Niederberger Gruppe

Niederberger Gruppe is a German facility-services and building-management company headquartered in Cologne. It traces its origins to the Jakob Niederberger Großbauten-Reinigungs GmbH & Co. KG, founded in Cologne in 1924 by Jakob Niederberger and Albert Armbrust. The firm began as a large-building cleaning specialist in the Cologne area and was among the first regional providers to offer subscription-based maintenance cleaning of large buildings. After the Second World War interrupted operations, Jakob Niederberger rebuilt the company, and from the 1950s onward it expanded across Germany, opening subsidiaries in Berlin (1961), Duisburg, Bonn and Aachen (by 1965), and later in eastern Germany after reunification. Today the group operates twelve regional companies and 19 local bases across Germany, including Aachen, Berlin, Bochum, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Hamburg, Cologne, Mainz, Oyten near Bremen and Strausberg. Its service portfolio covers maintenance cleaning for all industries, technical services, caretaker and janitorial services, event services, outdoor-area maintenance, specialist services and industry-specific solutions. It also offers workplace hygiene, hygiene concepts, daytime cleaning, and robotics and digitalisation. A dedicated Food Service division specialises in cleaning and disinfection for food businesses, while the technical facility-services arm provides facility scans, electrical testing under DGUV (3), inspection and disinfection of ventilation and air-conditioning systems under VDI 6022, drinking-water sampling under VDI 6023, and building refurbishment. According to the company's own figures, the group generated €131.5 million in revenue and employed 4,143 people, including 42 apprentices, with an average length of service of 8.1 years. In 2022 the group reported 4,109 employees nationwide, 87.3% of them subject to social insurance. The company provides roughly 100 apprenticeship places annually and trains more than 50 young people, mainly in building cleaning and office administration. It received the training prize of the Federal Guild Association of the Building Cleaning Trade in 2006 and was named best training company in the sector by Focus Money in 2018. Ownership and management have evolved over the decades. Werner Scheffler became co-owner in 1956 and drove expansion; after the deaths of Jakob Niederberger (1980) and Werner Scheffler (1982), Bernd Scheffler took over. In 2007 Bernd Scheffler withdrew from operations and handed leadership to Holger Eickholz and Frank A. Ohrem, who acquired his shares on 1 August 2010 and have since each held 50%. Marc-A. Eickholz joined the management board in 2023. The group continues to operate under the unified Niederberger Gruppe umbrella brand.

The Niederberger Gruppe emerged from the Jakob Niederberger Großbauten-Reinigungs GmbH & Co. KG, founded in Cologne in 1924 by Jakob Niederberger and Albert Armbrust. Initially operating only in the Cologne area, the company began offering its services in the Ruhr region from the 1930s. It was one of the first service providers in the region to offer subscription-based maintenance cleaning of large buildings. The Second World War brought a temporary end to the business. In 1943 Jakob Niederberger was drafted into military service, and he returned to Cologne in 1945. The company was rebuilt despite difficult conditions. In the following years Jakob Niederberger provided significant support for the development of the regional guild and association system in the industry. The economic upswing of the 1950s also benefited the Niederberger Gruppe, which acquired a vehicle fleet. In 1956 Werner Scheffler became co-owner and drove the expansion of the service provider, which began in 1961 with the founding of the first subsidiary in Berlin. By 1965 further branches followed in Duisburg, Bonn and Aachen. In 1973 Jakob Niederberger founded GBR-Großbauten-Reinigung in Cologne-Porz. Another operation began in Berlin in 1977. Jakob Niederberger died in 1980. The business was initially taken over by Werner Scheffler, who also died two years later. His son, Bernd Scheffler, succeeded him. In 1986 expansion was again driven forward in Berlin with the opening of the second GBR-Großbauten-Reinigung operation, focusing on hospital and hotel services. In 1988 the Niederberger Gruppe introduced the JOS process for the gentle cleaning of sensitive facade surfaces. After German reunification the group expanded into eastern Germany. In 1991 the branch in Strausberg, Brandenburg, began operations. In 2007 there was a change in the management of the group. Bernd Scheffler withdrew from the operational business and handed over leadership to Holger Eickholz and Frank A. Ohrem. The location network was expanded with branches in Bremen and Mainz, and the group's operations began trading under the unified umbrella brand Niederberger Gruppe. On 1 August 2010 Holger Eickholz and Frank A. Ohrem acquired Bernd Scheffler's shares in the company. Since then they have each held 50 percent of the Niederberger Gruppe. In 2013 the technical services and necessary equipment were gradually transferred from the regional operations into the nationwide Niederberger Gruppe technische Dienste GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Bochum. By the end of 2020 the technical operation had grown to just over 85 operational employees. In April 2023 the newly founded Niederberger Gruppe Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG received its craft approval from the Berlin Chamber of Crafts. On 1 July 2023 the Niederberger Gruppe appointed Marc-A. Eickholz to the management board for all operating companies, after he had already joined the management of Niederberger Gruppe Verwaltungs-GmbH in January 2023. Thus, alongside the two shareholders Holger Eickholz and Frank A. Ohrem, another managing director is now responsible for all units of the group. The group operates twelve companies in Aachen, Berlin (2×), Bochum, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Hamburg, Cologne, Mainz, Oyten near Bremen and Strausberg, as well as 19 regional bases. It provides infrastructural and technical building services, including maintenance cleaning, graffiti removal, cleaning of glass, stone and metal facades, green-area maintenance, caretaker services and courier services. Construction and industrial cleaning as well as maintenance of industrial facilities are also part of its services. Its Food Service division specialises in cleaning and disinfection in food businesses, including killing microorganisms through cleaning and disinfection, creating hygiene plans, providing hygiene products and measures to optimise water and energy consumption. Another branch is dedicated to technical facility services, offering facility scans, electrical testing under DGUV (3), inspection, cleaning and disinfection of ventilation and air-conditioning systems under VDI 6022, water sampling under the Drinking Water Ordinance and VDI 6023, and building refurbishment measures. Individual operations are also certified as waste-management companies and/or hold a permit under § 15 of the Radiation Protection Ordinance (StrlSchV) for activities subject to radiation protection. In 2022 the Niederberger Gruppe employed 4,109 people nationwide, 87.3 percent of them subject to social insurance, with an average length of service of 8.1 years. The company provides around 100 apprenticeship places annually and constantly trains more than 50 young people, mainly in the professions of building cleaner and office administrator. For its special commitment to training, the company received the training prize of the Federal Guild Association of the Building Cleaning Trade in 2006 and was named best training company in the sector by Focus Money in 2018.

