pro-beam
pro-beam is a German electron beam technology specialist serving automotive, aerospace, defense, energy, medical and big-science customers in 40+ countries with welding, hardening, micro-drilling, diadur® DLC coating, and metal additive manufacturing systems and contract manufacturing services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersGilching, Germany
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What pro-beam does
pro-beam GmbH & Co. KGaA is a German electron beam technology specialist headquartered in Gilching and founded in 1974 by Dr. h.c. Dietrich Freiherr von Dobeneck. The company operates exclusively in electron beam processes, offering welding, hardening, micro-drilling/perforating, surface coating (proprietary diadur® DLC), and since 2020 metal additive manufacturing through two technology tracks: powder-bed electron beam melting (PB EBM 30S with BuildUnits and RainTec spot strategy) and wire-based directed energy deposition (PB WEBAM 100 with POWERCUBE supply unit). The underlying process directs a focused electron beam in vacuum with 100% digital control, enabling narrow, distortion-free welds on challenging materials such as titanium, copper and dissimilar metal combinations, with components ranging from grams to 100 tons processed at the Burg site.
The business runs on three revenue streams: contract manufacturing services (Auftragsfertigung) at German and Chinese sites, sales of custom-built EB machines and AM systems via the pro-beam systems GmbH and pro-beam additive GmbH subsidiaries, and recurring after-sales service, maintenance and modernization. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales through wholly-owned subsidiaries in Germany (Gilching, Stollberg, Burg), China (Suzhou, Changzhou) and the USA (Lombard, IL), supplemented by global agents, reaching customers in 40+ countries. End markets are diversified across automotive and e-mobility (copper hairpins, battery components), aerospace and defense (NADCAP-certified welding), energy technology (including ITER fusion components and Pro-Fusion association activity), medical technology, mechanical and plant engineering, food and beverage filtration, and big-science research. Reported revenue is EUR 72 million with 430 employees as of 2023-2024.
Pricing is custom quotation-based across both equipment and contract manufacturing, with no public list pricing, and the company has accumulated an unusually dense set of industry certifications (NADCAP, EN 9100, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, DIN EN 15085-2, ISO 3834-2, AD 2000-HP0, TISAX, DIN 2303-Q1-Q2-Q4) that act as qualification barriers in regulated verticals. The company is privately held with no disclosed external investors and is led by Managing Directors Dr. Thorsten Löwer and Nicolas Frhr. v. Wolff.
pro-beam firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- pro-beam
- Legal name
- pro-beam GmbH & Co. KGaA
- Website
- https://pro-beam.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- pro-beam is a German electron beam technology specialist serving automotive, aerospace, defense, energy, medical and big-science customers in 40+ countries with welding, hardening, micro-drilling, diadur® DLC coating, and metal additive manufacturing systems and contract manufacturing services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
pro-beam industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Electron Beam Equipment Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)
- SIC
- Sheet Metal Work (3444)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Welding & Plasma Power Supplies (Industrial welders, cutting power sources) (IMAGADAI)
Keywords
Where pro-beam is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gilching
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
pro-beam business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Contract Manufacturing (Auftragsfertigung): Job-shop contract manufacturing services for electron beam welding, perforating/micro drilling, hardening, and coating. Modern machinery parks with extensive know-how. Services offered for components from grams to 100 tons at Burg location. Includes Big Science welding for large research projects.
- Custom Machine / System Sales: Design, development, and sale of custom electron beam machines including welding systems, EBM and WEBAM additive manufacturing systems, hardening machines, perforating machines, and UMH (Uniform Magnetic Heating) systems. Machines sold with POWERCUBE supply units and BuildUnits.
- Customer Service, Maintenance & Modernization: Comprehensive after-sales service for machines including maintenance, repair, and modernization measures. Service offered globally from all locations including dedicated service hotlines by discipline.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom quotation-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels11 records
pro-beam product offering
Product offeringCore offering
pro-beam develops, manufactures, and sells custom electron beam machines and systems for welding, hardening, micro-drilling/perforating, and additive manufacturing (EBM and wire-based DED). It also operates contract manufacturing (Auftragsfertigung) job-shop services using its own electron beam equipment, producing components ranging from grams to 100 tons for industrial customers and large scientific projects such as ITER. The company additionally offers proprietary diadur® DLC surface coating technology and global after-sales service, maintenance, and modernization.
Product overview
pro-beam is an electron beam technology company offering a portfolio of additive manufacturing systems and electron beam welding/hardening/perforating machines, along with contract manufacturing services. The core products include PB WEBAM 100 (wire-based DED additive manufacturing), PB EBM 30S (powder bed EBM additive manufacturing), and a range of welding machines (K series, RT 165, Gearline E-beam), hardening machines, perforating machines (PK 20), and UMH heating systems (S-/M-/L-Line). Supporting technologies include BuildUnits for parallel processing and RainTec spot strategy. Services include electron beam welding, perforating, hardening, and diadur® DLC coating. The company operates as both equipment manufacturer and contract manufacturer.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- diadur®: Proprietary DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) surface coating technology offered as part of pro-beam's coating services for surface finishing and wear protection.
Products and services
- PB WEBAM 100 Electron beam system for wire-based directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing of metal components, consisting of a process unit with vacuum chamber and a compact POWERCUBE supply unit. Designed for flexible and material-efficient production of large metal components, including demanding materials.
- PB EBM 30S Powder-bed electron beam melting (EBM) system for additive manufacturing of small, highly detailed metal components. Features BuildUnits for parallel processing, an airlock and Transport Unit for maximized build chamber utilization, acceleration voltage up to 150 kV, and isochoric powder heating.
