Klinker Historika

What Klinker Historika does

Klinker Historika GmbH is a privately held German circular-economy construction materials company founded in 2016 in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, with roots tracing to the 1899 road-and-civil-engineering firm Wilhelm Jaeger, Straßen- und Tiefbau KG. The company recovers ~100-year-old industrial and hand-fired clinker bricks from demolition sites, manually frees them from mortar and plaster using hammers and chisels to preserve their original fired surface, and resells them — together with derived products — as authentic, character-rich building materials. Its product portfolio spans solid bricks (Ruhrgebiet, Rheinland, Elbe, Rhine-Main, Dutch Handform/Vormbak sorts), clinker slips (Riemchen) in stretcher, header, and corner variants plus KH Premium, KH Pure, and KH Header sub-brands, the proprietary engineered KH Curtain Façade demountable rear-ventilated cladding system (DIN 18516; 75×100 cm panels on recycled aluminum), paving slabs from cores reclaimed during slip production, a KH Vegetation Substrate derived from crushed brick waste (0–5 mm and 5–12 mm grain sizes), a biodegradable KH Façade Cleaner, and the Dana Clinker System for block-bond appearance.

Operations are organized around hand-reclamation processing at the 50,000+ sqm former Muhr Brickyard in Rees-Empel (acquired April 2022) and at the Gelsenkirchen HQ. Distribution is sales-led and quote-based, with field sales led by Head of Sales Tony Mattijssen covering Germany and the Netherlands (via the ReBrick sub-brand with re-brick.nl), and exporting into Belgium, France, Sweden, Denmark, and Switzerland. Direct channels (enterprise field sales), demolition-industry partners as supply-source collaborators, and a website inquiry channel comprise the customer paths. Target buyers are architects, designers, construction professionals (specifiers), end-use builders and developers (single-family to enterprise), and landscape architects; named reference projects span hotels (Flowers Hotel Essen, Gut Knittkuhle Düsseldorf), student residences (Campus Münster), gastronomy (Brauhaus Olpe, Restaurant Pfeffermühle), equestrian estates (Villa Broering), multi-family residential (Möhnesee), sports infrastructure (Helmut König Halle Dortmund), and civil works (Sweden bridge).

The company is family-controlled by managing directors Mattias Jaeger (commercial, 30+ years in mid-sized construction firms) and Markus Perolles (technical founder, trained bricklayer and reinforced-concrete master). The business model is one-time sale of goods with no disclosed pricing; differentiation rests on a 98%+ CO2 reduction versus newly manufactured clinker bricks (verified by a 2025 EPD from IBU), full-batch quality certification from Institut für Ziegelforschung e.V. (Essen), and a zero-waste circular flow that monetizes every fragment. There are no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, patents, AI systems, or awards. Brand awareness is supported by professional-triathlete ambassador Franz Löschke and a flagship sustainability image film.

Name

Klinker Historika

Legal name

Klinker Historika GmbH

Website

https://klinker-historika.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Klinker Historika is a German circular-construction firm founded in 2016 that hand-reclaims ~100-year-old clinker bricks from demolition sites and resells them — alongside slips, paving, a demountable curtain façade, and crushed-brick vegetation substrate — to architects, developers, and landscape professionals across Germany and six neighbouring European countries via a sales-led, quote-based model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reclaimed Construction Materials

NAICS

Concrete Pipe, Brick, and Block Manufacturing (32733), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920)

SIC

Structural Clay Products (3250), Abrasive, Asbestos & Misc Nonmetallic Mineral Prods (3290)

akta.pro primary industry

Brick & Block Repair / Replacement (HSAGALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Materials Recovery (Carpet, Mattresses, Bulky Items) (EUAIADAL)

