What Thieme does

Thieme GmbH & Co. KG is a German family-owned industrial company headquartered in Teningen, founded in 1960, operating across two distinct business divisions under a single corporate entity with 251-500 employees. The Printing Systems division manufactures industrial screen printing machines (THIEME 500, 1000, 3000, and 5000 series) and digital inkjet printing systems (THIEME 502 D MINT, 505 D MINT, THIEME 502 D, THIEME Print Engine), along with ancillary equipment such as the THIEME TSC squeegee cutter and THIEME Foil Laminator. Machines are highly configurable, built to order, and incorporate proprietary precision features including CCD camera-based vision systems, magnetic masks, rotary gripper transport, and servo-driven multi-shift automation. The Polyurethane division operates under a separate production site (Factory Breitigen in Tulingen) producing custom Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) parts from a portfolio of PUR materials including energy-absorbing foam, integral foams, acoustic foams, and fire-retardant grades meeting EN 45545 for rail.

The company sells exclusively to enterprise customers through a direct field sales model with regional sales offices in France (THIEME S.A.S., Strasbourg) and the USA (THIEME Corporation, Romeoville), supplemented by sales agencies in the US and a newly established channel partner in Mexico (Rodatec, October 2025). Pricing is quote-based with no public list prices, reflecting the custom-engineered nature of the equipment and the CAPEX procurement cycles of its industrial buyer base. Customer segments are organized by vertical use case and include automotive (safety foam and glass printing), printed electronics (PCBs, membrane switches, flexible electronics), architectural and automotive glass, minting (coins/medals, a 2025 expansion), industrial manufacturing (medical, loudspeaker, forklift, rail), and decorative/signage applications. Strategic depth in two of these verticals is anchored by a co-development partnership with materials supplier Covestro (January 2026) on the Baysafe EA energy-absorption foam platform.

The business model is hardware-centric with four documented revenue streams—industrial printing machines, custom RIM parts, special machine construction, and service/support—all falling under hardware sales or professional services categories. Thieme is profitable enough to be self-funded, has no outside private equity or venture capital, and operates with the long-term investment horizon typical of family-owned Mittelstand firms. The company describes more than 10,000 machines installed worldwide as the foundation of its installed-base credibility, and its competitive positioning rests on deep vertical specialization, German manufacturing quality, and continuous innovation flow from special-machine projects back into the standard product portfolio.

Name

Thieme

Legal name

THIEME GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://thieme-products.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Thieme is a German family-owned manufacturer of industrial screen and digital printing machines and custom polyurethane (RIM) molded parts, serving automotive safety, printed electronics, glass, and industrial manufacturing enterprises across Europe, North America, and Mexico through direct field sales and channel partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Printing Equipment

NAICS

Urethane and Other Foam Product (except Polystyrene) Manufacturing (32615), Plastics Product Manufacturing (3261)

SIC

Plastics Foam Products (3086), Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555), Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)

akta.pro primary industry

Polyurethane (PU) Flexible Foam Manufacturing (IMANAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Foam Conversion & Fabrication (Cutting, Laminating, CNC, Packaging Inserts) (IMANAIAJ)

Keywords

• Industrial screen printing machines
• Polyurethane RIM molded parts
• Digital inkjet printing systems
• Automotive safety foam
• Custom molded plastics

Headquarters

HQ city

Teningen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Printing Machines: Sale of high-quality screen printing and digital printing machines including various series (THIEME 500, 1000, 3000, 5000) and associated options/accessories. Machines are customizable and built to order for industrial applications.
2. Custom RIM Polyurethane Parts: Production and sale of custom RIM (Reaction Injection Molding) parts made from polyurethane and other plastics. Includes functional parts, automotive safety components, acoustic absorbers, and technical molded parts for various industries.
3. Special Machine Construction: Custom-designed printing machines built to specification for unique industrial applications, with innovations from special machine construction flowing back into standard product series.
4. Service and Support: Customer service, technical support, and service center operations for printing systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Thieme manufactures and sells industrial screen printing and digital inkjet printing machines (THIEME 500 through 5000 series, plus the THIEME Print Engine integration platform) for applications ranging from glass, electronics and automotive to signage, packaging and minting. The company also produces custom Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) polyurethane parts, including a range of PUR foam materials (energy absorption foam for automotive safety, acoustic foam, integral foam, fire-retardant foams) used for components such as knee, head and side impact protection, acoustic absorbers, comfort components, and industrial technical molded parts.

