Wickeder Group

What Wickeder Group does

Wickeder Group is a privately held German industrial conglomerate headquartered in Wickede (Ruhr), Germany, operating through twelve wholly owned companies organized into three business divisions: Functional Material Group (clad materials, thermostatic bimetals, metal strips, and precision foils produced via cold rolling), Micro Component Group (precision micro-components manufactured through photochemical etching, laser cutting, electroforming, and Parylene coating), and Metal Technology Group (CNC sheet metal fabrication, forming, welding, machining, and assembly). The group's core technologies — cold rolling of clad and bimetal strips, photochemical etching, electroforming, and precision metal forming — support differentiated products such as temperature-sensing bimetals for home appliances and automotive thermostats, fuel cell bipolar plates, EMC shielding, ophthalmic blades, and precision electrical contacts.

The group serves industrial B2B customers across more than a dozen end-markets — including home appliances, automotive and e-mobility, industrial manufacturing, medical technology, aerospace, electrical engineering, energy storage, filtration, and consumer goods — with production footprints in Europe (Germany), the Americas (United States, via Engineered Materials Solutions), and Asia (via Wickeder Group Asia). Commercial relationships are quote-based, multi-year contracts under a development-partner model that engages customers from initial concept through series production; pricing is not publicly disclosed but the thermostatic bimetal sub-segment exhibits industry gross margins of 18–30%, with average selling prices around USD 38/kg. Revenue, headcount, and ownership structure are not publicly disclosed; the company has no external investor signaled in the data and operates as an independent GmbH-structured group.

Name

Wickeder Group

Legal name

Wickeder Westfalenstahl GmbH

Website

https://wickeder-group.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Wickeder Group is a privately held German industrial conglomerate operating twelve companies across three divisions — Functional Material, Micro Component, and Metal Technology — producing clad materials, thermostatic bimetals, and precision micro-components via cold rolling, photochemical etching, and electroforming for global B2B customers in automotive, energy, medical, and industrial markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Engineered Metal Products

NAICS

Machine Shops (33271), Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers (332812)

SIC

Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670)

akta.pro primary industry

Electroplating & Metallization Chemicals (Cu/Ni/Au plating, additives) (IMAEAKAK)

Keywords

• Clad metal materials
• Thermostatic bimetal strips
• Photochemical metal etching
• Precision micro metal components
• Sheet metal fabrication services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wickede

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Functional Material Products: Sale of clad materials, thermostatic bimetals, metal strips, and precision metal foils manufactured through cold rolling processes. Revenue generated from standard and custom metal solutions for industrial applications.
2. Micro Component Manufacturing: Precision manufacturing services for micro metal components using photochemical etching, laser cutting, and electroforming. Serves customers requiring complex geometries and miniaturized parts.
3. Metal Technology Services: Comprehensive metal processing and fabrication services including sheet metal processing, machining, forming, welding, and assembly for complex metal components and assemblies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wickeder Group manufactures and sells engineered metal materials and precision metal components for industrial customers. Its portfolio includes clad materials, thermostatic bimetals, metal strips, wide-band foils, precision metal foils, micro components produced via photochemical etching, laser cutting, electroforming, and parylene coating, plus CNC sheet metal fabrication. Products are sold to enterprises in automotive, appliance, electrical, energy, medical, and aerospace industries through direct development-partner relationships across facilities in Europe, America, and Asia.

Product overview

Wickeder Group is a multi-business-unit metal solutions provider organized into three core divisions: Functional Material Group (clad materials, thermostatic bimetals, metal strips, precision foils), Micro Component Group (photo-chemical etching, laser cutting, electroforming, parylene coating for micro-components), and Metal Technology Group (CNC sheet metal processing, welding, forming, and surface treatment). The group operates 12 companies across Europe, America, and Asia with over 130 years of experience. Key products include temperature-sensing bimetals for automotive and appliances, precision filters and fuel cell bipolar plates via photo-etching, and full-service sheet metal fabrication. The portfolio spans from semi-finished metal strips and foils to complex precision-engineered micro-components and assemblies, serving industries including architecture, fuel cells, electrical engineering, energy storage, aerospace, medical technology, mobility, and coin production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Functional Material Group: Business unit focusing on clad materials, thermobimetal, metal strips and wide-band foils, precision metal foils
• Micro Component Group
• Metal Technology Group

