JRS RETTENMAIER FRANCE

What JRS RETTENMAIER FRANCE does

JRS RETTENMAIER FRANCE is the French wholly-owned subsidiary of J. Rettenmaier & Söhne GmbH + Co KG, a German family-owned industrial group founded in 1878 and described as the world leader in plant fiber technology. Established around 2000 and now with 41 employees based in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the French entity serves as a regional sales, technical consultation, and distribution hub for the group's biosourced plant fiber portfolio. The company's core offering is built on renewable raw materials (cellulose, wheat, oat, citrus, vegetable, alginate, wood, and corn fibers) processed into fibers, powders, granules, and microcrystalline cellulose, serving pharmaceutical excipients, food ingredients, animal nutrition, home and personal care, industrial chemistry, filtration, and road construction customers.

The product portfolio spans three divisions: Life Science (VITACEL® dietary fibers, VIVAPUR® hydrocolloids/alginate/pectin/MCG, pharmaceutical excipients, animal feed applications), Fiber Solutions (ARBOCEL® cellulose, wood and corn derivatives, the VIATOP® family of functional asphalt additives including premium, 66, plus AD 10, C 25, CT 40, CT 80-AC, FEP, and RC variants for SMA, WMA, and RAP applications, plus contract manufacturing services covering granulation, roller compaction, jet mill micronization, mixing, and packaging), and Consumer Products (Cats Best, Chipsi, Allspan-German Horse, Wohl und Warm). Manufacturing is concentrated at the parent group's 90+ production sites in Germany, the UK, and globally, with toll manufacturing services certified to FSSC 22000, ISO 9001, GMP, Halal, and Kosher standards.

The revenue model is B2B with technically expert direct sales, quote-based pricing for customized solutions, application consulting, and long-term product optimization partnerships. Customer segments are diversified across pharma, food, animal nutrition, cosmetics, industrial chemistry, and road construction (public and private infrastructure). The group is family-owned with no public listing, no external funding rounds, and no disclosed revenue figures, with ESG positioning anchored by an EcoVadis Commitment Badge awarded in 2025.

Name

JRS RETTENMAIER FRANCE

Legal name

J. Rettenmaier & Söhne GmbH + Co KG

Website

https://jrsfr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1878

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

JRS RETTENMAIER FRANCE is the French subsidiary of the German family-owned J. Rettenmaier & Söhne group, distributing plant fiber-based products (cellulose, hydrocolloids, dietary fibers, pharmaceutical excipients, VIATOP® road additives) and contract manufacturing services to pharmaceutical, food, animal nutrition, and industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant Fiber Products & Industrial Chemicals

NAICS

Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252)

SIC

Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAMALAD

Nanocellulose & Cellulose Derivatives (CNC/CNF, MCC, ethers/esters)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Paper & Forest Products/Biomaterials & Bio-based Products

SECONDARYAFAJABAH

Cellulose Derivatives (CMC, MCC, HPMC/MC; Cellulosic Thickeners)

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Ingredients & Additives/Starches & Hydrocolloids (Modified Starch, Gums, Thickeners)

SECONDARYCRADAOAD

Hydrocolloids, Thickeners & Gelling Agents (Pectin, Xanthan, Carrageenan, Gelatin)

Consumer Products & Retail/Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturing & Brands/CPG Ingredients, Flavorings & Additives Brands

Keywords

• Plant fiber products
• Pharmaceutical excipients
• Cellulose derivatives
• Functional asphalt additives
• Contract manufacturing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rosenberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Plant Fiber Products Sales: Sale of manufactured plant fiber-based products including cellulose fibers, powdered cellulose, cellulose derivatives (MC, HPMC, CMC), hydrocolloids (alginate, pectin, MCG, tara gum, citrus fiber), dietary fibers (VITACEL, VIVAPUR), pharmaceutical excipients and coatings, wood-based products, and corn-based products
2. Contract Manufacturing Services: Toll processing services for customer raw materials using grinding, granulation, mixing, and packaging capabilities. Services provided to pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, and technical industries. Certified to FSSC 22000 and ISO 9001 standards.
3. VIATOP Functional Asphalt Additives: Sale of VIATOP brand functional additives for road construction, including fiber pellets for Stone Mastic Asphalt, warm mix asphalt, and recycled asphalt pavement applications. With four production sites ensuring delivery reliability.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

