Wissner GmbH
Wissner GmbH is a family-owned German manufacturer, founded 1976, producing sustainable educational aids (mathematical learning tools, educational games, traffic/weather education) from proprietary recycled materials RE-Wood, RE-Plastic, and MAG-Pap, sold to schools, kindergartens, trade retailers, and consumers across ~14 European countries via B2B and DTC channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersBensheim, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Wissner GmbH does
Wissner GmbH is a family-owned German manufacturer of educational materials, founded in 1976 and headquartered in Bensberg (now part of Bensheim), Germany. The company specializes in mathematical learning aids and educational games, with a product range extended into traffic and weather education following the 2013 acquisition of Karst. Core technology rests on proprietary sustainable materials developed with the Fraunhofer-Institut, including RE-Wood (recycled-wood composite), RE-Plastic, and MAG-Pap (magnetic paper), produced in-house with reported material utilization above 98%. The company holds PEFC, SEDEX/SMETA, EN 71-3, and REACH certifications relevant to institutional and trade procurement.
The business operates a dual-channel go-to-market model combining business-to-business trade distribution (educational wholesalers, retailers) with direct-to-consumer e-commerce, reaching approximately 14 European countries from a German base. Trade visibility is maintained through continuous participation at the Spielwarenmesse toy fair since 2006, with an open booth since 2023, and through annual catalog publication. The company is led by three family managing directors (Jürgen, Jörn, and Jess Wißner) with a lean organization of approximately 10 employees. Certifications including PEFC (2023) and SEDEX/SMETA membership (2025) position the company for ethically-screened institutional procurement pipelines.
Revenue is generated through sales of physical educational aids to schools, kindergartens, and trade retailers, alongside direct e-commerce purchases by end consumers (notably parents and families purchasing learning games). Public-sector institutional buyers typically transact on invoice terms with small per-account order sizes, while B2B trade orders tend toward larger wholesale volumes. The combination of fragmented institutional customers, distributed trade accounts, and DTC consumers produces a low customer concentration profile, with revenue sensitivity primarily tied to education procurement cycles rather than any single anchor account.
Wissner GmbH firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wissner GmbH
- Legal name
- WISSNER GmbH
- Website
- https://wissner-aktiv-lernen.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Wissner GmbH is a family-owned German manufacturer, founded 1976, producing sustainable educational aids (mathematical learning tools, educational games, traffic/weather education) from proprietary recycled materials RE-Wood, RE-Plastic, and MAG-Pap, sold to schools, kindergartens, trade retailers, and consumers across ~14 European countries via B2B and DTC channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wissner GmbH industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Materials / Teaching Aids
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Educational Supplies & Learning Toys Retail (CRALAIAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Educational/Children’s Learning Games & Puzzles Retail (CRALALAN), Instructional Equipment & Classroom Tools (Whiteboards, Lab Kits, Manipulatives) (EDAEAIAB)
Keywords
Where Wissner GmbH is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bensheim
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Wissner GmbH business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: The company sells educational materials directly to consumers and institutions through their online shop. Products are purchased as one-time transactions with shipping to end customers. The shop operates with standard e-commerce pricing and payment processing.
- B2B/Trade Sales: Sales to retailers, dealers, and institutional buyers (schools, kindergartens) through the B2B channel. Business customers receive dedicated pricing, can access their order history and favorites, and benefit from tiered discount structures based on order volume.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual consumer pricing for retail customers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | B2B trade pricing with volume-based discounts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Public institution pricing for schools and kindergartens |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Wissner GmbH product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wissner GmbH manufactures and sells didactic mathematical teaching and learning materials, learning games, and drawing instruments made from its proprietary sustainable materials RE-Wood (recycled wood-plastic composite), RE-Plastic (recycled polystyrene), and MAG-Pap (magnetic cardboard composite). Products cover categories such as numbers and arithmetic, geometry, measurement, Montessori methods, weather, and traffic education, sold via a direct e-commerce shop and a dedicated B2B trade channel to schools, kindergartens, parents, and educational retailers in Germany and Europe.
Product overview
Wissner GmbH is a family-owned German manufacturer of mathematical learning materials and educational games, operating for nearly 50 years from Bensheim, Germany. The product portfolio centers on the proprietary sustainable materials RE-Wood® and RE-Plastic® for physical manipulatives, supplemented by MAG-Pap magnetic materials. The core offering spans mathematics learning categories including Zahlen & Rechnen (Numbers & Arithmetic), Raum & Form (Space & Shape), Größe & Messen (Size & Measurement), and Montessori-method products, organized under the 'Aktiv Lernen' educational philosophy. Additional categories include Lernspiele (Learning Games), Zeichengeräte (Drawing Instruments under the PROFI-linie brand), MATHI Materialien, Wetter (Weather), Verkehr (Traffic), and Aufbewahren (Storage) products. The company sells directly via e-commerce through its online shop and catalog, targeting schools, kindergartens, and retail customers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RE-Wood: Proprietary eco-friendly material made from 70-80% recycled wood waste from PEFC-certified forestry in Baden-Württemberg combined with recycled plastic and binders. Used for the majority of learning materials.
- RE-Plastic
- MAG-Pap
- PROFI-linie
- aktiv lernen
Products and services
- Zahlen & Rechnen (Numbers & Arithmetic)
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 98% material utilization with minimal waste
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Wissner GmbH
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Wissner GmbH technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Wissner GmbH partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bensheimer Werkstätten für Menschen mit psychischer Erkrankung und seelischer BehinderungcoreLong-standing partnership since 2010 with workshops for people with psychological and mental disabilities in Bensheim and Mörlenbach. These workshops perform lighter assembly and packaging work locally, supporting the company's commitment to social responsibility and regional employment.
