Scheurich, Soendgen and Formwerk join forces to form the Plant-Style-Group
Together for a strong future: on January 1, 2021, the ceramics manufacturers Scheurich and Soendgen Keramik merged with the leading producer of plastic plant vessels Formwerk to form the Plant-Style-Group. Björn Hansen, Managing Director of SK GmbH, and Peter Baumann, owner and CEO of Scheurich for more than 30 years and now Chairman of the Advisory Board, are laying the foundations for a joint expansion into markets overseas. The merger is intended to leverage synergies for the development of innovative technologies, as well as for plant construction and the optimized use of processes and capacities. Shared access to the opportunities offered by the plastic manufacturer Formwerk (previously PP-Plastic), which already belonged to Scheurich, will also lead to greater benefits for customers. The three individual companies will continue to operate independently from a legal perspective. The Scheurich and Soendgen Keramik brands will be retained, and will also be sold in future with an emphasis on the existing sites.
Ralf Rammo, who moved from Hettich to Scheurich in January 2020, has taken over the management of the worldwide retail segment. Ralf Schwinn, the previous Managing Director of Sales at Soendgen GmbH, has become Managing Director of the Professional segment in the Furniture, Discount and Planter market with a focus on large customers. Björn Hansen assumes responsibility for the commercial management of the Plant-Style-Group, and Reinhard Birven, long-term Head of Production and Logistics at Scheurich, will lead these departments across the Group. The Plant-Style-Group is managed by Peter Baumann.
The Plant-Style-Group employs more than 700 people, and produces more than 60 million plant vessels a year at its three ceramic plants in Kleinheubach, Adendorf and Gelsdorf as well as the plastics plant in Neukirchen. Previously around half of the Group’s sales were to customers outside Germany; the aim is for this figure to gradually increase. Talking about the new organization, Peter Baumann says: “Because of megatrends such as sustainability, digitalization and urbanization, people all over the world are looking to give their surroundings a more natural look, and are increasingly using plants and vessels to brighten up their homes. With the Plant-Style-Group, we can offer customers in Europe and worldwide even more expertise when it comes to stylish products related to flowers and plants.”
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