Adler-Werk Lackfabrik Johann Berghofer

Adler-Werk Lackfabrik Johann Berghofer GmbH & Co KG, which writes its brand name as ADLER, is an Austrian manufacturer of paints, lacquers, stains and wood-protection products based in Schwaz, Tyrol. According to the German Wikipedia entry, the business weekly Wirtschaftsblatt described it as the "undisputed market leader" of its sector in Austria. The company is a family-owned private business, still controlled by the Berghofer family that founded it in 1934. ADLER's product range is aimed primarily at professional users: joiners and carpenters, industrial furniture, window, parquet and door manufacturers, timber construction firms, painters, and also DIY customers. Its coatings include furniture lacquers, stains, oils and waxes, window coating systems, architectural paints and wood preservatives. The company states that it produces around 10,000 articles and that roughly 65% of its output is water-based, reflecting a long-standing emphasis on environmentally friendly, low-emission waterborne lacquers. Its own environmental initiatives include an environmental protection and recycling centre at the Schwaz plant, certification under ISO 50001 energy management, Responsible Care, and climate neutrality since 2018; the "ADLER green" range of particularly eco-friendly coatings was introduced in 2021. Internationally, ADLER operates subsidiaries in Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands (ADLER Benelux), and serves further European markets as well as Israel and South Korea through trading partners. Service points exist in several Austrian and German cities and in Switzerland. In Austria and Germany, DIY products are sold through 120 specialist paint stores known as "Adler Farbenmeister", as well as through wholesalers and selected DIY stores. Company data for 2022 cited by Wikipedia list 720 employees including sales companies, of whom 120 work in development and application technology and 10 are apprentices, with consolidated group annual sales of €160 million and an export share of 70%. Annual production was given as 22,000 tonnes, 65% of which were water-based lacquers, stains and water-dilutable paints. The company remains a private family business and continues to be led by members of the Berghofer family.

Adler-Werk Lackfabrik Johann Berghofer was founded in 1934, when Johann Berghofer opened a small paint shop in the old town of Schwaz, Tyrol. In the back rooms of the shop he soon began producing oil paints, matting agents, polishes and floor-care products himself. In 1947 the first production building was erected on what was then the edge of Schwaz, with a capacity of 50 tonnes of lacquer per year. In 1953 the word and figurative mark "ADLER" was registered and the production building was expanded. When the founder died in 1964 at the age of 54, his son Günther Berghofer took over the business together with his mother Hermine Berghofer; at that time the company had 45 employees. Under Günther Berghofer the small paint shop developed into the ADLER brand. Between 1974 and 1983, in three construction stages, he had what was then considered the most modern lacquer factory in Europe built on a greenfield site on the edge of Schwaz. A laboratory building, a high-bay warehouse and an environmental protection and recycling centre were also added at the new location. From the 1980s onward ADLER pushed the development of environmentally friendly, low-emission water-based lacquers; today 65% of its products are water-based. In 1999 Günther Berghofer's daughter Andrea Berghofer joined the management of the family business. Internationalisation was intensified and new markets were opened up. From 2016 the company site was expanded with what it describes as the most modern water-based lacquer factory in Europe, using an energy-saving modular production process. In 2019 a new logistics centre with a fully automated high-bay warehouse was built. In 2010 the Adler-Werk was named an "Outstanding Tyrolean Training Company" and by Wirtschaftsblatt as "Austria's Leading Company" in the Tyrol category. The years 2016–2018 saw the construction of the new water-based lacquer factory and the innovative logistics centre. On environmental protection, Wikipedia notes that 65% of the 10,000 articles in ADLER's range are water-based. A large part of the wall paints and several wood-protection products carry the Austrian Ecolabel. Numerous products are certified according to the Cradle to Cradle circular-economy principle. In 2021 ADLER introduced the "ADLER green" range, grouping particularly environmentally friendly coatings for all application areas. The Schwaz plant has its own environmental protection and recycling centre where solvent-laden wastewater and air are cleaned and waste is separated. The company is voluntarily certified under Responsible Care and was the first Austrian lacquer factory to be certified under ISO 50001 (energy management). Since 2018 ADLER has been 100% climate-neutral, one of the first companies in its sector to achieve this. Company data for 2022 cited by Wikipedia record 720 employees including sales companies, of whom 120 work in development and application technology and 10 are apprentices; consolidated group annual sales of €160 million; an export share of 70% covering Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, France, Russia, Ukraine, Slovenia, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, the Netherlands and others; annual production of 22,000 tonnes, 65% of which are water-based lacquers, stains and water-dilutable paints; a product programme of furniture lacquers, stains, oils and waxes, window coating systems, architectural lacquers and wood preservatives; 10,000 articles; and 800 different raw materials, 95% of which come from the EU. Service points in Austria are in Graz, Klagenfurt, Linz, St. Pölten and Vienna; in Germany in Dornstadt near Ulm, Landshut and Herford; and in Switzerland in Tuggen. Sales companies operate in Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.

• 2021

  Introduction of the "ADLER green" range of particularly environmentally friendly coatings.

• 2019

  New logistics centre with a fully automated high-bay warehouse is built.

• 2018

  ADLER becomes 100% climate-neutral, one of the first companies in its sector to do so.

• 2016

  Start of expansion with what the company describes as Europe's most modern water-based lacquer factory, using an energy-saving modular production process.

• 2010

  Adler-Werk is named "Outstanding Tyrolean Training Company" and "Austria's Leading Company" in the Tyrol category by Wirtschaftsblatt.

• 1999

  Andrea Berghofer, daughter of Günther Berghofer, joins the management; internationalisation is intensified.

• 1983

  Completion of the new factory complex, including laboratory building, high-bay warehouse and environmental protection and recycling centre.

• 1974

  Start of construction of a new, highly modern lacquer factory on a greenfield site on the edge of Schwaz (completed in three stages by 1983).

• 1964

  Founder Johann Berghofer dies; his son Günther Berghofer and his mother Hermine Berghofer take over the business with 45 employees.

• 1953

  The word and figurative mark "ADLER" is registered and the production building is expanded.

• 1947

  First production building erected on the edge of Schwaz, producing 50 tonnes of lacquer per year.

• 1934

  Johann Berghofer opens a small paint shop in the old town of Schwaz and begins producing oil paints, matting agents, polishes and floor-care products.

Austrian market leader in wood coatings and paints, focused on professional craftsmen and industry, with a strong emphasis on water-based, environmentally friendly products.

• Furniture lacquers

  Coatings for industrial furniture and kitchen manufacturers and joiners.

• Stains

  Wood stains for professional and DIY use.

• Oils and waxes

  Finishing oils and waxes for wood surfaces, including parquet.

• Window coating systems

  Coating systems for windows and house doors, including the Histo system for historic restoration.

• Architectural paints and wood preservatives

  Wall paints and wood-protection products for buildings.

• ADLER green range

  Range of particularly environmentally friendly coatings introduced in 2021.

1. 1ADLER - Lacke | Beizen | Holzschutz | Wandfarbenadler-lacke.com
2. 2Belebte Geschichte: Restaurierprofi Fensterbau Schmid vertraut auf Histo-System von ADLER!adler-lacke.com
3. 3Adler-Werk Lackfabrik Johann Berghofer – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Adler-Werk Lackfabrik Johann Berghofer – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org