Claytec Unternehmensgeschichte

The history of CLAYTEC began in the 1970s. Peter Breidenbach comes from a family of architects with a strong connection to the traditional building profession. His parents mainly worked in the field of monument preservation, privately they started to repair a timber-framed courtyard from the year 1661 in 1975. The building with natural and therefore also monumental building materials was not up-to-date in this time yet. The epoch of unrestricted faith in progress continued. After 1945, the building industry had experienced a profound industrialisation push. Construction methods arrested in the trade were smiled at. From the perspective of timber-framed house renovation, however, the traditional building materials did not appear to be backward in any way. In 1978 the first attempts to prepare clay for infill and plastering began at the Tho Rieth Hof in Viersen. It was during this time that the first experiences in clay construction were made. Peter Breidenbach was 15 years old, his school friend Ulrich Röhlen a few years older.

Since the construction contracts in the 80s were still spread over the whole of Germany, clay construction meant working abroad. The monument renovations were mainly in the low mountain ranges with their pronounced half-timbered culture. In the case of the new buildings, pioneering personalities determined the location.  Over time, the multitude of possibilities crystallized into clay building methods that were suitable for the construction tasks of the present day. In timber-framed construction, traditional finishing methods were supplemented by clay brickwork. Light loam was used for interior insulation in the old building and as an exterior wall filling for wooden skeletons in the new building. It became clear that clay was less in demand for the shell of the new building than for the extension. The most important field of application was loam plaster, whose climatic and visual experience was gaining more and more building owners for itself. The company was involved in the refurbishment of important half-timbered townhouses and was also involved in the refurbishment of the building. An outstanding example is the house Römer 2-4-6 in Limburg, year of construction 1289. At the time of the repair it was regarded as the oldest timber-framed house in Germany. Among the new building projects, the Ökosoziale Siedlung in Cologne-Chorweiler is remarkable, an ensemble of 18 large wooden skeleton buildings.

In 1975, the parents of the company founder Peter Breidenbach purchased a timber-frame house dating from the 16th century, the Tho-Rieth-Hof in Viersen. Almost all clay construction techniques were developed via this personal building project.

Right after his Abitur (roughly equivalent to A levels), Peter Breidenbach founded the company Lehmbau Breidenbach on 1 April 1984. The first pieces of equipment for the manufacture of clay mixtures were quickly developed.

On 22 April 1985, Peter Breidenbach becomes the first clay builder in Germany to be entered into the craftsmen's register. The application was supported by a large number of monument preservation authorities.

Gradually, modern technology entered clay construction. The first plaster pump was modified such that clay plasters could also be sprayed.

Gradually, modern technology entered clay construction. The first plaster pump was modified such that clay plasters could also be sprayed.

In the following years, the company grew continuously. Up to 30 employees forming up to 5 crews are on the road all over Germany for Lehmbau Breidenbach.

The central production for clay building materials is put into operation and once again, experiments with machines and systems which were originally designed for other purposes are conducted. Gradually, the first production system for clay building materials is created.

In Viersen, the restoration of the old annular brickyards (Alter Ringofen) by the city is completed under the leadership of architect Inge Breidenbach. Lehmbau Breidenbach initially moves in as a tenant.

The distribution of the clay building materials to retailers, craftsmen, and end customers takes place under the registered trademark CLAYTEC

So that our customers do not have to reinvent the wheel, training courses are carried out on the business premises. These activities are expanded over the next few years.

In this year, the offices move into their own building. Over the subsequent years, two adjacent buildings are added.

A milestone in the development of modern clay building materials is the clay board. Finally, clay construction has entered the drywall sector, opening up new construction applications.

Thanks to the work done by Lehmbau Peter Breidenbach, the historic material clay has once again been made usable for artisanal applications in monument conservation. This work is recognised by the German National Committee for Historic Preservation

A decision is made to distribute CLAYTEC clay building materials exclusively via specialist construction suppliers. Craftmens continue to be closely integrated via partnerships.

The production facilities are growing too small. A new hall for production and the storage of the CLAYTEC clay building materials is constructed. 

The old production systems, which have grown slow, reach their capacity limits. An entirely new installation is designed and built. All the experience from the past years flow into this project.

CLAYTEC clay building materials are used over several thousand square metres in the Kolumba museum in Cologne and demonstrate that this ancient material is perfectly suited for high-quality aesthetic surfaces

The Koblenz branch is built near important raw material deposits in the Westerwald and at a location with favourable transportation links. In 2012, the relocation to the current location in Ransbach-Baumbach takes place.

As the successor to CLAYFIX fine clay plaster and structured plaster, the product line YOSIMA is presented at FARBE in Munich in 2010. A unique colour system!

In Austria, the subsidiary Claytec Lehmbaustoffe GmbH headquartered in Sackstrasse, Graz is founded. In 2016, the relocation to Mörtschach in Upper Carinthia takes place. 

In order to reduce the load on production in Viersen and in Ransbach-Baumbach and to better reach the eastern federal states, the branch office in Egeln near Magdeburg is established.

In Ransbach-Baumbach, a production facility for dry mortar is built. The range of available CLAYTEC clay plasters is expanded.

The next generation enters the family enterprise. Son Maximilian takes over the Logistics, Foreign Trade, and IT departments after obtaining his degree in business administration. In 2016, he becomes the CEO of CLAYTEC GmbH in Austria.

Once again, the premises in Viersen are growing tight. 13,000m2 of adjacent land is purchased for an expansion. The architectural firm Martin Breidenbach drafts the overall planning for the expansion, which will be close to nature