Sommerhuber GmbH

What Sommerhuber GmbH does

Sommerhuber GmbH is a family-owned Austrian ceramics manufacturer headquartered in Steyr, Upper Austria, that claims continuous ceramic production at its site since 1491. The company employs approximately 12 people at a single facility combining ceramic tile production (casting, glazing, 36-hour kiln firing), a 1,500 m² showroom, and a tiled stove museum. Its core products fall into three categories: (1) heat-storage ceramic tiled stoves (Kachelöfen) and tiled fireplaces (Kachelkamine) using proprietary heat-storage ceramic tiles that radiate long-wave infrared warmth for approximately 12 hours after a ~30-minute warm-up; (2) the PURE ART line of wall-mounted ceramic design radiators combining wood and electric heating; and (3) premium spa ceramics including heated loungers (Lounger ONE/ONE PLUS/TWO/TWO PLUS/THREE PLUS), hammam tables, healing clay spas, floating benches, and foot basins, plus the 2024-launched SPA EMOTION multifunctional steam shower. Production is handcrafted and bespoke, with each tile individually cast, glazed, and fired.

The company sells exclusively through a network of certified master stove fitters (Hafnermeister) and spa installation specialists in over 40 countries (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, UK, USA, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, plus 30+ other European, MENA, Asian, North American, and Oceanian markets). In Austria, Sommerhuber additionally operates as a wholesaler of technical components to stove fitters. End customers access products via an online retailer search tool or by visiting the Steyr showroom and museum; trade customers are supported through a secured dealer portal (portal.sommerhuber.com) and an 'Architekten Spa' consultation page for architects and spa designers.

Sommerhuber's customer base spans two segments: luxury residential homeowners seeking bespoke, healthy wood-fired heating with custom tile patterns (Silhouette, Arabesco, Tapetenmuster, Pfeifenmuster, Napa, Rille fein) and glaze options (18–22 colors), and enterprise commercial customers in luxury hospitality — including Atlantis The Royal Dubai, Mandarin Oriental (Beijing and Hyde Park London), St. Regis Red Sea, JW Marriott Venezia, Norwegian Cruise Lines (Prima class), Carden Park, HimmerLand, Carolus Thermen Aachen, Astral Spa, and Comwell Kellers Park. Revenue is project-based and not publicly disclosed; the company is privately held with no external funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries.

Name

Sommerhuber GmbH

Legal name

Sommerhuber GmbH

Website

https://sommerhuber.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Austrian family-owned ceramics manufacturer operating since 1491, producing handcrafted heat-storage ceramic tiled stoves, tiled fireplaces, PURE ART design radiators, and luxury spa ceramics, sold via a certified master-stove-fitter and spa-installer network across 40+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ceramic Heating & Spa Equipment

NAICS

Heating Equipment (except Warm Air Furnaces) Manufacturing (333414), Pottery, Ceramics, and Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing (32711)

SIC

Heating Equip, Except Elec & Warm Air; & Plumbing Fixtures (3430), Pottery & Related Products (3260)

akta.pro primary industry

Boilers, Furnaces & Process Heating Equipment (IMAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Ceramic tiled stoves
• Heat storage ceramics
• Spa ceramic furniture
• Luxury wellness equipment
• Infrared design radiators

