Press release

Reymann / RATEC – Group acquires stake in HOWAL GmbH

Ettlingen / Hockenheim, October 2026

The Hockenheim-based Reymann / Ratec Group is acquiring shares in Ettlingen-based HOWAL GmbH. The company will thus become part of the family-run Reymann Holding GmbH group, which, in addition to RATEC GmbH and Reymann Technik GmbH, also comprises MTK Magnet-Fabrik Solingen GmbH as well as sites in Spain and the USA.

HOWAL will continue to operate as an independent company. Its corporate identity, existing customer relationships and specialist team will remain unchanged.

Management will initially be shared by representatives from both companies. Decisions regarding the future development of the company and its product portfolio will be taken in close consultation.

Through this investment, two established partners in the precast concrete industry are combining their respective strengths. HOWAL has more than 50 years’ experience in the development and manufacture of formwork solutions for precast concrete elements. The company is particularly well known for stair formwork as well as solutions for columns, beams, block steps and customised special geometries.

The Reymann/RATEC Group has its origins in Reymann Technik GmbH, which was founded in Hockenheim in 1974 by Wolfgang Reymann. In 1994, the engineering firm gave rise to RATEC GmbH, which specialises in the development and production of formwork solutions for the manufacture of precast concrete elements. Today, the group employs more than 110 staff across four sites in Europe and North America. Among other things, it manufactures magnetic formwork systems, modular formwork and battery formwork, as well as concrete pumps in Germany and the USA for customers worldwide.

The merger is intended to secure the long-term development of HOWAL and the continued existence of the established brand. At the same time, it opens up opportunities for closer cooperation in the areas of product development, production and market development.

HOWAL will benefit from the group’s international sales network and gain additional growth prospects in existing and new markets. The modern production facilities at the Hockenheim site and RATEC’s high level of vertical integration in sheet metal processing bring further advantages for future development and manufacturing processes. For RATEC, the investment signifies, in particular, an expansion of its product portfolio and a strengthening of its engineering expertise in the field of large-format formwork for staircases, columns, trusses and other large-format components.

Both companies share the same ethos as family-run, medium-sized enterprises. Shared values such as reliability, a customer-focused approach, a long-term perspective and a commitment to continuous innovation form the basis for their ongoing collaboration.

“HOWAL perfectly complements our existing portfolio and our engineering expertise. At the same time, we are laying the groundwork to ensure the company’s continued success in the long term and to tap into new potential together,” explains Jörg Reymann, Managing Director of Reymann Holding GmbH.

Dr.-Ing. Hubert Holzapfel, Managing Director of HOWAL GmbH, adds: “In Ratec and the Reymann Group, we have found a partner that shares our values as a family-run business and supports the long-term development of HOWAL. For our customers and partners, continuity, reliability and technical expertise remain the central guiding principles of our actions.”

The acquisition will not result in any immediate changes for customers, business partners or ongoing projects. Existing agreements, orders and points of contact will remain unchanged.

RATEC GmbH / Reymann Holding GmbH
Karlsruher Straße 32
68766 Hockenheim/Germany
+49 6205 9407-29
info@ratec.org

HOWAL GmbH
Am Reutgraben 4
76275 Ettlingen-Ettlingenweier
+49 (7243) 9 49 73-0
info@howal.com