JRS RETTENMAIER FRANCE manufactures and distributes plant fiber-based products including cellulose fibers, cellulose derivatives (MC, HPMC, CMC), hydrocolloids (alginate, pectin, tara gum), dietary fibers (VITACEL, VIVAPUR), pharmaceutical excipients, and VIATOP functional asphalt additives for the French market. The subsidiary also offers contract manufacturing services—granulation, compaction, grinding/micronization, mixing/blending, and packaging—for life science (pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, animal nutrition) and technical industries.

Product overview

JRS RETTENMAIER FRANCE is part of the J. Rettenmaier & Söhne group, a world leader in plant fiber technology with over 145 years of experience. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of cellulose-based products including cellulose products, cellulose derivatives (MC, HPMC, CMC), hydrocolloids (alginate, pectin), dietary fibers (VITACEL®, VIVAPUR®), pharmaceutical excipients, wood-based products, and corn-based products. The VIATOP® product line provides functional asphalt additives for road construction, including VIATOP® premium, VIATOP® 66, and various VIATOP® plus variants for warm mix asphalt, adhesion enhancement, and recycled asphalt processing. Additionally, JRS operates a Contract Manufacturing division offering granulation, compaction, grinding/micronization, mixing/blending, and packaging services for Life Science (pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, animal nutrition) and technical applications (plastics, detergents, chemicals, construction, adhesives). The company operates over 90 production and sales sites worldwide with more than 3,500 employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VIATOP®: Functional asphalt additives for road construction including VIATOP® premium, VIATOP® 66, VIATOP® plus product line
• ARBOCEL®
• VITACEL®
• VIVAPUR®
• AGLUMIX®
• AGLUPECTIN®
• Tradismoke®
• Cats Best
• Chipsi
• Allspan-German Horse
• Wohl und Warm

