IMPEX

What IMPEX does

IMPEX Sanitär- & Heizungsgroßhandels GmbH is a 100% family-owned Austrian wholesale distributor of sanitary, heating, pipe-installation, and spare-parts products, founded in 1962 and headquartered in Steyr with a central logistics center currently undergoing expansion. The company operates 26+ Fachzentren (specialist centers) across Austria plus one cross-border location in Bozen, Italy (South Tyrol), and presents over 40,000 SKUs across four core product categories: Bad & Sanitär (bath and sanitary), Heizung & Kühlung (heating and cooling), Rohinstallation (pipe installation), and Ersatzteile (spare parts). Supporting services include a B2B webshop for registered firm customers, free 3D bathroom planning in 10+ showrooms, a Tatzenprämien loyalty program, downloadable product catalogs (Artikelstamm) for installer ERP integration, and overnight delivery to construction sites with a stated 99.9%+ error-free delivery rate.

The company's go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting professional installers (plumbers, heating technicians, sanitary installers) as its primary segment, with end consumers (homeowners) addressed as a secondary persona through showroom consultation primarily to support installer purchase decisions. Revenue is generated through one-time wholesale product sales across physical branches, phone sales, and the gated online webshop; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The business is managed by Kurt Reichenpfader and Klaus Reichenpfader as Managing Directors, with no institutional investors, parent entities, or public market listing identified. The operating model is a traditional distribution business with no proprietary AI/ML technology, with the primary technology investment channeled into the Steyr logistics center expansion.

Name

IMPEX

Legal name

IMPEX Sanitär- und Heizungsgroßhandels GmbH

Website

https://impex.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IMPEX is a 100% family-owned Austrian wholesaler founded in 1962 that distributes sanitary, heating, pipe installation, and spare parts products through 26+ Fachzentren across Austria plus a Bozen (Italy) location. It serves professional installers (primary) and end consumers (secondary) via branches, a B2B webshop, showrooms, and overnight delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Steyr

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Product Sales: IMPEX generates revenue through the wholesale distribution of sanitary products, heating equipment, installation materials, and spare parts to professional installers. The company operates a discount program (Tatzenprämien) where registered B2B customers collect points on purchases. Products are sold through physical branch locations, phone sales, and an online webshop for registered customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IMPEX is a wholesale distributor of sanitary, bathroom, heating, cooling, pipe installation, and spare part products, selling over 40,000 items to professional installers (plumbers, heating technicians) through 26+ branch locations across Austria, a B2B webshop, phone sales, and over 10 showrooms with free bathroom planning consultation. The company also provides downloadable product catalog data (Artikelstamm) for business customers and operates a central logistics center in Steyr with overnight delivery capability.

Product overview

IMPEX is a 100% family-owned Austrian wholesale company (founded 1962) specializing in plumbing and heating products, operating 26-27 locations across Austria plus one location in Italy (Bozen). The company offers a unified product portfolio centered on four core product categories: (1) Bad & Sanitär with over 40,000 sanitary products and bathroom articles; (2) Heizung & Kühlung covering heating and cooling solutions including solar storage and ventilation; (3) Rohinstallation providing complete pipe installation materials; and (4) Ersatzteile offering an extensive range of spare parts. Supporting the core product lines, IMPEX provides an online webshop for registered business customers, free 3D bathroom planning services in showrooms, downloadable product catalogs (Artikelstamm), and operates a central logistics center in Steyr that is currently undergoing expansion. The company primarily serves professional installers (Installateure) but also offers products and consultation services for end consumers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bad & Sanitär (Bath & Sanitary) Sanitary products and bathroom articles including over 40,000 items for new construction, renovation, and modern bathroom equipment, sold to professional installers and end consumers.
• Heizung & Kühlung (Heating & Cooling) Comprehensive product portfolio for heating and cooling including high-performance solar storage, ball valves, and ventilation grilles for all installation requirements.
• Rohinstallation (Pipe Installation) Complete range of products for pipe installation including pipe systems, fixing technology, and pre-wall installation for every construction site.
• Ersatzteile (Spare Parts) Extensive selection of spare parts including seals, valves, and control components for all repairs in sanitary, heating, pipe installation, and swimming pool technology.
• IMPEX Webshop Online ordering platform for registered business customers to browse products, check availability, and place orders electronically with access to IMPEX's complete product catalog.
• 3D-Bäderplanung (3D Bathroom Planning) Free 3D bathroom planning service available in IMPEX showrooms, allowing customers to visualize their bathroom designs with professional consultation.
• Artikelstamm (Product Catalog Data Downloads) Downloadable product catalog files (Artikelstamm) and change logs available in ZIP format for business customers to integrate into their own systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.9%+ error-free delivery rate
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Geberit: European sanitary and piping-systems manufacturer with a strong installer-channel presence in Austria and DACH. Competitor/partner at the brand level for sanitary product categories IMPEX distributes.
• Richter+Frenzel: Large German/DACH sanitary, heating, and plumbing wholesaler with an extensive branch network and webshop. Operates in overlapping product categories and serves similar installer customers across the broader DACH region.
• Cordes & Graefe: German sanitary, heating, and installation wholesaler with regional Fachhandel locations and webshop. Comparable business model targeting professional installers across the DACH market.
• Saint-Gobain Distribution: European building-materials and sanitary/heating distribution arm of Saint-Gobain, including branded specialists (e.g., POINT.P, Raab Karcher). Competes with IMPEX in sanitary/heating categories at greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Viessmann: Major heating-systems manufacturer and trade-channel distributor across DACH. Comparable because its installer-focused distribution model and product portfolio directly overlap with IMPEX's heating category.
• Hagebau: German/DACH building-materials and trade cooperative with significant sanitary/heating assortment for installers. Overlaps with IMPEX on trade-customer procurement and product categories at a broader portfolio scale.

Regional players

• Klöber Haustechnik: Regional sanitary/heating wholesaler active in German-speaking markets with installer-focused service model. Comparable operating profile though primarily focused on a different regional footprint than IMPEX.

Direct peers

• SHT Haustechnik: Austrian sanitary and heating specialist wholesaler serving installers across multiple Fachzentren. Direct competitor to IMPEX in the same Austrian trade-customer channel and product categories.
• Frauenthal Handel: Austrian building-materials and sanitary/heating wholesaler serving trades and construction professionals. Comparable branch-based distribution model and product portfolio with strong Austrian footprint.
• GC-Gruppe Österreich: Austrian branch of the European GC-Gruppe sanitary/heating/building-services wholesaler. Operates a comparable Fachzentrum-style branch network serving professional installers with overlapping product categories.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/impexat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/impexbadundheizung
• Instagraminstagram.com/impex_at

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 IMPEX