Windmoeller & Hoelscher

What Windmoeller & Hoelscher does

Windmoeller & Hoelscher (W&H) is a privately held German machinery manufacturer founded in 1869 and headquartered in Lengerich, Germany. The company designs and builds capital equipment for the flexible packaging industry, organized across three technology pillars: extrusion (VAREX II, OPTIMEX II, AQUAREX blown film lines; FILMEX II cast film lines), printing (MIRAFLEX, NOVOFLEX II, ALPHAFLEX CI flexo presses; rotogravure and stack-type flexo), and converting (tuber, bottomer, FFS, and small bag machines). W&H layers proprietary assistance and digital systems onto these platforms, including the EASY2 Run adaptive process-control module that analyzes over 1,000 real-time parameters to unlock up to 20% performance gains, the VISION computer-vision inspection suite, MDO stretching technology for recyclable monomaterial films, and the RUBY IoT platform connecting machines across the supply chain. The company also sells spare parts, retrofits, training, and lifecycle services through its W&H Academy and a global service network.

W&H generates revenue primarily through one-time capital equipment sales, supplemented by recurring streams from spare parts (over 90% available from stock), maintenance contracts, retrofits (extending machine life beyond 20 years), and digital services. Distribution is entirely through direct field sales with regional offices across Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East Africa, and North America. The company operates a 10,000 sqm Technology Center at headquarters, which is the largest in the market and used for live customer demonstrations, trials, and training. As of 2024, W&H reported global revenue of $1.2 billion with 3,221+ employees serving customers in over 100 countries; its North American subsidiary (established 1977 in Lincoln, Rhode Island) delivered a record $300 million in 2024. Named enterprise customers include Thanh Phu Plastic Packaging (Vietnam), Cherat Packaging (Pakistan), and Jayshri Propack (India), spanning food, consumer goods, industrial sacks, and sustainable packaging end markets. Strategic partnerships with ExxonMobil and Dow focus on co-developing recyclable monomaterial PE solutions in response to EU PPWR regulation, positioning W&H as a critical infrastructure provider for the circular packaging transition.

Name

Windmoeller & Hoelscher

Legal name

Windmöller & Hölscher SE & Co. KG

Website

https://wh.group

Company type

Private

Founded year

1869

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Packaging Machinery

NAICS

Packaging Machinery Manufacturing (333993)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

Bundling, Overwrapping & Shrink Packaging Equipment (IMALAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Blow Molding & Thermoforming Packaging Equipment (Bottle/Tray Making) (IMALAOAK)

Keywords

• Flexible packaging machinery
• Blown film extrusion
• Flexographic printing presses
• Converting bag making
• Industrial packaging equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Lengerich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Capital Equipment Sales: Sale of flexible packaging machinery including extrusion lines (blown film, cast film), printing presses (CI flexo, rotogravure, stack-type), and converting machines (tuber, bottomer, FFS). These are high-value capital equipment transactions with long sales cycles.
2. Spare Parts: Original spare parts sales with 24/7 availability. Over 90% of spare parts available directly from stock. Express production and fast delivery worldwide.
3. Services & Maintenance: Field services, maintenance, lifecycle services, digital services, and upgrades/retrofits for existing machinery. Remote services and 24/7 hotline support.
4. Retrofits & Upgrades: Retrofit solutions to modernize existing W&H machines and some competitor equipment, adding new functions and capabilities to extend machine life beyond 20 years.
5. Training Services: Customer training programs including online, on-site, and technology events. Internal qualification and certified trainer programs for employees.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Windmoeller & Hoelscher manufactures machinery for flexible packaging, producing extrusion lines (blown film, cast film), printing presses (CI flexo, rotogravure, stack-type), and converting machines (Tuber, Bottomer, FFS, small bag machines). The company offers the entire flexible packaging value chain from a single source, complemented by the RUBY IoT digital services platform, spare parts, retrofits, training, and 24/7 field service support.

