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Time LeapsSchöck – 1962 until today

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Eberhard Schöck didn't think twice:
He rolled up his sleeves and was right in there to help.

Konrad Huber, former foreman at Schöck
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Kick-off

The early 60s were an ideal time to set up a company. The German economic miracle was still in full swing, the economy was booming and housing construction was expanding. In 1965, Eberhard Schöck even spoke of an »hyper-boom« with regard to the construction activity of those years. The graduate engineer founded a small construction company in 1962.

Making
Building modern

Under the name Schöck Bautrupps he initially specialised in the construction of basements for prefabricated houses. His credo: »Making building modern!«

On April 2, 1962, Eberhard Schöck started work with five bricklayers on the first construction site: they built basements for four single-family houses in Zell am Harmersbach. The first teams worked on the building sites from Monday to Friday, living on site in a caravan; they were paid on a performance- linked basis and often worked day and night. This quickly led to the nickname: »Schöck’s wild construction crews.«

1962 Company foundation
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From the very beginning,
he wanted to build better

The initial spark for his professional path was the construction of his parents’ house in 1950 in post-war Germany. He was 15 years of age at the time. His parents bought a plot of land in Nürtingen near Stuttgart and commissioned a construction company to build the shell. Eberhard Schöck was part of the team right from the start and helped with the excavation. It was hard work, but interesting. The young Eberhard Schöck was fascinated by how a house is built step by step and so he quickly developed the desire to learn a building trade.

After obtaining his secondary school leaving certificate, he first did an apprenticeship as a bricklayer and then studied civil engineering at the technical colleges for construction in Stuttgart and in Hamburg. His early experiences on a construction site and learning a trade eventually enabled him to become an entrepreneur without equal. From the very beginning, Eberhard Schöck expressed his desire to build better houses.

Being down-to-earth, always open to new ideas, dedicated to people and very innovative and creative, he built up a small empire piece by piece, which today bears a great name: Schöck Group. Schöck is at home all over the world, generating growth and developing innovations with the reliability of an engineer, the precision of a craftsman and the staying power of an entrepreneur.

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Milestones

The Schöck Company has been very successful from the beginning. Eberhard Schöck knew how to steer his company in the right direction, and his wife and employees supported him very well. He skillfully built up several pillars to make his venture future-proof and crisis-proof.

Rooted in Baden-Baden,
at home in the world

Quite soon after the founding of Schöck Bautrupps, the company expanded from Varnhalt to Steinbach. Although the construction team initially started with building basements for prefabricated houses, Schöck set up an industrial production of basement windows and light wells in parallel. Schöck also manufactured concrete elements and, at the end of the 70s, joined the master builder’s cooperative.

The breakthrough came some time later with the famous Isokorb, which has remained a bestseller to this day. As the company grew, other locations were added to Baden-Baden.

In 1977, delivery warehouses are set up throughout Germany. Just two years later, the company expanded into other European countries, namely Austria and Switzerland. After overcoming the construction crisis at the end of the 90s, Schöck really took off internationally in 2004. Today, Schöck’s solutions are marketed in a total of 40 countries through own sales companies and sales partners.

1962
2ND OF APRIL 1962

Civil engineer Eberhard Schöck lays the foundation for the Schöck Group in 1962 by founding his company »Schöck Bautrupps«.

1967
MOVE FROM VARNHALT TO STEINBACH

The move to its current location in the Steinbach industrial estate is urgently necessary because the company needs more space.

1969
BASEMENT WINDOW INPOR S 2000

The Inpor S 2000 basement window is launched.

1972
PRESENTATION OF THE LIGHT WELL

Schöck introduces the first glass fibre reinforced polyester light well. It is the first plastic light well in Europe.

1977
START OF SCHÖCK BAUTEILE GMBH

Schöck Betonelemente GmbH is renamed Schöck Bauteile GmbH. The company becomes a market-leading expert for basement window and light well products.

1979
GERMANY-WIDE

Distribution warehouses are set up throughout Germany. After their dissolution, the warehouse in Essen (Altenessen) becomes a production plant.

1979
AUSTRIA / SWITZERLAND

For the first time, Schöck Bauteile GmbH markets products through foreign branches in Switzerland and Austria.

1983
MARKET LAUNCH OF THE FIRST ISOKORB TYPE M

In 1979, Schöck develops the idea for today’s main product, the Schöck Isokorb, which is introduced four years later. The Schöck Isokorb is a load-bearing thermal insulation element for minimising thermal bridges on cantilevered building components (e.g. balconies).

1985
FRANCE

The company Schöck SARL is founded in France and takes over the distribution of basement products in the border region.

1985
TRONSOLE

In 1985, Schöck launches another pioneering product on the market: the Tronsole is an impact sound insulation element, ensuring safe impact sound protection and acoustic bridge-free design for stairs for an added quality of life.

1992
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EBERHARD SCHÖCK FOUNDATION

The Eberhard Schöck Foundation is a private non-profit organisation. The core of the foundation’s work is the promotion of skilled trades, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. The promotion of the German language at home and abroad is another focus. In addition, the foundation awards various prizes.

1993
FOUNDATION OF THE HOLDING COMPANY

The Schöck AG is founded as a holding company to ensure the company’s continued existence. Eberhard Schöck withdraws from the operational business.

1995
NETHERLANDS

Schöck has been active in the Dutch market since 1989 with a sales partner. The successful market launch of products leads to the foundation of an own subsidiary in the Netherlands in 1995.

