Montana Group

Montana Group (written MONTANA) is a German family-owned energy trading and services group headquartered in Munich, Bavaria. Founded in 1960 by Karl Koburger as Montana Energie-Handel GmbH & Co. KG, the company began by delivering heating oil to customers in southern Bavaria under a supply contract with Esso, his former employer. Over six decades it has grown into a diversified energy supplier serving more than 800,000 customers in Germany and Austria, according to its own website. The group's core business is the retail supply of energy: certified green electricity (Ökostrom) sourced 100% from renewable energies and carrying the ok-power label, natural gas with optional biogas shares or CO2 compensation, heating oil across southern Bavaria, and fuels and lubricants. In the greater Munich area it also provides technical services around heating systems and the installation of solar panels. Montana states that it holds no stakes in nuclear or coal power plants, a point it uses to reinforce its sustainability positioning. Montana expanded from its heating-oil roots into natural gas after the liberalisation of the German gas market, founding Montana Erdgas GmbH & Co. KG in 2008 under the leadership of second-generation owners Stefan and Florian Koburger. Gas supply was extended nationwide in Germany in 2011 and to Austria in 2012, when Montana Energie-Handel AT GmbH was established. Electricity was added in 2013, initially hydropower for private customers, and extended to business customers in 2014. The German gas entity was renamed Montana Energieversorgung GmbH & Co. KG to reflect the broader product portfolio. In 2014 the group reported winning its 100,000th natural gas customer and generating nearly as much revenue from gas as from its traditional heating-oil business. Today Montana positions itself as a fair-priced, service-oriented alternative to large utilities, offering fixed-price tariffs with price guarantees as well as dynamic, time-variable tariffs. Its green electricity is certified by the independent ok-power seal, which requires verifiable additional investment in new renewable-energy installations and consumer-friendly contract terms. The group remains privately held and family-run, with operations spanning Germany and Austria.

Montana Group was founded in 1960 by Karl Koburger as Montana Energie-Handel GmbH & Co. KG. Koburger, who had previously worked for Esso, began supplying heating oil to customers in southern Bavaria under a supply contract with his former employer. In 1965 the company established a heating service business under the umbrella of Montana Heiztechnik GmbH & Co. KG, offering services around heating systems and heating maintenance. In 1980 the business expanded to include fuels and lubricants from ESSO as well as liquid gas. In 2000 the offering was broadened to renewable energies in the form of solar, pellets and biofuels. After the liberalisation of the German gas market, Stefan and Florian Koburger, who lead the company in the second generation, founded the natural gas supplier Montana Erdgas GmbH & Co. KG in 2008. In 2011 the natural gas offering was extended to all of Germany. From 2012 natural gas from Montana could be obtained in Austria, and in November 2012 Montana Energie-Handel AT GmbH was founded. In 2013 Montana expanded its energy offering to include electricity. Initially, hydropower electricity was offered to private customers; from 2014 business customers could also obtain electricity from Montana. Because of the expansion of the product portfolio to include electricity, the German company Montana Erdgas GmbH & Co. KG was renamed Montana Energieversorgung GmbH & Co. KG. In 2014 the Montana Group reported winning its 100,000th natural gas customer and, according to its own statements, generated nearly as much revenue from natural gas as from its traditional heating-oil business. In 2015 the offering of the Austrian company Montana Energie-Handel AT GmbH was also expanded to include the electricity product segment. Today the group describes itself as serving over 800,000 customers in Germany and Austria, offering certified green electricity and natural gas alongside heating oil, fuels, lubricants and technical services in the greater Munich area. It remains a privately held, family-run business.

• 2015

  Austrian entity Montana Energie-Handel AT GmbH expands offering to electricity.

• 2014

  Electricity extended to business customers; German gas entity renamed Montana Energieversorgung GmbH & Co. KG; 100,000th natural gas customer won.

• 2013

  Electricity added to the portfolio, initially hydropower for private customers.

• 2012

  Natural gas available in Austria; Montana Energie-Handel AT GmbH founded in November.

• 2011

  Natural gas offering extended to all of Germany.

• 2008

  Stefan and Florian Koburger found natural gas supplier Montana Erdgas GmbH & Co. KG after gas market liberalisation.

• 2000

  Offering broadened to renewable energies: solar, pellets and biofuels.

• 1980

  Business expanded to ESSO fuels and lubricants as well as liquid gas.

• 1965

  Heating service business established under Montana Heiztechnik GmbH & Co. KG.

• 1960

  Karl Koburger founds Montana Energie-Handel GmbH & Co. KG, supplying heating oil in southern Bavaria.

Fair-priced, service-oriented energy supplier with certified green electricity and no nuclear or coal entanglements, serving private and business customers in Germany and Austria.

• MONTANA Ökostrom

  Green electricity 100% from renewable energies, certified with the ok-power label.

• MONTANA Erdgas

  Natural gas tariffs tailored to customer needs, optionally with biogas share or CO2 compensation.

• Heating oil

  Low-cost heating oil delivered throughout southern Bavaria.

• Heating technology services

  Technical services around heating systems in the greater Munich area.

• Solar installation

  Installation of solar panels in the greater Munich area.

1. 1MONTANA: Ihr Energieversorger für Strom, Gas & Haustechnikmontana-energie.de
2. 2Montana Group – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Montana Group – Wikidatawikidata.org