Firmengruppe Harsch

Firmengruppe Harsch is a family-owned German construction group headquartered in Bretten in the Karlsruhe district of Baden-Württemberg. Its roots go back to 1 August 1919, when Rudolf Harsch registered the trade 'Harsch, Rudolf, Baugeschäft' in Bretten. Over more than a century the company has grown from a local building business into a diversified group with more than 500 employees, offering services ranging from turnkey industrial and commercial construction to civil engineering, road building, utility and pipeline construction, precast concrete, demolition, and building materials recycling. The group describes itself as 'Bauen mit Substanz' — building with substance — and emphasizes family ownership, regional anchoring, and integrated delivery 'alles aus einer Hand' (everything from a single source). Its core focus is the turnkey planning and construction of industrial and commercial real estate, executed efficiently, transparently, and reliably. Around this core, the group has assembled specialized competencies including heating and sanitary technology, electrical engineering and energy solutions such as photovoltaics, and profiled metal sheet construction for modern roof and facade systems. Harsch operates from several locations in Baden-Württemberg, including Bretten, Gondelsheim, Laupheim, and Karlsruhe-Stupferich. Its business areas span high-rise and engineering construction, civil and road construction, turnkey construction, project development, precast concrete components, electrical engineering, profiled roofing, disposal and recycling, and ready-mixed concrete. Through acquisitions and participations — including Artur Weiler GmbH + Co. KG, LISCHMA, Elektro-Heck, Gartner Elektrotechnik, Harsch Profilblech, Fliesen Fihn, and Morlock Heizungsbau — the group has broadened its service portfolio well beyond traditional construction. The company remains privately held and family-controlled, with the Harsch family continuing to shape its direction. It serves both regional and supra-regional clients, and its project references include industrial clients such as Physik Instrumente in Karlsruhe. Harsch presents itself as a long-established, values-driven builder that combines generational experience with modern, integrated construction and technology solutions.

The history of Firmengruppe Harsch begins on 1 August 1919, when Rudolf Harsch registered the trade 'Harsch, Rudolf, Baugeschäft' in Bretten. The company's first commission was the construction of a stable at the sawmill of the Harsch brothers. In 1920 Harsch purchased the quarry between Rinklingen and Bretten, establishing the site on Rinklinger Straße that remains the company headquarters today. On 4 September 1923 the 'Bauunternehmung Harsch' was entered for the first time in the commercial register of the Bretten district court. In 1924 Rudolf Harsch developed tunnel construction into a further, highly specialized business pillar, and in February 1926 he acquired a stake in the Steinzeugfabrik Betsche in Bretten. In December 1928 the company began production of its first concrete plant goods and precast components. During the Nazi era the company experienced an upswing, according to its own chronicle. In 1937/38 Harsch built a new barracks in Karlsruhe, and on 1 November 1939 it incorporated the Steinzeugfabrik after the departure of the last partner. In 1945, after activity had already been reduced, production at the Steinzeugfabrik was halted in January due to a shortage of fuel. That same year Rudolf Harsch died at the age of 54, and his son Rolf took over the company, rebuilding it from the rubble. In December 1945 the American military government granted the official operating license. In September 1953 Harsch founded its own Bretten housing company. On 13 May 1956 Rolf Harsch died at just 35 years of age, and his brother Wolfgang Harsch, then 27, took over the leadership of the company. In 1960 a new prestressed concrete facility with a 100-meter-long hall was put into operation, while a 165-meter-long tunnel kiln was built at the Steinzeugwerk. The concrete plant on Rinklinger Straße was relocated to Gondelsheim in 1963. In 1970 the company Kraichgau Beton was founded, in which Harsch held a 25 percent stake as a co-partner in the ready-mixed concrete producer. With the founding of Fertigbau Harsch GmbH & Co. KG in 1973, Harsch pursued a then-unusual model with the concept of 'system prefabricated construction including planning and all services from a single source'. In 1990 the EBRD (Erdaushub, Bauschutt, Recycling und Deponie) GmbH was founded. In June 1991 Rolf Harsch, the founder's grandson, joined the group. In 1993 Harsch bought a stoneware factory in Belgern, and two years later the Steinzeugwerk Schamotte und Tonwerke GmbH in Ponholz. At the beginning of the 2000s the operating Harsch companies were merged into 'Harsch Bau GmbH & Co KG'. In October 2013 Harsch closed the stoneware factory in Belgern, ending stoneware production after 75 years. In 2014 Harsch became the sole shareholder of Artur Weiler GmbH + Co. KG, a pipeline and civil engineering firm in Karlsruhe-Stupferich. In two steps the group took over the LISCHMA Betonwerke Laupheim and renamed it LISCHMA GmbH & Co KG effective 1 February 2015. In January 2017 the Firmengruppe Harsch became the sole shareholder of Elektro-Heck GmbH in Pfinztal-Söllingen. Andreas Neff was appointed as an additional managing director in June 2016. In 2021 Harsch took over Gartner Elektrotechnik GmbH and shortly afterward founded Harsch Profilblech GmbH, expanding its service spectrum to include photovoltaic technology and profiled roofs and facades. In July 2022 the acquisition of Fliesen Fihn followed, and since January 2023 Morlock Heizungsbau has belonged to the group. Today the Harsch group operates from several locations in Baden-Württemberg — Bretten, Gondelsheim, Laupheim, and Karlsruhe-Stupferich — and is active in both civil and road construction and turnkey planning and construction in industrial and commercial building with fixed prices and guaranteed completion dates. Its project development activities range from land acquisition through planning and financing to building construction. Through its acquisitions and participations, the group also covers utility and pipeline construction, electrical work, profiled metal sheet processing, tile laying, precast concrete production, ready-mixed concrete, demolition, and building materials recycling.

