Engineered Materials Solutions

What Engineered Materials Solutions does

Engineered Materials Solutions (EMS) is a specialty clad metals manufacturer founded in 1916 as General Plate Company in Attleboro, Massachusetts, and now operating as the primary North American subsidiary of the German Wickeder Group (Wickeder Westfalenstahl GmbH). EMS produces metallurgically bonded multi-layer clad metals using proprietary processes led by Pressure Temperature (PT) Bonding — invented by the company's predecessor in 1952 and still the dominant method for commercial clad metal production worldwide. The product portfolio spans three families: (1) Clad Metals including proprietary brands SIGMACLAD® (5-layer Ni/SS/Cu/SS/Ni for Li-ion battery busbars), CoreLok®, Conflex®, CopperPlus™, Durafoil™, Dieselfoil™, Clad-Shield™ (EMI/RFI shielding), plus general clad systems such as Cu/Invar/Cu, Copper Clad Aluminum, Aluminum Clad Stainless, and Triclad; (2) Thermostatic Bimetal in Electrical Grade and Discgrade variants for circuit breakers and motor protection; and (3) Nickel & Nickel Alloys (nickel-iron, nickel-copper, nickel-chrome) plus metallic foils and welding materials. Supporting capabilities include in-house prototyping, analysis and testing services, stampings from 30-200 ton presses, vacuum brazing, strand and batch annealing, and toll processing for external customers.

EMS sells directly into OEM and Tier 1/2 manufacturer engineering and procurement teams across at least eight end markets — automotive/transportation, battery systems/energy storage, cookware, electrical distribution, thermal management, thermal controls, appliances, and consumer electronics — via regional sales managers covering North America, Europe, and Asia. Pricing is quote-based with quantity-tiered schedules (12-month release window, ±10–30% tolerances) under long-term supply agreements. Revenue is generated from material sales in coil, sheet, foil, and stamped part form, alongside fee-based toll processing. The business operates from Attleboro MA (HQ), Hamburg PA, Colorado Springs CO (post-2024 acquisition of Thin Metal Parts), and via wholly-owned subsidiary Wickeder Group Asia (WGA) in Baoying, China (established 2007). The company is unprofitable-disclosed on revenue and held within a private, German parent conglomerate that operates 12 production sites globally with approximately 1,000 employees.

Name

Engineered Materials Solutions

Legal name

Engineered Materials Solutions

Website

https://emsclad.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Engineered Materials Solutions manufactures specialty clad metals via proprietary Pressure Temperature (PT) Bonding and related processes, serving OEM and Tier 1 manufacturers in automotive, battery systems, appliance, cookware, electronics, and electrical distribution markets from facilities in the US and China as part of the Wickeder Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clad Metals Manufacturing

NAICS

All Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (33299), Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities (3328), Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing (332322), Aluminum Sheet, Plate, and Foil Manufacturing (331315)

SIC

Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490), Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470), Metal Forgings & Stampings (3460)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAKACAI

Aluminum Fabrication & Finishing (Machining, Anodizing, Coating)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Metals & Mining/Aluminum (Bauxite, Alumina & Primary/Secondary Smelting)

SECONDARYIMAEAKAK

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

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Chemicals & Industrial Materials/Electronic & High-Purity Chemicals

SECONDARYIMADACAE

Architectural & Miscellaneous Metals (Stairs, Railings, Ladders)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Building Materials & Products/Structural Steel & Metal Building Products

SECONDARYIMAEAMAC

Metalworking Fluids (Cutting, Grinding & Forming)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Chemicals & Industrial Materials/Lubricants & Industrial Fluids

Keywords

• Clad metals manufacturing
• Thermostatic bimetal
• Metallurgical bonding services
• Nickel alloy products
• Toll metal processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Attleboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Specialty Clad Metal Products: EMS manufactures and sells engineered clad metal products — including clad strip, thermostatic bimetal, stamped parts, coils, and assemblies — to OEM and Tier 1 manufacturers across automotive, battery, appliance, consumer electronics, cookware, electrical distribution, and industrial markets. Revenue is generated through direct sales of material in coil, sheet, and fabricated part form, typically under long-term supply agreements with price schedules and quantity tolerances.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Engineered Materials Solutions manufactures engineered clad metals, thermostatic bimetals, nickel and nickel alloy strips/foils, and stamped metal parts for OEM and Tier 1 customers. The company combines dissimilar metals through proprietary metallurgical bonding processes (including Pressure Temperature Bonding invented in 1952) to deliver materials with combined thermal, electrical, joining, corrosion resistance, and lightweighting properties. It also offers toll processing, prototyping, and precision stamping/assembly services.

