New Materials Fuerth

What New Materials Fuerth does

Neue Materialien Fürth GmbH (NMF) is a Bavarian state-backed research and development services provider founded in 2000/2001 under the Free State of Bavaria's High-Tech Initiative and headquartered at the Uferstadt technology campus in Fürth, Germany. The company develops materials and manufacturing process technologies across seven core domains: Electron Beam Melting (EBM), Casting Technology (including Thixomolding®, cold-chamber die casting and the DirCom composite process), granulate-based 3D printing, Polymer Technology (thermoplastic composites and hybrids), Temconex® Powder Metallurgy, Forming Technology, and Networked Production (IoT/ML-enabled digital manufacturing). NMF employs a team of 50+ technicians and engineers supported by named scientific directors drawn from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), giving the firm a hybrid academic-industrial structure.

The company operates 3,000+ m² of testing facilities across four technology laboratories, including a newly opened Laboratory 4 (2024) for quality-assured digital additive manufacturing. Notable proprietary technology includes the Temconex® continuous powder extrusion trademark (a further development of the Conform™ process achieving 100% density semi-finished products from metallic powders) and process know-how in CCM (Continuous Compression Moulding), DirCom composite casting, and 650-ton Thixomolding® magnesium processing. Capital expenditure is largely underwritten by the Free State of Bavaria and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

NMF generates revenue primarily through project-based R&D services billed on a time-and-materials basis with agreed cost ceilings, plus a technology licensing stream that grants exclusive usage rights to client-funded IP for an additional fee. Its customer base spans manufacturing enterprises (pro beam, Teubert Maschinenbau), professional services firms (d-fine) and public-sector research clients, with go-to-market executed through direct project engagement, industry trade shows (EUROGUSS, Formnext, JEC World) and partner referrals. There are no external venture or private equity investors; NMF functions as a privately held, state-funded applied research institution.

Name

New Materials Fuerth

Legal name

Neue Materialien Fürth GmbH

Website

https://nmfgmbh.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Neue Materialien Fürth GmbH is a Bavarian state-backed R&D services provider that develops materials and manufacturing process technologies across seven domains (EBM, casting, granulate-based 3D printing, polymers, powder metallurgy, forming, networked production), bridging FAU academic research with industrial manufacturing clients via project-based services and technology licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Materials R&D Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Process & Application Development (DfAM, Parameter Development) (IMAAAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Consulting, Advisory & Technology Transfer (AM Adoption) (IMAAAJAK), Conferences, Workshops & Industry Events (AM Knowledge Sharing) (IMAAAJAL)

Keywords

• Materials science R&D
• Additive manufacturing services
• Powder metallurgy technology
• Casting technology development
• Polymer processing research

Headquarters

HQ city

Fürth

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. R&D Project Services: Research and development projects for private and public sector customers. Services include product development from idea to prototype, consulting, and technology transfer. Billing is typically time and materials-based with agreed cost ceilings, or fixed price where specified. Customers receive non-exclusive rights to work product, with optional exclusive rights available for additional fees.
2. Technology Licensing: Customers can obtain exclusive usage rights to intellectual property developed in their projects for specific applications, for an additional fee. NMF retains non-exclusive rights for its statutory purposes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Neue Materialien Fürth GmbH (NMF) is a state-funded Bavarian research institution that provides contract R&D services for materials and manufacturing processes, bridging academic research with industrial application. Its offerings span seven technology areas — electron beam melting, casting technology, granulate-based 3D printing, polymer technology, Temconex® powder metallurgy, forming technology, and networked production — delivered as project-based development work from product idea through prototype production on a 3,000+ m² testing facility.

