Frauenthal Holding AG

Frauenthal Holding AG is an Austrian mixed industrial group headquartered in Vienna. It is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange and operates primarily as a holding company that structures and steers group financing, sets the strategic direction of its divisions, implements strategic projects — especially corporate transactions — and manages top-level personnel policy. Operational decisions are taken locally within the individual businesses. The group traces its origins to porcelain production in Frauental an der Lassnitz in Styria, where Ing. Ludwig Neumann founded the "Erste Österreichische Porzellanfabrik" in 1921. After later sale to the Swedish Euroc group, the business diversified and entered SCR catalytic converter production in 1985. In 1989 a management buy-out from Frauenthal Keramik GmbH created the group in its modern form; a 1990 management buy-out by Swedish management led to the takeover of Frauenthal Keramik AG and the founding of the Ceram Group, followed by a 1991 initial public offering on the Vienna Stock Exchange. A 1996 merger combined the Frauenthal Keramik AG group and the Tridelta Technische Keramik GmbH group into the Ceram Holding group in Jena, Germany. Over the years the group acquired various businesses, including the Finnish spring maker Imatra Steel in 2003 and the Linnemann-Schnetzer group, a specialist in compressed-air tanks, in 2004. It also sold business units, acquired new companies and placed corporate bonds. A notable milestone was the development of the "Elektromaterial.at" brand covering the entire building-services sector. In 2022 the Frauenthal Powertrain business unit was sold through a management buy-out. Today the group operates under the umbrella of the Vienna-listed holding with 10 production sites in seven European countries and around 2,800 employees. In the 2014 financial year it generated revenue of EUR 637 million. Its main shareholder, through several intermediate companies, is Ventana Beteiligungsgesellschaft m.b.H., also based in Vienna. The group's operations are divided into Automotive Components, a supplier to the automotive industry with production sites in Austria, Germany, France, Slovenia, Hungary, Portugal and Romania, and the sanitary/heating wholesale business. Within Automotive Components, the brands Styria (leaf springs and stabilizers for heavy trucks and trailers), Linnemann-Schnetzer (steel and aluminium pressure tanks for truck air-brake systems) and Pol-Necks in Poland (U-bolts for fixing leaf springs to truck axles) were merged into "Frauenthal Automotive" on 1 July 2012. The wholesale arm, SHT Haustechnik AG (formerly Pinguin Haustechnik AG), was acquired in 2005 and is a market leader in eastern Austria, carrying branded goods as well as its own Prisma and SaniMeister private labels; in 2006 it employed 650 people and generated revenue of around EUR 200 million. In 2007 the division was expanded through the acquisition of heating wholesaler Röhrich Heizung und Industriebedarf Gesellschaft m.b.H. (Salzburg), renamed SHT Röhrich. SHT Haustechnik GmbH was renamed Frauenthal Handel Gruppe AG with effect from 1 January 2026.