Product overview

Thieme is a German family-owned company operating in two main business areas: Printing Systems and Polyurethane (Custom RIM). The Printing Systems division manufactures screen printing and digital printing machines, including the THIEME 500, 1000, 3000, and 5000 series of screen printers, and the THIEME D Mint and THIEME Print Engine digital printing systems. The product portfolio includes over 14 screen printing machine models ranging from semi-automatic to fully automatic systems, 6 digital printing machines, plus ancillary equipment including squeegee cutters and foil laminators. Various options such as Vision System, Digital Image Alignment, Optic Feeding Controls, and Laser Positioning Systems are available. The Polyurethane division produces custom RIM (Reaction Injection Molding) parts using materials including PUR Energy Absorption Foam, PUR Semi-Hard Integral Foam, PUR Acoustic Foam, and specialized railway-compliant materials (THIEME 60 FRR, THIEME 110 FRR). These polyurethane materials serve automotive safety applications including knee, head, and side impact protection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• THIEME 500 Semi-automatic, clamshell screen printing machine for signs, decorative print and textile printing. Print size up to 1000x1400mm.
• THIEME 500 H Semi-automatic screen printing machine with angular open design and automatic take-off system, 3/4 automation level.
• THIEME 1000 Shuttle table screen printing machine for flexible and rigid substrates, print size up to 1550x2100mm. Applications include signs, decorative print, textile print, and laboratory/development.
• THIEME 1000 E Shuttle table screen printing machine with moving print table for printing on rigid and flexible materials for electronic applications. Print size 750x1050mm.
• THIEME LAB 1000 High precision screen printer with automatic screen alignment and automatic substrate alignment using CCD cameras. Print size 400x400 to 600x600mm. For electronics, batteries, fuel cells and laboratory applications with highest precision demands.
• THIEME 1000 S - 3000 S Shuttle table long stroke screen printing machine for large format printing. Print size from 1250x2000 to 2000x4000mm. For large format applications and heavy materials.
• THIEME 3000 Shuttle table screen printing machine with 3/4 automatic operation. Applications include foil applications, FIM/IML, sheet metal, automotive, bank and ID cards, electronics, overlays, functional layers, and fuel cells.
• THIEME 3000 Vision Screen printing machine specifically designed for film, sheet metal, and electronics applications with high precision.
• THIEME 3000 Vision AL Fully automatic high-precision screen printing machine for film, sheet metal and electronics applications. Maximum precision and flexibility with full automation.
• THIEME 3000 GS Flatbed screen printing machine with continuous transport system for printing on glass and other rigid materials. Print size 700x650 to 1500x2500mm. Available in 3/4 or fully automatic.
• THIEME 3000 GS LS Flatbed screen printing machine with continuous roller transport system for large-size glass and rigid materials. Print size up to 3000x9600mm.
• THIEME 3000 GS AM Fully automatic screen printing machine for automotive glass and shaped glass panels of any kind. Designed as in-line printing machine for integration into fully automated production lines. Print size up to 2400 x 3400mm.
• THIEME 5000 Fully automatic screen printing system with rotary grippers. Precision built with short set-up times and absolute reliability for multi-shift operation, with servo drive motors for high precision and speed.
• THIEME 5000 MF/MC Modular screen printing system from 2-6 colors with rotary gripper system. Highest performance, speed and reliability for flexible materials, decorative printing, POS/POP, packaging, and UV printing. Print output up to 2,500 m².
• THIEME TSC Squeegee cutter with rotary blade for perfect squeegee edges. Cut lengths from 130 to 3100mm. Increases print quality due to excellent squeegee edge.
• THIEME Foil Laminator Foil laminator for lamination of flexible circuits, flexible sensors, and electrical circuits. Features camera-supported alignment of printed substrate with controlled lamination pressure. Lamination size 700x500mm.
• THIEME 502 D MINT Inkjet printing system with high-precision automatic alignment system for small quantities. Print size approx. 320x160mm. Resolution 800 x 1500 to 1600 x 1500 dpi. Applications: coloring of coins, medals, marking of gold and silver bars.
• THIEME 505 D MINT Inkjet printing system with high-precision automatic alignment system for large quantities. Print size 2 x approx. 675x170mm.
• THIEME 505 D MINT AL Inkjet printing system with high-precision automatic alignment system and automatic loader for large quantities.
• THIEME LAB D Digital printer for product and process development with easy ink supply via cartridge system. Print size 400x210mm. For laboratories, development, and research.
• THIEME 502 D Digital inkjet printer for industrial production with carrier system for different sheet heights. Print size 160x320mm. Resolution 800x1200 dpi. Applications: Printed Electronics, dials, decorative printing.
• THIEME Print Engine Integration platform enabling single-pass and multi-pass inkjet printing systems into existing production lines. Fast, flexible, modular, and easy to maintain.
• Digital Inkjet System for Coins and Medals Digital inkjet printing system that enables coloring of coins and medals, offered across THIEME 502 D MINT, 505 D MINT and 505 D MINT AL variants with high-precision automatic alignment.
• PUR Energy Absorption Foam PU foam providing consistent energy absorption across wide temperature range (-30°C to 80°C) for knee, head, and side impact protection in vehicles. Used for energy absorber and volume displacer applications. Developed in partnership with Covestro using Baysafe EA material.
• PUR Semi-Hard Integral Foam PUR foam for comfort components in automotive applications. Used for vehicle interior comfort parts.
• PUR Acoustic Foam PUR foam for acoustic absorption applications. Used for acoustic absorber components.
• PUR Integral Hard Foam PUR integral hard foam for technical molded parts requiring high rigidity and surface quality.
• PUR Compact Foam PUR compact foam for applications requiring dense, solid polyurethane parts.
• PUR Flex Foam Flexible PUR foam for applications requiring soft, flexible polyurethane components.
• PUR Casting System PUR casting system for producing cast polyurethane parts with specific mechanical properties.
• THIEME 60 FRR Fire-retardant PUR material meeting EN 45545 (R1/HL2) standard for railway applications.
• THIEME 110 FRR Fire-retardant PUR material meeting EN 45545 (R1/HL2) standard for railway applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 10,000 machines installed worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CovestrocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2026Thieme partnered with Covestro to develop PU foam for automotive safety applications using Covestro's Baysafe EA (Energy Absorption) material. The foam provides consistent energy absorption across a wide temperature range (-30° to 80°C) and can be molded into complex shapes for knee, head, and side impact protection in vehicles. The partnership enables Thieme to deliver various safety components to automotive manufacturers, contributing to enhanced vehicle passenger safety.
• Rodatec MéxicominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 October 2025New partnership with Rodatec México as official sales representative for the Mexican market. Thieme is expanding its international sales network through this channel partner relationship.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Covestro: Strategic materials partner supplying Baysafe EA polyurethane for Thieme's automotive safety foams. Included as an adjacent ecosystem partner rather than a competitor — materializes Thieme's PUR foam performance claims and co-develops automotive-grade applications.

