Josef Blässinger

What Josef Blässinger does

Josef Blässinger GmbH + Co. KG is a family-owned technical wholesale distributor founded in 1929 and headquartered in Ostfildern (Kemnat), Germany, with registered office in Stuttgart. The company specializes in industrial components including rolling bearings, plain bearings, miniature bearings, linear technology, drive technology, sealing technology, lubrication systems, adhesives, tools, housings, and standard parts. It also offers in-house custom manufacturing (Sonderlager, Baugruppen, Befettung, and turned/milled parts) and operates a proprietary brand (VBB). The group operates 13 branch locations across Germany (11), Austria (Blässinger GmbH in Liezen), and Switzerland (René Baer AG in Lachen am See), and is a member of the 3ISP (Industrial Specialised Partners) EMEA network. Customers include OEM manufacturers, MRO operators, and vertical-specific industrial buyers in sawmills, parquet production, and the chemical industry.

The company's revenue model combines product trading, custom manufacturing, technical services, and paid professional training. Distribution runs through field sales at branch locations, an internal sales team reached by phone and email, a B2B online shop at shop.blaessinger.com (with EDI connectivity, account registration, and order tracking, restricted to commercial customers), and a channel partner network. Value-added services include engineering consultation, reconditioning, on-site service, individual packaging (Konfektionierung), and logistics support. The Blässinger Akademie offers five basic seminars (roller bearings, drive technology, linear technology, sealing technology at EUR 299 per participant, and lubrication systems at EUR 495 per participant) targeted at designers, maintenance technicians, and purchasers.

Strategically, the company maintains preferred-tier distribution relationships with major manufacturers including Schaeffler, SKF, THK, Gates, NTN-SNR, and Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, having achieved Freudenberg Preferred Partner status in January 2024. The business is privately held under third-generation family ownership with Till Blässinger as managing director, organized as a German KG (Kommanditgesellschaft) with Blässinger Verwaltungs-GmbH as the personally liable general partner. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; based on a stated headcount of 180+ in the German entity and 13 DACH locations, the consolidated group is most likely in the EUR 100-200 million revenue band.

Name

Josef Blässinger

Legal name

Josef Blässinger GmbH + Co. KG

Website

https://blaessinger.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Josef Blässinger GmbH + Co. KG is a family-owned German technical wholesale distributor of bearings, linear and drive technology, sealing systems, and custom-manufactured components, serving OEM manufacturers and MRO customers across 13 locations in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ostfildern

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Trading (Technischer Handel): Wholesale distribution of industrial components: rolling bearings, plain bearings, miniature bearings, linear technology, drive technology, sealing technology, lubrication systems, tools, and standard parts. Revenue generated through product sales to OEM and MRO customers.
2. Custom Manufacturing (Kundenspezifische Lösungen): In-house production of custom solutions including special bearings, assembly groups, greasing services, and turned/milled parts. Value-added manufacturing services complement the trading business.
3. Technical Services: Technical service offerings including engineering consultation, reconditioning, on-site service, logistics, and individual packaging (Konfektionierung).
4. Academy Training (Blässinger Akademie): Professional training seminars on roller bearings, linear technology, power transmission, sealing technology, and lubrication systems. Fee-based educational services for industry professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Josef Blässinger GmbH + Co. KG is a technical wholesale specialist distributing roller bearings, plain bearings, miniature bearings, linear technology, power transmission, sealing technology, lubrication systems, tools, housings, and standard parts to OEM and MRO customers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The company complements its trading portfolio with VBB own-brand products, in-house custom manufacturing of special bearings, assemblies, and turned/milled parts, plus technical service offerings including engineering consultation, reconditioning, on-site service, logistics, and the Blässinger Akademie training seminars.

Product overview

Josef Blässinger is a technical wholesale trading company and specialist for application-optimized solutions. The portfolio consists of core trading products (roller bearings, plain bearings, miniature bearings, linear technology, power transmission, sealing technology, lubrication systems, tools, housings, and standard parts), an own brand (VBB), in-house production capabilities (custom special bearings, lubrication, assemblies, turned/milled parts), an e-commerce platform with EDI connectivity, technical services (A-Z), and a training academy. The company operates as a one-stop solution partner for OEM and MRO customers, combining product sales with technical consulting, custom manufacturing, and training services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VBB: Blässinger's own brand for technical products.