1997
INTRODUCTION OF COMBAR

Combar is a reinforcing bar developed by Schöck: it is made of glass fibre composite material, consisting of a combination of glass fibres and resin as corrosion-free reinforcement.

2001
HUNGARY

Schöck expands in Hungary. At the same time, as part of a new strategic orientation for the company, Schöck sells the basement products division and focuses on solutions for the reduction of acoustic and thermal bridges as well as reinforcement technology. A newly developed strategy based on innovation and internationalisation takes effect and ensures profitable growth.

2001
GREAT BRITAIN

Schöck continues on an upward trend and expands its distribution by founding Schöck Ltd in Great Britain.

2007
POLAND

A separate company is established in Poland to expand sales activities. In addition, a further production facility is built in Tychy.

2009
BELGIUM

Further expansion in Belgium.

2009
ITALY

Schöck intensifies sales in Italy with a focus on northern Italy.

2009
CANADA

With its own company in Canada, Schöck starts to expand its international sales activities outside Europe for the first time. Subsequently, Schöck enters the US market.

2009
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Projects in Dubai are realised with Combar.

2011
RUSSIA

Schöck continues to expand eastwards with a sales company in Moscow. The first large construction sites are supplied.

2012
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SCHÖCK FAMILY FOUNDATION (SFS)

The non-profit limited company is founded on the initiative of Sabine Schöck. It supports projects promoting school and vocational training in India, Nepal and several African countries, as well as development and social projects in Baden-Württemberg.

2016
EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE »KLIMASCHUTZ-UNTERNEHMEN«

Schöck becomes a member of the nationwide and cross-industry excellence initiative »Klimaschutz-Unternehmen« in Germany (Climate Protection Companies Germany) and pursues the objective of achieving an accelerated conversion to climate neutrality.

2017
LOCATION IN HALLE (SAALE)

After ten months of construction, Schöck inaugurates a new production facility in Halle (Saale) in the Halle-Ost industrial estate near Landsberg. Together with employees, partners and guests from politics and business, the 1,000-sqm large and ten-metre-high hall is opened with the symbolic cutting of the ribbon.

2018
ISOLINK

The Isoline is a thermalbridge-free fastening system for ventilated facades. The façade fastening consists of Combar and a stainless steel connection thread.

2018
STAUFER MEDAL

Eberhard Schöck receives the Staufer Medal in Silver. This distinction from the state for his life’s work recognises his numerous product innovations in the construction industry and his sustainable, social commitments at home and abroad.

2020
STAUFER MEDAL FOR MRS SCHÖCK

Sabine Schöck is awarded the Staufer Medal of the State of Baden-Württemberg 2020 for her many years of voluntary work and her services to the common good.

2021
SCONNEX

As a specialist in load-bearing thermal insulation, Schöck solves the last major thermal bridge on buildings with a world first: Schöck Sconnex insulates reinforced concrete walls and columns directly and permanently. This makes it possible to reduce thermal bridges and design a continuous thermal insulation layer without any interruption.

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Attitude

What makes Schöck special is first and foremost the focus on people, both on the employees and on our customers and business partners. This gives rise to a lively culture of innovation, the results of which ultimately support the work of the foundation. 

THE FOCUS
IS ON PEOPLE

ROBIN SCHÖCK, SON OF ENTREPRENEUR EBERHARD SCHÖCK, ON HIS FATHER’S ATTITUDE IN THE COMPANY

»The focus is on people: this has always been the basis of our father’s entrepreneurial activities. First and foremost, this concerns every employee who has a job in which he or she enjoys working independently and responsibly. Satisfied employees create a working environment in which people enjoy working and are effective. This results in great products with a high production quality and thus leads to satisfied customers. This focus also includes the liberal basic attitude, which is not based on advantages, but on job performance. Therefore, we do not judge people according to gender, age, skin colour, religion or background. The human being is the centre of attention. We, the company founder’s children, have internalised this attitude and consider it our task to maintain this focus on people in the Schöck Company and both foundations, to promote it and to keep adapting it to new circumstances.«

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MARGARETA DROLL
former long-time commercial clerk

For me, Eberhard Schöck has been the ideal boss to this day. Although he was fully absorbed in his business, he always had sympathy for every employee. He always had time for us. Even when, or perhaps especially when it was a matter of private assistance. You could talk to him at any time. Sometimes, things went awry for us, but our boss never got really angry.

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Dipl.-Ing. Martin Fenchel has worked as a development engineer at Schöck since September 2011.

Mr Fenchel, how did you get to know Schöck?

MARTIN FENCHEL: Schöck was well-known at the KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology). Not only because of the company’s reputation, but also because of the Schöck Prize for Building Innovation. In addition, I had already visited the Schöck Company with our students as part of an excursion.

How did you perceive the Schöck Company before you joined it?

MARTIN FENCHEL: It was quite a change, because my background was in building materials technology and I had been a lecturer for many years. But the Schöck Company was already very well known among us – if only because three of my colleagues had already started working there. In any case, I have always perceived the company as very innovative.

Did you have anything to do with Mr Schöck at the beginning?

MARTIN FENCHEL: No, not really. Mr Schöck had no longer been actively involved in the business for a good 20 years when I joined the company. From time to time, however, he walked through the departments. I always found that he was a very pleasant, friendly person; he listened to what we had to say and was actually quite cool.

What do you mean by cool?

