The era of the founder Bernhard Heinrich Feldhaus (*1821 † 1900)
1857
In 1857, farmer Bernhard Heinrich Feldhaus (born 1821) from the Westerwiede district of Laer produced bricks for the first time using open-fired brick kilns. He utilized the farm's own clay deposits to generate additional income alongside his agricultural operations. This clay pit, located in the glacial moraine landscape west of the Remseder Straße to Bad Laer, provided abundant clay reserves. It was a craft thousands of years old that Bernhard Heinrich Feldhaus revived in the mid-19th century, a craft that would become the foundation of a globally operating Company .
Initially, however, the focus wasn't on brickmaking, but rather on agriculture for a long time. Bernhard Heinrich Feldhaus was primarily a farmer with extensive land holdings and livestock. The Feldhaus family's allotment farm had a long History , having been first mentioned around 1200. Understandably, they were reluctant to abandon their traditional farm operations too quickly in favor of the new project. By combining agriculture and brickmaking Feldhaus created a situation that was common at the time. Many farmers used the clay deposits on their own land for an additional source of income.
Impressions
Farm building and new brick kiln
1862
In 1862, Bernhard Heinrich Feldhaus built a new farmstead using bricks fired at his brickyard, which he then had plastered. From that point on, construction activity continued unabated until the present day. His building projects, as well as the numerous land purchases and a sawmill in 1873, were recorded by Bernhard Feldhaus in the first pages of a ledger that serves as a kind of chronicle. For example, the entry for 1866 reads: "In 1866 I built another brickyard. 70 feet long and 48 feet wide, it cost 200 talers.".
The bricks produced by the Feldhaus company found many buyers at that time. This was likely the reason why Bernhard Feldhaus had a new brick kiln built in 1868. On July 29, 1868, he received permission from the Iburg authorities to put the newly constructed brick kiln into operation in order to expand the brickworks. His chronicle states: "1868 new brick kiln built and residential building on the brickworks, both brick kilns with new openings." This clearly shows that Feldhaus wanted to significantly expand his brickworks and had already planned accommodation for the brickworkers.
Impressions
Agriculture and brickworks
1870s to 1900
From the 1870s to 1900, agriculture and the brickworks coexisted. Brick production was gradually increased due to high demand.
The Feldhaus brickworks' ledger, covering the period from 1869 to the mid-1880s, documents not only sales of agricultural products and livestock but also the increasing production of bricks, roof tiles, pipes, and ridge tiles. The records also show that lime was produced in larger quantities at the Feldhauskiln. Hundreds of customers are listed here, along with their brickworks purchases. The ledger also reveals the geographical area where Feldhaus served its customers, noting the prominent locations of Remsede, Laer, Westerwiede, Müschen, Glane, Natrup, Versmold, Winkelsetten, Dissen, Aschendorf, Iburg, Greven, and Ostbevern.
The bricks from the brickworks were predominantly used for private houses at that time. An exception is the interior of St. Mary's Church in Bad Laer. It was built in 1874 after the dilapidated predecessor had to be demolished. While the exterior walls were constructed from Laer bricks, the interior columns, window sills, and wall supports were made of fired molded bricks from Feldhaus. Long hidden by layers of paint, the bricks were rediscovered during renovations in 1966.
The era of the second generation Heinrich Feldhaus (*1861 †1938)
The firing process was increasingly automated to meet the growing demand for bricks. After surviving the aftermath of World War I and the subsequent inflation, the Feldhaus family once again focused on expanding their brickworks. In 1929, Heinrich Feldhaus had an automatic stoking system installed above the ring kiln. Compared to manual stoking, this had the advantage of allowing coal to be fed into the kiln more efficiently and consistently. Although developed as early as the late 19th century, stoking systems were not widely installed in Germany until after World War I. They promised fuel savings of 20-30 percent compared to manual stoking.
Impressions
World War II
1939
As late as 1939, a 60-meter-long drainage ditch was built on the company premises; it was the last investment for many years. World War II and the post-war period interrupted the steady expansion of the Feldhaus brickworks for several years. "Of course, things were never really bad for people here in the countryside," Bernhard Joseph Feldhaus recalls today. "Those who owned their own farmland at least always had enough food. You could butcher animals illegally. Back then, people from the city flocked to the countryside to get food."
