Complete solutions all around wood: trading, industrial prefabrication (timber framing, machining and cut-to-size, CLT, wood-concrete composite) and logistics.
Kuratle Group AG
Leibstadt (Headquarters) · Laufenburg · Basel · Füllinsdorf · Oberentfelden · Sins · Niederbipp · Alpnach · Biel · Buchs · Volketswil · Märstetten · Spreitenbach · Carouge · Farvagny-le-Petit ·New on Amplifa
Complete solutions all around wood from Leibstadt
The Kuratle Group is a family-owned corporate group founded in 1955 with its headquarters in Leibstadt (AG), Switzerland. It unites more than 20 companies under one roof and offers complete solutions all around the material wood in the areas of trading, production and logistics. Production includes industrial prefabrication, machining and cut-to-size (BUZ), high-tech timber framing with the Hundegger Robot Drive 650, Weinmann WBS 140 and Hundegger Speed-Cut 480 systems, thickness planing, surface treatment, cross-laminated timber (CLT) as well as the patented Wilma wood-concrete composite system. Materials include, alongside wood and wood-based materials, also concrete, plywood, polyurethane rigid foam (purenit) and precious woods such as oak and sweet chestnut. Customers come from structural timber construction, decorative interior fitting, flooring/parquet, the trade, DIY stores as well as planning and architecture. The group employs more than 1000 staff (more than 650 in Switzerland, more than 350 abroad) and is represented with 16 locations in Switzerland as well as subsidiaries in Germany and South Africa.
- Site
- Leibstadt
- Processes
- Machining and cut-to-size (industrial prefabrication), High-tech timber framing, Thickness planing, Surface treatment of wood, Installation of fasteners, Wood-concrete composite system (Wilma prefabricated components, patented technology), Timber construction planning and engineering, Cross-laminated timber production (CLT)
- Materials
- Wood, Wood-based materials, Concrete, Cross-laminated timber (CLT), Plywood, Polyurethane rigid foam (purenit, functional material), Oak, Sweet chestnut
- Certificates
- ISO 9001 (quality management system), FSC® (product certification), PEFC, Swiss wood label, ISO 9001, FSC®
- Founded
- 1955
- Employees
- 1000+ (650+ Switzerl
- Industries
- Structural timber construction, Decorative interior fitting, Flooring/parquet, Specialist trade, DIY stores, Woodworking trades
- 01
Procurement of wood and wood-based materials (trading)
- 02
Timber construction planning and engineering
- 03
Machining and cut-to-size (BUZ)
- 04
High-tech timber framing
- 05
Thickness planing and surface treatment
- 06
Prefabrication (Wilma, CLT)
- 07
Logistics and delivery (Meier Logistik)
- 08
Assembly
Materials and processes
Wood / construction timber
Base material for timber framing, prefabrication and timber construction, preferably from certified forestry (FSC, PEFC, Swiss wood).
Cross-laminated timber (CLT)
Used for projects from small residential buildings to large commercial objects, among others through Xlam South Africa.
Concrete
Material of the patented Wilma wood-concrete composite system for floor systems with high load-bearing capacity, fire resistance and sound insulation.
Polyurethane rigid foam (purenit)
Moisture-resistant, rot-proof functional material as an alternative to wood-based materials.
Wood-based materials / plywood
Broad assortment for timber construction, interior fitting and DIY stores, including over 500 products at Universal Plywood in South Africa.
Oak
Precious wood for parquet floors, e.g. at the boutique hotel Kapitel 7 in Raron.
Sweet chestnut
For exclusive stairs and floors, processed according to Swiss Made guidelines by Ticinoro.
Locations of the Kuratle Group
Leibstadt
CHHeadquarters, trading, production (HWZ, BUZ) and logistics
- Materials
- Wood, wood-based materials
- WORKY machining centre with ROBERTA lay-up press
Laufenburg
CHFounding location, trading
- Materials
- Wood, wood-based materials
Niederbipp
CHTrading, logistics, sales office HWZ Switzerland, location of Wilma AG
- Materials
- Wood, wood-based materials
Weissenberg
DETimber Concept GmbH – headquarters and technical office for engineered timber construction
- Materials
- Wood
Cape Town
ZASubsidiaries (HWZ International SA, Xlam South Africa, Universal Plywood, Wood Conference)
- Materials
- Wood, cross-laminated timber (CLT), plywood
Products and services
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machining and cut-to-size (industrial prefabrication)Machining | – | – | – | – | Wood, Wood-based materials |
| High-tech timber framingMachining | – | – | – | 9000 m³ volume framing | Wood, Construction timber |
| Thickness planingMachining | – | – | – | – | Wood |
| Surface treatment of woodSurface | – | – | – | – | Wood |
| Installation of fastenersAssembly | – | – | – | – | Wood |
| Wood-concrete composite system (Wilma prefabricated components, patented technology)Joining | – | – | – | – | Wood, Concrete |
| Timber construction planning and engineeringEngineering | – | – | – | – | Wood |
| Cross-laminated timber production (CLT)Joining | – | – | – | – | Wood |
| Parquet laying / floor coveringsAssembly | – | – | – | – | Wood, Parquet |
4 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timber framing system | Hundegger Robot Drive 650 | 1 | – | – | HTA Mittelland |
| Timber framing system | Weinmann WBS 140 | 1 | – | – | HTA Mittelland |
| Timber framing system | Hundegger Speed-Cut 480 | 1 | – | – | HTA Mittelland |
| Lay-up press | ROBERTA | 1 | – | – | WORKY machining centre Leibstadt |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and origin verification
The Kuratle Group uses a quality management system according to ISO 9001 as well as an internal control system (ICA) for verifying the origin of the base material. Certifications according to FSC®, PEFC and the Swiss wood label demonstrate traceability and compliance with environmental standards.
| Evidence | Leibstadt |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| FSC® | |
| PEFC | |
| Swiss wood label |
History of the Kuratle Group
- 1955
Alfred Kuratle founds a sole proprietorship in Laufenburg on 1 April (trading in round timber, sawn goods, parquet).
- 1974
George Kuratle joins the family business.
- 1982
Acquisition of the site of Thermopal AG and foundation of Kuralit AG.
- 1991
George Kuratle acquires the share packages of Kuralit AG and Kuratle AG.
- 1994
Commissioning of the wood-based materials centre (HWZ AG) in Leibstadt.
- 1999
Foundation of Holzwerkstoff Holding AG (HWH AG) Leibstadt; integration of Kuratle AG and Jaecker AG.
- 2001
Parquet Durrer AG joins; unified name Kuratle & Jaecker AG; ROBERTA lay-up press in the WORKY.
- 2009
Foundation of HWZ International AG Alpnach; Bauarena exhibition in Volketswil; Roger Kuratle joins.
- 2010
Foundation of HWZ International SA (Pty) Ltd. Cape Town; first Wood Conference Cape Town; Fabian Kuratle joins; switch to SAP.
- 2012
Opening of the permanent exhibition "Do something with wood" in the Umwelt Arena Spreitenbach.
- 2014
Acquisition of HIAG Handel AG and merger with Kuratle & Jaecker AG.
- 2015
Commissioning of the KURATLE ACADEMY; first own trade fair Impuls.
- 2018
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018, 1st place in the Family Business category.
- 2019
Brand ambassador "Lotti" launches; Roger Kuratle becomes a member of the executive management.
- 2020
George Kuratle hands over operational management to Corinne, Fabian and Roger Kuratle; merger LEUBA & MICHEL SA; foundation of Wilma Vertriebs AG.
- 2025
Anniversary: 70 years of Kuratle Group.