merz kley partner

What merz kley partner does

merz kley partner GmbH (mkp) is a privately held structural engineering firm founded in 1994 in Dornbirn, Vorarlberg, Austria. The firm specializes in Tragwerksplanung (structural engineering) with a particular focus on Holzbau (timber construction), delivering innovative and sustainable structural solutions for architecturally ambitious buildings across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). The firm operates six offices — Dornbirn and Altenrhein in Austria/Switzerland, and Heilbronn, Karlsruhe, Nürnberg, and München in Germany — and is led by six partners (Matthias Eisele, Niklas Fritz, Bertram Käppeler, Gordian Kley, Konrad Merz, Martin Vogelmann) supported by six associates and a team of approximately 40+ engineers and structural designers (roughly two-thirds qualified in civil/timber engineering, one-third constructors).

The firm's core offering is structural engineering consulting delivered as a professional services engagement, with pricing structured project-by-project. Its engagement model is distinctive: collaboration with architects begins at the earliest competition phase (Wettbewerbsunterstützung) and continues through project completion, positioning mkp as a co-developer rather than a downstream service provider. The technology foundation is deep domain expertise in timber systems — mass timber, cross-laminated timber (CLT), glulam, hollow-core elements, and innovative timber connections — supported by an internal EDV-based knowledge management system that makes project history and engineering references accessible across offices. The firm is recognized as the #1-ranked structural engineering practice in the competitionline Ranking 2025 and has accumulated hundreds of awards since 1996.

The go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, targeting leading DACH architecture firms (RIEHLE KOETH, Hermann Kaufmann + Partner, Sauerbruch Hutton, Florian Nagler, Innauer-Matt, Dietrich | Untertrifaller, Peter Zumthor, Cukrowicz Nachbaur, Bernardo Bader, Andy Senn) as primary clients. End clients include public sector (TUM Campus, Deutscher Bundestag parliamentary office building), private developers, and cultural institutions. Long-term project relationships span three decades, with landmark works including the Bodenseestadion Bregenz (1994), TUM Campus Olympiapark München, the Deutscher Bundestag Luisenblock West, and the ZERO Stuttgart office building. The firm is privately held with no disclosed external investors.

Name

merz kley partner

Legal name

merz kley partner GmbH

Website

https://mkp-ing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

merz kley partner is a privately held DACH structural engineering firm founded in 1994, specializing in timber construction (Holzbau) and delivering structural design services to leading architects from competition phase through project completion across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Engineering Services

NAICS

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

Keywords

• Structural engineering services
• Timber construction engineering
• Tragwerksplanung consulting
• Holzbau design
• Architectural competition support

Headquarters

HQ city

Dornbirn

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Structural Engineering Consulting Services: Professional engineering services for structural design (Tragwerksplanung) including collaboration with architects from competition phase through project completion. Services provided across DACH region for residential, commercial, public, and industrial buildings with a focus on timber construction.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

merz kley partner provides structural engineering (Tragwerksplanung) and specialized timber construction (Holzbau) consulting services to architects and their clients. The firm designs innovative and sustainable structural solutions for complex architectural projects, collaborating with architects from the early competition phase through to project completion, with a focus on mass timber, CLT, glulam, and hybrid structural systems.