MARTIN FENCHEL: Well, he was very attentive, he was of course wellversed, and he was also quite direct. Once, for example, when I had just started in the development department, we talked about the current development work on the Isokorb and the Tronsole during one of his visits. He said, »Well, you’re also welcome to develop something new once in a while.« (He laughs) That impressed us a lot and gave us something to think about. He simply was a jack-of-all-trades who always came up with new ideas, some of which didn’t work out because the market didn’t accept them.

Would you go as far as to say that innovation is part of Schöck’s DNA?

MARTIN FENCHEL: Yes, I would say so. Especially if you compare us to other companies. Simply because we have good opportunities. I think that is mainly owed to Mr Schöck, who has developed the company in this way over the years and put the focus on innovation.

What has the company’s development been like over the years?

MARTIN FENCHEL: Above all, the company has developed and grown internationally. When I started ten years ago, we were 450 employees. Today, we are 1,100 colleagues. That is an enormous growth. By the way, the working atmosphere has remained consistently good, very familiar, and the formative phrase »We are Schöck« is also truly lived and practised. All in all, you can say that Schöck is characterised by an unusual openness to new ideas. This is also evident in our many patents, and new ones are added every year. Our job is, first of all, to be faster than the building sector and to recognise trends and introduce solutions that the market does not yet demand. I am responsible for the organisation of these patents and can assess that quite well. It is also worth mentioning that the company has an innovation steering committee. Furthermore, we have a so-called »continuous improvement process« in which every employee can contribute ideas and suggestions for optimisation. If the suggestion is implemented, ten per cent of the savings achieved in the first year are awarded as a bonus. This can amount to a few thousand euros. In this respect, Schöck is a very progressive company. Yet there is one overriding principle at Schöck: »The proof of the pudding is in the eating«. And I have always liked that very much.

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Dieter Binz, former construction supervisor and later production foreman.

Dieter Binz was one of the first employees at Schöck. On May 6, 1963, he and four other colleagues began working for the construction company as a »plastering crew«. Later, he completed his training as a master craftsman at Schöck.

Mr Binz, you were one of the first employees at Schöck. Can you tell us what it was like on the first construction sites?

DIETER BINZ: Indeed, I was one of the first employees. On the first building sites where the »plastering crew« worked, we were responsible for the construction of basements. When we built a bungalow in Karlsruhe and a residential house in Heidelberg, I was in charge as foreman. The work was exhausting but wonderful. We slept on site in the caravan and strived to undercut the schedules as much as possible. We worked really hard, sometimes even through the nights. But we were full of energy, so it didn’t bother us much. When we returned home at the weekend, we met up with other foremen in a pub on Friday evening, if possible, to end the week together. We were like one big family.

Where did this ambition come from?

DIETER BINZ: Well, we were young and needed the money. (He laughs) No, joking aside. Of course, we earned more money with this method, because we worked on a performance-linked wage. By the way, it was this commitment that earned us the nickname Schöck’s wild construction crews. We mainly worked with »Hinse« blocks (large building blocks made of pumice with cavities, which were placed on top of each other in a dry construction method and then filled with concrete or additionally fitted with steel elements as needed).

Did Eberhard Schöck help on site at that time?

DIETER BINZ: Of course. He was the organiser and site manager; someone you could actually talk to about anything. In the beginning, Mrs Schöck also did the laundry for the things in the caravan and also gave us the money for the expenses every week.

A tandem team, then. How long did it go on like that?

DIETER BINZ: This was maintained until the 70s. Manfred Dierichs took over the management of the building company at the time. Meanwhile, Eberhard Schöck tinkered with his inventions. For example, he made experiments with prefabricated concrete components to further rationalise construction, such as windows with roller shutters and parapets.

EBERHARD SCHÖCK FOUNDATION –

CHANGE THROUGH TRAINING

When it comes to bringing something into the world, it takes both will and action. It is not only the entrepreneur Eberhard Schöck who is very active and committed, but also his entire company.

At the end of 1992, Eberhard Schöck set up a foundation for international understanding with Eastern Europe and the promotion of training for young people in the skilled trades. Training is modernised according to the Western model in Russia, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia. The demand for well-trained skilled workers is very high in these countries, but vocational training is generally outdated and not very practice-oriented. In cooperation with local partners, the training programmes are revised, instructors are trained, and classrooms and workshops are renovated in order to successfully set up and implement projects.

 

FUTURE THROUGH TRAINING –

THE SCHÖCK FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Schöck Familien Stiftung gemeinnützige GmbH was founded in 2012 on the initiative of Sabine Schöck. With the foundation, the Schöck Family currently primarily supports projects to promote school and vocational training in India, Nepal and some African countries, as well as development and social projects in Baden-Württemberg.

The family’s main aim is to support existing associations and other foundations in successfully setting up and implementing their projects. It is dear to the family’s heart to enable disadvantaged people to live a successful and responsible life through individually adapted support, good education and training.

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People

At Schöck, people are the centre of attention. From the beginning!

FOR THE SCHÖCK COMPANY, people are the centre of attention from the very beginning. Whether as employees or customers. »You can’t do anything without good employees,« company owner Eberhard Schöck likes to explain. The Schöck Company is also particularly caring towards its employees when it comes to their personal development and securing. It is owed to Schöck’s principles and the company’s attitude that most employees stay with the company for many years or even until their retirement, for the corporate philosophy meets with a positive response and earns respect, gratitude and warm words from the employees.

