What IMO does

IMO is a privately held German manufacturer of large-diameter slewing rings (Drehverbindungen) and ready-to-install slewing drives (Schwenktriebe), headquartered in Gremsdorf, Bavaria, and operating since 1988. Its product portfolio centers on two integrated lines: slewing rings sized from 100mm to 6,000mm that transmit simultaneous axial, radial, and moment loads (in ball, roller, and combination raceway configurations), and complete drive assemblies combining those bearings with worm gear (WD-L light, WD-H heavy) or spur gear (SP) drivetrains in sealed housings. Differentiated offerings include patented products such as the WD-H heavy-duty worm gear drive, the SP continuously-rotatable spur gear drive, and the T-Solid wind turbine blade bearings including the 4IPC individual pitch control variant; the company holds more than 100 international patents.

IMO's business model is project-based and make-to-order, with standard SKUs shipped from warehouses in Germany and South Carolina and custom-engineered solutions carrying 10-18 week lead times. Revenue is generated primarily through direct B2B sales of hardware to industrial OEMs across wind energy (its primary vertical, with stated installed capacity of approximately 45 GW representing roughly 10% of global wind turbines), construction machinery, tunnel boring and mining, marine and offshore, cranes and lifting, solar tracking, defense, and medical technology. Named customers include Enercon, Vestas, Suzlon, BOMAG, Liebherr, Herrenknecht, Wärtsilä, ABB, Sandvik, Metso, Krones, and KHS. Distribution combines a regional direct sales force in Germany, wholly-owned IMO USA Corp. and a Beijing representative office, and a network of regional distributors covering 35+ countries. Manufacturing is concentrated in Gremsdorf under ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, and OHSAS 18001 certifications, with R&D collaboration through Fraunhofer IWES and Leibniz University Hannover. CMP Capital Management-Partners GmbH has held a minority stake since June 2016.

Name

IMO

Legal name

IMO Holding GmbH

Website

https://imo.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

IMO is a German manufacturer of large-diameter slewing rings and ready-to-install slewing drives, supplying wind turbine OEMs, construction machinery, marine, mining, and industrial automation customers across five continents since 1988.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Bearings & Slewing Drives

NAICS

Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339), Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing (3331), Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612)

SIC

Ball & Roller Bearings (3562), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)

akta.pro primary industry

Lifting Attachments & Material Handling Accessories (Fork Attachments, Slings, Rigging) (IMAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialized Lifting Systems (Hydraulic Gantries, Strand Jacks, Jacking Systems) (IMAHAJAO)

Keywords

• Slewing drives
• Slewing rings
• Wind turbine bearings
• Construction machinery components
• Industrial bearing systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Gremsdorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Industrial Machinery Components: IMO generates revenue through the sale of large-format slewing rings and slewing drives to industrial customers. The business operates on a project-based, make-to-order model with standard product lines and extensive custom engineering. Customers include wind turbine OEMs, construction machinery manufacturers, crane builders, and other industrial equipment makers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IMO manufactures large-diameter slewing rings (Drehverbindungen) in sizes from 100mm to 6,000mm and ready-to-install slewing drives (Schwenktriebe) that integrate rolling bearings with worm or spur gear drive systems in closed housings. The company serves industrial OEM customers in wind energy, construction machinery, cranes, marine, mining, tunnel boring, solar, defense, and medical technology with a combination of standard product lines (WD-L, WD-H, SP series) and custom-engineered solutions developed jointly with customers' application engineers.

