A traditional company in the German ceramics industry is facing a fresh start under insolvency protection: Deutsche Steinzeug Cremer & Breuer AG, based in Alfter near Bonn, has filed an application with the competent district court for the opening of insolvency proceedings under self-administration. Around 1000 employees are affected by the crisis. The company, which is among the established providers in the field of porcelain stoneware and ceramic wall and floor tiles, plans a restructuring under court supervision.
The insolvency of Deutsche Steinzeug is part of a series of structural upheavals in the ceramic sector. Just a few weeks earlier, Agrob Buchtal, another major German tile manufacturer, also chose the path to self-administration. The parallels are evident: both companies are struggling with the consequences of drastically increased energy costs for the energy-intensive firing process of ceramic materials, increased price pressure from imports from Turkey, Spain and Italy, and weakening construction demand in the German market.
The production of tiles and porcelain stoneware according to DIN EN 14411 requires firing temperatures of 1200 to 1300 °C – a process that historically relied on natural gas as the primary energy source. The multiplication of gas prices since 2021 has fundamentally shifted the cost structure of ceramic works. While Southern European competitors have partially switched to alternative energy sources and modern tunnel kiln systems, many medium-sized German manufacturers face investment decisions in the hundreds of millions – an order of magnitude that is difficult to manage without external financing or strategic partners.
For planners and building material dealers, the increase in insolvencies in the ceramic segment presents a challenge for supply chain security. Product-specific approvals, color matching and reorder guarantees for major projects are at risk if manufacturers cease operations or have to consolidate product lines. The restructuring proceedings aim to preserve jobs and production capacity, but it remains to be seen whether the planned restructuring measures will be sufficient to restore competitiveness compared to Southern European and non-European providers.
Industry observers expect further consolidation in the European ceramic market, comparable to the recent concentration in the roof tile sector through acquisitions by major groups. Whether Deutsche Steinzeug remains independent in the medium term or is integrated into a larger corporate structure will likely depend significantly on developments in energy markets and the availability of cost-effective, decarbonized process heat.