Headquarters

HQ city

Steyr

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Ceramic Tiled Stoves (Kachelöfen): Bespoke, handcrafted ceramic tiled stoves sold to end customers through a network of certified master stove fitters. Each unit is individually cast, glazed, and fired over 36 hours. Sales are project-based with custom design and glaze selection.
2. Ceramic Tiled Fireplaces (Kachelkamine): Custom-built tiled fireplaces with integrated ceramic heat storage, sold as part of the heating system portfolio through the dealer network.
3. Spa Ceramics: Ceramic wellness products for commercial spa environments including heated loungers, Hammam tables, foot basins, and healing clay spas. Sold to hotel chains, cruise lines, and spa operators globally.
4. Pure Art Design Radiators: Electric wall-mounted ceramic heat panels sold as standalone heating solutions or in combination with tiled stoves. Targeted at residential and commercial interiors.
5. Wholesale Technical Components: For Austrian stove fitters, Sommerhuber also supplies all technical components required for tiled stove construction as a wholesaler.
6. Retailer Portal Services: A dealer portal (portal.sommerhuber.com) provides partners with tools for customer management and ordering, generating administrative/service revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sommerhuber GmbH manufactures handcrafted heat-storage ceramic products in Steyr, Austria, producing bespoke tiled stoves (Kachelöfen) and tiled fireplaces (Kachelkamine) for residential heating, premium spa ceramics including heated loungers, hammam tables, healing clay spas and floating benches for luxury hospitality, and PURE ART wall-mounted design radiators. Each ceramic tile is individually cast, glazed, and fired for 36 hours to produce long-wave infrared radiant heat that warms bodies directly for 12+ hours after a short warm-up.

Product overview

Sommerhuber GmbH is a ceramics manufacturer based in Steyr, Austria, operating since 1491. The company produces three main product lines: (1) Heat storage tiled stoves (Kachelöfen) and tiled fireplaces (Kachelkamine) featuring handcrafted ceramic tiles with various patterns (Silhouette, Arabesco, Tapetenmuster, Pfeifenmuster) and structures; (2) Premium spa ceramics including heated loungers (Lounger ONE/ONE PLUS/TWO/TWO PLUS/THREE PLUS), hammam tables, healing clay spas, floating benches, and foot basins for luxury wellness facilities worldwide; and (3) PURE ART design radiators offering wall-mounted ceramic heat panels. The iForm® modular system provides flexible ceramic solutions for both tiled stoves and spa applications. All products utilize ceramic radiant heat technology with health-enhancing infrared warmth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PURE ART: Design radiators featuring ceramic infrared warmth, described as 'The Art of Warming'.
• Kachel Silhouette
• iForm