Products and services

• Roller Bearings and Plain Bearings (Wälzlager | Gleitlager) Distribution of roller bearings and plain bearings for industrial machinery applications, including custom manufacturing capabilities, sold to OEM and MRO customers.
• Miniature Bearings (Miniaturlager) Miniature bearings for precision applications requiring compact solutions.
• Linear Technology (Lineartechnik) Linear technology products including actuators, driven linear units, precision rails, guide carriages, and ball bushings.
• Power Transmission (Antriebstechnik) Power transmission products including elevator door drives, couplings, and belt drives.
• Sealing Technology (Dichtungstechnik) Sealing technology products including static seals, rotary seals, metallic seals, hydraulic seals, and pneumatic seals.
• Lubrication Systems (Schmiersysteme) Lubrication systems including lubricants, lubricant dispensers, progressive distributors, fittings, and gear pumps.
• Adhesives, Sealants and Lubricants (Kleb-, Dicht- und Schmierstoffe) Adhesives, sealants, and lubricants for industrial assembly and maintenance applications.
• Industrial Tools (Werkzeuge) Industrial tools for bearing installation, removal, and maintenance.
• Bearing Housings (Gehäuse) Bearing housings including flange housings, take-up housings, and cartridge housings.
• Standard Parts (Normteile) Standard parts including operating elements, clamping elements, machine elements, springs, and other standard components.
• VBB Own Brand (VBB Eigenmarke) Blässinger's proprietary brand for bearings and related components, complementing major brand offerings in the portfolio.
• Special Bearings (Sonderlager) Custom-manufactured special bearings tailored to specific customer requirements, produced in-house.
• Custom Assemblies (Baugruppen) Custom assembly of complete component groups and modules produced in-house.
• Turned and Milled Parts (Dreh- und Frästeile) Custom CNC turned and milled parts for industrial applications, produced in-house.
• Blässinger Online Shop (B2B E-Commerce Platform) B2B online shop at shop.blaessinger.com for ordering bearings, linear technology, and related products with customer account registration, order tracking, quick ordering functionality, and EDI connectivity capabilities. Exclusively for commercial customers, not private consumers.
• Technical Service A–Z (Technischer Service) Comprehensive technical services including engineering consultation, reconditioning, on-site service, e-business solutions, logistics, and individual assembly (Konfektionierung).
• Blässinger Akademie (Training Academy) Fee-based professional training seminars on roller bearings, linear technology, power transmission, sealing technology, and lubrication systems for industry professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduction in machine downtime through proper bearing selection and maintenance support
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Freudenberg Sealing Technologies FST GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Freudenberg Preferred Partner status awarded January 1, 2024 - highest level of partnership achieved within two years. Freudenberg is worldwide leading premium manufacturer in sealing technology and electromobility. Partnership provides access to innovative sealing solutions and modern mobility applications for Blässinger's industrial customers in maintenance and first equipment sectors.
• 3ISP (Industrial Specialised Partners)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor3ISP is a strong network of industrial specialized partners in the EMEA region. Blässinger participates as a member of this distribution network providing extended market coverage across Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
• SchaefflerminorOthersKey supply partner and manufacturer supplying rolling bearings and related products to Blässinger's product portfolio.
• SKFminorOthersKey supply partner and manufacturer supplying rolling bearings and related products.
• THKminorOthersKey supply partner supplying linear technology products.
• GatesminorOthersSupply partner for drive technology products including belts and power transmission components.
• NTN-SNRminorOthersSupply partner for rolling bearings.
• René Baer AGcoreOthersSwiss subsidiary company of Blässinger Group. Located in Lachen am See, Switzerland. Provides customer-specific manufacturing in drive technology and linear technology sectors. Part of the group structure.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ERIKS: Dutch-headquartered industrial distribution group with significant bearings, sealing, and power-transmission categories across Europe. Directly comparable to Blässinger's bearings-and-sealing technical wholesale model with similar OEM and MRO customer base.
• Brammer (Motion Industries): European industrial bearings and MRO distributor acquired by Motion Industries. Closely aligned with Blässinger's bearings-focused technical wholesale model and OEM/MRO customer profile in DACH.
• Würth Industrie: Industrial division of the Würth Group providing MRO supply, technical services, and vendor-managed inventory to European manufacturers. Comparable B2B technical-distribution model with overlapping OEM/MRO customer base.
• Hoffmann Group: German quality tools and industrial MRO distributor serving manufacturing customers. Comparable in geographic focus (DACH), B2B customer base, and combined distribution-plus-technical-services model.
• Igus: German specialist in polymer plain bearings and linear technology with direct e-commerce distribution. Directly comparable product overlap in linear technology and miniature bearings, competing for the same OEM engineering customers.

Broad incumbents

• SKF: Swedish bearing and seal manufacturer with global distribution and Authorized Distributor network including Blässinger. Comparable product categories but operates as a manufacturer-incumbent with broader portfolio and global scale.
• Schaeffler: German automotive and industrial supplier (INA, FAG, LuK brands) covering rolling bearings and linear technology. Overlaps with Blässinger's core product categories while operating as a global manufacturer-incumbent.
• NTN-SNR: French-Japanese bearing manufacturer with European distribution. Operates in the same rolling-bearing category as Blässinger's core product lines and serves overlapping European OEM/MRO customers.
• THK: Japanese inventor of the linear guideway and major manufacturer of linear technology products. Directly overlaps with Blässinger's Lineartechnik category while operating as a global manufacturer-incumbent (also a supply partner).

Emerging players

• Distrelec (Rexel): Pan-European digital-first industrial components and MRO distributor. Represents the digital-native competitive threat to traditional technical wholesalers like Blässinger, with broader SKU range and price-transparent e-commerce model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/josef-bl-ssinger-gmbh-co-kg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Josef Blässinger