Impressions
The era of the third generation: Helena (*1904 †1970) and Johann Heinrich Feldhaus (*1900 †1955)
1950s
After the exhausting and difficult war and postwar years, things calmed down again at the beginning of the 1950s, and the Feldhaus family was able to concentrate on expanding the brickworks. On Easter Monday of 1950, the Feldhaus family suffered a devastating blow: their house and farm buildings were completely destroyed by fire.
Company heiress Helena Feldhaus and her husband Johann Heinrich Feldhaus jointly managed the business in its third generation after the death of her father, Heinrich Feldhaus in 1938. Together, they dedicated themselves to expanding the brickworks in the following years. For the first time in the brickworks' History , a trained master bricklayer, Johann Heinrich Feldhaus was now at the helm. This allowed for the production of 96,000 bricks per week in a single operation of the Company kiln. The necessary energy expenditure was offset by an on-site steam engine generating electricity. A new press house was also built, which is now the oldest building on the premises.
The era of the third and fourth generations: Helena (*1904 †1970) and Bernhard Feldhaus (*1938)
By 1955, a press house, a transformer station, and a clay pit had been built. The drying plant was also enlarged. In 1955, Johann Heinrich Feldhaus died far too young at the age of only 55. A large funeral procession of almost 1,000 people, including the young brickmakers in their work clothes, accompanied him to his final resting place in the Laer cemetery. Obituaries and newspaper reports attest to how popular the deceased brickyard owner was. One such report reads: "Tough and unassuming towards himself, he possessed a rare work ethic and a sure, clear vision. We will not forget his kindness and helpfulness."
In the following years, his wife Helena assumed sole responsibility for the steam-powered brickworks and the farm. Her advantage lay in the fact that she had been familiar with the brickworks' operations since childhood. She could also count on the support of her sons Bernhard and Heinrich, who actively helped with both the farming and the brickworks. Bernhard Joseph Feldhaus still vividly remembers how he and his brother Heinz always helped out at the brickworks during school holidays. The large ring kiln was in constant operation. A complete cycle was carried out each week, during which 96,000 bricks were fired in the 16 chambers. A stockpile of raw bricks was prepared in the summer and then fired during the winter.
Impressions
New tunnel kiln
1967
In 1967, investments were also made in the area of technology: The nearly century-old ring kiln had become dilapidated and was no longer profitable due to its high energy costs. The two sons, Bernhard and Heinz, had long since devoted themselves more and more to the brickworks business. Bernhard Feldhaus recognized the opportunities offered by a brickworks with modern equipment. After a joint visit to the company Karl Walter & Co. in Hanover, the two brothers were able to convince their mother to build a new, state-of-the-art, 78-meter-long tunnel kiln. It was built in six months and had 20 tunnel kiln cars for the kiln load, as well as 9 tunnel kiln cars for reserves. Like the ring kiln, the tunnel kiln is a continuously operated firing kiln. However, unlike the ring kiln, the material to be fired now travels on cars through a fixed firing zone.
The old ring kiln was demolished and replaced with a new feeder. This was followed by the edge runner mill and two rolling mills. Now, 3.0 tons of clay could be processed per hour. "On September 9, 1967," recalls Bernhard Feldhaus, "the first finished bricks came out of the new kiln." In 1968, Bernhard Joseph Feldhaus took over the Company and ensured its continued development. His brother Heinz also remained with the company and continues to be an important support to his brother to this day.
By this time, Feldhausemployed 30 people, and for the first time, the Company had a plant manager, Mr. Hildebrand, who ensured the smooth operation of production. Further investments were made: a new clay storage and processing hall was built. This included a processing plant consisting of a box feeder, a used edge runner mill from the Händle company, two rolling mills, and a new press system from the Breitenbach company in Siegen. With this new technology, the company could now produce approximately 8,000 bricks per hour. At that time, Feldhaus primarily supplied the Zierenberg company in Gütersloh, which accounted for about 80 percent of its sales.
Impressions
Further investments
1970
In the following years, Bernhard Joseph Feldhaus steadily drove the Company 's expansion: "Since 1970, there hasn't been a single year in which we haven't invested and built new facilities," he emphasizes in retrospect. Crucial for smooth production was the switch from heavy to light oil, a decision made in 1970 after a furnace fire. The investments weren't limited to technical equipment. While the company had previously been run from his private residence, new office space was built on the company premises in 1972. And, in a very modern and family-friendly manner, a children's playground was constructed right next door.
