Schafer Werke

What Schafer Werke does

SCHÄFER WERKE GmbH & Co KG is a privately held, family-owned German industrial group headquartered in Neunkirchen in the Siegerland region, tracing its origins to 1937 as a sheet metal goods manufacturer and now operating across five core divisions: EMW Stahl-Service-Center (mill-independent processing and trading of coils, slit strip, cut-to-size sheets, and fine sheet steel), SCHÄFER Lochbleche (custom and stock perforated metal sheets), SCHÄFER IT-Systems (data center, colocation, and network/server cabinet infrastructure), SCHÄFER Container Systems (stainless steel KEGs, IBCs, and special containers from 5 to 1,500 liters, with 25M+ units sold since 1978), and SCHÄFER Büro- und Betriebseinrichtungen (workshop and office equipment for industry, trade, and crafts), supplemented by an in-house Werkzeugbau (tool manufacturing) unit and an Austrian IBC automation site acquired in 2025.

The group sells almost exclusively through direct B2B channels, using division-specific websites, a customer newsletter ("dialog"), and industry trade press to reach industrial buyers in steel processing, construction and architecture, IT infrastructure, beverage and chemical packaging, and general industrial/workshop end markets. Revenue mechanics are one-time hardware sales or project-based contracts (steel coils, perforated sheets, IT cabinets, stainless steel containers, furniture), with pricing not publicly disclosed and quoting handled per inquiry. The group employs 1,001–5,000 staff across sites in Neunkirchen, Iserlohn, and Langenwang (Austria), and reports a global footprint while concentrating most production in Germany.

Strategically, the group is executing a measured expansion program — most recently the 2025 acquisition of Automationstechnik GmbH to consolidate stainless steel IBC capability, a February 2026 strategic partnership between SCHÄFER IT-Systems and Thomas-Krenn.AG targeting digital sovereignty demand from the German Mittelstand, a 2024 capex upgrade at the Iserlohn steel service site, and a 2025 solar park inauguration at Pfannenberg — under family ownership led by CEO Michael Mockenhaupt alongside managing directors Marcus Düber and Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Nollau.

Name

Schafer Werke

Legal name

SCHÄFER WERKE GmbH & Co KG

Website

https://schaefer-werke.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

SCHÄFER WERKE is a family-owned German industrial group (founded 1937, headquartered in Neunkirchen, Siegerland) operating five B2B divisions: EMW steel service, SCHÄFER Lochbleche perforated metals, SCHÄFER IT-Systems data center infrastructure, SCHÄFER Container Systems stainless steel KEGs/IBCs, and Büro-/Betriebseinrichtungen workshop and office equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Manufacturing

NAICS

Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers (423510), Hardware Manufacturing (33251)

SIC

Wholesale-Metals Service Centers & Offices (5051)

akta.pro primary industry

Hot Rolling & Primary Mills (Plate, Hot-Rolled Coil/Sheet, Strip) (IMAKABAE)

Keywords

• Perforated metal sheets
• Stainless steel containers
• Data center infrastructure
• Steel service center
• Industrial manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Neunkirchen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EMW Stahl-Service-Center: Steel service center providing coils, slit coils, cut-to-size sheets, and fine steel products. Operates as an independent, globally positioned company offering diverse steel grades and quality-focused service.
2. SCHÄFER Lochbleche: Perforated metal sheet manufacturing with individual customization and short-term availability of high-quality products. Includes efficient processing and customer-specific finishing.
3. SCHÄFER IT-Systems: Data center infrastructure solutions including network and server cabinet systems for conventional and complex applications. Offers both standardized and custom-tailored solutions.
4. SCHÄFER Container Systems: Stainless steel container manufacturing including KEGs (beverage kegs), IBCs (intermediate bulk containers), and special containers. Long-standing market leader with over 25 million containers sold since 1978.
5. SCHÄFER Büro- und Betriebseinrichtungen: Office and workshop equipment solutions for industry, trade, and crafts sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SCHÄFER WERKE is a diversified German industrial group that manufactures and sells perforated metal sheets, stainless steel beverage KEGs and IBC industrial containers, server and network cabinets for data centers, processed steel products (coils, slit strips, cut-to-size sheets), and office/workshop equipment. The company operates through five wholly-owned business divisions plus a tool manufacturing unit, supplying industrial and commercial customers globally from its headquarters in Neunkirchen, Siegerland, Germany.

