Josef Seibel
Josef Seibel Schuhfabrik GmbH · Germany
Josef Seibel is a German comfort footwear brand from Hauenstein in Rhineland-Palatinate, with roots in a business started in 1886. The company that makes it, Josef Seibel Schuhfabrik GmbH, is described as family-run. It matters as a long-standing mid-market German shoemaker that sells to retailers in more than 40 countries.
| Founded | 1886 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Carl August Seibel |
| Owner | Family-run (Seibel family) |
| Headquarters | Hauenstein, Germany |
| Segment | Footwear |
| Website | josef-seibel.com |
What is Josef Seibel?
Josef Seibel is the main brand of Josef Seibel Schuhfabrik GmbH, a German shoe manufacturer based in Hauenstein, in the Landkreis Suedwestpfalz. The brand focuses on comfort footwear for women and men, including sneakers, sandals, boots, flats, clogs, slippers and dress shoes.
History
According to German Wikipedia, brothers Carl August and Anton Seibel started a sole-stamping business in 1886, which grew into the CA Seibel shoe factory. Anton later left and Carl August ran the company alone. Josef Seibel Sr. took over in 1911 and Josef Seibel Jr. in 1950. Carl-August Seibel, a son of Josef Jr., became managing director in 1993, and in 2020 his daughter Franziska and her husband Michael Fischer joined the management. The brand itself says it has designed comfort footwear in Germany since 1886.
Products and positioning
The company produces more than 2.5 million pairs a year and markets shoes under Josef Seibel, Westland and Romika outside Europe, plus Gerry Weber Shoes under licence. Romika's European brand rights were sold to Deichmann SE in 2019. Production sites are in Hauenstein, Hungary and Kenya, supported by partner manufacturers in Europe and Asia.
Business model and distribution
Josef Seibel sells mainly through the shoe retail trade in more than 40 countries and also operates company-owned stores in several markets, including Germany, Denmark, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Hungary, the UK and the UAE. In the United States the brand runs an online storefront with a partner and store-locator section.
Why it matters
Josef Seibel is a rare example of a German shoe manufacturer still run by the founding family, now in its fifth generation, and keeping production in Germany alongside sites abroad.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Josef Seibel?
Josef Seibel Schuhfabrik GmbH is described as a family-run company, led by the fifth generation of the Seibel family. The brand does not state ownership details on its own website.
Where is Josef Seibel from?
Josef Seibel is from Hauenstein in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The company traces its origins to a sole-stamping business started in 1886.