Product overview

Engineered Materials Solutions (EMS) is a specialty clad metals manufacturer with over 100 years of history (founded 1916), now part of the Wickeder Group. The company operates as a materials engineering platform organized around three core product families: (1) Clad Metal products including SIGMACLAD® (5-layer Ni/SS/Cu/SS/Ni battery busbar material), general clad metals via PT Bonding/warm bonding/inlay/side-to-side cladding, and specialty configurations such as Cu/Invar/Cu, Copper Clad Aluminum, Aluminum Clad Stainless, Triclad, Corelok®, Conflex®, CopperPlus™, and Durafoil™/Dieselfoil™; (2) Thermostatic Bimetal products (including Electrical Grade and Discgrade variants) for thermal control and circuit protection; and (3) Nickel & Nickel Alloys covering nickel-iron, nickel-copper, nickel-chrome materials, metallic foils, and welding materials. Supporting these product lines, EMS provides comprehensive toll processing services (cladding, rolling, annealing, cleaning, slitting, brazing) and stamped parts/coil/assembly fabrication. A 2024 acquisition of Thin Metal Parts added precision micro-components via laser cutting, photochemical etching, and electroforming. EMS also offers Clad-Shield™ EMI/RFI shielding materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SIGMACLAD®: High-performance 5-layer clad material (Ni/SS/Cu/SS/Ni) designed for busbars in Li-Ion Battery Packs.
• CopperPlus™
• Corelok®
• Durafoil™
• Dieselfoil™
• Conflex®