Product overview

merz kley partner is an engineering services firm offering structural planning (Tragwerksplanung) and timber construction (Holzbau) services. The company's primary offering is specialized structural engineering support for architects, with a focus on innovative timber construction solutions. Services span from early competition phases through project completion, supporting architects with technical expertise and structural design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tragwerksplanung (Structural Engineering Services) Engineering services for structural planning (Tragwerksplanung) of construction projects, with a specialization in timber construction (Holzbau). Supports architects and their clients from early competition phases through to project completion, delivering innovative and sustainable structural solutions for residential, commercial, public, and industrial buildings across the DACH region.
• Holzbau (Timber Construction Engineering) Specialized timber construction (Holzbau) engineering services, developing innovative and sustainable structural solutions for wooden buildings and components including mass timber, cross-laminated timber (CLT), glulam, hollow-core elements, and innovative timber connections.
• Wettbewerbsunterstützung (Architectural Competition Support) Engineering support during architectural competitions, providing technical expertise and know-how to help architects win competition projects. The firm partners with architects at the competition phase to develop feasible, structurally ambitious solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked 1st place in competitionline Ranking 2025 for Structural Engineering (Tragwerksplanung)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• RIEHLE KOETH ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Long-term structural engineering partnership for the Bürogebäude ZERO in Stuttgart, which received multiple awards including German Immobilienpreis 2026 and best architects 27 gold award.
• Hermann Kaufmann + PartnercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Ongoing partnership with one of Austria's leading timber architecture firms, spanning dozens of projects including Wohnanlage Ölzbündt (REAR Award 2026), Nebelhornbahn Talstation, Illwerke Zentrum Montafon, and many more award-winning timber buildings.
• Sauerbruch HuttoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for the Bürogebäude Deutscher Bundestag in Berlin (Holzbaupreis Berlin-Brandenburg 2025) and Universal Design Quartier Hamburg (MIPIM Award 2019, Deutscher Holzbaupreis 2019).
• Florian Nagler ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership spanning numerous award-winning timber projects including Bürohaus München, Schmuttertal Gymnasium Diedorf, 'Einfach Bauen' Bad Aibling, Tannerhof Bayrischzell, Freilichtmuseum Glentleiten (DAM Preis finalist).
• Innauer-Matt ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for award-winning projects including Heimatmuseum Bezau (Prix International Architecture Bois 2026), Kunstraum Kassel, Kindergarten and Volksschule Bezau, Strandbad Lochau.
• Dietrich | Untertrifaller ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Long-standing partnership for landmark projects including TUM Campus Olympiapark München (one of Europe's largest timber buildings), Bodenseestadion Bregenz (European Glulam Award 1996), and numerous other award-winning projects.
• Waechter + Waechter ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for multiple award-winning projects including DAV Bundesgeschäftsstelle München (best architects 20 Gold Award), Innovationsfabrik Heilbronn (Deutscher Architekturpreis 2025), Ausbildungszentrum GIZ Bonn.
• Bernardo Bader ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for multiple Vorarlberger Holzbau award-winning projects including Kapelle Salgenreute Krumbach (award-winning), Dorfhaus Steinberg am Rofan (Holzbaupreis Tirol 2019), and numerous others.
• Andy Senn ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for award-winning projects including Landwirtschaftliches Zentrum St. Gallen (Prix Lignum 2021), Schulzentrum Ringstrasse Chur (competition winner).
• Cukrowicz Nachbaur ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for award-winning projects including Sporthalle Meckenbeuren, Gebrüder Weiss Headquarter Lauterach, Sport- und Freizeitanlage Rietwis Wattwil, Studentenwohnheim Weingarten.
• NKBAK ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for award-winning timber projects including Europäische Schule Frankfurt (Deutscher Holzbaupreis 2017, Deutscher Architekturpreis 2017), Integrierte Sekundarschule Mahlsdorf Berlin (Holzbaupreis Berlin 2019).
• Peter ZumthorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for the Werkraumhaus in Andelsbuch, built with 80 Bregenzerwälder craftsmen under Peter Zumthor's design.
• studio bärcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for Schulcampus Hittisau, which received the Österreichischer Staatspreis Holzbau 2026.
• Steimle ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for Sporthalle Wangen im Allgäu (Holzbaupreis Baden-Württemberg 2026 recognition) and Sporthalle Waldau Stuttgart.
• a+r ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for Pfahlbaumuseum Unteruhldingen (Holzbaupreis Baden-Württemberg 2026 recognition).
• Klingelhöfer Krötsch ArchitektencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for Campus Holzbau Schmäh in Meersburg (Holzbaupreis Baden-Württemberg 2026 recognition).
• MICHELGROUP GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Partnership for Weleda Cradle Campus in Schwäbisch Gmünd (Holzbaupreis Baden-Württemberg 2026 recognition).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ARUP: Global engineering, design, and consulting firm with structural engineering including timber capabilities. Comparable to mkp in delivering structural engineering services to architects, but with vastly broader service portfolio and global footprint.
• Buro Happold: Global engineering consultancy with structural engineering practices including timber expertise. Comparable to mkp as a structural engineering services provider, but operates at much larger scale across multiple disciplines and geographies.

Direct peers

• Werner Sobek: Stuttgart-based engineering firm with deep expertise in sustainable construction and timber. Comparable to mkp in combining structural engineering with sustainability focus and serving high-end architectural clients across DACH.
• SJB Kempter Fitze AG: Swiss structural engineering firm with strong timber expertise, particularly active in eastern Switzerland. Comparable to mkp as a DACH timber-structural specialist serving architectural competitions and complex timber buildings.
• Knippers Helbig Advanced Engineering: German structural engineering firm known for complex timber and hybrid structures, including large-span and free-form geometry projects. Directly comparable as a specialist timber-structural engineering firm serving architectural clients in DACH and beyond.
• Pirmin Jung Ingenieure: Swiss structural engineering firm specializing in timber construction, headquartered in Rain, Switzerland. Directly comparable to mkp as a DACH-region timber-structural specialist working with leading architects on award-winning timber projects.
• Schlaich Bergermann Partner: Stuttgart-based structural engineering firm specializing in lightweight and innovative structures including timber roofs. Comparable to mkp as a DACH-based engineering consultancy known for pioneering structural solutions on architecturally ambitious projects.
• wh-p Ingenieure: Hamburg-based structural engineering firm with timber and sustainable construction capabilities. Comparable to mkp as a DACH structural engineering practice serving ambitious architectural projects.
• Dr. Lüchinger+Meyer Bauingenieure: Zurich-based structural engineering consultancy with recognized timber expertise. Comparable to mkp in serving premium Swiss and DACH architects on complex timber and hybrid projects.
• Bollinger + Grohmann: Frankfurt-based structural engineering consultancy with strong timber expertise and pan-European offices. Comparable to mkp in serving ambitious architects on complex building structures, with overlapping client base across DACH.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubemkp-ing.com/mediathek
• Facebookfacebook.com/merzkleypartner
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mkp-ing
• Instagraminstagram.com/merz_kley_partner/?hl=de

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 merz kley partner