Product overview

Neue Materialien Fürth GmbH (NMF) is a Bavarian research institution that serves as a development partner for materials and manufacturing processes, bridging academic research with industrial applications. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of seven interconnected core technology areas: Elektronenstrahlschmelzen (Electron Beam Melting) for additive manufacturing of metals; Gießtechnik (Casting Technology) for light metals; Granulatbasierter 3D-Druck (Granule-based 3D Printing) for metals and ceramics; Kunststofftechnik (Polymer Technology) for thermoplastics and composites; Temconex® Pulvermetallurgie (Powder Metallurgy) for semi-finished metal products; Umformtechnik (Forming Technology) for lightweight components; and Vernetzte Produktion (Networked Production) for digital manufacturing. Operating from a 3,000 m² testing facility, NMF provides end-to-end R&D services from product idea through prototype production, targeting industrial clients seeking to innovate materials and manufacturing processes with reduced risk.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electron Beam Melting (Elektronenstrahlschmelzen) Development of selective electron beam powder bed fusion (EBM) for metallic high-performance materials. Focus areas include further development of plant/anlage technology, processing of advanced alloys, and material-specific process development for electron beam-based additive manufacturing, delivered as project R&D to industrial clients.
• Casting Technology (Gießtechnik) Development and optimization of modern casting processes for demanding lightweight components from magnesium, aluminum, and zinc alloys. Covers Thixomolding® (magnesium injection molding), cold chamber die casting, and the DirCom special process for particle- and short-fiber-reinforced composite materials, delivered to industrial clients as contract R&D.
• Granulate-based 3D Printing (Granulatbasierter 3D-Druck) Production of metal and ceramic components through a fully quality-assured, digitally networked additive manufacturing chain — from granulate through 3D printing, debinding, and sintering to post-processing — enabling cost-efficient, high-precision production with minimal waste for industrial clients.
• Polymer Technology (Kunststofftechnik) Development and processing of large-area composite components based on thermoplastic material systems, including functionalized fiber composite semi-finished products, sandwich laminates on mono-matrix basis, and metal-thermoplastic hybrids. Uses advanced manufacturing processes and tailored material systems to deliver sustainable, lightweight, high-performance components at industrial scale.
• Temconex® Powder Metallurgy (Pulvermetallurgie) Continuous powder extrusion process (Temconex®) with precise die temperature control for producing high-density semi-finished products — wires, profiles, rods, and tubes — from metallic powders, granules, or recycling materials. A further development of the Conform™ process achieving 100% density, excellent mechanical properties, and very good surface quality. Capable of processing aluminum, copper, titanium, and silver alloys, as well as fiber- or particle-reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs).
• Forming Technology (Umformtechnik) Development of innovative lightweight and hybrid components using novel sheet, bulk, and sheet-bulk forming processes, focused on aluminum alloys, high-strength steels, titanium, and magnesium for sheet metal lightweight construction. Combines modern forming processes with comprehensive material characterization and computer-aided methods to deliver tailored lightweight solutions.
• Networked Production (Vernetzte Produktion) Application of digitalization, IoT, Edge-Computing, Machine Learning, and humanoid robotics to manufacturing processes to improve efficiency, transparency, and resource efficiency. Delivers optimized production workflows, Predictive Maintenance, data-driven decisions, and tailored assistance systems for clients' complex manufacturing environments.
• R&D Project Services End-to-end project R&D services for private and public sector clients covering product development from idea to prototype, consulting, and technology transfer. Billing is time and materials-based with agreed cost ceilings, or fixed price where specified. Clients receive non-exclusive rights to work product, with optional exclusive usage rights available for additional fees.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Diehl-Metall FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Cooperation agreement with the Diehl-Metall Foundation for the purchase of a 650-ton clamping force injection molding machine and expanded expertise in magnesium processing at Laboratory 2 (opened 2008).
• Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose institutional collaboration with FAU providing scientific leadership through professors in additive manufacturing (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Carolin Körner), polymer technology (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Drummer), forming technology (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Marion Merklein), and casting technology (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Müller).
• Teubert Maschinenbau GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term strategic partnership for development of CCM (Continuous Compression Moulding) technologies, combining scientific know-how with efficient machine design for customer innovation needs.
• pro beamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on development of next-generation EBM (Electron Beam Melting) technology, with NMF supporting both fundamental development and implementation of customer requirements in machine technology.
• d-fineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation on projects at the interface of research and production, with d-fine valuing NMF's deep technical expertise combined with market understanding through close industry ties.
• BOLE Europe Technology Co. LTD.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFuture cooperation in the area of thermoplastic processing mentioned in company news, expanding digitalization strategy in this technology domain.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC): UK applied research center for manufacturing process development with strong AM and digital production capabilities. Comparable industry-partner R&D model to NMF, though younger and focused on the UK manufacturing base.

Broad incumbents

• Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM): Germany's federal materials research and testing authority, covering materials characterization, safety, and standards across many domains. Overlaps with NMF's testing and characterization activities but at much larger scale and broader scope.

Direct peers

• Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology (IWS) Dresden: Materials and components institute with strong additive manufacturing and powder-bed process expertise. Comparable to NMF's EBM, powder metallurgy, and networked production portfolio, competing for industrial R&D mandates in Saxony and beyond.
• Aachener Zentrum für integrativen Leichtbau (AZL): RWTH Aachen's lightweight production and composites center, providing industry-partner-driven R&D across polymers, metals, and hybrid structures. Mirrors NMF's role as an industry-academia bridge with state and industrial co-funding.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials (IWM): Fraunhofer institute focused on materials characterization, component reliability, and forming/casting simulation. Comparable to NMF's forming technology and lightweight components work, with deeper federal funding base.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Additive Production Technologies (IAPT): Specialized Fraunhofer institute for industrial additive manufacturing process development and qualification. Directly comparable to NMF's AM and process-development activities, with broader funding base and similar industry-academic positioning.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM): One of Germany's largest applied research institutes for materials science, shaping, and AM. Like NMF, IFAM bridges university-level research and industrial application with state co-funding, competing for the same industrial R&D budgets in casting, forming, and additive manufacturing.

Regional players

• LKR Leichtmetallkompetenzzentrum Ranshofen: Austrian light-metals research center focused on aluminum, magnesium, and casting. Comparable to NMF's casting technology (Gießtechnik) and Thixomolding capabilities, but operating primarily for Austrian industrial clients.
• Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology): Switzerland's federal materials and technology research lab with comparable applied-research, industry-collaboration, and additive manufacturing focus. Plays a similar industry-academic bridge role in a different national geography.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finland's state-owned applied research organization with materials and manufacturing technology programs. Comparable in mission and funding model, serving Nordic industrial clients rather than the Bavarian Mittelstand.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about New Materials Fuerth