Rehau France, 60 years of industrial excellence in the heart of Moselle

From its modest beginnings to its position today at the forefront of technical profile extrusion, REHAU France has established itself as a benchmark site capable of meeting a variety of needs: automotive, construction, industry, furniture, drainage, refrigeration, etc. Each decade has been marked by innovations, challenges taken on with audacity and a remarkable capacity to reinvent itself.

Today, building on this legacy, the factory is entering a new phase, entirely dedicated to REHAU Window Solutions. It now focuses its expertise on the design and manufacture of high-quality window, door, sliding, and shutter profiles made from recycled PVC and the new RAUFIPRO® composite material, with a focus on performance, durability, and comfort for the homes of tomorrow.

With its 23 extrusion lines, four coating lines, an annual production capacity of 4 tons, and a historic environmental commitment, the plant is 24.000% dedicated to the national market and embodies French industrial excellence within the group of German origin. This anniversary is an opportunity to salute the women and men who have shaped this unique site and to celebrate a future resolutely focused on responsible innovation.

For Emmanuel Mayer, director of the REHAU France factory: "Morhange embodies an industry that knows how to reinvent itself while remaining true to its Lorraine roots. For six decades, we have been innovating, recycling, optimizing, and moving forward together toward an even more responsible and sustainable industry."

And the future looks promising with a clear ambition: innovation, automation, circular economy, industrial excellence.

The establishment of REHAU in France: an industrial history born in Morhange

It was in October 1959 that REHAU established itself in France with the creation of its first company, "Rehau Plastiks SARL", in a Parisian sales office (in Rambouillet in the Yvelines) and then employed 3 people: the first sales agency was born. In 1962, a second sales agency was created in Strasbourg. Its purpose was to continue the development of commercial activity in the rest of the country, the greater Paris region being already covered by the Paris sales agency. The group's ambition became a reality in 1962, when the Wagner family chose the town of Morhange, in Moselle, to establish its very first French factory with the acquisition of a 13.000 m² plot of land.

This strategic choice was based on several advantages: a German-speaking region, close to the German border, and a skilled employment pool, strengthened by the closure of the Grostenquin air base. By the end of 1963, the first employees were recruited and trained in Germany, laying the foundations for a unique Franco-German industrial expertise. Construction of the plant, launched in 1964, marked the beginning of continuous development. Over the years, the site has gradually expanded to meet evolving production needs and integrate new activities.

Production began in Morhange in February 1965. On four extrusion lines and three manufacturing lines, the teams manufactured technical profiles, watering hoses, and automotive parts, such as the fender protection strips for the famous Volkswagen Beetle.

The factory grew rapidly, new buildings were built, the workforce increased, and in April 1965, the official inauguration marked Morhange's entry into the circle of REHAU's major industrial sites in Europe.

The site then became the group's French headquarters, with a department dedicated to administrative and financial management. In a spirit of centralization and efficiency, the Strasbourg sales office was transferred to Morhange in early 1967.

The 70s: diversification, innovation and structuring

In the 1970s, the REHAU Morhange plant entered a new phase of development, marked by a strong dynamic of innovation, diversification, and structuring. It distinguished itself very early on by a pioneering environmental approach: the establishment of an internal recycling service, allowing the reprocessing of production waste, known as "returned materials," to reintegrate it into the manufacturing process. Well before the advent of the circular economy, Morhange was thus laying the foundations for more responsible production.

On the industrial level, the factory is expanding its range of activities by specializing in the manufacture of flexible profiles for the refrigerator sector, the automotive industry (Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes), industry and agricultural drainage.

In 1976, a key milestone was reached with the creation of the ATCC (Technical Application and Commercial Coordination) department. This department's mission is to adapt REHAU products to the French market, in close connection with local needs. ATCC quickly became a strategic lever for the group's activity in France. Today, this entity has become REHAU Customer Service, which brings together sales, technical, development, marketing and communication, technical assistance, digital and specification departments, and plays a central role in REHAU Window Solutions' strategy.

The 80s and 90s: growth, boldness and diversification

The 1980s marked a new phase of growth for the REHAU Morhange site, with sustained development of infrastructure and industrial activities. Two new production halls were built, along with modernized common areas.

In 1984, the factory took a strategic step forward by launching the manufacture of window profiles, a major industrial challenge. The first extrusion lines were commissioned, with an annual production of 1.600 tons in the first year.

Three years later, in 1987, a four-story building dedicated to the preparation of mixtures was erected. Fully automated, this innovative facility received bulk raw materials, precisely dosed them, and then conveyed them to the extrusion lines via an integrated pneumatic system. A major technological leap for the time.

