A new mortar giant from Azendorf
maxit Group takes over dry mortar and facade activities from Saint-Gobain Weber in Germany
Effective October 1, Saint-Gobain Weber GmbH (Düsseldorf) will transfer its dry mortar and facade business in Germany to Franken Maxit Mauermörtel GmbH & Co. This deal will make the family-run Franken Maxit one of the largest dry mortar manufacturers in Germany. The business comprises eight Weber locations throughout Germany, which will continue to produce mortar-based construction products for walls, floors, facades, and ceilings under Maxit management from Upper Franconia. Overall, the company hopes to achieve noticeable synergy effects and a boost in innovation for its core brand, “maxit”.
Declared as a “letter of intent” until July, it is now certain: effective October 1, Saint-Gobain Weber's eight production sites in Wolfertschwenden, Merdingen, Mainz, Wülfrath, Buxtehude, Landsberg, Barby, and Herzfelde will be transferred to the maxit Group.
Previously mainly present in southern and eastern Germany, maxit will thus become not only a nationwide player “overnight,” but also one of the largest dry mortar manufacturers in Germany. From its headquarters in Azendorf (Upper Franconia), 17 locations in Germany and Czechia with a total of over 1,200 employees will be managed in the future. The approximately 400 employees of Saint-Gobain Weber in these business areas will be taken on entirely.
Exploiting synergies, promoting innovation
With its expanded market presence, maxit sees itself ideally positioned to realize its full growth potential in the market. For specialist customers and dealers, nothing will change for the time being: existing agreements, the product range of both brands, and contact persons will remain unchanged in the coming months.
With the transfer of the dry mortar and façade business to the highly innovative maxit Group, Saint-Gobain Weber gains the necessary freedom in a difficult overall market to concentrate on its strengths in the areas of building protection and construction chemicals, as well as tile and flooring systems and infrastructure.
“Both partners are convinced that this transition will generate valuable synergies in national market development and in the area of research and development. This way, we also want to further consolidate the maxit Group's market position as a national innovation leader in the development of sustainable building materials,” explains Sebastian Groppweis, managing director of the family-run Bergmann Group. The latter holds a 50 percent stake in the Franken Maxit joint venture. As has been successfully practiced for decades, Saint-Gobain Weber will also retain a 50 percent stake in Franken Maxit.
Overall, maxit is one of the most stable employers in Germany, as confirmed by the data-based Creditreform rating 2023: The company ranked fourth among the “most crisis-proof companies in Germany,” leaving numerous heavyweights behind. This financial security is the result of the sustainable, forward-looking approach of this successful family business, which thinks in terms of generations.
