What Friedrich Von Lien AG does

Friedrich von Lien AG is a fourth-generation, family-owned German industrial manufacturer and distributor of roofing and wall cladding materials, headquartered in Zeven, Germany, and founded in 1959. The company manufactures steel and aluminum roof and wall profile sheets under the WECKMAN brand at its Zeven facility (via wholly-owned subsidiary JHW-Profiles GmbH, established 2008) and plastic light plates under the SALUX brand at its Sangerhausen facility. It holds exclusive DACH and Benelux distribution rights for WECKMAN (since 1999) and PLASTMO gutter systems (since 2004), and sells a portfolio of installation profiles, accessories, and sustainable product lines (BioLine, ReWell, 2ND LIFE LINE, ReClear) targeting bio-based and recycled plastic substitutes.

The company operates exclusively through specialist trade channels (building material and lumber dealers, agricultural stores, cooperatives, and DIY retail chains), with an extensive field sales team covering defined postal-code territories across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, supported by an inside-sales function and a company-owned DEKRA-certified logistics fleet with GPS tracking and crane delivery. Pricing is individualized for registered trade customers, with public price lists not available. A new B2B web shop, VL-Dachprofi.de, was launched on 1 September 2025 to digitize the order-to-quote workflow for trade customers, adding a configurator and shipment tracking alongside the existing field and inside sales motions. Customers are end users (homeowners, builders, carpenters, roofers) who source through the trade channel; Friedrich von Lien AG does not sell directly to consumers.

The business model is transaction-based sale of manufactured and distributed building products with no recurring subscription or licensing revenue. The company is structured as a German Aktiengesellschaft (AG) but is not listed on any stock exchange and is wholly family-controlled, with Heiko von Lien and Christoph von Lien on the Vorstand and Jürgen Bredehöft as Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender. Multiple-generation continuity, in-house manufacturing, exclusive distribution rights, and a multi-decade specialized trade dealer network constitute the core of the operating model, with growth levers concentrated in the new B2B web shop, sustainable product expansion, and continued DACH/Benelux geographic buildout.

Name

Friedrich Von Lien AG

Legal name

Friedrich von Lien AG

Website

https://von-lien.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Friedrich von Lien AG is a fourth-generation, family-owned German manufacturer and specialist-trade distributor of WECKMAN steel/aluminum roof profile sheets, SALUX plastic light plates, PLASTMO gutter systems, and accessories across the DACH region and Benelux, selling exclusively through building material dealers, agricultural stores, and DIY chains.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Roofing and Cladding Materials

NAICS

Aluminum Sheet, Plate, and Foil Manufacturing (331315)

SIC

Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)

akta.pro primary industry

Metal Roofing Systems (IMADAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Flashing, Edge Metal & Roof Accessories (IMADAFAJ)

Keywords

• Metal roofing sheets
• Profiled cladding panels
• Plastic light plates
• Roof drainage systems
• Building materials wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Zeven

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sale of Steel and Aluminum Profile Sheets (WECKMAN): One-time sale of manufactured steel and aluminum profiled roof and wall sheets under the WECKMAN brand, sold exclusively through specialist trade (building material dealers, agricultural stores, cooperatives). Orders processed via field sales, inside sales, or the B2B web shop (VL-Dachprofi.de).
2. Sale of Plastic Light Plates and Installation Accessories: Sale of VLF plastic light plates (PVC, PC, acrylic), including BioLine, ReWell, and 2ND LIFE LINE sustainable variants, as well as matching installation profiles (ECO, DUO, MENDIGER), gutters (PLASTMO), and accessories (fasteners, sealants, snow guards).
3. B2B Web Shop (VL-Dachprofi.de): B2B web shop launched 1 September 2025, enabling specialist trade customers to configure roof/wall areas, calculate prices, and place orders online with exclusive web shop discounts and promotional offers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Friedrich Von Lien AG manufactures and distributes roofing and wall cladding materials, including steel and aluminum profile sheets, plastic light plates, installation profiles, and gutter systems. Production is split between two sites in Zeven (steel and aluminum profiling) and Sangerhausen (plastic light plates), and the company sells exclusively through specialist trade (building material dealers, agricultural stores, cooperatives) and DIY stores in the DACH and Benelux regions.

