Weka Holzbau GmbH

In the mid-1990s, an interesting partnership formed in Neubrandenburg, Germany. Gerhard Wolfram convinced Josef Thannhuber, the founder of Einhell Germany AG, to jointly purchase a local wood construction company in need of restructuring. This collaboration led to the founding of WEKA Holzbau GmbH in 1994, absorbing the existing 60 employees. The new company focused on a growing market: do-it-yourself kits for garden structures. Their product line included garden sheds, carports, saunas, and pavilions, all designed as ready-to-assemble packages. This strategy of providing high-quality, pre-fabricated wooden kits directly to consumers and retailers proved successful. The company grew steadily, and by the early 2000s, it had become a market leader in Germany for its premium wood products for the garden and wellness sectors. The company's journey also involved significant changes in ownership. After a period under the majority ownership of BPE Private Equity, WEKA was sold to PREMIUM Equity Partners in 2016. This was followed by another major event in 2018 when the Dutch Outdoor Life Group acquired the company, integrating WEKA into a larger European network. Today, WEKA continues to operate from its base in Neubrandenburg, selling its 'Made in Germany' products across Europe.