegsauschachen school construction project worth CHF 1,901,000. Gfeller handled exterior and interior cladding while Wenger handled element construction.
• Hirsbrunner HolzbaumajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Joint venture for OLWO logistics hall roof construction project. Gfeller installed large timber trusses and roof elements requiring specialized equipment.
• Various Architecture FirmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaborative relationships with multiple architecture firms including Geissbühler Architekten AG, rothen.id architekten, ar3 architekten ag, and others who regularly specify Gfeller for timber construction projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kost Holzbau AG: Swiss timber construction firm active in residential and commercial projects with prefabricated element capabilities, comparable in operational profile and customer mix to Gfeller Holzbau.
• Holzbau Ammann: Swiss mid-sized Holzbau firm offering timber frame construction, renovations, and prefabricated elements across residential and agricultural segments — comparable in service breadth and project size to Gfeller Holzbau.
• Blumer Lehmann AG: Swiss timber engineering and construction company focused on large-scale and multi-story timber projects, including glulam structures. Comparable to Gfeller in core timber construction capability but with substantially larger project scale and engineering depth.
• Renggli AG: Swiss timber construction firm specializing in prefabricated timber buildings and Minergie-standard construction, operating across residential and commercial segments with in-house element production — closely comparable to Gfeller Holzbau's Holzsystembau offering but at greater national scale.
• Tschopp Holzbau AG: Swiss Holzbau company delivering timber frame construction, facades, and interior woodwork for residential and commercial clients — similar end-to-end service model and project complexity to Gfeller Holzbau.
• Beer Holzbau AG: Swiss Holzbau company providing timber construction, renovations, and custom interior woodwork — directly comparable in service portfolio, customer segments, and project scale to Gfeller Holzbau.
• Wenger Holzbau AG: Bern-region timber construction company explicitly named as Gfeller Holzbau's joint-venture partner (ARGE GfeWe) on the CHF 1,901,000 Schulanlagen Rüegsau school project. Operates in the same Canton Bern geography with overlapping residential, commercial, and public-sector customer base.
• Rüedi Holzbau AG: Swiss regional timber construction and carpentry company with comparable service mix (carpentry, renovations, prefabricated elements) and similar mid-sized project profile to Gfeller Holzbau.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gfeller-holzbau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Gfeller Holzbau