From gutter and downspout maker to successful start-up

For 43 years as a carpenter in Passau, Johann Haidl had the habit of jotting down in a notebook all the problems he encountered on building sites. Every drawback, every situation that made him say to himself "there should be a better solution for this" ended up in his notebook. In 2018, together with his son Johannes, he decided it was time to turn these observations into real products. And so Haidl GmbH was born.

The motto that changed everything

"We invent what we need and sell only what we use ourselves" - this is the principle that governs the Haidl family business. It's not just a marketing slogan. Johann and Johannes test every product in their own tinsmith's shop before launching it on the market. It's your guarantee that what you're selling really works in real life, not just in the lab.

Their first success was ProfiTube - a temporary rainwater drainage system for the construction period. Instead of makeshift hoses that permanently fall down and have to be thrown away after use, they created a durable, reusable system that attaches to the gutter without a trace with ingenious aluminum clips. Simple, practical, sustainable.

Turning point: DACH+HOLZ 2022

Participating in the startup zone at DACH+HOLZ 2022 was the turning point for the Haidl family's business. Not only did they have direct contact with target groups, but the ProfiTube system also won the Startup Award. "That was an encouragement for us to develop the system further," says Johannes Haidl.

And they did. After the fair, their portfolio expanded significantly:

ProfiTube Light - the cheaper and simplified version, which connects to standard drainage pipes on site. "With ProfiTube Light, all tradesmen have the opportunity to create a safe drainage system during the construction phase," explains Johannes.

easyToilet - a 17 kg mobile pneumatic toilet that can be assembled in 60 seconds and dismantled in 3 minutes. The perfect solution for small sites or those without sanitary facilities. With a packing volume of only 0.17 m³, it can be transported in the trunk of a car.

Shield Sweepers - tools for cleaning flat roofs, developed from a piece of equipment used by firefighters to clean up accident sites. Johann discovered it at a firefighters' fair and immediately saw the potential: "I need this for flat roofs!" They improved the design with a taller aluminum shield and foam rubber.

The partnership that took it to the next level

The most spectacular development came from the partnership with ROOFFOX GmbH for the distribution of the machine Flat Roof Fox - the world's first mobile bitumen membrane cutting machine. This machine saves the 90% the time needed for manual cutting: instead of 15 minutes for a 500x50cm membrane, the machine does it all in 1 minute and 35 seconds.

With wireless smartphone and tablet connectivity, the system allows measurements independent of machine location and saving dimensions for future cutting. It can be transported by crane, forklift, trolley or by two people, thanks to the robust construction and specially positioned handles.

From startup to mentors

Success has turned Haidl from inventors into consultants. The company now offers marketing and sales consulting services to other startups in the field. Experience gained in developing and commercializing their own products now becomes a resource for others.

In 2026, Haidl will return to DACH+HOLZ - this time not as a startup in Hall 9, but as a mature company with its own stand and new product developments in its portfolio. It's the kind of success story that justifies the organizers' investment in the area of startups, early-stage businesses.

The lesson for industry

The story of the Haidl family demonstrates that innovation in industry often comes from those who live the problems they are trying to solve every day. Not from corporate laboratories, but from the craftsmen who write down their frustrations in a notebook and have the courage to do something about them.

What DACH+HOLZ is doing with its startup zone could become the standard for all serious business events. It's an elegant answer to a real challenge: how do you connect emerging innovation with the stable market in an era of ever-faster change. The model works because it delivers real value to all participants: startups get validation and market access, industry gets early access to innovation, and organizers create an additional participation magnet and competitive differentiator.

For other trade fairs and business events, the lesson is pretty clear: innovation in format can be just as important as innovation in content. Startup zones aren't just a fad - they're a necessary evolution for events that want to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Companies interested in the Startup Zone at DACH+HOLZ 2026 (February 24-27, Cologne) can register now. Contact: Cordula Koch, tel. +49 89 89 189 149 145 145, koch@ghm.de. Prerequisite: clearly innovative product or process.

Who knows? Maybe the next success story starts with a problem book and a stand in Hall 9.