The company established in 1932 in Perl an der Mosel in Saarland by the brothers Dr. Alfons Knauf and Karl Knauf, Gebr. Knauf Rheinische Gipsindustrie was the nucleus of the Knauf Group which operates worldwide today.
The Knauf partner portfolio
The versatility of Knauf is reflected in the varied portfolio of partner firms.
This broad and highly diversified range of products makes Knauf as a provider of complete systems in Europe.
Germany
The Knauf Group is present in its native country with numerous companies that manufacture innovative products geared to the applications and various requirements of the modern building materials market.
In their capacity as specialists for problem solutions, these firms, which operate mainly in the dry construction and plastering sectors,market their products worldwide.
Knauf Gips KG
The company, formerly known as Gebr. Knauf Westdeutsche Gipswerke provides and extensive range of systems geared to meet a wide variety of requirements in the dry construction and plastering sector. A strong feature of the company is its innovativeness and the open contact it entertains with all groups of customers, a characteristic common to all companies belonging to the Knauf Group. In this way it is possible to prepare and offer joint problem solutions.
Knauf Marmorit GmbH
The company produce high quality cement and lime-bound plasters for outdoor use. In addition, the company sells an extensive range of heat insulation systems.
Knauf Bauprodukte GmbH
Knauf Bauprodukte GmbH supplies the most extensive range of products for all sectors of the do-it-yourself market in Germany .
Knauf Perlite GmbH
Knauf Perlite supplies products and systems for the dry construction sector. The core products are the water-proof board AQUAPANEL® Cement Board and the Perlite Dry Bulk Leveler.
Knauf PFT GmbH & Co. KG
The manufacturer of G4 a product legendary on the building materials market, is still providing innovative technology for the efficient processing/application of plasters for indoor and outdoor use. It covers almost all practical requirements with its product range.
Richter System GmbH & Co. KG
The company is the specialist for fastening technology in the Knauf Group. The galvanized metal sections, punched parts, corner protection rails and screws are an integral part of the systems being offered in the dry construction and plastering sector. Here, too, potential solutions for modern building techniques are developed based on innovative ideas.
Knauf USG Systems GmbH
In US Gypsum this joint venture has the world’s largest manufacturer of plaster board as its partner. The company, which is based in Iserlohn , produces a cement-bound panel reinforced with a latticed glass fibre/ fabric, which is equally suitable for indoor and outdoor use. The panel is sold together with the corresponding fastenings and the suitable drywall adhesive under the name of “Aquapanel System”.
Knauf AMF GmbH & Co. KG
This company, which is domiciled in Grafenau supplies mineral fibre panels in a variety of shapes together with the necessary fastenings in the form of modular ceiling systems. The firm provides innovative solutions for any conceivable requirement regarding acoustics, air conditioning technology and design.
Knauf Dämmstoffe GmbH
This company provides the complete range of products in the insulation materials sector in Germany. One of the main products is the expanded polystyrene-based insulation materials known under the product name " Knauf-Therm”
Knauf Integral KG
The gypsum fibre boards, which are essentially used for flooring, are produced in Satteldorf in Baden Württemberg and sold throughout Europe .
Western Europe
The Knauf Group has become established with its own locations in almost all the Western European markets. Apart from the typical Knauf sectors, dry-wall construction, gypsum and insulation materials, the range of offerings for the Western market are complemented by the injection moulded and moulded parts sector.
Knauf La Rhénane SA
The French company controls the activities of the injection moulded and moulded parts sector worldwide. Furthermore, the company operates a gypsum board plant and supplies the entire product range of the Knauf Group.
Knauf Insulation
Knauf Insulation operates a site in Visé in Belgium as well as several factories in France . It sells both insulation materials based on minerals such as glass and stone wool as well as some based on expanded or extruded polystyrene.
Knauf N. et B. Knauf et Cie. S.C.S.
From its site in Engis the company offers the entire range of gypsum bound Knauf products and systems. At the location itself top quality plasters are manufactured for the BENELUX countries.
ISOLAVA G.C.V.