• 2023

  In April, Niederberger Gruppe Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG receives craft approval from Berlin Chamber of Crafts; on 1 July, Marc-A. Eickholz appointed managing director for all operating companies.

• 2020

  Technical operation grows to just over 85 operational employees by year-end.

• 2018

  Named best training company in the sector by Focus Money.

• 2013

  Technical services gradually transferred to Niederberger Gruppe technische Dienste GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Bochum.

• 2010

  On 1 August, Eickholz and Ohrem acquire Bernd Scheffler's shares, each holding 50%.

• 2007

  Bernd Scheffler withdraws from operations; Holger Eickholz and Frank A. Ohrem take over leadership; unified umbrella brand Niederberger Gruppe introduced.

• 2006

  Receives training prize of the Federal Guild Association of the Building Cleaning Trade.

• 1991

  Branch in Strausberg, Brandenburg, begins operations after reunification.

• 1988

  JOS process introduced for gentle cleaning of sensitive facade surfaces.

• 1986

  Second GBR-Großbauten-Reinigung operation opened in Berlin, focusing on hospital and hotel services.

• 1982

  Werner Scheffler dies; his son Bernd Scheffler succeeds him.

• 1980

  Jakob Niederberger dies; Werner Scheffler takes over the business.

• 1977

  Another operation begins in Berlin.

• 1973

  Jakob Niederberger founds GBR-Großbauten-Reinigung in Cologne-Porz.

• 1965

  Further branches established in Duisburg, Bonn and Aachen.

• 1961

  First subsidiary founded in Berlin.

• 1956

  Werner Scheffler becomes co-owner and drives expansion.

• 1945

  Jakob Niederberger returns to Cologne and rebuilds the company.

• 1943

  Jakob Niederberger is drafted into military service; operations temporarily cease.

• 1930

  Company begins offering services in the Ruhr region; among the first to offer subscription maintenance cleaning of large buildings.

• 1924

  Jakob Niederberger and Albert Armbrust found Jakob Niederberger Großbauten-Reinigungs GmbH & Co. KG in Cologne.

Nationwide German facility-services provider combining cleaning, technical building services and infrastructure management under a unified umbrella brand.

• Unterhaltsreinigung

  Maintenance cleaning for all industries.

• Technische Dienste

  Technical building services including facility scans, electrical testing, ventilation system inspection and building refurbishment.

• Hausmeisterservice

  Caretaker and janitorial services.

• Veranstaltungsservice

  Event services.

• Außenanlagen

  Outdoor-area maintenance including green-area care.

• Spezialdienste

  Specialist services such as graffiti removal and facade cleaning.

• Food Service

  Cleaning and disinfection for food businesses, hygiene plans and optimisation of water and energy consumption.

• Arbeitsplatzhygiene

  Workplace hygiene and hygiene concepts.

• Daytime Cleaning

  Daytime cleaning services.

• Robotik & Digitalisierung

  Robotics and digitalisation services.

1. 1Niederberger Gruppe | Ihr Partner für Facility-Servicesniederberger-gruppe.de
2. 2Niederberger Gruppe – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Niederberger Gruppe – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org