Wood in the 4th generation
History
Wood in the fourth generation
Company founder Ludwig Kuntz was born in 1880 as the son of timber merchant Karl Kuntz in Neuhemsbach in the Palatinate. He spent his childhood and youth in Homburg in the Saarland, as well as his training in woodworking, which he completed in his father’s company.
In 1903, the opportunity arose to lease and expand a timber business in Kirn an der Nahe, which gave Ludwig the chance to stand on his own two feet – he was 23 years old at the time.
On November 12, 1906, the company “Ludwig Kuntz, Dampfsägewerk und Holzhandlung in Kirn” was entered in the commercial register for the first time.
In the search for a new timber harvesting area with good transport connections, Morbach in the Hunsrück region was chosen. It was a crossroads of important roads and, with the new Hunsrückquerbahn railway line, provided a connection to the rail network.
The extensive forest areas around Morbach were very well developed for timber transport thanks to an exemplary network of roads, a credit to the progressive government and forestry councilor Otto Kaiser.
The Ludwig Kuntz sawmill in Morbach began production on August 1, 1908. The company has remained loyal to this location to this day.
In Sohren, the local community bought a disused sawmill and established the third location.
Ludwig Kuntz II (nicknamed Luddy) became managing director of all the factories after the death of his father.
The first works council was established.
Due to rising demand during the economic boom, production at the Kirn plant was expanded to include new products: windows, doors, parquet flooring, and blockboard.
After the loss of the lucrative pit prop business and thorough market research, Ludwig Kuntz decided to start manufacturing particleboard.
Ludwig (Lutz) Kuntz received sole power of attorney for the entire company in 1972 and was managing partner from 1975 to 2011.
The last use of the logging horses at elka.
A new sawmill was built in Morbach.
Karl-Robert Kuntz, the 3rd generation of the family, was appointed managing director on 1 December 1990.
Production of natural wood panels has commenced.
The head office moved from Kirn to Morbach and Gerd-Michael Lersch was appointed commercial managing director.
Following the major fire and an incredibly short reconstruction period, Europe’s most modern chipper band saw plant was put into operation in Morbach in July 2004.
With the “Elka Strong Board” (esb), elka-Holzwerke developed a completely new wood-based panel that is still successful on the market today.
Dagmar Hilden-Kuntz joined the company in 2012 and professionalized the marketing of elka-Holzwerke.
The esb PLUS wood-based panel was introduced to the market.
The company has been certified according to EN ISO 50001.
The Sohren and Kirn plants were closed, and the planing and natural wood panel plant was relocated to Morbach.
Larissa Kuntz, the 4th generation of the family, was appointed managing director.
Major investments secure the company’s future
Construction of a stacking system
Establishment of a short log yard
Hall extension with a cutting saw
Machining system