Blauwald

Blauwald GmbH & Co. KG is a German forestry company headquartered in Heidenheim an der Brenz, Baden-Württemberg. It is owned by the Merckle family and is one of the largest private forest owners in Germany, managing approximately 8,000 hectares of woodland. The company was founded by the entrepreneur Adolf Merckle, who on 15 January 2004, with retroactive effect from 1 January 2004, acquired the entire Ebnat forestry operation of the Princely House of Thurn und Taxis, comprising more than 5,000 hectares of forest. These areas, located in the Swabian Jura, the fringe areas of the Nördlinger Ries, and in Mainfranken near Grettstadt, include some of the most productive forestry sites in southern Germany. Blauwald has expanded through further acquisitions, including more than 800 hectares (about half) of the municipal forest of Blaubeuren for a total of 6.4 million euros, large parts of the municipal forest of Ulm, forest areas in the Vogtland from BVVG, recultivated spoil tips from LMBV and BVVG, forests from the Württemberg baroness Speth-Schülzburg, and smaller forest areas in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. High mountain forest and alpine pastures of the Princely House of Wolfegg (900 ha forest, around 700 ha alpine pasture) were also part of the forestry operation but were sold in 2012. In May 2009, Ludwig Merckle accepted the sole inheritance of his deceased father after his suicide, to enable the restructuring and debt reduction of the Merckle group. In 2017, Blauwald purchased the Jännersdorfer Heide forest area. By 2021, the company managed and cultivated over 8,000 hectares of forest, maintaining the Merckle family's position as one of the largest private forest owners in Germany. In addition to timber in various forms (sawn timber, fiberwood, firewood, round logs), Blauwald offers business management services in the forestry sector, such as expert reports and consulting. The company also operates a webshop for firewood and offers hunting and game sales, as well as nature burials and events at Duttenstein Castle. In 2020, Blauwald won the Wald-vor-Wild-Preis (Forest before Game Prize) of the Ecological Hunting Association of Bavaria.

Blauwald GmbH & Co. KG was founded by the German entrepreneur Adolf Merckle, who on 15 January 2004, with retroactive effect from 1 January 2004, took over the entire Ebnat forestry operation of the Princely House of Thurn und Taxis, comprising more than 5,000 hectares of forest. These areas, located in the Swabian Jura, the fringe areas of the Nördlinger Ries, and in Mainfranken near Grettstadt, include some of the most productive forestry sites in southern Germany. Adolf Merckle was a prominent industrialist with holdings in ratiopharm, Phoenix Pharmahandel, CT Arzneimittel, and stakes in Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeuge, HeidelbergCement, and Zollern GmbH und Co. KG, among others. Further acquisitions followed, including more than 800 hectares (about half) of the municipal forest of Blaubeuren (the town is the seat of the Merckle group) for a total of 6.4 million euros (80 cents/m²), large parts of the municipal forest of Ulm, forest areas in the Vogtland from BVVG, recultivated spoil tips from LMBV and BVVG, forests from the Württemberg baroness Speth-Schülzburg, and smaller forest areas in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (also from BVVG). High mountain forest and alpine pastures of the Princely House of Wolfegg (900 ha forest, around 700 ha alpine pasture) were also part of the forestry operation but were sold in 2012. In May 2009, Ludwig Merckle accepted the sole inheritance of his deceased father after his suicide, to enable the restructuring and debt reduction of the Merckle Unternehmensgruppe. In 2017, Blauwald purchased the Jännersdorfer Heide forest area. By 2021, the company managed and cultivated over 8,000 hectares of forest, maintaining the Merckle family's position as one of the largest private forest owners in Germany. In addition to timber in various forms (sawn timber, fiberwood, firewood, round logs), Blauwald offers business management services in the forestry sector, such as expert reports and consulting. The company also operates a webshop for firewood and offers hunting and game sales, as well as nature burials and events at Duttenstein Castle. In 2020, Blauwald won the Wald-vor-Wild-Preis (Forest before Game Prize) of the Ecological Hunting Association of Bavaria.

• 2021

  Managed over 8,000 hectares of forest, remaining one of Germany's largest private forest owners.

• 2020

  Won the Wald-vor-Wild-Preis of the Ecological Hunting Association of Bavaria.

• 2017

  Purchased the Jännersdorfer Heide forest area.

• 2012

  Sold high mountain forest and alpine pastures of the Princely House of Wolfegg (900 ha forest, 700 ha alpine pasture).

• 2009

  Ludwig Merckle accepted sole inheritance of his father's estate to enable restructuring of the Merckle group.

• 2004

  Founded by Adolf Merckle; acquired the Ebnat forestry operation of the Princely House of Thurn und Taxis with over 5,000 hectares.

One of Germany's largest private forestry operations, combining sustainable forest management with diversified services including timber sales, hunting, and nature burials.

• Sawn timber

• Fiberwood

• Firewood

• Round logs

• Forestry consulting and expert reports

• Hunting and game sales

• Nature burials

• Event services at Duttenstein Castle

1. 1Home - Blauwaldblauwald.de
2. 2Blauwald - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Blauwald - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org