AS A LEADING MANUFACTURER OF BUILDING COMPONENTS, we want to make building easier and the world a little better. To do this, we need people. This is the insight of Schöck. The fact that the Company is primarily concerned with people is not only evident in the product range, which makes living and building easier. It is also reflected in the commitment to people – and they are happy to give it back in full.

THE WAY PEOPLE ARE TREATED distinguishes Schöck as a company. Schöck began very early on to support the training and further education of its employees, gave them the opportunity to grow and get involved. Eberhard and Sabine Schöck established two foundations that serve the common good on this basis.

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Martina Riebold has worked for the company since 1988 and was the company founder’s secretary.

Mrs Riebold, you joined the Schöck Company at a very early stage and started as Mr Schöck’s assistant. How did this happen?

MARTINA RIEBOLD: I was quite young when I started working at Schöck. So let me think about it. It was in 1988, I had completed an apprenticeship as an office clerk in a construction company and had gained initial professional experience for a few years. At just under 25 years of age I thought it was time for a change. I saw an ad in the newspaper and applied for a job as a secretary. At the interview, Mr and Mrs Schöck, Mr Dierichs, the managing director of the construction company, and his secretary sat in front of me to conduct the interview.

So Mrs Schöck also played a part in hiring you?

MARTINA RIEBOLD: Yes, Mrs Schöck had me type up the minutes of the interview in her office afterwards to check how I was carrying out this task. I must have done it flawlessly.

You replaced Mrs Schöck as her husband’s secretary?

MARTINA RIEBOLD: Until then, Mrs Schöck had done paperwork for her husband on a part-time basis. It was a great relief for her that from this point on she could intensively take care of her numerous projects.

In what way?

MARTINA RIEBOLD: Well, she was fully committed to the company from the beginning, had shaped the corporate values together with her husband and was very demanding in everything she did. She also supported her husband in his innovations in a creative way, for example, she suggested the idea of an egg shape for the light well. She has raised four children and was a writer on the side. Her dream was to publish her own books. I was Mr Schöck’s assistant for two years and then also became assistant to the managing director of the Bauteile GmbH. I stayed with Eberhard Schöck until his death.

So you have remained loyal to Mr Schöck?

MARTINA RIEBOLD: Yes, I have. He was in his early 50s, I was in my mid-20s and I could learn a lot from him, and also from Mrs Schöck. Both had very different personalities. For example, while Mrs Schöck preferred the anti-authoritarian style of upbringing, Mr Schöck was more classically authoritarian, not much though. They were both enterprising, and I always enjoyed working for Mr Schöck.

What was your impression of Mr Schöck at that time?

MARTINA RIEBOLD: Apart from always being a pleasant employer, he was always interested in what his employees thought. He would often walk through the halls, talk to people and ask if they had any ideas for improvements or perhaps inventions of their own. He had a lot of empathy towards others and was a very pleasant person.

He originated quite a few inventions. Were you involved in this, and were they always successful?

MARTINA RIEBOLD: He has had some very successful ideas. But not all of them have proved successful. I still remember Mrs Schöck’s idea of trying to invent something against the snails that were always causing trouble in the garden in Varnhalt. Both pursued the idea of building a snail fence that would keep the vermin from invading the garden. But that came to nothing, because something of that kind was already on the market. He just devoted himself to everything that aroused his curiosity, and, by the way, he had an extensive file storage full of product applications. In there where also many inventions that didn’t work out or that had simply flopped. Anyway, it’s normal for such an inventive mind to fail from time to time. I didn’t invent anything myself, but every now and then I had an idea that I told him about.

You were working for Eberhard Schöck until two years ago?

MARTINA RIEBOLD: Mr Schöck suffered from lung problems from his early childhood. That was also the reason why he repeatedly went to Switzerland to recover from his bronchial asthma. When he was well, he was very busy: initiating workshops, setting up innovation circles, looking after his employees, introducing idea competitions with a select jury and always searching for new ideas and inspiration. Even in retirement, he visited his company every day for at least two hours. Two years ago, at the age of 84, this was no longer possible for health reasons.

In what ways has the Schöck Company or the working atmosphere changed over the years?

MARTINA RIEBOLD: In 1988, the company was more manageable simply because it was smaller. What are now the departments were then the construction company, the building components and the solid construction companies. The most modern acquisitions were a fax machine and single-user workstations. The colleagues in the mail department made two rounds distributing mail every day, and people sometimes took the time to have a chat and Mr Schöck joined them. Bicycle tours, soccer tournaments or other joint excursions were organised. Today, due to the internationalisation of the company, this is no longer possible to the same extent. And the work rhythm is also different. Today, employees attach more importance to having free time, and they like to spend it with their own family or circle of friends. The awareness of work has simply changed. But the current situation also has advantages. Working with Mr Schöck was always pleasant, and we got along with each other very well because we were both passionate about building.

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Rainer Binz, commercial employee for 36 years.

Mr Binz, tell us about the beginning of your long »marriage« with the Schöck Company.

RAINER BINZ: I had already finished my apprenticeship in a steel goods shop. Among us colleagues, one customer in particular stood out: Mr Schöck. At that time, he was still the managing director of a construction company in the area and bought materials for the company he worked for. Mr Schöck was always friendly and obliging, very conspicuous in his appearance. Word got around that he had founded a construction company in 1962, and then in 1967, he founded Schöck Bauteile. Since my cousin, Dieter Binz, had been foreman at that company for a long time, I had closer contact with Mr Schöck. So Mr Schöck approached me directly and asked if I would like to join him in the newly founded company. I accepted and have never regretted it.