Direct peers

• SPGPrints: Dutch-based manufacturer of screen printing and digital printing machines for textile, graphics, and industrial applications. Comparable as a European specialty industrial printing equipment peer with a similar mix of screen and rotary digital offerings.
• ASM Assembly Systems (DEK): Provider of screen printing and assembly solutions for electronics manufacturing (SMT). Comparable to Thieme's THIEME LAB 1000 and electronics-focused screen printers serving the printed electronics and SMT customer base.
• M&R Companies: US-based screen printing equipment manufacturer for graphics, textile, and industrial markets. Comparable product line (screen printing machines and accessories) and overlapping customer segments in industrial and decorative printing.
• ATMA Champ: Taiwanese manufacturer of precision screen printing machines for electronics, automotive, and industrial substrates. Direct competitor in CCD-aligned, high-precision flatbed screen printing for similar end markets as Thieme.
• Cannon Group: Italian-headquartered manufacturer of polyurethane processing equipment, RIM systems, and industrial foaming machinery. Closely comparable to Thieme's polyurethane division in technology, customer verticals, and global automotive exposure.
• ASYS Group: German manufacturer of industrial automation and screen/digital printing equipment serving electronics and industrial customers. Directly comparable to Thieme's printing systems division in target verticals (electronics, automotive) and machine architecture.

Broad incumbents

• KraussMaffei: Large German machinery manufacturer with a Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) and polyurethane processing equipment portfolio. Comparable to Thieme's polyurethane division as a much larger incumbent serving automotive and industrial RIM customers.
• Heidelberger Druckmaschinen: Major German manufacturer of printing machinery and equipment with an industrial/electronics equipment portfolio. Comparable as a much larger German printing machinery incumbent with overlapping industrial customer reach.
• Hennecke Group: German manufacturer of polyurethane processing machinery and systems, including high-pressure foaming and RIM technology. Directly comparable to Thieme's molded parts expertise from a machinery-systems perspective.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/thieme-drucksysteme-kunststoffe
• Xx.com/_thieme_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Thieme