Manufacturer of ceramic goods: tableware made of porcelain and earthenware as well as sanitary ceramics, produced at 15 sites in Europe and Asia.
Villeroy & Boch AG
Mettlach (corporate headquarters, Old Abbey) · 15 production facilities in Europe and AsiaNew on Amplifa
About Villeroy & Boch
Villeroy & Boch AG is a German manufacturer of ceramic goods originating in 1748. The company produces tableware made of earthenware, porcelain, Premium Porcelain and Bone China as well as sanitary ceramics such as toilets, washbasins and bathtubs. Historical production processes include the dry pressing of tiles (Mettlach tiles, 17 x 17 cm), the pressing of two-layer, through-coloured clay tiles under hydraulic pressure, and copper-plate/transfer printing on porcelain. Crystal glass (historical, Treveris series) and terracotta construction ceramics made of fireclay were also produced. The corporate headquarters are located in the Old Abbey in Mettlach in Saarland; in addition, there are 15 production facilities in Europe and Asia. The products are distributed in around 140 countries. The company is listed as an AG (stock corporation) and is majority-owned by the families von Boch-Galhau and Villeroy de Galhau.
- Site
- Mettlach
- Processes
- Manufacture of ceramic goods/tableware (earthenware, porcelain, faience), Dry pressing for tile production, Hydraulic pressing of tiles with inlaid pattern (Mettlach tiles), Copper-plate/transfer printing on porcelain, Mass production of sanitary ceramics (toilets, washbasins, bathtubs), Production of crystal glass (historical, Treveris series), Production of terracotta construction ceramics, Factory Outlet (Wadgassen since 2012)
- Materials
- Earthenware, Porcelain, Premium Porcelain, Bone China, Faience, Ceramics, Fireclay, Terracotta
- Founded
- 1836 (orig
- Industries
- Household goods/tableware (porcelain, earthenware, faience, glass), Sanitary ceramics / Bathroom & Wellness, Floor tiles (historical, spun off in 2006)
- 01
Preparation of clays and raw materials
- 02
Shaping (pressing, casting processes)
- 03
Firing in kilns
- 04
Decoration (copper-plate/transfer printing)
- 05
Assembly/packaging and distribution to around 140 countries
Materials & Processes
Earthenware
White, hard earthenware, developed from 1829 in Boch, basis for tableware series.
Porcelain
Core material for tableware and sanitary ceramics in large-scale production.
Premium Porcelain
High-quality porcelain for collections such as Manufacture Rock and Manoir.
Bone China
Fine porcelain material for premium tableware.
Faience
As early as the early 1840s, V&B was among the leading manufacturers of faience.
Ceramics
Umbrella term for the manufactured goods including sanitary ceramics.
Fireclay
Innovation of the 1850s for construction ceramics.
Terracotta
Terracotta construction ceramics, distributed worldwide from Merzig.
Crystal glass
Historical production at the Cristallerie Wadgassen (Treveris series, until the early 1990s).
Phanolith
Semi-transparent porcelain, developed at the end of the 19th century by Jean-Baptiste Stahl in Mettlach.
Sites
Mettlach
DECorporate headquarters (Old Abbey) and historical ceramics works
- Materials
- Porcelain, earthenware, faience
- Mechanised tableware factory (historical)
- Hydraulic presses for Mettlach tiles (historical)
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacture of ceramic goods/tableware (earthenware, porcelain, faience)Casting | – | – | – | – | Earthenware, Porcelain, Faience, Ceramics |
| Dry pressing for tile productionForming | – | 17 cm (Mettlach tiles, 17 x 17 cm) × 17 cm | – | – | Clay, Ceramics |
| Hydraulic pressing of tiles with inlaid pattern (Mettlach tiles)Forming | – | – | – | – | Clay (two-layer, through-coloured) |
| Copper-plate/transfer printing on porcelainSurface | – | – | – | – | Porcelain, Ceramics |
| Mass production of sanitary ceramics (toilets, washbasins, bathtubs)Casting | – | – | – | – | Sanitary ceramics, Porcelain |
| Production of crystal glass (historical, Treveris series)Casting | – | – | – | – | Crystal glass |
| Production of terracotta construction ceramicsCasting | – | – | – | – | Terracotta, Fireclay |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porcelain factory/ceramic kiln works | Villeroy & Boch | 15 | – | – | Europe and Asia (production facilities) |
| Hydraulic presses (tile production) | – | – | – | – | Mettlach (historical) |
Additional services