Product overview

Windmoeller & Hoelscher (W&H) is a leading machine manufacturer for flexible packaging, operating since 1869. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized around three core technology areas: Extrusion (blown and cast film lines), Printing (CI flexo and rotogravure presses), and Converting (bag and sack machinery). The product architecture combines core machine platforms (VAREX II, OPTIMEX II, AQUAREX, MIRAFLEX, NOVOFLEX II) with modular add-ons and assistance systems (EASY2 Run, VISION, EASY Setup) and the RUBY IoT digital platform. Recent innovations focus on sustainability with MDO (Machine-Directional Orientation) technology enabling recyclable monomaterial PE solutions, and advanced automation/assistance systems for process optimization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RUBY IoT Platform IoT-based digital services platform providing remote monitoring, performance analytics, and integration with W&H machinery for flexible packaging manufacturers across the production lifecycle.
• AQUAREX Blown Film Line Water-quench blown film extrusion line that uses water instead of air as the cooling medium to produce highly transparent, glossy films with exceptional puncture and tear resistance, supporting multilayer structures from 3 to 11 layers.
• VAREX II Blown Film Line Modular high-end blown film line platform supporting multilayer barrier structures up to 11 layers, working widths up to 3600mm, with optional MDO integration for sophisticated barrier and technical films.
• OPTIMEX II Blown Film Line Industrial-efficiency blown film line designed for cost-effective production of 3- and 5-layer PE films, combining high output with stable, reproducible processes.
• FILMEX II Cast Film Line Cast film extrusion line with integrated FILM PERFORMANCE MONITOR providing a data network spanning all process steps for consistent quality and process transparency.
• MIRAFLEX CI Flexo Press Central-impression (CI) flexographic printing press for high-quality flexible packaging printing applications.
• NOVOFLEX II CI Flexo Press Central-impression (CI) flexographic printing press offering advanced printing quality supported by comprehensive assistance and automation systems.
• ALPHAFLEX CI Flexo Press Central-impression (CI) flexographic printing press introduced at K 2025 with advanced printing capabilities for flexible packaging converters.
• Inline FLEXA II Printing Press Premium stack-type flexo printing press designed for industrial sack producers in the cement, building materials, and agricultural sectors.
• Converting Solutions (Tuber, Bottomer, FFS, Small Bags) Bag and sack converting machinery portfolio including Tuber, Bottomer, material flow and palletising, Form-Fill-Seal (FFS), and small bag/carrier bag machines for flexible packaging manufacturers.
• Retrofits & Upgrades Service Retrofit and upgrade solutions for W&H extrusion lines, printing presses, and converting machines, adding new functions or modules to extend machine life beyond 20 years and integrate the latest technologies.
• Spare Parts Supply Original spare parts sales with 24/7 availability, with over 90% available directly from stock; supports express production and fast global delivery, including overnight shipment for 70%+ of North American orders.
• W&H Academy Training Customer training programs including online, on-site, consulting, and technology events for operators and customer personnel on W&H machinery.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 20% performance gains in blown film extrusion with EASY2 Run
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DowcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Partnership strengthened during customer event to showcase recyclable high barrier sachet solutions. W&H's blown mono-material contains less than 2% EVOH, meeting recycling regulations.
• ExxonMobilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 February 2026ExxonMobil collaborated with Windmöller & Hölscher, B&B, and Henkel to develop monomaterial PE pouch solutions. W&H contributed VAREX 5L+MDO technology for recyclable packaging addressing regulatory pressures like EU PPWR.
• GARANTcoreOthersW&H subsidiary GARANT provides additional service and spare parts capabilities. Joint booth presence at interpack 2026. Expanded warehouse in Rhode Island includes storage for GARANT parts.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SML (SML Maschinengesellschaft): Austrian specialist in cast film extrusion lines directly competing with W&H's FILMEX II cast film platform, particularly for packaging film converters.
• Brückner Maschinenbau: German manufacturer of film stretching lines (BOPP, BOPET, BOPE) that directly competes with W&H's MDO technology and serves overlapping flexible packaging converter customers.
• Hosokawa Alpine: German-Japanese blown film extrusion specialist competing in similar PE/PP blown film line categories to W&H's VAREX II and OPTIMEX II platforms, with strong presence in Europe and Asia.
• Davis-Standard: US-based extrusion and converting machinery manufacturer with overlapping blown/cast film and bag-making product lines. Direct peer particularly in North America where W&H is investing heavily.
• Reifenhäuser Group: German family-owned competitor with the broadest blown and cast film extrusion portfolio globally. Most directly comparable peer to W&H in extrusion machinery, often competing head-to-head on multi-layer barrier film lines.
• Macro Engineering & Technology: Canadian manufacturer of blown film extrusion lines competing directly with W&H in multi-layer barrier film systems, particularly in North America.

Broad incumbents

• Bobst Group: Swiss-based global incumbent in printing presses and converting equipment for packaging. Overlaps with W&H's CI flexo/rotogravure and converting businesses but serves broader packaging substrates beyond flexible film.
• Kiefel GmbH: German packaging machinery manufacturer owned by Brückner Group, supplying thermoforming and converting equipment. Adjacent competitor in converting machinery serving overlapping flexible packaging customers.

Regional players

• Amut S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of extrusion, thermoforming, and converting lines. Comparable product scope in extrusion and converting but with stronger European focus and different end-market emphasis than W&H.

Emerging players

• Jinming Machinery: Chinese blown film and printing machinery manufacturer offering significantly lower-priced alternatives to W&H systems. Represents the primary low-cost competitive threat in Asia and emerging markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/w_h_group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Windmoeller & Hoelscher