Products and services

• Cellulose-based Products Fibre, fine powder, granules, and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) derived from plant-based cellulose sources for various industrial applications across pharmaceuticals, food, and technical sectors.
• Cellulose Derivatives MethylCellulose (MC), HydroxyPropylMethylCellulose (HPMC), and CarboxylMethylCellulose (CMC) for pharmaceutical, food, and industrial uses.
• Hydrocolloids Alginate, pectin, cellulose gel (MCG), tara gum, and citrus fiber for food, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications.
• VITACEL Dietary Fibers Sustainable and innovative plant-based food ingredients for modern nutrition, including apple fiber, bamboo fiber, citrus fiber, wheat fiber, sugar cane fiber, rice fiber, psyllium, potato fiber, pea fiber, and oat fiber.
• VIVAPUR Food Ingredients Innovative food ingredient brand including alginate, AGLUMIX tara gum, AGLUPECTIN, MCG, MCC, HPMC/MC, and Tradismoke.
• Pharmaceutical Excipients and Coatings Pharmaceutical excipients and coating solutions for better tablets, improving tablet performance and drug delivery.
• Wood-based Products Wood fiber, flour, granules, pellets, and chips for various industrial applications including construction and manufacturing.
• Corn-based Products Corn fiber, granules, and pellets as renewable raw materials for industrial applications.
• VIATOP premium Fiber pellets for asphalt mixtures containing 90% ARBOCEL ZZ 8/1 and 10% bitumen 50/70 for reliable road surfaces.
• VIATOP 66 High-efficiency fiber granules containing 66% ARBOCEL ZZ 8/1 and 34% bitumen 50/70.
• VIATOP plus AD 10 Granules with enhanced adhesion properties containing 83% cellulose fiber ARBOCEL ZZ 8/1, 10% bitumen 50/70, and 7% fatty acid amide-amine. Recommended dosage: 0.35%.
• VIATOP plus C 25 Granules with improved compaction containing 75% cellulose fibers ARBOCEL ZZ 8/1 and 25% Fischer-Tropsch wax.
• VIATOP plus CT 40 Granules for reduced process temperatures containing 60% cellulose fibers ARBOCEL ZZ 8/1 and 40% Fischer-Tropsch wax.
• VIATOP plus CT 80-AC Granules for temperature reduction and improved compaction containing 20% cellulose fibers ARBOCEL ZZ 8/1 and 80% Fischer-Tropsch wax.
• VIATOP plus FEP Rubber-modified bitumen pellets containing 80% additized rubber flour and bitumen with 20% ARBOCEL ZZ 8/1.
• VIATOP plus RC Highly effective additive combining cellulose fibers and a regenerator to increase recycled asphalt aggregate in all asphalt types.
• Contract Manufacturing Services Custom powder processing services including granulation, compaction, grinding/micronization, mixing/blending, screening, and packaging for life science and technical applications. FSSC 22000 and ISO 9001 certified.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 30 years of road industry partnership experience
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CP Kelco: CP Kelco is a major manufacturer of hydrocolloids including pectin, alginate, carrageenan, and gellan gum for food, beverage, and pharma applications. It is a direct competitor to JRS in alginate and pectin-based food ingredients and overlaps with VIVAPUR/AGLUMIX/AGLUPECTIN branded products.
• DFE Pharma: DFE Pharma specializes in pharmaceutical excipients including microcrystalline cellulose, lactose, and starch-based carriers. It directly competes with JRS Pharma in cellulose-based tablet excipients for global pharma customers.
• Borregaard: Borregaard produces specialty cellulose-based biopolymers and lignin-based products for industrial applications including construction, agriculture, and pharma. It is a direct comparable to JRS's specialty cellulose and plant-fiber industrial additives business.
• Herbstreith & Fox: Herbstreith & Fox is a German family-owned specialty manufacturer of pectin, dietary fibers, and hydrocolloids for food and pharma. It is a closely comparable mid-sized European peer to JRS in fruit-derived fibers and pectin offerings.
• Roquette Frères: Roquette is a global leader in plant-based ingredients including starches, polyols, cellulose derivatives, and pharmaceutical excipients. It directly overlaps JRS in cellulose-based excipients (MCC, HPMC), food hydrocolloids, and biosourced industrial ingredients, serving the same pharma, food, and industrial customers.

Broad incumbents

• Ingredion: Ingredion is a large global ingredient provider of starches, sweeteners, and plant-based food ingredients. While not a pure cellulose play, it competes with JRS in food hydrocolloids, dietary fibers, and texturizing agents for the food industry.
• DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences (now IFF): IFF (post-DuPont N&B merger) is a large diversified ingredients company producing cellulose derivatives, hydrocolloids, and food/pharma ingredients. It competes broadly with JRS across cellulose, pectin, and food ingredient categories.
• Ashland: Ashland manufactures cellulose derivatives (HPMC, CMC, HEC) for pharma, personal care, coatings, and industrial applications. It is a broad incumbent competitor to JRS in cellulose ethers and pharma excipients.
• Kerry Group: Kerry Group is a large global taste and nutrition company producing food ingredients, hydrocolloids, and functional systems. It overlaps with JRS's food ingredient portfolio in texture systems and dietary fibers for industrial food customers.

Others

• Rettenmaier (J. Rettenmaier & Söhne parent): The German parent group J. Rettenmaier & Söhne is included as a peer/parent context reference; the analyzed French subsidiary is wholly-owned by this entity and operates as a regional sales channel for the parent's cellulose, hydrocolloid, VIATOP, and contract manufacturing product lines.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jrs-rettenmaier-france

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 JRS RETTENMAIER FRANCE