Product overview

SCHÄFER WERKE is a diversified industrial group headquartered in Neunkirchen, Siegerland, Germany. The company operates across five main business divisions: EMW Stahl-Service-Center (independent steel service center for coils, slit strips, cut-to-size sheets, and fine sheet steel); SCHÄFER Lochbleche (perforated metal sheet manufacturer); SCHÄFER IT-Systems (data center infrastructure and network solutions); SCHÄFER Container Systems (stainless steel KEGs, IBCs, and special containers); and SCHÄFER Büro- und Betriebseinrichtungen (office and workshop solutions). Additionally, the company maintains a tool manufacturing division. Founded as a sheet metal goods manufacturer, the company has evolved into a globally active steel expert with operations spanning steel service, perforated sheets, IT infrastructure, and reusable container solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EMW Stahl-Service-Center Independent steel service center providing coils, slit strips, cut-to-size sheets, and fine sheet steel trading services to industrial customers.
• SCHÄFER Lochbleche Manufacturer of custom perforated metal sheets and stock perforated sheets with extensive processing capabilities for construction, architecture, and industrial applications.
• SCHÄFER IT-Systems Solution provider for data center infrastructure, colocation, and network technology, offering standardized and custom network and server cabinet solutions for conventional and complex applications.
• SCHÄFER Container Systems Manufacturer of KEGs (beverage kegs), IBCs (intermediate bulk containers), and special containers made of stainless steel ranging from 5 to 1,500 liters, with over 25 million containers sold since 1978.
• SCHÄFER Büro- und Betriebseinrichtungen Solutions for operations, workshop, and office environments serving industry, trade, and crafts sectors with efficient and economical workplace equipment.
• SCHÄFER Werkzeugbau Tool manufacturing division of SCHÄFER WERKE providing industrial tooling capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25 million containers sold since 1978
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Thomas-Krenn.AGcoreTechnology or Integration · 24 February 2026Strategic partnership between Thomas-Krenn.AG and SCHÄFER IT-Systems to strengthen digital sovereignty, reduce complexity, and create planning certainty for medium-sized businesses, channel partners, and managed service providers. The cooperation focuses on comprehensive IT solutions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rittal (Friedhelm Loh Group): Rittal is the global market leader in industrial and IT enclosures/server cabinets, and is the most direct competitor to SCHÄFER IT-Systems in standardized and custom data center and network cabinet solutions. Comparable as a German Mittelstand industrial group with a similar mix of enclosure, power distribution, and IT infrastructure offerings.
• Vertiv Holdings: Vertiv is a pure-play data center infrastructure vendor offering power, thermal, and IT management solutions including server and network rack systems. Comparable to SCHÄFER IT-Systems' server and network cabinet business serving colocation and enterprise data center customers.
• RMIG: RMIG is a leading European manufacturer of perforated metal sheets with a broad finishing portfolio, directly comparable to SCHÄFER Lochbleche in product offering (custom and stock perforated sheets), customization capabilities, and target end-markets (architecture, industry, filtration).
• nVent Electric: nVent's enclosures and network/server cabinet portfolio (including the Schroff brand) competes head-to-head with SCHÄFER IT-Systems in standardized and custom IT infrastructure solutions. Highly comparable product/customer overlap in data center and network cabinet systems.

Others

• ABB: ABB's electrification and industrial automation portfolio spans data center power infrastructure, industrial enclosures, and process automation—comparable to SCHÄFER IT-Systems at the data center layer and to SCHÄFER WERKE's broader industrial manufacturing footprint. Serves overlapping European industrial customers.

Broad incumbents

• Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe: Thyssenkrupp Steel is one of Europe's largest flat steel producers, comparable to EMW Stahl-Service-Center at the upstream steel processing and distribution level. While Thyssenkrupp operates primary mills and EMW is an independent service center, both serve overlapping downstream industrial and construction customers in Germany.
• Schneider Electric: Schneider Electric is a global leader in data center infrastructure, power distribution, and industrial automation. Comparable to SCHÄFER IT-Systems at the data center infrastructure layer and to SCHÄFER Lochbleche/Container Systems at the broader industrial manufacturing level, though at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• ArcelorMittal: ArcelorMittal is the world's largest steel producer with a global steel service center and distribution network, comparable to EMW Stahl-Service-Center at the wholesale and processing layer. Overlap is in flat steel supply to industrial and construction customers across Europe.
• Salzgitter AG: Salzgitter operates integrated steel production and a broad steel service center business in Germany, closely comparable to EMW Stahl-Service-Center in customer base (industrial buyers, fabricators) and product portfolio (coils, slit strip, cut-to-size sheets).
• Eaton: Eaton's power management and data center infrastructure portfolio (including rack systems and power distribution) overlaps with SCHÄFER IT-Systems' data center and colocation offerings. Comparable at the integrated data center infrastructure level serving enterprise and colocation customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/schaeferwerkegmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sch%C3%A4fer-werke-gmbh-stahl
• Instagraminstagram.com/schaefer_werke
• Facebookfacebook.com/schaefer.werke

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Schafer Werke