In 1990, a 6.000 m² storage hall, reaching a height of 12 metres, was built to support the growing importance of the window programme, with the launch of a 100% French range, strengthening the site's logistical capacity.

Morhange, a factory with a rich industrial history, looking towards the future of windows

Since its commissioning in 1965, the REHAU factory in Morhange has accompanied the group's major developments in France, hosting an impressive diversity of activities: automotive, construction, industry, drainage, clothing, furniture, and of course, windows.

Over the decades, Morhange has produced:

• Profiles for doors, windows, roller shutters and roller shutter boxes
• Automotive components (hubcaps, air ducts, sealing systems, fuel tank and passenger compartment parts)
• Profiles for industry (refrigerator seals, container seals, shower seals, foamed baseboards, profiles for swimming pools, kitchen and office furniture)
• Electrical trunking profiles
• And even specialized products like reinforced hoses, medical tape, cable grommets or lawnmower flaps.

This diversity has enabled the factory to develop exceptional technical know-how, supported by a state-of-the-art tool workshop and a team of experts in extrusion, design and quality control.

In 2021, the factory launched a €650.000 energy savings program aimed at strengthening its performance within the framework of ISO 50001 certification (Energy Management System).

Since 2023, the factory has refocused exclusively on REHAU Window Solutions, a strategic choice aligned with the requirements of sustainability, energy performance, and comfort. It is now dedicated to the production of the French range of window, sliding, door, and shutter profiles in recycled PVC and RAUIFIPRO®.

Today, the site employs nearly 340 people.

Morhange, a pioneer of a sustainable industry for over 50 years

Long before sustainable development became a central issue in the industry, the REHAU plant in Morhange had already adopted responsible practices. In the early 1970s, an internal recycling service was set up to reprocess production waste, known as "returned materials," and reintegrate it into the manufacturing cycle. This was a pioneering approach, well before the advent of the circular economy.

In 2015, REHAU took a decisive step forward by investing €25 million in a new co-extrusion technology. This technological leap made it possible to incorporate recycled materials into the manufacture of window profiles and gave rise to the EcoPuls label, a powerful symbol of the group's commitment to the circular economy.

Today, this approach has become a real industrial strategy.

The factory applies the principles of the circular economy by recycling both end-of-life windows and production waste. The EcoPuls profiles produced in Morhange now contain between 40% and 86% recycled material, a figure that is constantly increasing.

This commitment is recognized by several certifications and labels. The factory is ISO 9001, 14001, and 50001 certified, has been VinylPlus certified since 2018 for the sustainability of its processes, and has received four EcoVadis gold medals since 2020, recognizing its performance in environmental and social responsibility.

The ambitions don't stop there. In 2024 and 2025, €10 million has been invested to modernize the industrial facilities, with particular attention paid to clean technologies and self-production of energy.

With its 23 PVC extrusion lines, including several co-extrusion lines, its 4 lamination lines and an annual capacity of 24.000 tonnes, Morhange asserts its role as an industrial site of the future, fully committed to serving a circular and sustainable economy.

An anniversary under the sign of the collective

To celebrate this anniversary, REHAU France brought together all of its employees and subcontractors on site on June 26, 2025, for a festive day combining conviviality and recognition, with food trucks, raffles and moments of sharing.

"What makes me proud is not only our expertise, but the team spirit that drives us. Here, everyone gives meaning to their work," says Céline, a collaborator for 22 years.

A simple and sincere way to pay tribute to those who contribute every day to the success of REHAU France.

Beyond the infrastructure, there are 340 passionate women and men who bring this factory to life on a daily basis, embodying a humane, efficient and responsible French industry.

Thank you to all those who have written this story since 1965, and welcome to those who will build the sequel.

"We see the factory evolving, engaging, and innovating. And we feel like we're part of something important," says Loïc, a maintenance operator.

For over 50 years, the factory has been anticipating environmental challenges and transforming its commitments into concrete actions, thus asserting its position as a pioneer in sustainable industry.

REHAU France in key figures:

• 340 employees
• 24.000 tonnes of polymers produced/year
• €50 million of investments over 10 years
• Up to 86% recycled materials in our EcoPuls-certified profiles (compared to 100% virgin PVC originally)
• 100% of production waste recovered or reused
• 98 M€ turnover in 2024
• 150.000 m² total surface area
• +25% production area thanks to the recent extension
• A 5.0 factory: digitalized, traceable, efficient