Products and services

• Clad Materials (Plattierte Werkstoffe) Clad materials produced through cold rolling, combining two or more metals into composite materials with enhanced properties for specialized industrial applications.
• Thermostatic Bimetals (Thermobimetalle) Temperature-sensing bimetallic materials that deflect in response to heat changes, used in thermostats and thermal protectors for home appliances, automotive, electrical, and industrial applications.
• Metal Strips and Wide Strip Foils (Metallbänder und Breitbandfolien) Precision metal strips and wide-format foil materials manufactured to tight tolerances for various industrial applications.
• Precision Metal Foils (Präzisionsmetallfolien) Ultra-thin precision metal foils for demanding technical applications requiring high accuracy and specific material properties.
• Photochemical Etching Micro Components (Fotochemisches Ätzen) Chemical milling process using photolithography to create complex precision metal components without mechanical stress or tooling wear, used for filters, fuel cell plates, leads, contacts, and other micro-components.
• Laser Cutting Micro Components (Laserschneiden) Precision laser cutting technology for micro metal components with high accuracy and minimal heat-affected zones.
• Electroforming Micro Components (Elektroforming) Electrolytic metal deposition process for producing ultra-precision metal components with complex geometries and fine details.
• Bipolar Plates for Fuel Cells (Bipolarplatten, Brennstoffzellen) Metal bipolar plates for fuel cells and energy storage applications, manufactured using photo-etching and other precision processes.
• Sheet Metal Processing (Blechbearbeitung) CNC-based sheet metal fabrication including cutting, bending, stamping, forming, welding, machining, and surface treatment for industrial applications.
• Engineering & Prototyping Services Product development and prototyping services from initial concept to series production, accompanying customers as a development partner.
• Manufacturing Services (Fertigung) Full-scale manufacturing services delivered across the group's production facilities in Europe, America, and Asia, covering micro components and metal technology products.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Schuler Group: German manufacturer of metal forming equipment and pressed components, including precision stamped parts for automotive and industrial applications. Comparable to Wickeder's stamping and forming capabilities and German Mittelstand industrial profile.
• Bodycote plc: UK-listed provider of heat treatment and metal joining services, including specialized surface treatments for precision-engineered components. Comparable to Wickeder's Metal Technology Group and surface treatment capabilities serving similar industrial and automotive customers.
• Höganäs AB: Swedish world leader in metal powders for powder metallurgy and surface coating, also producing precision metal components for automotive, industrial, and energy applications. Comparable to Wickeder in specialty metal materials and serving similar industrial and energy end-markets.
• Wieland-Werke AG: German-headquartered global manufacturer of rolled copper and copper alloy products, precision strips, and engineered materials serving automotive, electrical, and industrial customers. Closely comparable to Wickeder's Functional Material Group in terms of product type (rolled/clad precision metal strips), European Mittelstand profile, and end-market exposure.
• Carpenter Technology Corporation: US specialty alloys and engineered materials producer serving aerospace, medical, energy, and industrial markets with high-precision metal strip and bar products. Comparable to Wickeder in specialty metallurgy, precision strip products, and overlapping end-markets such as aerospace and medical.
• Materion Corporation: US-based supplier of specialty engineered materials including clad metals, precision strip, beryllium composites, and thin-film materials. Directly comparable to Wickeder in producing clad and functional metal materials for thermal management, electronics, and industrial applications.

Regional players

• Jenoptik AG: German photonics and precision engineering company with laser-based material processing and micro-optics, including precision metal components for medical and semiconductor applications. Comparable to Wickeder's Micro Component Group through laser cutting and precision manufacturing expertise.

Broad incumbents

• voestalpine AG: Austrian steel and metal processing conglomerate with a dedicated Metal Forming division producing precision strip, special sections, and automotive components. Comparable to Wickeder in metal processing capabilities and automotive exposure, though voestalpine is significantly larger and more diversified.
• Sandvik AB: Swedish engineering group with materials technology and metal cutting divisions producing cemented carbide, specialty alloys, and precision components. Comparable to Wickeder in advanced metallurgy and precision component manufacturing, but operates at substantially larger scale and broader scope.
• Heraeus Holding GmbH: German precious metals and technology group with operations in electronics, medical, and industrial materials including specialty metal strips and coatings. Comparable as a German Mittelstand-to-large specialty materials conglomerate serving similar electronics and industrial end-markets, though much broader in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wickeder-westfalenstahl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries12 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 Wickeder Group