- K 2 Compact electron beam welding machine for various component sizes.
- K 40
- K 640
- K 6000
- RT 165 Schweißen
- RT 165 Härten
- Gearline E-beam
- PK 20
- S-/M-/L-Line UMH Systems
- diadur® DLC Coating Proprietary diadur® DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) plasma surface coating for surface finishing and wear protection of metal components.
- Electron Beam Welding Contract Manufacturing (Industry)
- Electron Beam Perforating (Micro Drilling) Contract Manufacturing
- Electron Beam Hardening Contract Manufacturing
- diadur® DLC Coating Contract Manufacturing
Quantifiable outcome
- BuildUnits parallel processing delivers 100% productivity increase compared to systems without BuildUnit modules
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use pro-beam
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
pro-beam technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
pro-beam partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Pro-Fusion (Industrial Association for Fusion Energy)corepro-beam is a founding member of Pro-Fusion, an industrial association for commercial fusion energy in Germany. Founding members include Bilfinger Nuclear & Energy Transition, Focused Energy, Framatome, MAN Energy Solutions, Marvel Fusion, Proxima Fusion, ProZukunft, RI Research Instruments, Rolf Kind, Siemens Energy, and Thiele Technologie. Pro-Fusion aims to shape public opinion on fusion energy, serve as contact for politics and media, and develop the fusion economic ecosystem. On June 6, 2024, representatives met in Nuremberg to officially found the association.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves15 records
Expansion highlights6 records
pro-beam competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Velo3D: U.S.-based metal AM systems maker focused on large-format laser powder bed fusion for aerospace and defense. Competes with pro-beam in the same AM serial-production use cases and similar aerospace/defense certifications race.
- Cambridge Vacuum Engineering: UK-based specialist in vacuum and electron beam welding systems for nuclear, aerospace, and power generation — directly comparable in Big Science welding scope to pro-beam's ITER and energy segment.
Broad incumbents
- ALD Vacuum Technologies: German competitor providing vacuum metallurgy and electron beam melting/welding equipment for aerospace, medical, and energy applications. Comparable size, German industrial heritage, and adjacent technology stack.
- Lincoln Electric: Global leader in welding products and arc welding equipment (Kjellberg, Harris-branded), with a broader portfolio than pro-beam but overlapping on industrial welding customer base in automotive, energy, and heavy industry.
- Mitsubishi Electric (e-beam / EDM): Mitsubishi Electric's Power Device Works and related divisions produce electron beam systems and EDM equipment, and the group competes with pro-beam in Japan/Asia for electron-beam welding and surface treatment of advanced components.
Direct peers
- GE Additive (Arcam / Concept Laser): GE Additive consolidates Arcam (electron beam melting PBF — the closest historical competitor to pro-beam's EBM tech) and Concept Laser (laser PBF). Competes directly with pro-beam in the regulated aerospace and medical metal AM segments.
- Nikon SLM Solutions: Metal additive manufacturing systems maker specializing in multi-laser powder bed fusion, now part of Nikon. Competes with pro-beam in serial-production metal AM for aerospace and automotive, especially for larger parts.
- EOS GmbH: German-founded global leader in metal additive manufacturing (DMLS/SLS), operating in the same industrial metal AM space as pro-beam's PB EBM 30S, with comparable aerospace and automotive customer base.
- TRUMPF: German-headquartered global leader in industrial lasers, laser welding systems, and additive manufacturing. Directly competes with pro-beam in industrial welding equipment and metal AM, targeting the same automotive, aerospace, and energy customers.
- Sciaky Inc. U.S.-based specialist in electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM wire-based DED), the closest direct technology competitor to pro-beam's PB WEBAM 100. Targets aerospace, defense, and energy applications and competes head-to-head in EB-based metal AM.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
pro-beam social profiles
Digital presencepro-beam compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance10 records
pro-beam financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
pro-beam leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
pro-beam subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
pro-beam funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
pro-beam M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about pro-beam
What does pro-beam do?
pro-beam develops, manufactures, and sells custom electron beam machines and systems for welding, hardening, micro-drilling/perforating, and additive manufacturing (EBM and wire-based DED). It also operates contract manufacturing (Auftragsfertigung) job-shop services using its own electron beam equipment, producing components ranging from grams to 100 tons for industrial customers and large scientific projects such as ITER. The company additionally offers proprietary diadur® DLC surface coating technology and global after-sales service, maintenance, and modernization.
Is pro-beam a public or private company?
pro-beam is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was pro-beam founded?
pro-beam was founded in 1974. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is pro-beam based?
pro-beam is headquartered in Gilching, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does pro-beam make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Contract Manufacturing (Auftragsfertigung) is the primary driver. The others are custom Machine / System Sales and customer Service, Maintenance & Modernization.
Who are pro-beam's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Velo3D and Cambridge Vacuum Engineering. Broad incumbents are ALD Vacuum Technologies, Lincoln Electric and Mitsubishi Electric (e-beam / EDM). Direct peers are GE Additive (Arcam / Concept Laser), Nikon SLM Solutions, EOS GmbH, TRUMPF and Sciaky Inc..
Does pro-beam have an API?
No public API is recorded for pro-beam.
What industry is pro-beam in?
pro-beam's product category is Industrial Electron Beam Equipment Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGADAI, Welding & Plasma Power Supplies (Industrial welders, cutting power sources). Its NAICS code is 3339 and its SIC code is 3444.