Product overview

IMO is a leading manufacturer of slewing bearings (Drehverbindungen) and slewing drives (Schwenktriebe) headquartered in Germany. The product portfolio centers on two core product lines: (1) Slewing Rings – large-diameter antifriction bearings (100–6,000mm) for simultaneous transmission of axial, radial, and moment forces, offered in ball-type, roller-type, and combination configurations for both industrial and renewable energy applications; and (2) Slewing Drives – complete ready-to-install drive system assemblies combining rolling bearings with integrated gear trains (worm gear WD series or spur gear SP series) in closed housings. The WD-L (light-duty worm) and WD-H (heavy-duty worm) series serve different capacity requirements, while the SP series provides continuous rotation capability. IMO also produces specialized T-Solid blade and yaw bearings for wind turbines, including the 4IPC variant for individual pitch control. Products are supported by global service, spare parts, and CAD download resources. Manufacturing is located in Germany (Gremsdorf) with additional warehouse facilities in the USA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Schwenktriebe (Slewing Drives) Complete drive system assemblies consisting of a rolling bearing for simultaneous transmission of axial and radial forces and moments, combined with a complete drive train in a closed housing. Available with worm gear or spur gear drive systems for industrial OEM applications.
• Drehverbindungen (Slewing Rings/Bearings) Large-diameter antifriction bearings made from hardened and tempered steel, with one, two, or three raceways of balls or rollers for simultaneous transmission of axial, radial, and moment forces. Available in sizes from 100mm to 6,000mm with internal or external gearing.
• Drehverbindungen für die Industrie (Industrial Slewing Rings) Slewing rings designed for industrial applications such as construction machinery, cranes, tunnelling machines, and manufacturing equipment.
• Drehverbindungen für Erneuerbare Energien (Slewing Rings for Renewable Energy) Slewing rings designed for renewable energy applications, including wind turbines (blade bearings, yaw bearings, main bearings), solar tracking systems, and tidal power installations.
• WD-L Series (Light-Duty Worm Gear Slewing Drives) Light-duty slewing drives with ball-type slewing bearing (single or double row) and single or double worms operating on one worm wheel. Standard availability in 9 different diameters with track diameters from 156 to 1,091mm. Typical applications include mobile machines, forklift rotators, turntables, and boom arms.
• WD-H Series (Heavy-Duty Worm Gear Slewing Drives) Heavy-duty slewing drives with double-row roller bearing for higher capacity and single or double worms operating on one worm wheel. An exclusive, patented IMO product unique in the industry. Typical applications include steering systems for heavy transport, rock drilling rigs, tiltrotators for excavators, and antenna drive units.
• SP Series (Spur Gear Slewing Drives) Spur gear slewing drives capable of continuous rotation and higher speeds. An exclusive IMO product, being the only fully assembled and sealed slewing drive system on the market capable of continuous rotation. Standard availability in 15 different diameters. Output torque available up to 446 kNm, moment loads up to 1,100 kNm.
• T-Solid Blade Bearings for Wind Turbines Blade and yaw bearings for wind turbines, including the T-Solid 4IPC series for individual pitch control (IPC). Developed to enable safer operation even under significant deformation. Recognized by Windpower Monthly as one of the top 5 innovations in the wind sector.
• T-Solid 4IPC (Individual Pitch Control) Blade Bearing Blade bearings for individual pitch control in wind turbines, enabling next turbine scaling and optimized steps including enhanced 25-30 year operating life.
• T-Solid Retrofit Kit Replacement sets for prematurely failing blade bearings in wind turbines, providing exchange solutions for various manufacturers' azimuth or blade bearings.
• Dienstleistungen und Service (Global Service and Support) Global service and support including spare parts, custom engineering, application consulting, and maintenance services. Customers on all 5 continents are served by IMO service teams.
• 3D CAD Model Download Service 3D CAD model downloads available through PARTcommunity portal, allowing customers to download technical specifications and models for product configuration and engineering integration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45 GW of installed wind power capacity using IMO components, approximately 10% of global wind turbine installations
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fraunhofer IWES (Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMO is the exclusive industrial partner for Fraunhofer IWES research testing large-diameter blade bearings. The partnership tests blade bearings up to 5 meters in diameter for wind turbines up to 10 MW capacity. Testing aims to establish accurate sizing guidelines for large bearings and optimize technical reliability. In 2019, IMO's first 5-meter diameter blade bearings were tested at the Fraunhofer IWES laboratory in Hamburg. In 2020, the latest T-Solid design underwent fatigue testing on the large bearing test bench.
• Leibniz University Hannover - IMKT (Institute of Machine Components and Tribology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner in the HAPT (Highly Accelerated Pitch Bearing Test) project alongside Fraunhofer IWES and IMO. The project, supported by 10.7 million euros in federal funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, created foundations for next-generation blade bearing development.
• International Windship AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMO participates in efforts to ensure equitable treatment of wind propulsion within the IMO's Net-Zero Framework for maritime shipping decarbonization.
• Malloy ElectriccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive US partner for IMO wind turbine yaw and pitch bearing spare parts. Located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Defontaine / Laipple (Rollix): French manufacturer of slewing rings under the Rollix brand serving wind, defense, medical, and industrial markets. Direct peer to IMO in large-diameter custom slewing bearings with a similar customization-led model.
• Kaydon Bearings (SKF): Kaydon (now part of SKF) specializes in slewing and turntable bearings, particularly for heavy equipment, wind, and aerospace. Highly comparable specialty bearing competitor to IMO, especially in offshore wind and construction machinery.
• Bonfiglioli: Italian manufacturer of gearboxes, gear motors, and slewing/planetary drive systems serving wind, construction, marine, and industrial automation. Directly competes with IMO's slewing drive product family including WD and SP-style offerings.
• Wittenstein SE: German manufacturer of precision gearboxes, slewing gears, and integrated drive systems for industrial, robotics, and aerospace applications. Closely comparable to IMO on the integrated slewing drive side and competes for similar high-precision OEM customers.
• Tsubaki Nakashima: Tsubaki manufactures slewing drives and bearings under several brands serving construction, wind, and industrial machinery OEMs. Direct competitor to IMO on integrated slewing drive assemblies.
• Rothe Erde (SKF Group): Rothe Erde, owned by SKF, is the world's largest slewing ring manufacturer serving wind, construction, mining, and marine. Directly competes with IMO across the full slewing bearing product range and represents IMO's most significant large-ring competitor.

Broad incumbents

• NSK: NSK is a Japanese bearing manufacturer with a slewing bearing product line serving construction machinery, wind, and industrial applications. Comparable to IMO as a bearings peer, broader in scope but less specialized in large-diameter renewable energy bearings.
• NTN-SNR: NTN-SNR produces slewing rings across wind, construction, and industrial segments as part of a broad bearings portfolio. Direct competitor to IMO in medium- and large-diameter slewing bearings.
• Schaeffler (INA/FAG Industrial): Schaeffler produces slewing rings under its INA and FAG brands as part of a broad bearings portfolio serving automotive and industrial markets. Overlaps with IMO on industrial slewing bearings but competes from a much larger industrial conglomerate base.

Others

• Liebherr-Components (slewing bearings division): Liebherr is both an IMO customer (cranes, construction equipment) and operates an in-house slewing bearing and drive production through its components division. Acts as both a peer in slewing technology and a major customer across IMO's construction and crane segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@imo_germany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imo-unternehmensgruppe

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IMO