Products and services

• SIGMACLAD® A proprietary 5-layer clad material (Ni/SS/Cu/SS/Ni) designed for busbars in Li-Ion battery packs, combining copper's electrical/thermal conductivity with stainless steel's weldability and outer nickel's corrosion resistance. Used by EV, power tool, e-bike, drone, and energy storage system manufacturers.
• Clad Metal Metallurgically bonded dissimilar metal composites produced via PT Bonding, warm bonding, inlay cladding, and side-to-side cladding. Used in applications requiring combined thermal, electrical, joining, corrosion resistance, and weight properties across automotive, battery, appliance, and electronics markets.
• Thermostatic Bimetal Precision-clad strips that expand or contract predictably with temperature changes for thermal regulation, circuit protection, and temperature-controlled actuation in appliances, automotive, HVAC, and consumer electronics.
• Discgrade Bimetal Thermostatic bimetal optimized for disc and stamped parts used in motor protection and safety-critical control devices for appliances (washing machines, dryers, dishwashers) and industrial equipment.
• Electrical Grade Bimetal Thermostatic bimetal grades used as activating elements in residential and industrial circuit breakers for electrical safety and protection applications.
• Nickel & Nickel Alloys Portfolio of nickel, nickel-iron, nickel-copper, and nickel-chrome alloys available in strip, foil, and specialty forms for corrosion-resistant, electrical, and thermal applications.
• Metallic Foils Precision thin metal foils for specialized applications including brazing, shielding, and microelectronics, available in various alloys and tempers.
• Welding Materials Bonded clad metal products designed for welding and joining applications, providing metallurgically optimized material combinations for efficient fabrication.
• Titanium Brazing Foils Titanium-based brazing foil materials developed for brazing titanium and titanium alloys in aerospace, jet engine exhaust, and industrial heat exchanger applications.
• Toll Processing Services Comprehensive metal processing services including cladding (cold rolled up to 4 layers/26" width, warm cladding, inlay and edge cladding), Sendzimir rolling to gauges as low as .001", strand and batch annealing, pickling and aqueous cleaning, slitting down to 1/8" widths, vacuum brazing, and stamping/assembly.
• Stamped Parts, Coils & Assemblies Precision fabrication services including stamping from 30-200 ton presses, coil winding, precision assembly, forming, welding, surface finishing, tumbling, polishing, and electroplating for clad metal components.
• Clad-Shield™ EMI/RFI Shielding EMI and RFI shielding materials combining high-permeability and high-conductivity metal layers to attenuate both magnetic and electric fields across broad frequency ranges for enclosures, cans, covers, and gaskets.
• EMS Thin Metal Parts Micro component production subsidiary acquired in 2024, specializing in laser cutting, photochemical etching, and electroforming for aerospace, defense, optics, medical, and other precision industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• SigmaClad® can be lower cost than pure Nickel and competitive with Nickel Plated Steel while providing superior electrical and thermal conductivity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Auerhammer MetallwerkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Sister company within the Wickeder Group that co-exhibited with EMS at the International Battery Seminar 2025 at Booth #112, representing the combined Wickeder Group presence.
• Thin Metal Parts (Colorado)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Acquired by EMS in 2024, Thin Metal Parts in Colorado Springs specializes in micro components production using laser cutting, photochemical etching, and electroforming for aerospace, defense, optics, medical, and other industries.
• Wickeder Group Asia (WGA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Wickeder Group Asia Company Limited, established in 2007 in Baoying County, China, operates as a subsidiary using EMS manufacturing technologies to produce thermostatic bimetal and clad metals for Asian customers with short lead times. Managed by C.W. Kong (General Manager).
• Technical Materials, Inc. (TMP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as a partner site on EMS's International Battery Seminar 2025 blog post for more on engineered materials, suggesting a collaborative ecosystem relationship within the Wickeder Group network or affiliated companies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Materion Corporation: Materion is a US-based specialty engineered materials producer with significant overlap in clad metals, beryllium products, and advanced alloys serving aerospace, automotive, energy, and electronics markets — directly competing with EMS in engineered material solutions.
• Olin Brass: Olin Brass (a division of Global Brass and Copper Holdings, now part of Aurubis) manufactures copper and copper alloy strip, sheet, and clad products serving similar electrical, automotive, and industrial markets as EMS.
• Lebronze Alloys: Lebronze Alloys is a French specialty copper alloy producer offering rolled, drawn, and clad copper products for electrical, automotive, and industrial applications, with overlap in clad strip and battery interconnect materials.
• Toyo Seihaku (Toyohashi Special Metal): Toyo Seihaku is a Japanese specialty clad metals manufacturer producing bimetal strips, clad materials, and thermostatic bimetals for automotive, electrical, and industrial applications — directly overlapping with EMS's thermostatic bimetal and clad metal portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Wieland Group: Wieland is a German global leader in copper and copper alloy products including rolled, drawn, and clad copper products. As a German-headquartered specialty metals incumbent, it competes with Wickeder Group and EMS in copper-based clad materials for electrical and battery applications.
• KME Group: KME is a European copper products manufacturer producing rolled, extruded, and clad copper products. It competes with EMS in copper-based clad materials for electrical distribution, battery, and industrial applications.
• Mitsubishi Materials Corporation: Mitsubishi Materials is a Japanese diversified materials producer with significant operations in clad metals, copper products, and specialty alloys. It serves battery, automotive, and electronics markets comparable to EMS.
• Heraeus Holding: Heraeus is a German specialty metals and materials technology group producing precious metals, clad materials, and electronic materials serving automotive, electronics, and industrial markets — competing with EMS in advanced clad metal applications.
• AMETEK: AMETEK is a diversified US manufacturer with specialty metal products divisions including electronic metals and engineered materials, competing with EMS in high-performance clad and alloy strip products.

Emerging players

• ACI Alloys: ACI Alloys is a smaller US-based specialty metals distributor and processor offering clad and plated metal products to industrial, electronics, and research customers — overlapping with EMS on smaller-volume clad material supply.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/engineered-materials-solutions
• Xx.com/ems_llc18

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Engineered Materials Solutions