Products and services

• Kachelöfen (Tiled Stoves) Handcrafted heat-storage ceramic tiled stoves for residential heating. Each stove uses individually cast, glazed, and 36-hour-fired ceramic tiles in patterns such as Silhouette, Arabesco, Tapetenmuster, and Pfeifenmuster, with 18-22 glaze color options. Tiles warm up in approximately 30 minutes and radiate stored heat for ~12 hours. Targeted at high-end residential customers via certified master stove fitters.
• Kachelkamine (Tiled Fireplaces) Ceramic tiled fireplaces combining the visual fire experience with heat-storage technology. Available with various tile patterns and integrated features such as fire tables (Feuertisch) and niches. Sold through certified master stove fitters for residential installations.
• PURE ART Designheizkörper (Design Radiators) Wall-mounted ceramic infrared heat panels combining wood and electric heating. Designed as a warming 'picture' on the wall with plug-and-play installation. Provides healthy ceramic infrared warmth and can be combined with tiled stoves for whole-home heating. Targeted at residential and commercial interiors.
• Spa Keramik (Spa Ceramics Collection) Premium ceramic wellness furniture for luxury hotel, resort, cruise line, and thermal bath operators. Collection includes heated loungers (Lounger ONE, ONE PLUS, TWO, TWO PLUS, THREE PLUS), Hammam Table oval, Healing Clay Spa, Floating Bench, Heat Banks (Wärmebank), and Foot Basins (Fußbecken). Materials are hygienically seamless large-format ceramics with up to 22 glaze colors. Installed at Atlantis The Royal Dubai, Mandarin Oriental, St. Regis Red Sea, Norwegian Cruise Lines Prima, and other luxury venues.
• iForm Modular Ceramic System Modular ceramic system of five ceramic parts that can be configured as wall-integrated or room-divider designs for tiled stoves and fireplaces. High flexibility in shape and design, factory-cut to customer requirements, suited for modern urban interior styles.
• SPA EMOTION Steam Shower Multifunctional steam shower incorporating heat-storing ceramic technology, targeted at luxury spa and wellness facilities.
• Wärmebank (Heat Banks) Heated ceramic benches designed for dry rooms and spa areas, providing mild ceramic radiant heat as part of the commercial spa wellness offering.
• Fußbecken (Foot Basins) Round ceramic foot basins for spa facilities, providing hygienic ceramic warmth and durability for commercial wellness environments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tiles warm up in ~30 minutes and radiate stored heat for ~12 hours, compared to hours for old thick-walled tiled stoves
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GVOB – GesamtVerband OfenBau e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore industry association for the tiled stove building trade in Germany. Sommerhuber is an active member, contributing to industry standards and representing the craft sector.
• Österreichischer KachelofenverbandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian tiled stove association. Sommerhuber participates as a key manufacturer in this national industry body.
• Österreichischer Biomasse-VerbandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian biomass association. Relevant for Sommerhuber's position in sustainable wood heating.
• Österreichisches Sauna ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian sauna industry forum. Relevant for Sommerhuber's spa ceramics business and wellness positioning.
• Hydrothermal Spa ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational hydrothermal spa industry forum connecting wellness operators and suppliers.
• VEUKO – Vereinigung der europäischen Verbände des Kachelofenbauer-/Hafner-HandwerksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean association of tiled stove builder/trade associations. Sommerhuber participates at the European industry level.
• Meisterstrasse OGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of master craftspeople, relevant for the stove fitter training and certification ecosystem.
• Verbund Oberösterreichischer MuseenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of Upper Austrian museums. Sommerhuber's tiled stove museum is a member, connecting heritage preservation with brand marketing.
• Zukunftsregion SteyrminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional future development initiative for the Steyr area, supporting local economic and cultural initiatives.
• European SpaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrade publication covering the European spa and wellness industry. Used for press and marketing exposure in the spa ceramics segment.
• Spa BusinessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrade publication for the international spa business community. Press and media partner for Sommerhuber's spa ceramics marketing.
• K&L MagazinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGerman-language trade magazine for the stove and heating industry.
• Keramische RundschauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGerman-language trade journal for the ceramic industry, providing industry press coverage.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Austroflamm GmbH: Austrian manufacturer of tiled stoves and fireplaces. Direct peer in the same Kachelöfen category; also a Sommerhuber technology partner supplying combustion components, indicating both complementary and competitive positioning.
• Harvia Oyj: Finnish public company and global leader in sauna and spa equipment. Direct peer for Sommerhuber's spa ceramics segment; comparable in serving commercial spas, hotels, and wellness operators with premium thermal equipment.
• Stuv SA: Belgian manufacturer of contemporary wood-burning and gas stoves and fireplaces. Direct peer in the European premium design-led stove and fireplace category with comparable architecture/specifier channel.
• Spartherm Feuerungstechnik GmbH: German manufacturer of premium fireplace inserts, stoves, and tunnel fireplaces. Direct peer in the European premium heating fireplace category with comparable distribution through certified installers.
• Brunner GmbH: German manufacturer of Kachelöfen, Kachelkamine, and heating systems. Direct competitor in ceramic tiled stoves and fireplaces with similar distribution through certified Hafner trade partners.
• KLAFS GmbH: German premium manufacturer of sauna, steam bath, and spa equipment for hotels and private clients. Direct peer for Sommerhuber's spa ceramics business with comparable luxury hotel customer base.
• Ortner GmbH: Austrian manufacturer of tiled stove construction systems and components. Direct peer serving the same Hafner trade channel with comparable ceramic heating technology.
• Tulikivi Corporation: Finnish public company manufacturing heat-retaining fireplaces (primarily from soapstone). Closest comparable peer for heat-storage heating technology serving residential and sauna applications across Europe.
• Kalfire B.V. Dutch manufacturer of premium gas, wood, and electric fireplaces. Direct peer in luxury fireplace market with comparable design-led positioning; also a Sommerhuber technology partner.
• Hoxter GmbH: German manufacturer of fireplace inserts and combustion technology for tiled stoves. Direct peer in tiled fireplaces; also a Sommerhuber technology partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sommerhuber-gmbh

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 Sommerhuber GmbH