Manufacturer of ecological laundry, care and cleaning products as well as packaging made from 100 % post-consumer recyclate
Werner & Mertz GmbH
Mainz, Germany · Hallein, AustriaNew on Amplifa
About Werner & Mertz
Werner & Mertz is a family company founded in Mainz in 1867, now in its fifth generation, that develops and produces laundry, household and cleaning agents, cosmetic products such as soaps and shower gels, as well as shoe and specialty care products. Brands include, among others, Frosch, Erdal, emsal and Green Care Professional with solutions for professional cleaning in building services cleaning, large-scale kitchens, gastronomy, hotels and healthcare. Production takes place at two EMAS-validated sites in Mainz (Germany) and Hallein (Austria), which are supplied and served by the Werner & Mertz Service & Logistik GmbH via a fully automated high-bay warehouse with around 18,000 pallet spaces. A key focus is the circular economy: PET and HDPE bottles are made of 100 percent post-consumer recyclate from the Yellow Bag, and formulations are increasingly based on surfactants from European oil plants. Since 2012 the sites have been involved via the Recyclat Initiative; by 2025 more than one billion bottles made from recycled plastic had been brought to market. The group of companies employs more than 1,200 people and supplies numerous European countries and worldwide markets through seven sales companies.
- Site
- Mainz
- Processes
- Production of laundry, household and cleaning agents, Production of cosmetic products (soaps, shower gels), PET bottle manufacturing from 100 % post-consumer recyclate (Yellow Bag), HDPE bottle manufacturing from 100 % recycled plastic, Production of shoe care products (wax-based shoe polish), Production of recyclable stand-up pouches, Logistics and distribution (Werner & Mertz Service & Logistik GmbH), Production of laundry, household and cleaning agents as well as cosmetic products
- Materials
- PET (post-consumer recyclate), HDPE (post-consumer recyclate), Surfactants based on European oil plants (rapeseed, olives, flax, sunflowers), Acetic acid from wood residues, Wax, Surfactants based on European oil plants
- Certificates
- EMAS, EMAS (Werner & Mertz Service & Logistik), EMAS (environmental management), EMAS Service & Logistik
- Founded
- 1867
- Employees
- approx. 1,200
- Industries
- Laundry and cleaning agents, Household and personal care products, Professional cleaning (building services cleaning, large-scale kitchens,, Shoe and specialty care
- 01
Raw material procurement (recyclate, plant-based surfactants, wax)
- 02
Formulation development
- 03
Production of laundry, household and cleaning agents as well as cosmetic
- 04
Bottle manufacturing from PET and HDPE recyclate
- 05
Storage in the high-bay warehouse (S&L)
- 06
Order picking and dispatch
- 07
Distribution via seven sales locations
Materials and Raw Materials
PET (post-consumer recyclate)
Frosch brand bottles made 100 percent from old plastic from the Yellow Bag source.
HDPE (post-consumer recyclate)
Frosch cosmetic bottles, emsal floor care and Green Care Professional products are made of 100 percent recycled plastic.
Surfactants based on European oil plants
Based on rapeseed, olives, flax and sunflowers as an alternative to petrochemical surfactants.
Acetic acid from wood residues
Basis of the vinegar cleaner, a by-product of pulp production from certified sustainable forestry.
Wax
Basic material of shoe polish production, on which the company has relied since its founding in 1867 as a wax goods factory.
Production Sites
Mainz
DEHeadquarters, production, logistics center (S&L), main administration
- Materials
- PET and HDPE recyclate, plant-based surfactants, wax
- Fully automated high-bay warehouse with around 18,000 pallet spaces
- Fully automated conveyor technology between production and warehouse
- Order picking and dispatch areas
Hallein
ATProduction site (since 1953)
Products and Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production of laundry, household and cleaning agentsPlastic | – | – | – | – | plant-based surfactants, acetic acid from wood residues, wax |
| Production of cosmetic products (soaps, shower gels)Plastic | – | – | – | – | recycled plastic (HDPE) |
| PET bottle manufacturing from 100 % post-consumer recyclate (Yellow Bag)Plastic | – | – | – | – | PET recyclate (post-consumer) |
| HDPE bottle manufacturing from 100 % recycled plasticPlastic | – | – | – | – | HDPE recyclate (post-consumer) |
| Production of shoe care products (wax-based shoe polish)Plastic | – | – | – | – | wax |
| Production of recyclable stand-up pouchesPlastic | – | – | – | – | recycled plastic |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fully automated high-bay warehouse conveyor technology | – | – | approx. 18,000 pallet spaces | – | Mainz |
| Fully automated high-bay warehouse | – | – | around 18,000 pallet spaces | – | Mainz |
Additional services
Reference customers
Environmental Management and Quality
The environmental management systems of the Mainz and Hallein production sites are validated under EMAS and audited annually by independent environmental verifiers. Results and targets are published transparently in an annual environmental statement; the S&L logistics company is also EMAS-certified.
| Evidence | Mainz | Hallein |
|---|---|---|
| EMAS (environmental management) | ||
| EMAS Service & Logistik |
History
- 1867
Founded as a wax goods factory 'Gebrüder Werner' in Mainz on the Rhine
- 1901
Development of a novel wax-based shoe polish; the Erdal brand is born
- 1903
Frosch with crown appears for the first time on the shoe care products (brand logo)
- 1918
Trademark is colored red – the birth of the Red Frog
- 1953
Establishment of the second production site in Hallein, Austria
- 1971
Red Frog as the main design feature of all Erdal products
- 1986
Introduction of the Frosch brand (Green Frog) for ecological cleaners and laundry detergents
- 2003
EMAS validation of the environmental management system in Mainz
- 2005
EMAS validation in Hallein
- 2012
Foundation of the Recyclat Initiative; S&L is certified under EMAS
- 2016
Flagship project 'Close-to-Nature Company Grounds' in Hallein
- 2019
Reinhard Schneider receives the German Environmental Award
- 2022
Largest design relaunch of the Frosch brand
- 2025
Reinhard Schneider receives EY Entrepreneur of the Year (Sustainability) as well as the Audience Award; EMAS Environmental Management Award for the Recyclat Initiative
- 2025
Milestone: 1 billion bottles made from 100 % post-consumer recyclate brought to market
- 2026
Werner & Mertz in the top 3 % of the Innovation Champions 2026 (WirtschaftsWoche); double WorldStar Packaging Award 2026