In Wielsbeke near Bruges ISOLAVA manufactures gypsum board and partition walls for the markets in the BENELUX states and in France .
Knauf GmbH Sucursal en Espana
The company, which has its headquarters in Madrid , produces Knauf panels for the Iberian peninsular in Guixers in Northern Spain.
Northern Europe
The North European and above all the Scandinavian countries have very extensive experience in dry wall construction owing to the fact that it is the prevalent form of construction. Knauf has become established with its own factories in Scandinavia and Great Britain and offers an innovative range of products.
Knauf UK GmbH
The company is holding its own very successfully as one of the leading providers of modern building materials on the British markets. Knauf boards and Knauf gypsum plasters are manufactured at the two locations in Sittingbourne and Immingham.
Danogips A/S
The company is the provider of gypsum board in Scandinavia . Among other things it supplies the “Danoline” brand, a ceiling system that meets the highest possible requirements both from the point of view of design and as an acoustic ceiling. Danogips A/S operate a board factory in Denmark and Sweden respectively as well as a cardboard factory in Lila Edit in Sweden .
Knauf Oy
The company, with headquarters in Helsinki, central Finland , produces Knauf boards for Finland and the Eastern Scandinavian region.
NORGIPS AS
Following the takeover of NORGIPS in 2004, a further production site is available for supplying the Scandinavian markets thanks to the factory in Drammen, Norway .
Knauf Insulation Ltd.
At a total of four locations in Great Britain, Knauf Insulation manufactures insulation materials based on glass wool, stone wool and extruded polystyrene. The Knauf Group is therefore one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of insulation materials.
Southern Europe
The usage of gypsum as a basic construction material has a long tradition in Southern Europe . In addition to clay it has been used as a building material for centuries. A huge advance in terms of quality and technology with gypsum came in the form of plasterboard production.
Knauf has been active in the Southern European markets with its own locations since the mid 80s of the last century.
Knauf di Lothar Knauf s.a.s.
The company produces gypsum plaster and Knauf plasterboard in Gambassi near Florence and in Castellina Marittima near Pisa . Both factories have extensive gypsum resources in the immediate vicinity.
Knauf Gypsopiia A.B.E.E.
In Amphilochia on the Greek west coast, the company produces Knauf plasterboard and plasters for the Greek market.
Eastern Europe
The Knauf Group was one of the first manufacturers of building materials to start operating on the Eastern European markets with factories of its own. Today the group operates a production site in almost each of the countries of Eastern Europe .
Knauf Ges. m.b.H
The production site in Weißenbach was not only the first foreign location in the Knauf Group. It was and still is at the same time the supply base for the Eastern European markets. The domestic Austrian market is, however, the company’s main sales area.
Knauf Praha spol. s.r.o.
The company supplies the Czech market with top grade lime-bound plasters from its factory in Kbely near Prague and with Knauf boards from its Pocerady location in Northern Bohemia .
Knauf Sp. z.o.o.
In Poland KnaufSp.z o.o. with headquarters in Warsaw sales the classic Knauf range. The products are manufactured at the Knauf locations in Belchatov, Jaworznov and in the factory in Opol, which was acquired when NORGIPS was taken over in 2004.
Knauf Insulation
Knauf Insulation started operating a glass fibre factory for supplying the neighbouring countries in Teplice in the North of the Czech Republic .
Knauf Riga SIA
The Latvian subsidiary operates a Knauf gypsum board and gypsum plaster factory. The fast-growing markets in the Baltic States are supplied from this location.
Knauf d.o.o., Croatia / Knauf Radika AD, Mazedonia
The two Knauf factories in Knin in Croatia and in Debar, Mazedonia, supply the South East European markets with Knauf boards.
CIS
When the Iron Curtain fell Knauf immediately became engaged in activities in the former CIS states. Today Knauf is considered the second largest German investor in these countries following Siemens. High quality building materials from modern factories have contributed towards making the Knauf Group one of the most reputable companies in this region.