Keywords

• Reclaimed clinker bricks
• Circular construction materials
• Urban mining bricks
• Historic masonry products
• Sustainable façade systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Gelsenkirchen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Reclaimed Clinker Brick Sales: Sale of hand-reclaimed ~100-year-old clinker bricks sourced from historic factories and buildings in Germany and the Netherlands. Bricks are sold as solid bricks, sorted by region (Ruhrgebiet, Rheinland, Elbe Region, Rhine-Main, Feldbrandsteine). Also sold as Dutch Handform and Vormbak bricks under the ReBrick brand. Pricing based on per-unit (per brick) with coverage of approximately 50 bricks per sqm (German format) or 68 bricks per sqm (Dutch format).
2. Clinker Slip Sales (KH Slips): Sale of processed clinker slips (Riemchen) — thin slices of reclaimed brick for use in exterior thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) and decorative wall applications. Available as stretcher slips, header slips, corner slips, and stretcher arches. Variants include KH Standard Slips, KH Premium Slips (irregular shape from manual recovery process), KH Pure Slips (modern cut-surface design), and KH Header Slips (from half/three-quarter bricks). Sold by coverage: ~50 slips per sqm (German) or ~68 slips per sqm (Dutch).
3. Core Bricks and Paving Slabs: Sale of paving slabs (Pflasterriegel) derived from the solid core remaining after slip production. Dimensions 240x75x65mm, delivered 416 pieces per Euro-pallet. Each paving slab saves 1.0 kg CO2; approximately 52 kg CO2 saved per sqm compared to newly produced paving bricks.
4. KH Curtain Façade System: Sale of prefabricated demountable curtain façade system comprising reclaimed brick slips on recycled aluminum substructure with trapezoidal metal sheets. Standard 75x100cm panels. Enables eco-friendly dismantling and material recovery at end of life.
5. KH Vegetation Substrate: Sale of vegetation substrate in grain sizes 0-5mm and 5-12mm, derived from crushed brick waste. Approved for plant cultivation, green roofs, soil enhancement, de-icing, and tennis court surfaces. Offered as circular economy closing product.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Klinker Historika recovers approximately 100-year-old clinker bricks from demolition sites in Germany and the Netherlands through manual hand-cleaning and processes them into solid bricks, clinker slips, paving slabs, and vegetation substrates for reuse in modern construction. The company also develops proprietary façade systems including the demountable KH Curtain Façade and supplies cleaned, certified historic bricks to architects, builders, and developers across Europe.

Product overview

Klinker Historika is a circular economy construction materials company that recovers and reclaims approximately 100-year-old clinker bricks from demolition sites for reuse in modern construction. The product portfolio centers on Solid Bricks as the core offering, with derived products including Clinker Slips, Core Bricks and Paving Slabs. Supporting products include the KH Vegetation Substrate (made from crushed brick fragments for green roofs) and KH Façade Cleaner (natural cleaning solution). The company has developed specialized façade systems including the KH Curtain Façade (rear-ventilated cladding system) and Dana Clinker System (block bond appearance). Slip variants include KH Premium Slips (irregular hand-produced), KH Pure Slips (modern cut-surface design), and KH Header Slips (from partial bricks). All products emphasize sustainability with over 98% CO₂ reduction compared to new brick production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dana Clinker System: A brick bond system providing the appearance of block bond façade with cross joints while maintaining structural stability of half-bond masonry. The solid brick is precisely grooved in the center to a depth of 20mm.
• KH Premium Slips
• KH Pure Slips
• KH Header Slips
• KH Curtain Façade
• KH Façade Cleaner
• KH Vegetation Substrate