Product overview

Friedrich von Lien AG is a multi-brand industrial distributor of roofing and construction materials operating from Germany. The core portfolio centers on four main product categories: WECKMAN Profilbleche (steel and aluminum roof and wall profile sheets manufactured in-house at Zeven), VLF/SALUX Kunststoffe (plastic light plates in PVC, Polycarbonate, and Acrylic made at Sangerhausen), KLEZ Verlegeprofile (aluminum installation profiles for sheet mounting), and PLASTMO Dachrinnensysteme (gutter systems). The company has expanded into sustainable alternatives with the SALUX BioLine® (bio-based PVC from renewable sources), 2ND LIFE LINE (100% recycled Polycarbonate), ReWell® (90% recycled wave plates), and ReClear® (recycled from beverage/food industry packaging) sub-brands. A B2B webshop (VL-Dachprofi) enables digital ordering with configurator tools, while an extensive logistics network and own production facilities support nationwide delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WECKMAN: Profile sheets brand for roof and wall profiles made of steel and aluminum
• VLF Kunststoffe
• KLEZ Verlegeprofile
• PLASTMO
• SALUX
• BioLine
• ReWell
• 2nd Life Line
• ReClear
• VL-Dachprofi

Products and services

• WECKMAN Profile Sheets
• SALUX / VLF Plastic Light Plates
• KLEZ Installation Profiles
• PLASTMO Gutter Systems
• VL-Dachprofi B2B Webshop

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 30-year warranty on WECKMAN steel profile sheets (80 µm Shimoco coating)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• JHW-Profiles GmbHcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2008Founded in 2008 as a wholly-owned production subsidiary of Friedrich von Lien AG, JHW-Profiles GmbH operates the profile sheet manufacturing lines at the Zeven site. The establishment of own production enabled the company to cease imports from Finland and shorten delivery times.
• PLASTMO (Polen)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004In 2004, Friedrich von Lien AG assumed exclusive distribution of PLASTMO plastic gutter systems from Poland for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Benelux. PLASTMO provides a 10-year warranty on PVC gutter system stability.
• WECKMAN-Steel OY (Finnland)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1989Since 1989, Friedrich von Lien AG has maintained exclusive distribution rights for WECKMAN steel roofing products across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Benelux. The long-standing partnership with the Finnish manufacturer WECKMAN-Steel OY led to the development of a trade-only distribution structure. Starting 1999, all WECKMAN products were distributed exclusively via building material/lumber dealers, agricultural stores, and cooperatives.
• KDach.at (Vertriebspartner)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKDach.at is listed as a sales distribution partner on the Friedrich von Lien AG website, serving the Austrian market.
• IFBS (Industrieverband für Metallische Blechprofilierung)minorOthersFriedrich von Lien AG is a member of IFBS (Industrial Association for Metal Sheet Profiling). The company adheres to IFBS technical guidelines for metal lightweight construction.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WECKMAN-Steel OY: Finnish manufacturer of steel roofing and wall profile sheets, the original brand owner and supplier for Friedrich von Lien AG's WECKMAN product line since 1989. Directly comparable in product category and serves overlapping Nordic and European markets.
• Fischer Profil: German manufacturer of metal roofing and façade profiles made from steel and aluminum. Headquartered in southern Germany, producing comparable trapezoidal and corrugated profiles for trade distribution across Germany and adjacent markets.
• SAB Profiltechnik: German manufacturer of steel and aluminum profile sheets for roofing and wall applications. Directly comparable in product category with similar trade distribution model across German-speaking markets and Europe.
• BEMO Systems: German manufacturer of metal roofing and façade systems using standing seam and trapezoidal profiles. Directly comparable product offering for roof and wall cladding with focus on commercial and industrial construction, serving the German-speaking market.
• Plannja: Swedish manufacturer of steel and aluminum roofing profiles, wall claddings, and rainwater systems under the Lindab group. Directly competes with WECKMAN profile sheets across Scandinavian and Northern European markets with similar product range and trade distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Kingspan Group: Irish building envelope giant offering insulated panels, roofing systems, and daylighting solutions including polycarbonate and PVC plates. Broader portfolio with global reach; the daylighting/light plate segment overlaps with Friedrich von Lien's VLF/SALUX plastic products.
• Lindab Group: Swedish building envelope specialist producing profiled metal roofing, wall cladding, and rainwater systems. Broader portfolio than Friedrich von Lien AG including ventilation and steel building systems, with pan-European distribution and a stronger brand in Nordic markets.
• Ruukki Construction: Finnish steel-based building products manufacturer offering roofing, wall cladding, and structural solutions. Comparable product range in metal profile sheets with broader portfolio including sandwich panels and load-bearing structures, serving Northern European construction markets.
• ArcelorMittal Construction: Division of the world's largest steel producer offering steel roofing, wall cladding, and structural decking systems. Overlaps with WECKMAN profile sheets but at significantly larger scale with pan-European distribution.

Regional players

• Holzbau Schmid GmbH & Co. KG: German regional building materials supplier offering timber construction and roofing materials through specialist trade channels. Adjacent product overlap in roofing materials but more regionally focused on southern Germany rather than competing directly in profile sheets.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCV652HWDYgD5HdHueLw4zDQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/vonLienAG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friedrich-von-lien-ag

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Friedrich Von Lien AG