German sawmiller Rettenmeier has acquired several parts of the Ziegler Group as part of the latter’s insolvency proceedings, catapulting its European sawmilling profile higher.
The acquisition, agreed on January 31, covers Ziegler Group’s German companies – Ziegler Holzindustrie GmbH & Co KG, Ziegler Naturenergie GmbH, Ziegler Forstservice GmbH, Holzzentrum Ziegler GmbH, Prechtl GmbH Anlagen- und Maschinenbau and Ruhland Druckluft & Systemtechnik GmbH as well as the railway station in Wiesau.
Ziegler, a European sawmilling giant itself, filed for insolvency on November 20, 2024, with German media citing the company’s liabilities to banks amounting to €326m. Since then, talks have been held with investors for individual parts of the business.
In a statement, Rettenmeier said the move expands its production capacities, secured jobs and provided long-term delivery reliability for its customers.
Ziegler Holzindustrie GmbH & Co KG operates Europe’s largest single-site sawmill at its headquarters in Plößberg.
“By taking over these sites, we are not only expanding our production capacities but also strengthening our competitiveness and the long-term security of supply for our customers,” explains Dr Stephan Lang, CEO of Rettenmeier.
“Our aim is to optimally utilise and further develop the existing infrastructure. We want to make long-term and sustainable investments and thereby create secure prospects for the entire region,” Mr Lang added.
The company said pending approval from the antitrust authorities, its cutting capacity would rise to 6.2 million m3 and pellet production to 420,000 tonnes.
Rettenmeier Group itself was acquired by the German Cordes Group in 2024 – one of Germany’s largest companies in the wood products sector. Rettenmeier Holding AG and its subsidiaries continue to operate in their present form as independent companies within the Cordes Group.
The Rettenmeier Group has production facilities in Germany, Latvia and the Slovak Republic. Its Hirschberg site in Thuringia has a 750,000m3 annual production capacity.