Products and services

• Solid Bricks (Vollsteine) Reclaimed industrial and hand-fired clinker bricks approximately 100 years old, sourced from historic factories and buildings in Germany and the Netherlands. Available in regional sorts including Ruhrgebiet, Rhineland, Elbe Region, Rhine-Main Region, and Hand-Fired Bricks. Sold per brick with approximately 50 bricks per sqm (German format) or 68 bricks per sqm (Dutch format).
• Clinker Slips (Riemchen) Premium reclaimed clinker slips (thin slices of brick) for interior and exterior wall applications, approved for use in external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS). Available in stretcher and header formats, sold by coverage area.
• Core Bricks and Paving Slabs (Mittelsteine und Pflasterriegel) High-quality paving slabs derived from the solid core pieces remaining after slip production. Standard dimensions 240 x 75 x 65 mm, delivered at 416 pieces per Euro-pallet. Used for terraces, walkways, and public outdoor areas, with each slab saving 1.0 kg CO2 vs. new paving brick.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9.330 kg CO₂ per tonne of reclaimed bricks (verified EPD)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Institut für Ziegelforschung e.V. (Essen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvery batch of industrial clinkers is tested by the Institute for Brick Research (Institut für Ziegelforschung e.V.) in Essen before recovery. Tests include measurements of density, water absorption, and durability. Only bricks meeting strict standards and receiving official certification are included in the product range. This third-party quality verification is fundamental to the company's value proposition.
• IBU - Institut für Bauen und Umwelt e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2025, Klinker Historika commissioned the Institut für Bauen und Umwelt e.V. (IBU) to create its official Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), covering Re-Use bricks based on 2024 data. The EPD provides a transparent, third-party-verified assessment of environmental impact from 'cradle to gate' (recovery at demolition sites through processing, packaging, and delivery to customers).
• Demolition Industry PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with demolition companies who provide access to old buildings and industrial sites as sources of reclaimable bricks. Klinker Historika operates as a guest on their construction sites, developing collaborative processes to transform what was once considered waste into valuable, high-quality raw material. This channel is essential to the urban mining supply chain.
• ReBrick (Netherlands Brand)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReBrick is the brand name under which reclaimed Dutch bricks are offered in the Netherlands, managed through a dedicated website (re-brick.nl). ReBrick enables market-specific branding and distribution of Dutch Handform and Vormbak bricks. Regional variations in raw materials provide a diverse color palette for Dutch market.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wienerberger: Wienerberger is the world's largest producer of clay bricks and a leading supplier of façade and roof solutions across Europe. It is a broad incumbent because it competes in the same brick and façade categories with much greater scale, distribution, and a growing sustainability portfolio that could overlap with Klinker Historika's reclaimed offering.
• Boral Limited: Boral is a major Australian building materials and construction products group with growing presence in the US and Asia. It is a broad incumbent serving the same architectural and construction specification markets, with a portfolio that increasingly includes lower-carbon and recycled-content materials adjacent to Klinker Historika's offerings.
• LafargeHolcim: LafargeHolcim is a global leader in building materials with strong European market presence across cement, aggregates, and concrete. It is a broad incumbent addressing the same construction and infrastructure customers with growing circular-economy and low-carbon product lines that overlap with Klinker Historika's positioning.
• Forterra: Forterra is a UK-listed manufacturer of clay bricks, concrete blocks, and other building products with strong presence in UK and European construction markets. It is a broad incumbent addressing the same masonry and façade specification needs as Klinker Historika, with significantly larger scale.
• CRH plc: CRH is a global building materials group with significant European operations in aggregates, cement, and concrete products. It is a broad incumbent because it shares the same customer base (architects, developers, contractors) and has publicly committed to circular construction and lower-carbon materials portfolios.
• Ibstock Brick: Ibstock is one of the UK's largest brick manufacturers with a broad product portfolio of clay bricks and façade systems. It is a broad incumbent supplying the same architectural and construction markets as Klinker Historika, with significantly larger scale and distribution reach.
• HeidelbergCement: HeidelbergCement (now Heidelberg Materials) is one of the world's largest building materials groups with extensive European operations in cement, aggregates, and ready-mixed concrete. It is a broad incumbent serving the same construction customer base and increasingly investing in circular and low-carbon building materials.

Direct peers

• Salvo: Salvo is a UK-based architectural salvage network and marketplace for reclaimed building materials including bricks, stone, and timber. It is a direct peer because it operates in the same reclaimed construction materials category, connecting demolition-derived products with restoration and new-construction buyers.
• The Reclaimed Brick Company: UK-based specialist in reclaimed bricks serving architects, builders, and developers across heritage and new-build projects. The Reclaimed Brick Company is a direct peer because it sources, processes, and sells reclaimed bricks for the same specification-grade construction and renovation use cases as Klinker Historika.
• StoneCycling: Dutch company that transforms demolition waste into architectural bricks and surfaces. StoneCycling is a direct peer because it operates the same circular-economy model of converting construction and demolition waste into premium building products, targeting architects and developers across Europe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/klinker-historika

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Klinker Historika