• 2016

  Andreas Neff appointed additional managing director in June.

• 2015

  LISCHMA Betonwerke Laupheim renamed LISCHMA GmbH & Co KG effective 1 February.

• 2014

  Harsch becomes sole shareholder of Artur Weiler GmbH + Co. KG in Karlsruhe-Stupferich.

• 2013

  Stoneware factory in Belgern closed in October, ending stoneware production after 75 years.

• 2000

  Operating Harsch companies merged into 'Harsch Bau GmbH & Co KG' in the early 2000s.

• 1995

  Harsch buys Steinzeugwerk Schamotte und Tonwerke GmbH in Ponholz.

• 1993

  Harsch buys a stoneware factory in Belgern.

• 1991

  Rolf Harsch, grandson of the founder, joins the group in June.

• 1990

  EBRD (Erdaushub, Bauschutt, Recycling und Deponie) GmbH founded.

• 1973

  Fertigbau Harsch GmbH & Co. KG founded with the 'system prefabricated construction' concept.

• 1970

  Kraichgau Beton founded; Harsch holds a 25 percent stake.

• 1963

  Concrete plant relocated from Rinklinger Straße to Gondelsheim.

• 1960

  New prestressed concrete facility with a 100-meter hall begins operation; 165-meter tunnel kiln built at the Steinzeugwerk.

• 1956

  Rolf Harsch dies on 13 May aged 35; brother Wolfgang Harsch, 27, takes over leadership.

• 1953

  Harsch founds its own Bretten housing company in September.

• 1945

  Steinzeugfabrik production halted in January due to fuel shortage; Rudolf Harsch dies aged 54; son Rolf takes over; official operating license granted by American military government in December.

• 1939

  Incorporation of the Steinzeugfabrik on 1 November after the last partner's departure.

• 1937

  Harsch builds a new barracks in Karlsruhe (1937/38).

• 1928

  Start of production of the first concrete plant goods and precast components in December.

• 1926

  Harsch acquires a stake in the Steinzeugfabrik Betsche in Bretten in February.

• 1924

  Rudolf Harsch develops tunnel construction as a specialized business pillar.

• 1923

  'Bauunternehmung Harsch' entered in the commercial register of the Bretten district court on 4 September.

• 1920

  Purchase of the quarry between Rinklingen and Bretten, establishing the future company headquarters on Rinklinger Straße.

• 1919

  Rudolf Harsch registers the trade 'Harsch, Rudolf, Baugeschäft' in Bretten on 1 August.

Family-owned, values-driven construction group offering integrated building and technology solutions 'from a single source', with a focus on turnkey industrial and commercial construction and regional anchoring in Baden-Württemberg.

• Turnkey industrial and commercial construction

  Schlüsselfertiges Planen und Bauen with fixed price and guaranteed completion date.

• Civil and road construction

  Tief- und Straßenbau services.

• Utility and pipeline construction

  Versorgungs- und Rohrleitungsbau, strengthened by the Artur Weiler acquisition.

• Precast concrete components

  Betonfertigteile production, including via LISCHMA.

• Ready-mixed concrete

  Transportbeton via participation in Kraichgau Beton GmbH.

• Demolition and building materials recycling

  Abbruch und Baustoffrecycling via EBRD.

• Electrical engineering and energy solutions

  Elektrotechnik & Energielösungen including photovoltaics, via Elektro-Heck and Gartner Elektrotechnik.

• Profiled metal sheet roofing and facades

  Profilblechbau for modern roof and facade systems via Harsch Profilblech GmbH.

• Heating and sanitary technology

  Heizungs- und Sanitärtechnik, expanded by Morlock Heizungsbau.

• Tile laying

  Fliesenverlegearbeiten via Fliesen Fihn.

• Project development

  From land acquisition through planning and financing to building construction.

1. 1Bauen mit Substanz seit über 100 Jahren | HARSCHharsch.de
2. 2Unsere Geschichte: Werte bauen seit 1919 | HARSCHharsch.de
3. 3Firmengruppe Harsch – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Harsch (Unternehmen) – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org