Knauf GUS (CIS)
Apart from Krasnogorsk near Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia, Knauf boards, gypsum fibre boards, insulation materials, gypsum and cement-bound plaster, partition wall boards and gypsum boards are produced for the Russian market in state-of-the-art plants at locations in Novomoskovsk, Dzershinsk, Kazan, Kungur, Tscheljabinsk, und Krasnodar.In Stupino, to the south of Moscow, Knauf Insulation is going to build a new glass-fibre factory for the production of insulation materials.
In addition to this, Knauf has also become very involved in the training of craftsmen in Russia. This commitment is not for purely commercial purposes, it is also rooted in a sense of social responsibility. In all some 20,000 tradesmen from the building sector, architects and planners have been trained in the use of modern building materials. It is precisely this activity which has contributed towards the excellent reputation of Knauf on the Russian market.
Knauf Gips Kyiv TOO
The rising Ukrainian market is supplied with Knauf boards and gypsum plasters from the factory in Kiev.
Knauf Gips Kaptschagaj OAO
In Kazakhstan Knauf is present with gypsum board factories at the locations in Kaptschagai, near Almaty and Inderborskij, approx. 170 km to the North of the Caspian Sea . The neighbouring countries can be supplied easily from both locations.
China and Asia
In the mid-Nineties of the past century first steps were taken that eventually led to the construction of factories owing to the increasing demand for building materials. This market, which is marked by unbroken growth, will continue to be one of the main areas of investment for the Knauf Group.
At the locations in Wuhu , approx. 300 km to the west of Shanghai, in Tianjing near Peking and in Machong in Southern China, situated not far from Hong Kong, the Knauf operates wallboard factories China and the countries bordering on China are attended to by sales distribution companies.
PT Knauf Gypsum Indonesia
Indonesia and the entire South Asian region are supplied with Knauf boards from the Cikampek location.
North America
The North American market is regarded as the biggest building board market in the world. It is assumed that of the meanwhile 6.5 billion m² of gypsum board, half is sold in the United States. The per capita consumption there is almost 12m².
Knauf Insulation GmbH
Knauf Insulation GmbH produces only insulation materials made of glass wool in the United States . The first factory in the United States was located in Shelbyville , Indiana . Glass fibre-based insulation materials have been manufactured in Lanett/Alabama since 1988. By establishing a second production line it has been possible to almost treble production capacity in the subsequent years. Meantime the production plants in Shelbyville have been completely renewed and the capacity thus increased from 80,000 tons to date to 120,000. The fourth factory was opened in 2002 in Shasta Lake/California.
South America
Although it is weakened by political and economical escapades, the South American subcontinent offers great potential. Knauf has been active with various activities in the main markets of Brazil , Argentina and Chile since the turn of the century.
Knauf do Brasil Ltda.
Since 2000, the company has been operating a stone works in Queimados near Rio de Janeiro . The gypsum is then delivered to the deposit in Queimados some 2,500 km away in Northern Brazil. The main sales regions are almost all in Southern Brazil .
Knauf ISOPOR Ltda.
The company produces molded parts from expanded polystyrene for the electrical and food industries from locations in Sao Paulo, Jointville, Manaus, Joáo Pessoa and Sapucaia do Sul.
Yesos Knauf GmbH Sucursal Argentina
Knauf operates a stone works in Mendoza near the Chilean border, that supplies markets in Argentina and Chile .
Middle East, North Africa
At the end of the last century Knauf reinforced its activities in this region by acquiring a board factory in Ankara and building a second plant in Izmit near Istanbul. This development continued with the purchase of companies in North Africa at the beginning of this century.
TEPE Knauf A.S.
This company, which emerged from the takeover of the TEPE factory in Ankara , today operates two gypsum board factories in Ankara and Izmit. On top of this an associated company manufactures sections.
Knauf Morocco
The gypsum plaster factory in Safi, Morocco, near Casablanca, which was purchased in 2003, supplies the North West African region with gypsum plasters.
Knauf Plâtres Tunisiens
The factory located in Mekassny, approx. 250 km south of Tunis , produces gypsum plaster for the Tunisian market.
