Swiss manufacturer of sanitary ceramics, faucets, bathtubs, furniture and bathroom installation systems.
LAUFEN Bathrooms AG
Laufen (CH) · Gmunden (AT) · Wilhelmsburg (AT) · Bechyně (CZ) · Prague/Znojmo (CZ) · Gliwice (PL) · Gryfice (PL)New on Amplifa
About LAUFEN
LAUFEN Bathrooms AG is a Swiss manufacturer of bathroom solutions founded in 1892 in Laufen (canton of Basel-Landschaft), headquartered in Laufen near Basel. Its core business is the manufacture of sanitary ceramics such as washbasins, WCs, bidets, urinals and shower toilets; in addition, the company produces brass faucets, bathtubs made of steel and cast iron, tubs and basins made of acrylic and composite materials (Marbond, Sentec), furniture, shower enclosures, WC seats and installation systems. Core process competencies include ceramic firing in modern kilns (CO₂-free e-kiln at the Gmunden plant since 2023), high-temperature glaze firing for pore-free surfaces, and the production of vitreous enamelled steel (VITREON Steel) with wall thicknesses of 1.5 to 3 mm. The company has been part of the Spanish Roca Group since 1999 and supplies over 170 countries worldwide. With five production sites in Central Europe, more than 3 million sanitary ceramic products are manufactured annually; customers come from plumbing/Hospitality, architecture, healthcare and school construction. Design partnerships exist, among others, with Alessi and Kartell as well as designers such as Konstantin Grcic, Patricia Urquiola and Stefano Giovannoni.
- Site
- Laufen
- Processes
- Sanitary ceramic manufacturing (washbasins, WCs, bidets, urinals), Glaze firing (high-temperature glaze firing for pore-free surfaces), Manufacture of enamelled steel (VITREON Steel) with wall thicknesses of 1.5–3 mm, Faucet manufacturing (faucets, since 2009 in Laufen), Manufacture of acrylic tubs/basins and composite materials (Marbond, Sentec), Manufacture of installation systems (cisterns, wall-hung frames), Bespoke solutions (customised bathrooms), Global Corporate Projects (Hospitality/architect support)
- Materials
- Sanitary porcelain/ceramic, Saphirkeramik, VITREON Steel (enamelled steel), Acrylic, Marbond, Sentec, Urea (WC seats), Brass (brassware)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 50001:2018, EMAS, EPD (EN 15804+A2, ISO 14025), ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001
- Founded
- 1892
- Industries
- Bathroom/Sanitary, Hospitality/Hotels, Architecture/Construction, Healthcare, School buildings, Healthcare (hospital washbasins)
- 01
Development/Design
- 02
Ceramic and material production
- 03
Firing and glaze firing
- 04
Faucet and steel production
- 05
Assembly of installation systems
- 06
Logistics centre/high-bay warehouse Laufen
- 07
Sales/exports to over 170 countries
Materials & Processes
Sanitary porcelain/ceramic
Base material for washbasins, WCs, bidets and urinals in classic sanitary ware manufacturing.
Saphirkeramik
Patented LAUFEN material for particularly thin walls and narrow edges at high strength.
VITREON Steel (enamelled steel)
Composite of steel and glaze with a pore-free surface, wall thicknesses 1.5–3 mm, for washbasins and bathtubs.
Acrylic
Material for shower and bathtubs as well as basins.
Marbond
Composite material for shower trays, bathtubs and washbasins.
Sentec
Composite material for shower trays, bathtubs and basins.
Urea
Plastic material for WC seats and covers.
Brass
Material for faucet manufacturing in Laufen.
Steel & cast iron
Materials for enamelled bathtubs.
Sites
Laufen, CH
CHHeadquarters, production (ceramics, faucets), logistics centre
- Materials
- Ceramic, brass
- Faucet factory (since 2009)
- High-bay warehouse/logistics centre (2006)
Gmunden, AT
ATProduction of sanitary ceramics, especially elaborate ceramic elements
- Materials
- Sanitary porcelain
- Electric kiln (e-kiln, 2023)
Wilhelmsburg, AT
ATLAUFEN AUSTRIA GmbH, production of sanitary ceramics
- Materials
- Sanitary porcelain
Bechyně, CZ
CZProduction of sanitary ceramics (LAUFEN CZ)
- Materials
- Sanitary porcelain
Prague/Znojmo, CZ
CZLAUFEN CZ s.r.o., Czech headquarters and administration
Gliwice, PL
PLRoca Polska Sp. z o.o., administration
Gryfice, PL
PLProduction of composites & acrylics
- Materials
- Acrylic, Marbond, Sentec
Products & Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanitary ceramic manufacturing (washbasins, WCs, bidets, urinals)Casting | – | – | – | – | Sanitary porcelain/ceramic, Saphirkeramik |
| Glaze firing (high-temperature glaze firing for pore-free surfaces)Surface | – | – | – | – | Enamelled steel (VITREON), Ceramic |
| Manufacture of enamelled steel (VITREON Steel) with wall thicknesses of 1.5–3 mmForming | – | – | – | – | Enamelled steel (VITREON) |
| Faucet manufacturing (faucets, since 2009 in Laufen)Machining | – | – | – | – | Brass |
| Manufacture of acrylic tubs/basins and composite materials (Marbond, Sentec)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Acrylic, Marbond, Sentec |
| Manufacture of installation systems (cisterns, wall-hung frames)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric kiln (E-Kiln) | LAUFEN | – | – | 2023 | Gmunden, Austria |
| High-bay warehouse / logistics centre | – | – | – | 2006 | Laufen, Switzerland |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality & Certification
LAUFEN is certified to ISO 9001; the ceramic products meet the technical EN test standards. Environmental management is certified to ISO 14001 and ISO 50001, the Wilhelmsburg and Gmunden sites are EMAS-validated; EPDs according to EN 15804+A2 are available for many product groups.
| Evidence | Laufen (CH) | Gmunden/Wilhelmsburg (AT) | Prague/Znojmo/Bechyně (CZ) | Gryfice (PL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | ||||
| ISO 14001 | ||||
| ISO 50001 | ||||
| EMAS |
History
- 1892
Founding of Keramik Holding AG LAUFEN on 4 July 1892 as a pottery in Laufen, Switzerland
- 1924
Founding of Steingutfabrik AG Gmunden-Engelhof (Austria)
- 1925
Keramik Laufen AG produces ceramics for the Swiss bathroom market
- 1961
Production of bathroom ceramics at the Bechyně plant, Czech Republic
- 1967
Keramik Holding AG Laufen acquires a majority stake in ÖSPAG (Gmunden/Wilhelmsburg)
- 1991
Acquisition of Jihočeská keramika Bechyně by the Swiss Keramik Holding AG Laufen
- 1999
LAUFEN becomes part of the family-owned Spanish ROCA GROUP
- 2002
Merger of the Bechyně plant with LAUFEN CZ s.r.o. Znojmo to form LAUFEN CZ, headquartered in Prague
- 2006
Logistics centre and high-bay warehouse at the Laufen headquarters; EnAW label for Keramik Laufen AG
- 2007
Acquisition of Switzerland's oldest faucet manufacturer Similor (founded 1854) by Roca
- 2007
LAUFEN Austria GmbH receives the EMAS environmental award
- 2009
Faucet factory in Laufen goes into operation
- 2023
CO₂-free production (e-kiln) of selected collections at the Gmunden plant