The Frauenthal group's history begins with porcelain production in Frauental an der Lassnitz in Styria. In 1921 Ing. Ludwig Neumann founded the "Erste Österreichische Porzellanfabrik" there. The business was later sold to the Swedish Euroc group. Over the following decades the group diversified, and in 1985 it entered the production of SCR catalytic converters. In 1989 a management buy-out from Frauenthal Keramik GmbH created the group in its modern holding form. A further management buy-out by Swedish management in 1990 led to the takeover of Frauenthal Keramik AG and the founding of the Ceram Group, followed in 1991 by an initial public offering on the Vienna Stock Exchange. A significant development was the 1996 merger of the Frauenthal Keramik AG group and the Tridelta Technische Keramik GmbH group into the Ceram Holding group in Jena, Germany. The group subsequently acquired various businesses, including the Finnish spring maker Imatra Steel in 2003 and the Linnemann-Schnetzer group, a specialist in compressed-air tanks, in 2004. In the following years the Frauenthal group saw further developments, including the sale of business areas, the acquisition of new companies and the placement of corporate bonds. A significant milestone was the building of the "Elektromaterial.at" brand, which covered the entire building-services sector. In 2022 the Frauenthal Powertrain business unit was sold through a management buy-out. Under the umbrella of the Vienna-listed holding, the group operates 10 production sites in seven European countries and employs around 2,800 people; in the 2014 financial year it generated revenue of EUR 637 million. Its main shareholder, through several intermediate companies, is Ventana Beteiligungsgesellschaft m.b.H., also based in Vienna. The Ventana holding company also includes, among other things, the properties of the former Schönherr weaving machine factory in Chemnitz (founded by Louis Schönherr) and the French group Ventana Aerospace (civil and military aerospace industry). The group's holdings are divided into operationally independent business areas. Automotive Components, a supplier to the automotive industry, has production sites in Austria, Germany, France, Slovenia, Hungary, Portugal and Romania; on 1 July 2012 its brands were merged into "Frauenthal Automotive". These included Styria, a leading European manufacturer of leaf springs and stabilizers for heavy trucks and trailers with around 1,500 employees; Linnemann-Schnetzer (L+S), the European market leader for steel and aluminium pressure tanks for truck air-brake systems; and Pol-Necks in Poland, the largest European manufacturer of U-bolts for fixing leaf springs to truck axles. The other branch is SHT Haustechnik AG (formerly Pinguin Haustechnik AG), a wholesaler for sanitary, installation and heating technology, acquired by Frauenthal Holding in 2005. SHT Haustechnik is the market leader in eastern Austria and carries branded goods as well as its own Prisma and SaniMeister private labels; in 2006 it generated revenue of around EUR 200 million with 650 employees. In 2007 the division was expanded through the acquisition of the heating wholesaler Röhrich Heizung und Industriebedarf Gesellschaft m.b.H. (Salzburg), renamed SHT Röhrich. SHT Haustechnik GmbH was renamed Frauenthal Handel Gruppe AG with effect from 1 January 2026. The Frauenthal group has undergone a remarkable transformation over its history, from porcelain production to various industrial sectors and international activities.

• 2026

  SHT Haustechnik GmbH is renamed Frauenthal Handel Gruppe AG with effect from 1 January.

• 2022

  The Frauenthal Powertrain business unit is sold through a management buy-out.

• 2012

  On 1 July, the Styria, Linnemann-Schnetzer and Pol-Necks brands merge into "Frauenthal Automotive".

• 2007

  Expansion of the wholesale division through the acquisition of Röhrich Heizung und Industriebedarf Gesellschaft m.b.H. (Salzburg), renamed SHT Röhrich.

• 2005

  Acquisition of SHT Haustechnik AG (formerly Pinguin Haustechnik AG), a sanitary, installation and heating technology wholesaler.

• 2004

  Acquisition of the Linnemann-Schnetzer group, a specialist in compressed-air tanks.

• 2003

  Acquisition of Imatra Steel, a Finnish spring maker.

• 1996

  Merger of the Frauenthal Keramik AG group and the Tridelta Technische Keramik GmbH group into the Ceram Holding group in Jena, Germany.

• 1991

  Initial public offering on the Vienna Stock Exchange.

• 1990

  A management buy-out by Swedish management leads to the takeover of Frauenthal Keramik AG and the founding of the Ceram Group.

• 1989

  A management buy-out from Frauenthal Keramik GmbH creates the group in its modern form.

• 1985

  The group enters SCR catalytic converter production.

• 1921

  Ing. Ludwig Neumann founds the "Erste Österreichische Porzellanfabrik" in Frauental an der Lassnitz, Styria.

A Vienna-listed industrial holding that combines automotive components supply for the European commercial vehicle industry with sanitary and heating wholesale, steering strategy and financing centrally while leaving operational decisions to local units.

• Styria leaf springs and stabilizers

  Leading European manufacturer of leaf springs and stabilizers for heavy trucks and trailers, with around 1,500 employees.

• Linnemann-Schnetzer pressure tanks

  European market leader for steel and aluminium pressure tanks for truck air-brake systems.

• Pol-Necks U-bolts

  Largest European manufacturer of U-bolts for fixing leaf springs to truck axles.

• SHT Haustechnik wholesale

  Wholesaler for sanitary, installation and heating technology, market leader in eastern Austria, with Prisma and SaniMeister private labels.

• Elektromaterial.at

  Brand covering the entire building-services sector.

1. 1Frauenthal Holding AG – Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Frauenthal Holding – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org