Manufacture of sanitary ceramics, bathtubs, bathroom furniture and fittings for the complete bathroom
LAUFEN Austria GmbH
Wilhelmsburg (AT) · Gmunden (AT) · Vienna (AT) · Laufen (CH) · Bechyně (CZ) · Znojmo (CZ) · Gryfice (PL)New on Amplifa
About LAUFEN Austria
LAUFEN Austria GmbH is the Austrian production and sales site of the LAUFEN Group, which has existed since 1892 as a pottery factory in Laufen, Switzerland, and today belongs to the Spanish Roca Group. The core competence is the manufacture of sanitary ceramics: at Wilhelmsburg (Lower Austria) and Gmunden (Upper Austria), washbasins, WCs, bidets, urinals and special items such as classroom basins and slop sinks are produced – with a group output of around 3 million ceramic pieces per year. In addition to ceramics, the company processes steel (Vitreon), acrylic, mineral cast (Sentec), composite materials (Marbond) and urea for toilet seats; fittings made of brass are produced at the parent plant in Laufen, Switzerland, partly with PVD coating. Processes include the high-pressure casting process for ceramics developed by LAUFEN, glazing and firing processes in tunnel kilns, as well as individualized production such as shower tray cutting and custom-made bathroom furniture. Customers include the bathroom and sanitary industry, architecture, commercial construction, public sanitary facilities and barrier-free facilities in hospitals; the products are distributed worldwide via sales companies.
- Site
- Wilhelmsburg
- Processes
- Sanitary ceramics manufacturing (ceramic casting/drying/firing), Pressure casting process (high-pressure casting for ceramics), PVD coating of fittings, Manufacture of steel washbasins/tubs (Vitreon steel, enameled), Manufacture of bathtubs/shower trays and washbasins made of acrylic, Manufacture of tubs/washbasins from mineral cast (Sentec), Manufacture of tubs/shower trays/washbasins from composite material (Marbond), Bathroom furniture manufacturing (lacquering, 37 special lacquers)
- Materials
- Sanitary ceramics, Stoneware, Sapphire ceramics (ceramic with corundum additive), Vitreon steel, Acrylic, Sentec (mineral cast material), Marbond (composite material), Urea (toilet seats/lids)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, EMAS, ISO 50001:2018
- Founded
- 1892
- Employees
- approx. 350 (Austria
- Industries
- Bathroom/sanitary industry, Architecture, Commercial construction, Public sanitary facilities, Hospitals/Barrier-free accessibility
- 01
Material preparation (clay/ceramics)
- 02
High-pressure casting of the blanks
- 03
Drying
- 04
Glazing
- 05
Firing (tunnel kiln)
- 06
Quality inspection
- 07
Assembly & Logistics
Materials & Processes
Sanitary ceramics
Core material for washbasins, WCs, bidets and urinals, produced in casting, glazing and firing processes.
Stoneware
Historical material of the Wilhelmsburg and Gmunden sites for tableware and sanitary ceramics.
Sapphire ceramics
Ceramic with corundum additive for particularly slender and resistant wall thicknesses.
Vitreon steel
Enameled steel for washbasins and tubs with a surface as smooth as glass.
Acrylic
Plastic for bathtubs, shower trays and washbasins.
Sentec (mineral cast)
Mineral cast material for shower trays, bathtubs and washbasins.
Marbond (composite material)
Composite material for slender shower trays, bathtubs and washbasins.
Urea
Thermoset for toilet seats and lids.
Brass
Material of fittings production at the Laufen (CH) site, including PVD surfaces.
Production Sites
Wilhelmsburg
ATHeadquarters and sanitary ceramics production
- Materials
- Sanitary ceramics, stoneware
- High-pressure casting systems
- Tunnel kiln
Gmunden
ATProduction site for ceramics, complex ceramic elements
- Materials
- Sanitary ceramics, stoneware
- Tunnel kiln
Laufen
CHGroup headquarters, production of ceramics and fittings
- Materials
- Ceramics, brass
- PVD coating system
- Fittings factory
- High-pressure casting systems
Bechyně
CZProduction site for ceramics
- Materials
- Sanitary ceramics
Znojmo
CZProduction site, registered office of LAUFEN CZ s.r.o.
- Materials
- Sanitary ceramics
Gryfice
PLProduction of composite materials and acrylic
- Materials
- Acrylic, composite material
Products & Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanitary ceramics manufacturing (ceramic casting/drying/firing)Casting | – | – | – | 3 million ceramic pieces per year | Sanitary ceramics, Stoneware, Sapphire ceramics (with corundum) |
| Pressure casting process (high-pressure casting for ceramics)Casting | – | – | – | – | Sanitary ceramics |
| PVD coating of fittingsSurface | – | – | – | – | Brass (fittings) |
| Manufacture of steel washbasins/tubs (Vitreon steel, enameled)Forming | – | – | – | – | Steel (Vitreon steel) |
| Manufacture of bathtubs/shower trays and washbasins made of acrylicPlastics | – | – | – | – | Acrylic |
| Manufacture of tubs/washbasins from mineral cast (Sentec)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Sentec (mineral cast material) |
| Manufacture of tubs/shower trays/washbasins from composite material (Marbond)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Marbond (composite material) |
| Bathroom furniture manufacturing (lacquering, 37 special lacquers)Assembly | – | – | – | – | Wood-based material (furniture) |
| Customized product adaptation (shower tray cutting, precisely fitting mirrors, customizedEngineering | – | – | – | – | Shower tray materials, Mirror glass, Furniture material |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVD coating system | – | – | – | – | Fittings production Laufen (CH) |
| High-pressure casting systems (pressure casting process for ceramics) | – | – | – | 1980/1982 | LAUFEN production plants |
| Electric tunnel kiln for sanitary ceramics (historical, first in the world) | – | – | – | 1933 | Laufen (CH) |
Additional services
Certificates & Quality
The Wilhelmsburg and Gmunden plants are certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 and carry the EMAS certification; Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) according to EN 15804+A2 are available for the product groups.
| Evidence | Wilhelmsburg | Gmunden |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 | ||
| ISO 14001:2015 | ||
| ISO 50001:2018 | ||
| EMAS |