Since Claudius Moor's 2015 arrival, Arbonia has transformed from a diverse conglomerate into a focused door manufacturing powerhouse, boosting revenues nearly tenfold through strategic divestments, acquisitions, and innovation, as it aims to dominate the European market with unified branding and sustainable technologies.
When Claudius Moor arrived at Arbonia in 2015, taking on the role of Head of Strategy and Business Development, the company was pretty well known for making good-quality products, but it was having a tough time grabbing significant market share. Basically, it didn’t hold a dominant spot in any of its four main divisions: building tech, windows, doors, and showers. Back then, Arbonia was kind of set up like a conglomerate — a broad, somewhat scattered product lineup that lacked clear focus. Moor, however, believed that honing in on certain areas might be a smarter move for the company's future.
His strategic outlook kicked off a deep dive into the business, which quickly revealed that the door division had the most potential for long-term growth. So, the company decided to shed its less crucial divisions, starting with the sale of its windows segment in 2021 to Denmark’s VKR Holding, and later, selling off the climate division to China’s Midea Group in 2025. These moves freed up resources and managerial focus, allowing Arbonia to zero in on doors — a niche that’s largely Europe's turf, making it less vulnerable to fierce global competition, especially from Asian producers who often struggle with shipping large, heavy items like doors.
Once the company started focusing on doors alone, it saw some pretty notable progress. Under Moor’s leadership, the division's revenues skyrocketed from €70 million to around €640 million. This was thanks, in part, to acquisitions like Prüm, Garant, Invado—and more recently, the Dimoldura Group in Spain and Lignis in the Czech Republic. All these steps helped Arbonia extend its reach across Europe and boost its product range, shaping it into a comprehensive supplier for the whole continent.
Moor’s bigger aim? To be the top door manufacturer in Europe, with ambitions to hit over €1 billion in sales soon, and a market share of roughly 20%. This isn’t just strategy for growth, though — it also involves strengthening the brand. Currently, the door business operates under over a dozen different brand names, but there’s a plan to introduce a unified brand — just plain Arbonia — to improve recognition and foster customer loyalty.
Interestingly enough, this move to unify brands lines up pretty well with changing customer habits. Moor has noticed that people increasingly want doors and hardware to be sold as a full package, rather than separate bits and pieces. By integrating hardware sales with doors, Arbonia can boost sales per unit and make its offering more attractive overall.
Sustainability has also become a big part of Arbonia’s transformation plan. Moor pointed out investments in eco-friendly energy sources, like combined heat and power plants that run on wood waste. Plus, the company is pushing forward with using carbon-negative materials – for instance, linoleum – in its door manufacturing, showing a real commitment to environmentally conscious practices, especially when green building materials are gaining more attention.
On the tech side, digitalisation is making waves too, especially considering the traditional, analogue nature of the door industry. In a move that shows how forward-thinking Moor is, Arbonia took a 50% stake in KIWI, a firm specializing in keyless entry tech. This sets the stage for smart doors — like digital access via smartphones — which is part of the broader trend toward automated and more secure building access systems.
Moor emphasizes fostering a culture of innovation at Arbonia. To him, taking risks is essential for making progress. He’s quick to point out that even when some initiatives don’t work out, they still lead to valuable insights and breakthrough ideas. Unlike some competitors who mostly stick to manufacturing, Arbonia is developing an entire ecosystem that manages doors from start to finish — from design, to installation, and ongoing maintenance. This strategy helps deepen customer relationships and encourages repeat business, which in turn boosts long-term value.
Despite the macroeconomic hurdles lately—like the dip in construction activity—Moor remains optimistic about the future of the European door market. He describes the next chapter as a kind of “great growth story,” driven by acquisitions, product innovation, geographic expansion, and a sharper focus on customer needs. Plus, with new distribution channels and process improvements coming into play, Arbonia is positioning itself for sustainable growth.
All in all, under Moor's leadership, Arbonia’s repositioning stands out as a solid example of smart strategy, operational discipline, and a focus on innovation in a competitive, mid-sized industrial landscape. With a clear vision and a detailed plan for execution, the company seems well set to claim a leading spot in the European door manufacturing scene.
Source: Noah Wire Services