Bernhard Feldhaus 's right-hand man in all subsequent developments and expansions was Karl-Heinz Thele, who started at Feldhaus as a metalworker in 1972. He quickly proved himself to be a creative and technically skilled employee, always seeking improvements and innovations in brick production. At that time, there were no clearly defined areas of responsibility: electricians were in short supply, and when problems arose with the equipment, attempts were made to resolve them as best as possible. However, the operation had become so complex that specialized knowledge was indispensable. Karl-Heinz Thele therefore completed a two-year electrical engineering apprenticeship at a school in Goslar and subsequently became plant manager at Feldhausin 1976.
Karl-Heinz Thele has been responsible for numerous innovations in technology and new product development at the Feldhaus company to this day, and has made a decisive contribution to the plant's success. To achieve a gentler firing process for the clinker bricks, Feldhaus decided in 1977 to convert the tunnel kiln from top firing to side firing. This made the plant one of the first tunnel kilns with side firing in Germany. Natural gas was also introduced as a fuel. At the same time, the kiln was extended to 113 meters. This increased the kiln's output to a feed rate of up to 12 wagons. By 1970, production had reached 20,000 bricks per day, allowing the company to completely abandon agriculture.
Impressions
Revolutionary technology for strap production
1981
A development of utmost importance for the Company 's future took place in 1981. At that time, Feldhaus developed its first thin brick . thin brick are narrow bricks often used in conjunction with thermal insulation measures for cladding old and new buildings (external thermal insulation composite system).
Eager to experiment, Bernhard Joseph Feldhaus and Karl-Heinz Thele initially tested the production of the brick slips using a peeling method, but this proved too labor-intensive. Later, they tried firing the slips using an adhesive method, fixing several slips together with a special glue. This method also presented problems, as traces of the adhesive sometimes remained visible. However, plant manager Karl-Heinz Thele persevered until he had developed an optimal technique for brick slip production. An additional new firing technology enabled the production of 40 percent more material while maintaining the same energy consumption.
Impressions
Further growth
1983
Since the capacities for the production of clinker bricks were no longer sufficient, the decision was made to take over the company Bültmann from Werther in order to focus on Pavers production there.
Impressions
New tunnel kiln with tunnel kiln dryer
1994
Meanwhile, the production of thin brick became increasingly prevalent. Bricks were practically oversold three times over. Delivery times for many varieties were often six to eight weeks. Especially when combined with suitable thermal insulation, they became an increasingly important building material for the renovation and modernization of older buildings.
Feldhaus took this development into account and, under the direction of Karl-Heinz Thele, designed a new tunnel kiln with a tunnel kiln dryer in 1994, in which the brick slips were placed as blanks onto the tunnel kiln cars. This new technology replaced the previous drying process in the chamber dryer. "On November 9, 1995," says Bernhard Joseph Feldhaus, "the first brick slips came out of the kiln. Since then, the kiln has been firing bricks continuously until today (2020)."
Impressions
Technical innovations
1999
Feldhaus did not rest on its laurels, given the high production standards it had already achieved. The employees continually strived to extract the maximum benefit from the raw material, clay. A major problem had been the high rate of raw material waste generated during the production of the corner tiles. These tiles could only be manufactured as part of a solid brick, resulting in an 85 percent waste rate.
Corner brick slips are needed to professionally clad corners and window lintels. They are indistinguishable from conventional masonry. Therefore, in 2001, plant manager Karl-Heinz Thele, in collaboration with the company Novoceric, developed a process—funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) as a project—for producing corner brick slips without a supporting brick. A sophisticated extrusion press specifically designed for corner brick slips now allows these bricks to be produced using the extrusion process. This has significantly reduced energy and material consumption.
This means that almost six times as many corner tiles can now be produced with the same amount of clay. This translates to annual savings of approximately 500,000 cubic meters of natural gas, 40,000 liters of diesel fuel, 8,000 tons of clay, and 2,500 tons of carbon dioxide.
Currently, Feldhausis the market leader in the field of thin brick , also due to the numerous technical innovations developed here.
In combination with the construction of a new computer-controlled processing plant, a computer-controlled recipe management and moisture control system, the development and patenting of the corner brick manufacturing process, and the installation of robots for corner brick production, important milestones were set for a modern future. Even Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel, during her time as Federal Environment Minister, had inquired about Feldhaus products.