- AWO Integra gGmbH ErbachminorPartnership with AWO Integra gGmbH in Erbach for assembly and packaging services, contributing to social integration through employment.
- Psychosozialer Hilfsverein Heppenheim e.V. ZuverdienstArbeitsProjektminorCollaboration with the psychosocial aid association's work project in Heppenheim for supported employment services.
- Mission Leben AumühleminorPartnership with Mission Leben facility in Aumühle providing assistance for people with disabilities in Darmstadt, offering supported employment opportunities.
- Lebenshilfe Einrichtungen gGmbH WormsminorCollaboration with Lebenshilfe facilities in Worms for disability employment and integration services.
- WfbM Wiesloch-Frauenweiler and MeckesheimminorWorkshops for mentally disabled people in Wiesloch-Frauenweiler and Meckesheim providing supported employment services.
- Diakonissen Speyer Maudacher WerkstattminorPartnership with Diakonissen Speyer's Maudach workshop for people with disabilities in Maudach/Ludwigshafen.
- Caritas Werkstatt WeinheimminorCollaboration with Caritas workshop in Weinheim for disability employment services in the Rhein-Neckar region.
- Fraunhofer-InstitutcoreResearch partnership in the development of RE-Wood material. The Fraunhofer Institute collaborated on creating the innovative wood-plastic composite material over more than ten years of development.
- GLS KlimaProtectminorShipping partnership for climate-neutral delivery of products. GLS KlimaProtect provides 100% climate-neutral shipping services.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Wissner GmbH competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HABA Familygroup: HABA is a German manufacturer of wooden educational toys, games, and classroom materials with a strong DACH presence. It overlaps with Wissner in didactic wooden learning toys for early-years education, though HABA is significantly larger and broader in product range.
- Ernst Klett Verlag / Klett Lernmaterialien: Klett is a major German educational publisher that also produces physical learning materials and workbooks for primary schools. It overlaps with Wissner in math learning aids for German schools, though Klett is broader (publishing-led) while Wissner is materials-led.
- Nienhuis Montessori: Nienhuis is a leading global manufacturer of authentic Montessori learning materials. It directly overlaps with Wissner's Montessori product line and serves the same kindergarten/primary-school segment with didactic, manipulable learning aids.
- Selecta Spielzeug / Spiel- und Lernmittel: Selecta is a German maker of wooden educational toys and learning materials with a comparable didactic-philosophy heritage. It overlaps with Wissner in kindergarten learning materials and DACH institutional channels.
- Learning Resources: Learning Resources is a US-based global manufacturer of hands-on educational manipulatives for math and STEM. It is directly comparable in math-manipulatives product category and K-3 customer base, though it is much larger, internationally distributed, and English-language focused.
- Betzold GmbH: Betzold is a German retailer/wholesaler of teaching materials, learning games, and school supplies. It directly competes with Wissner's B2B/trade distribution channel and serves the same German institutional and teacher customer base.
- Wehrfritz GmbH: Wehrfritz is a long-established German manufacturer and wholesaler of educational supplies for kindergartens and schools. It is directly comparable to Wissner in product categories (math manipulatives, classroom materials) and customer base (German institutional buyers), though Wehrfritz operates at a larger scale under the McKinley brand.
- Beleduc GmbH: Beleduc is a German manufacturer of educational wooden toys and learning games for kindergartens and primary schools. It is directly comparable to Wissner in target market, German manufacturing heritage, and educational-toy product category.
Emerging players
- Quercetti S.p.A. Quercetti is an Italian manufacturer of educational toys and learning games focused on early-childhood math and STEM. It is comparable in product category (math manipulatives, learning games) and target end-user, but is smaller and more Southern-European in distribution than Wissner.
Broad incumbents
- Ravensburger AG: Ravensburger is a major German incumbent in games, puzzles, and educational products. It competes broadly with Wissner in children's learning games and educational materials, though its core strength is in puzzles and board games rather than classroom manipulatives.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wissner GmbH social profiles
Digital presenceWissner GmbH compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Wissner GmbH financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wissner GmbH leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Wissner GmbH funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wissner GmbH M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wissner GmbH
What does Wissner GmbH do?
Wissner GmbH manufactures and sells didactic mathematical teaching and learning materials, learning games, and drawing instruments made from its proprietary sustainable materials RE-Wood (recycled wood-plastic composite), RE-Plastic (recycled polystyrene), and MAG-Pap (magnetic cardboard composite). Products cover categories such as numbers and arithmetic, geometry, measurement, Montessori methods, weather, and traffic education, sold via a direct e-commerce shop and a dedicated B2B trade channel to schools, kindergartens, parents, and educational retailers in Germany and Europe.
Is Wissner GmbH a public or private company?
Wissner GmbH is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Wissner GmbH founded?
Wissner GmbH was founded in 1976. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Wissner GmbH based?
Wissner GmbH is headquartered in Bensheim, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Wissner GmbH make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are B2B/Trade Sales.
Who are Wissner GmbH's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HABA Familygroup, Ernst Klett Verlag / Klett Lernmaterialien, Nienhuis Montessori, Selecta Spielzeug / Spiel- und Lernmittel, Learning Resources, Betzold GmbH, Wehrfritz GmbH and Beleduc GmbH. Quercetti S.p.A. is listed as an emerging player. Ravensburger AG is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Wissner GmbH have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wissner GmbH.
What industry is Wissner GmbH in?
Wissner GmbH's product category is Educational Materials / Teaching Aids. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAIAL, Educational Supplies & Learning Toys Retail, with a secondary code of CRALALAN, Educational/Children’s Learning Games & Puzzles Retail. Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 3944.