Austrotherm starts with a takeover by Gruppo Poron in Italy!

Austrotherm starts with a takeover by Gruppo Poron in Italy!

Italien - The Austrotherm Group continues its growth course in 2025 by taking over the Italian EPS manufacturer "Gruppo Poron". This takeover, which is currently waiting for antitrust permits and is to be completed by summer 2025, enables Austrotherm to strengthen its position in the European market of insulation materials. The purchase price for the takeover remains confidential.

"Gruppo Poron" operates eight production locations in Italy and employs around 170 people. Since January 2025, the company has been selling Austrotherm's XPS product portfolio in Italy. The management of the "Gruppo Poron" remains in the hands of the Ceru family, and the brand name "Poron" continues to be managed.

Expansion of the product portfolio

The expansion through the "Gruppo Poron" enables Austrotherm not only access to new markets, but also a larger variety of products. In addition to EPS insulation materials, the offer of "Gruppo Poron" also includes specialized solutions for packaging, which significantly expands the Austrotherm range.

dr. Heimo Pascher, Managing Director of the Austrotherm Group, emphasizes the company's efficient production and sales network. Unlike many current challenges in the construction industry, such as rising raw material costs and political uncertainties, the Austrotherm Group sees the takeover as a positive step towards strengthening the market position.

market developments in Europe

According to a current market study on insulation materials in Europe, the market will continue to grow by 2032. The construction industry is attested to a consumption of around 231 million cubic meters of insulation materials every year. The main insulation fabrics include mineral wool and foamed plastics such as EPS and XPS. Mineral wool has a market share of almost two thirds of European production, with stone wool and glass wool 37% and 27% each.

The current market development shows that the consumption of expandable polystyrene (EPS) is growing in particular, while bio -based insulation materials only make up a small market share. However, this situation could change due to initiatives by the EU Commission to promote energy efficiency and new climate-friendly new buildings, and could provide investments of up to 300 billion euros by 2030.

In one of Ceresana published, it becomes clear that the renovation grows more dynamic than the new building. In some European countries, such as Ireland and Spain, the consequences of the financial crisis in 2008 are still noticeable. In addition, there were significant cancellations in Sweden in Sweden.

The Austrotherm Group, which achieved sales of 444 million euros in 2024 and employs over 1,400 employees, faces the competition in a walking market in which companies such as BASF, Rockwool and Knauf hold significant market shares.

The takeover of the "Gruppo Poron" is therefore not only a growth statement for Austrotherm, but also a strategic step to assert itself in an increasingly complex market environment. The company headquarters are located in Wipfing, while other works in Pinkafeld, Michelhausen and Purbach operate. The company is represented in numerous European countries and belongs to Schmid Industriengolding, which generated total sales of 2.3 billion euros in 2024.