You haven’t had that much to do with building components before, have you!?

RAINER BINZ: That’s exactly why Mr Schöck sent me to construction sites for an internship from October 1967 to March 1968, where I could see and learn everything. When I came back, I worked at Schöck Betonelemente GmbH as »maid-of-all-work«, so to speak. At the beginning, I was mainly concerned with making sure that we got any orders at all. Naturally, we didn’t yet receive any enquiries from the market back then.

Did you also work with Mr Schöck?

RAINER BINZ: In the beginning, I discussed technical and calculative issues with him. The special thing about our meetings was that Mr Schöck always made time for me. Not once did he say: »There’s no time for that now«. Never. He was friendly, interested, asked questions and listened, and I always wrote down everything we had to discuss. Afterwards, we were very effective. I learned a lot from him and, to be honest, I also grew a little fond of him over the years.

Was Mr Schöck only interested in business matters?

RAINER BINZ: No, not at all. He also took an interest in private matters. For example, I have a deaf daughter. One day, Mr Schöck approached me and wanted to talk. He asked: »I always had the impression that we don’t keep secrets from each other. Or do we?« »No,« I replied, »we don’t have any secrets. Not in any respect.« »But,« he replied, »I heard that you have a little daughter who is deaf. You never told me.« That was true. I had not told Mr Schöck about my daughter. Instead, he had learned it from colleagues. Prior to our conversation, he had contacted a professor in Freiburg and agreed that my daughter could see him for an examination. Mr Schöck paid the fees, and my daughter then travelled to this professor and had herself examined. Unfortunately, there was nothing else he could do. That is a special side of Mr Schöck, he simply is very kind.

And I suppose that he was also very kind in his company?

RAINER BINZ: Yes indeed, he certainly was. In 1970, for example, he introduced a partnership programme. Subsequently, there was a committee that evaluated employees who had been with the company for more than three years once every 12 months. The committee reviewed, for example, whether they were reliable or negligent, whether they worked in the interest of the company. There were several criteria. If your review was positive, you had the possibility of receiving a bonus. This meant that 30 per cent of the annual net profit of the Schöck Company was set aside as a retirement provision with a high interest rate for the staff. This reserve then created a subsidy for the respective pension scheme. Needless to say, this was very much in demand. If, for example, you already had a family and wanted to build a house, it was quite possible that the payout was brought forward in parts to pay part of the costs and thus finance the house, which was then a kind of old-age provision. This programme was Mr Schöck’s idea, and we were all very motivated and enthusiastic.

So you really enjoyed working at the Schöck Company?

RAINER BINZ: Yes, sure. Actually all the time. My wife used to say: »You go to work and come home after many hours still whistling after a long day’s work«. Yes, that’s what it was like all those years.

Did you also contribute to Mr Schöck’s inventions?

RAINER BINZ: No, no. Mr Schöck almost always tinkered on his own. He usually kept his ideas under wraps for up to a year. Like the light well from 1970, for example, which he then produced from glass fibre instead of concrete, thus creating a much lighter component (five per cent of the weight of concrete). He was always searching for new ideas. After the exhibitions at the respective construction fairs, visitors told him about their problems and processes on the construction sites and asked him to look for solutions. That was his world, absolutely: prefabricating building components and improving construction both technically and in terms of quality.

Have all inventions been successful?

RAINER BINZ: No, not all of them, of course. But if you are as creative and pragmatic as Mr Schöck, that’s bound to happen. I remember that we once mistakenly ordered the wrong film for the cellar windows we produced, which were packed in plastic bags to protect them from dirt, because we had not taken the tolerances into account. Now we had mountains of film. Normally, we would have had to throw it away. Mr Schöck, however, already had an idea of how to make other use of it. At a trade fair, he had met an employee of a company that integrated zips into plastic bags. He took advantage of this and then invented the plan sleeves. This was, however, mainly used as an advertising medium by the sales department, because the product did not really fit into our product range. Later, we gave up the production of plan sleeves cover altogether.

In your opinion, what has been the decisive factor for the great success over the years – apart from the growth of the company?

RAINER BINZ: The structure of the field staff is certainly decisive for the success. In the past, at the very beginning, there were only eight to ten sales representatives – no technicians. But when we moved from light wells and basement windows to more technical products like the Isokorb, we also needed a different sales structure. At that time, Mr Schöck came up to me and asked me: »What do you actually think of our products? And if you ever know someone who can support us in selling them well, please get in touch with me and give me his name.« In fact, we were in urgent need of a professional sales manager. I knew of a young Mr Kunz, who made a good impression on me at the time and did not yet work for us. I told Mr Schöck about this person and after an informative conversation with him, he hired Manfred Kunz. Unfortunately, Mr Schöck was ill on the day he started work, so Manfred Kunz had to present his very revolutionary plan to the staff of his department himself. Kunz actually managed to restructure the sales department on a product-related basis by 90 per cent within one year. After that, sales exploded. He and his team managed to raise the previous target of 25 per cent growth in sales per year to 60 per cent. The following year, he became managing director at Schöck, and in 1993, he was appointed chairman of the board of directors. You see: at Schöck you feel you are being well treated and achievements are appreciated. In conclusion, it must be said that the Schöck company as it is today would simply not be possible without a person like Eberhard Schöck – neither in technical and innovative terms nor in human terms.

