SORIWA: Rethinking drywall construction

The SORIWA logo
© SORIWA GmbH

What happens when decades of experience meet the courage to challenge the status quo? For Andreas Ridder and Michael Sommer, that was precisely what sparked their decision to set up their business together. With SORIWA , the two entrepreneurs from Warendorf are developing a steel-free system for drywall construction, combining technical innovation with a commitment to creating practical solutions. Their aim was clear from the outset: “We wanted to rethink drywall construction.”

  • Sustainable drywall construction
  • 9 employees
  • Warendorf
A new approach to drywall construction, with the SORIWA Multi-System.
© Thomas Mohn/SORIWA GmbH
Lightweight, sturdy and easy to work with: the SORIWA Multi Profile.
© Thomas Mohn/SORIWA GmbH
Construction begins with innovative materials.
© Thomas Mohn/SORIWA GmbH
The founders of SORIWA, Andreas Ridder and Michael Sommer.
© Thomas Mohn/SORIWA GmbH
The SORIWA Multi-System in practical use.
© Thomas Mohn/SORIWA GmbH
The SORIWA Multi Profile, assembled with steel-free fasteners.
© Thomas Mohn/SORIWA GmbH
1
THE COURAGE TO CHANGE

Over 30 years’ experience in the timber and building materials sector has taught the founders one thing: tried-and-tested solutions do not have to remain without alternatives forever. Andreas Ridder and Michael Sommer know each other from their shared professional backgrounds and have long shared a desire to turn their own ideas into business ventures. They were quick to spot new materials and innovative approaches on international markets. Nevertheless, steel seemed to be the undisputed standard in drywall construction. “It wasn’t easy for us to accept that people were so keen to stick with familiar materials like steel, as if there were no alternatives, ” recalls Andreas Ridder

2
FROM PROFILE TO SYSTEM

It was this conviction that led to the creation of SORIWA in 2023.

Initially, the focus was on developing an alternative to the traditional CW profile – a steel profile used as a vertical stud in plasterboard walls. To this end, Andreas Ridder and Michael Sommer developed multi-layered fibre profiles made from recycled cellulose. As development progressed, it became clear that further coordinated components were needed for use in drywall construction. “If we really want to create an alternative, we need a complete system, ” says Andreas Ridder, describing the decisive turning point.

This led to the creation of the SORIWA Multi-System, complete with matching connectors and other system components. Together, these components enable a completely steel-free stud frame. The system can be installed using standard drywall tools and utilises fibre profiles made from recycled cellulose as an alternative to conventional steel profiles.

3
FROM AN IDEA TO REALITY

It was a long journey before the vision became a market-ready product. Numerous material tests, close collaboration with universities, testing institutes and industry partners, as well as many development cycles, were necessary to develop a high-performance system that met building regulations.

Throughout this process, the development of the new material repeatedly presented the founding team with challenges. As the fibre profiles introduced a completely new material into the drywall construction sector, fire safety, load-bearing capacity and workability had to be thoroughly tested. It was only after successful testing and the granting of general building approval by the German Institute for Building Technology (DIBt) that the system could be launched on the market.

4
FROM THE LABORATORY TO THE CONSTRUCTION SITE

But it wasn’t just product development that proved a real challenge for the founders. The move from secure employment to self-employment, financing the business and building a team were also among the biggest challenges.

After numerous development cycles, tests and challenges, the moment the founders had been working towards finally arrived. For Michael Sommer, it was the construction of the first complete room using their own system. “Suddenly, the idea had become a reality. We could see, feel and measure that it worked.” At that moment, it became clear that the alternative to traditional drywall construction was convincing not only in the laboratory, but also on the building site.

5
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLASTERBOARD SYSTEM

For Andreas Ridder and Michael Sommer, innovation does not stop at the profile. In the long term, the SORIWA system is to be expanded to include further components for drywall construction – from insulation to cladding. The aim is to coordinate materials and components more closely in future, whilst also exploring opportunities for closed-loop material cycles.

The approach is not intended to be limited to individual applications, but rather to become firmly established in drywall construction over the long term. At the same time, the products are intended to remain economically competitive and to integrate seamlessly into the workflows of tradespeople, planners and architects.

6
A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE

Based in Warendorf and with close ties to the Münsterland region, Andreas Ridder and Michael Sommer aim to develop new solutions for drywall construction and put them into practice. In the long term, they want their products to be available wherever steel-free systems and alternative materials can be used in drywall construction.

They offer three simple but important pieces of advice to other founders: be bold, don’t wait until you know everything before you start, and always believe in your own idea with complete conviction. As Michael Sommer puts it: “Giving it your all is no guarantee of success – but it’s the only chance you have of achieving it.”

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Photo shoot at Urbanhive
© Münsterland e.V. / Philipp Fölting
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