Impressions
The era of the fourth and fifth generations: Bernhard Joseph (*1938) and Nicola Feldhaus (*1973)
2010
For strategic reasons, the entire production of all clinker bricks was centralized and the Werther site was closed. In return, the entire kiln control system at Brickwork was modernized.
Production techniques were continuously developed and refined. It was therefore natural that the infrastructure on the company premises also constantly evolved. The purchase of the connecting road from Laerer Straße to Remseder Straße from the municipality allowed the site to expand further. An extension for all brick products was built in 2014, and a new, attractive factory entrance with a calibrated truck scale was also required. This was followed by the relocation of the stormwater retention basin and the drilling of deep wells for a new on-site water supply. Initial earthworks and demolition work already hinted at the construction of the visitor center.
With the development of the Feldhaus configurator for digital building planning, the digital age is also dawning in sales.
Impressions
A new era of customer service begins
2015
2015 is the year in which a whole new era of customer service begins: With the opening of the visitor center, the doors are now open to architects, planners, building material dealers, construction companies and private builders alike for extensive Advisory service .
The building, encompassing approximately 1,400 square meters, and its grounds also provide a venue for specialist events and industry conferences. Feldhaus Klinker is also expanding its trade fair activities. The Company will be exhibiting for the first time at the world's leading trade fair, "BAU," in Munich in 2015. A new combined heat and power plant is being built as a joint project with the local energy supplier to ensure a sustainable energy supply.
Impressions
Energy transition at Feldhaus
Today
Founded in 1857, the family-owned Company is now successfully managed by the fourth and fifth generations, Bernhard Joseph Feldhaus and Nicola Feldhaus . The expansion of the management team in 2023 to include long-time employees Ralf Conrad and Jörg Breier resulted from recent market developments. Extensive expertise and in-depth industry knowledge ensure the long-term viability of the family Company in the face of volatile market trends. Forward-thinking decisions and a close connection to the market have laid the foundation for its success and simultaneously set the course for the future. Currently, more than 115 million clinker bricks, thin brick , and paving stones leave the Company 's kilns each year. And in the thin brick sector, Feldhaus is the global market leader with its diverse product range. A wide spectrum of colors, textures, and formats are produced, offering individual design options for private homes, commercial buildings, and public construction projects.
In addition to the German market and sales offices in Europe and overseas Feldhaus with approximately 150 employees, supplies many emerging markets worldwide. Currently, this includes more than 40 countries. Even the export restrictions imposed due to the pandemic have not been able to slow growth. International sales account for around 50 percent of total revenue. Thus, the Feldhaus brand is considered a guarantee of quality products not only in Germany. From the Baltic states to Asia and the Americas, clinker products "Made in Bad Laer" are successfully used.
The changing energy policy landscape presents Feldhaus Klinker with an opportunity to actively shape the future of the construction industry. Since 2022, the installation of a 9 MWp solar power plant has laid the groundwork for CO2-reduced clinker production, with the goal of achieving climate neutrality in the firing process. Self-produced "green" hydrogen is key to this endeavor, and the company is investing heavily in it.
Figures, data, facts
- Company premises 17.1 ha, of which 8 ha are covered production and storage area
- Covered area completely covered with PV modules
- One location, three furnaces
- More than 115 million brick slips, facing bricks and paving stones per year
- Production of approximately 360 tons of fired material daily
- 6 press lines
- 9 product lines, 2,500 different items
- approximately 150 employees
- Export worldwide to over 40 countries
Our employees and you, our customers, have made a significant contribution to our success. New demands motivate us to develop our own innovations, combining expertise and tradition for decades.
We succeed when you do. Benefit from our over 168 years of experience!
Your Feldhaus Team
Impressions
FELDHAUS
Over 168 years of success history .
Feldhaus is an international Brickwork from Germany and employs around 150 employees at the Bad Laer location in Germany. We accompany architects, planners, builders and investors worldwide in construction projects of all sizes.
Our Team from the fields of architecture, construction, and engineering provide you with precisely the professional services and Advisory service offerings you need for your brick construction project. We would be happy to inform you personally about our product and Service offerings. Our specialists will provide expert advice and gladly answer any questions you may have about our solutions.
Experience technological leadership – for over 168 years. Look forward to a collaborative partnership with Germany's oldest owner-managed Brickwork .