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Gerhard Krzizok, skilled worker in final assembly at Schöck since 1990.

How did you, Mr Krzizok, get to work for the Schöck Company?

GERHARD KRZIZOK: Well, I had had enough of building sites. I had worked there for over ten years and wanted a change anyway. One day, I drove past the Schöck Company and thought: Oh, that’s a construction company, maybe they need someone like me. And that was the case. I went to the door, knocked and asked if they had a job for me. Luckily, they had just been planning to set up a new department. Mr Schöck then asked me to come in for an interview. He was very tall, and at the beginning, I was a bit afraid of him and trembled, wondering what he would ask me. He then looked at me from head to toe, looked at my papers and said: »You have great professional experience. Do you also know how to read plans?« »Of course,« I replied, »I’ve always done that on the construction site.« And so I started working at Schöck from one day to the next. It was a great time.

Did you work together with Mr Schöck?

GERHARD KRZIZOK: No, for I was working in the new department. It was the Special Department for Primary Materials. That’s what we called it. We were responsible for the processing of the special variants of the Isokorb. Normally, such departments are called Primary Material Final Assembly. At the time, plans were discussed and processed. In the beginning, there were only two of us, an unskilled worker and me. Today, we are eight people and work in two shifts.

So you didn’t have any dealings with Mr Schöck at all, apart from your job interview?

GERHARD KRZIZOK: Well, I did, but not directly. Mr Schöck often came by to take a look at his business. I must say that I have rarely met such a nice person. During his visits, he always asked: »Do you need anything? Can I help you in any way?« That was encouraging and showed that he always took an interest. It was very familial. This attitude also became apparent when my family and I decided to buy a house. We needed a loan, of course, and instead of getting it from the bank, I got it from Mr Schöck, that is, from the company. That was truly wonderful. Of course, I repaid the loan.

You were employed in production for more than 30 years and later you also became a member of the works council. How did that develop?

GERHARD KRZIZOK: In the beginning, we didn’t have a works council for quite a long time. We were only about 100 employees at the time. Yet we already had shop stewards, but I wasn’t one of them. But colleagues asked me more and more often if I would like to do that. When the works council was formed in 1997, I joined it and over time I was elected a regular member.

Were you still directly involved with Mr Schöck at that time – also as a member of the works council?

GERHARD KRZIZOK: At first, Mr Schöck was a bit surprised when we founded the works council. But he accepted it quickly. In 1993, he withdrew from active management. Nonetheless, the feeling that the Schöck Company feels like a family has remained. Back then, the problems were laid openly on the table and everything was discussed frankly.

But you never worked directly with Mr Schöck?

GERHARD KRZIZOK: No. But I worked with his son, Robin Schöck, for two or three years. If I remember correctly, he had a holiday job. He was a very bright and interested lad and actually understood everything about the work. That was fun.

Tell us about how the company has changed in the course of time. It has become very big.

GERHARD KRZIZOK: In the past, it was simply more intimate. Mr Schöck would come up to us and say: »I need you on Saturday, are you able to work then?« And sure we were. That was a matter of course and simply less complicated. Due to internationalisation, we grew very quickly.

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Inventions

In 1969, company founder and civil engineer Eberhard Schöck made his first invention and had it patented. Others followed into the 1980s. They set new standards in the building industry. A few of them also flopped. But the inventive spirit continued unbroken until the developments of modern times.

1969
BASEMENT WINDOWS

Based on his practical experience gained in basement construction projects executed by Schöck Bautrupps, Eberhard Schöck came up with the Inpor S 2000 basement window, the standard for basement windows in basement construction. It was developed in cooperation with engineers specialising in rationalisation. The first product range comprises four standard sizes with different casements, either painted or galvanised. Even at that time, Schöck already offered individual designs, sizes and wall thicknesses on customer request.

1972
GLASS FIBRE REINFORCED POLYESTER LIGHT WELL

With the light well made of glass fibre reinforced polyester, Eberhard Schöck used innovative materials previously known in other industries such as aviation or the automotive sector. It was the first plastic light well in Europe.

1979
ISOKORB

During a skiing holiday in 1979, Eberhard Schöck came across a large holiday home with numerous uninsulated balconies. This led to damp walls and mould formation indoors. While still on holiday, he started developing initial ideas and sketched for solving this weak point in the building in terms of building physics and structural design. This marks the birth of the Isokorb.

1983
SCHÖCK ISOKORB

»In 1980, I filed my first patent application. In 1983, the first Isokorb Type M was introduced to the market. It was at the DEUBAU in Essen and the SWISSBAU in Basel that I first presented the Isokorb to the public. The trade fair visitors were very interested«, Eberhard Schöck remembers.

1985
TRONSOLE

With an insulated mounting element for use in staircases, Eberhard Schöck wants to reduce the transmission of the impact sound generated when climbing stairs to the adjacent flats. He has thus developed a system solution for effective footfall sound insulation in staircases. The name Tronsole is made up the of the German words »Trittschall« (impact sound) and »Konsole« (corbel).

1997
COMBAR

At the BAU trade fair in Munich, Schöck presented Combar, an innovative concrete reinforcement made of glass fibre composite with very special material properties.

1998
RUTHERMA

A new type of thermal break for interior walls was developed specifically for the requirements of the French market. Rutherma avoids typical thermal bridges at the junctions between floor slab and façade and at the intersections of columns with the façade.

2002
ISOKORB KX WITH CONCRETE THRUST BEARING

The previous stainless steel thrust bearing of the Isokorb was replaced by an innovative thrust bearing with a plastic sheathing and micro-steel fibre-reinforced high-performance fine concrete, leading to a significant improvement in the thermal insulation performance of the Isokorb.

2003
NOVOMUR

As a specialist for solutions increasing the energy efficiency of buildings, Schöck developed Novomur, another thermal insulation element. Novomur is used as the first row of blocks above or below the basement slab to insulate the thermal bridge at the base of the building. The element achieves an insulation level that well exceeds the minimum requirements of DIN 4108. Compared to high-density masonry, the thermal conductivity of Novomur is lower and corresponds to a reduction of 75 percent.

2004
HEAVY-DUTY DOWEL

Originating from Schöck’s own development workshop, the heavy-duty dowel Stacon set a new standard for the transmission of shear forces at expansion joints.

2008
ISOKORB KXT

Schöck developed a load bearing thermal insulation element with a 120 mm insulation thickness.

2010
COMBAR THERMO ANCHOR

Research and development produced an innovative façade fastening system called Combar Thermo Anchor. It is an energy-efficient alternative to conventional stainless steel solutions (lattice girders) for connecting the concrete shells of core-insulated sandwich and element walls.

2011
ISOKORB R

In response to the high demand for building projects in existing contexts, Schöck launched a new type of thermal separation for cantilevered or supported balcony structures of existing buildings. The Isokorb R is retrofitted to replace or supplement balconies in the event of renovation.

2017
ISOKORB XT-COMBAR

In an elaborate series of developments, Schöck has integrated the high-quality glass fibre composite Combar into the Isokorb to create the type XT-Combar. Combining the properties of Isokorb and Combar achieves a minimum thermal conductivity of 0.7 W/mK – a superior alternative to reinforcing steel (50 – 60 W/mK) or stainless steel (15 – 17 W/mK) in terms of thermotechnical properties. With its improved CO2 balance, the product also contributes to sustainable building.

2018
ISOLINK

With this new façade fastener, the Schöck Isolink type TA-S, Schöck applied its entire expertise in insulation and load-bearing structures to rear-ventilated curtainwall façades.

2021
SCONNEX

In February 2021, Schöck announced the market launch of its new Sconnex product family for the second quarter of 2021. The new product range reduces thermal bridges at both reinforced concrete walls and columns and brickwork. The reduction of thermal bridges increases the energy efficiency of buildings and optimises their energy footprint. About 40 percent of all thermal bridges in a building are caused by walls and columns. They are responsible for about ten percent of heating energy losses. With the Sconnex product range, Schöck transfers its Isokorb expertise gained from balconies to walls and columns and thus offers an application-friendly and high-quality solution that contributes to a permanently sustainable building concept.

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Development

Especially in retrospect and in comparison, you can see how times change. The development of society is as interesting as the development of individual companies. Schöck has also changed or developed in the individual areas of life and with them some interesting things in everyday life.

Battles of time – Then and now
1962 Company
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Eberhard Schöck started his career quite early with the Bautrupp that built basements. He thus laid the foundation for a successful company. He started with five employees and by today…

... the company has grown to 1,100 employees. A success story without equal!

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1970 Workplace
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After moving to Steinbach, the Schöck employees were able to take the first orders by using typewriters and telephones. The telephone sets still had a rotary dial …

… whereas today, the communication devices look markedly different – especially in times of Corona, when Schöck employees have increasingly been working from home. Otherwise, employees work at mobile, flexible workstations following the »open space« model.

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1970 Workplace
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1975 Workwear
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Until the 70s, the same workwear was offered for all industries, and specialised offers were usually only available for guild clothing. At Schöck, however, employees at the machines were dressed in special »Schöck workwear« from a very early stage.

This has not changed to this day. The classic blue of the Schöck company is still unmistakable. However, only the industrial employees are equipped with the Schöck work clothing. For all others, the rule is: you can wear whatever you feel comfortable in.

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1979 Advertisement
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Target group-oriented advertising is part of Schöck’s self-image. A very early attempt to attract attention is this photo for the advertisement of the basement window wrapped in polystyrene.

Over the decades, advertising at Schöck has also developed. Today, it is communicated in a professionalised way via the products.

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1979 Advertisement
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1983 Isokorb
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In 1983, the first Isokorb, named Type M, was presented to the market. The insulating body, the tension rods and the thrust bearing – at that time still made of simple concrete – take on an essential role as a load-bearing thermal insulation element. All components are further developed over time with more modern materials.

The latest type of Isokorb Model CXT now incorporates tension rods made of the pioneering glass fibre reinforcement Combar. An additional 120 millimeters layer of Neopor ensures optimum thermal insulation. And the thrust bearing made of micro-steel fibre-reinforced
high-performance fine concrete also contributes to an energy-efficient product for the balcony.

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Context

»NOWHERE IS LIFE EASIER THAN HERE«, the writer Otto Flake (1880 – 1963) already remarked adding that »the argument is only about the time of year when Baden-Baden is most beautiful.« This and many other quotes reflect the spirit of life in the »Kulturstädtle«, the »small town of culture«, as the Merian travel magazine called it.

BADEN-BADEN, once the favourite resort of the aristocracy and the upper middle classes, has not lost its charm to this day. It boasts charming places, such as the Lichtentaler Allee. This makes the region a perfect place to live, also for Eberhard Schöck’s family and his employees.

FACTORY TOURS AT SCHÖCK – Even in the early years of the company, the headquarters in Baden-Baden with its industrial production was a centre of attraction for visitors. In the 70s, for example, the first groups of students visited the premises, and in the mid-80s, Schöck even welcomed a delegation from South Africa. Since the late 90s, the company has offered a customer visitation program for one to two days.

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Factory tour at Schöck

Baden is Germany’s third largest and southernmost wine-growing region with a total area of 15,836 hectares. Turnover in the 2020 business year was just under 39 million euros and increased by 5.8 percent compared to the previous year.

BADEN-BADEN, once the favourite resort of the aristocracy and the upper middle classes, has not lost its charm to this day. It boasts charming places, such as the Lichtentaler Allee. This makes the region a perfect place to live, also for Eberhard Schöck’s family and his employees.

In addition to the core city, the touristy old town and the spa quarter, the city of Baden-Baden is also made up of a number of districts. Since 1972, these districts have also included the BADEN-BADENER REBLAND with the three communities of Steinbach, Varnhalt and Neuweier. Around ten percent of Baden-Baden’s population call this area their home. And this is where it all began for Schöck.

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Future

The name Schöck is deeply anchored in the construction world but also bound to the future. We asked custormers and employees what they associate with Schöck.

Ángela García de Paredes
Paredespedrosa Arquitectos, Madrid

Schöck is a reference name in high-quality construction products that solve technical, insulation and absorption problems for us architects, so that we can carry out our projects and thus help us materialize our ideas. In the field of the projects we work on, it would be very interesting for a company like Schöck to offer products for acoustic absorption and acoustic comfort, especially for public buildings such as libraries or educational buildings. I wish Schöck to continue the research in products that improve the sustainability and insulation of buildings to improve our quality of life.

Joey Dittmar, a young manager in the development department, drew exclusively for this book eight ideas of the working world, the topics and possible future Schöck products.

Innovation

The pioneering spirit and the ability to repeatedly set standards for the entire construction industry has become a trademark of Schöck. Architects and planners also relied on this expertise when they approached the building product manufacturer’s application engineers with the question: »Do you have any idea how we can insulate columns other than with the conventional, visually unappealing flanking insulation?« And Schöck came up with a solution: Sconnex.

Sconnex

Next-generation Sconnex protects against earthquakes and is suitable for building in existing contexts. The highlight: the retrofitting of the first landmark.

Isokorb IQlick 9.0

The first magnetic Isokorb for a perfected construction process. Licence-based product properties are activated via a chip. The insulating element made of renewable raw materials is, of course, non-combustible.

Isokorb IQlick 9.0

The first magnetic Isokorb for a perfected construction process. Licence-based product properties are activated via a chip. The insulating element made of renewable raw materials is, of course, non-combustible.

Digitalisation

In the course of digitalisation, Schöck has pooled its expertise with the software specialist generic.de in 2021. Schöck bought a 21.5 percent stake in the company and has combined the strengths of the two medium-sized companies. In 2022, the new company beamionic emerged from the joint development work with Robotic Eyes GmbH. Its new product »chekker« is a novel digital assistance system for plants producing precast concrete elements.

Collective virtual space

The current building M is only used for beekeeping (above). There are no longer any employees on site. Instead, for reasons of occupational safety, production is remotely controlled via VR (virtual reality).

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Prospects

With Mike Bucher, the progressive company has a visionary CEO. He sums up the prospects for Schöck’s future as follows: »We are working in a very disciplined manner on our Strategy 2025 and thus on our immediate future. However, with our vision ›Shaping tomorrow’s building today‹, we focus on a much longer time horizon. We make our entrepreneurial decisions on this basis and prepare for 2062.«

Material of the future

Schöck’s UHPC (ultra-high performance concrete) takes the next evolutionary step. For the first time, Schöck is supplying the aerospace industry with complex free formed elements and is meeting the high demand resulting from growing space tourism. Architecturally sophisticated prefabricated parts made of the high-strength material are also in great demand.

Prospects

With Mike Bucher, the progressive company has a visionary CEO. He sums up the prospects for Schöck’s future as follows: »We are working in a very disciplined manner on our Strategy 2025 and thus on our immediate future. However, with our vision ›Shaping tomorrow’s building today‹, we focus on a much longer time horizon. We make our entrepreneurial decisions on this basis and prepare for 2062.«

Material of the future

Schöck’s UHPC (ultra-high performance concrete) takes the next evolutionary step. For the first time, Schöck is supplying the aerospace industry with complex free formed elements and is meeting the high demand resulting from growing space tourism. Architecturally sophisticated prefabricated parts made of the high-strength material are also in great demand.

Selina Büchel
Apprentice at Schöck Bauteile GmbH

I imagine Schöck at its 100th anniversary as a globally established company that has opened up further relevant markets. The climate neutrality we are already striving for today has been achieved and our products are based on renewable raw materials. The product range will expand to include more digital products, with a focus on sustainability and innovation. This will also significantly increase the annual turnover. More employees will work at Schöck than today. Man and machine will coexist and jointly master the challenges ahead of us. Schöck’s principles and values have not changed. Increased support will be given to social projects in the area of education and training – in this way, people will continue to be at the centre of our actions.

»You can never rest on your laurels. To be successful, you have to keep developing entirely new things or improving existing things.«

In Memoriam of Eberhard Schöck