DUROtherm Plastics Processing

What DUROtherm Plastics Processing does

DUROtherm Plastics Processing is a privately held German thermoforming group founded in 1968 in Haiterbach (Black Forest region) and now one of the largest thermoforming companies in Europe. The group operates 380 employees across seven production facilities at six locations — Haiterbach and Lindlar in Germany, Pfullingen in Germany (Grauer Formenbau), Krupka in the Czech Republic, Sennwald in Switzerland (Crisco Formtechnik AG), and a presence in the USA through ID Plastics, LP — supported by a parent ownership under the swissplast group.

The company's core technologies are Single-Sheet Thermoforming (format sizes up to 4,200 x 2,500 mm), Twin-Sheet Thermoforming (with format sizes including 4,000 x 2,500 x 850 mm — among the largest in Europe), PUR/RIM foam technology for foaming twin-sheet components to improve mechanical, thermal, and acoustic properties, and the proprietary RUNbyROBOT automated thermoforming system. The hybrid-systems investment in 2025 — described as the largest single capex in company history — extends PUR-process capacity to parts up to 4,000 x 2,500 x 1,000 mm. Quality is anchored by ISO 9001, IATF 16949 (automotive), ISO 14001, and EMAS certifications, and the company operates Europe's largest deep-drawing machine (since 1998).

DUROtherm sells to enterprise OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers across automotive (primary), agricultural machinery, rail, aviation, mechanical engineering, caravanning, medical technology, sanitary/HVAC, packaging, and other industrial verticals, with customers described as "market leaders" in their respective industries. The business model is project-based custom manufacturing with revenue derived from (a) serial production of thermoformed and PUR/RIM foam parts, (b) modular service packages covering design, engineering, prototyping, tooling, and quality (DURObasic, DUROdesign, DUROquality, DUROgreen, DUROspeed), and (c) logistics/delivery services including piece-accurate, JIT, and JIS delivery (DUROexact, DUROflex, DUROtime). GTM is enterprise field sales with dedicated Key Account Management, Business Development Management, and project-based engagement from concept through series production; pricing is custom and not publicly disclosed, with the only quantified benchmark being RUNbyROBOT at up to 10% lower cost than market rates for batch sizes from 150 units.

Name

DUROtherm Plastics Processing

Legal name

DUROtherm Holding GmbH

Website

https://durotherm.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DUROtherm Plastics Processing is a German thermoforming manufacturer (founded 1968) producing custom Single-Sheet, Twin-Sheet, PUR/RIM foam, and automated (RUNbyROBOT) plastic parts for enterprise OEMs across automotive, rail, aviation, medical, agricultural, and industrial machinery sectors from seven plants in six countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plastic Thermforming Manufacturing

NAICS

Urethane and Other Foam Product (except Polystyrene) Manufacturing (32615)

SIC

Plastics Foam Products (3086)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Thermoforming & Contract Manufacturing (IMANAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Thermoformed Packaging (Food, Beverage & Consumer Goods) (IMANAHAA), Thermoforming Machinery & Automation (IMANAHAK)

Keywords

• Plastic thermoforming manufacturing
• Industrial plastic components
• Vacuum formed plastic parts
• Automotive plastic parts
• PUR foam molding

Headquarters

HQ city

Haiterbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Serial Production of Thermoformed Parts: Efficient series production with the highest quality standards. Manufacturing of thermoformed plastic parts and PUR/RIM foam parts for various industries including automotive, aviation, rail, medical technology, and more. Production follows ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 quality standards.
2. Service Packages (Design, Engineering, Prototyping, Tooling): Modular service packages covering the entire product lifecycle: DURObasic (project management, feasibility studies, prototyping, tool contracting), DUROdesign (consulting, planning, development, construction, material specifications), DUROquality (quality assurance, initial sample inspection reports, first article inspection per customer requirements), DUROgreen (sustainability services including CO2 accounting, Next-Loop services, PCR materials), DUROspeed (accelerated delivery through supplier selection and 24/7 processing).
3. Logistics and Delivery Services: Series production logistics including DUROexact (piece-accurate deliveries, intermediate storage, order picking), DUROflex (capacity utilization as buffer or material storage, flexible order quantities and dates), DUROtime (on-time deliveries via Just-in-Time or Just-in-Sequence principles).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DUROtherm is a thermoforming manufacturer that designs and produces precision plastic components using Single-Sheet and Twin-Sheet thermoforming as well as PUR/RIM foam technology. The company delivers parts and load carriers from concept through design, engineering, prototyping, tooling, and serial production, operating an automated manufacturing system (RUNbyROBOT) with format sizes up to 4,200 x 2,500 mm. It supplies industrial OEM customers across automotive, aviation, rail, medical technology, agricultural machinery, construction machinery, caravanning, sanitary/heating/climate (SHK), and packaging sectors.

Product overview

DUROtherm is a leading European thermoforming company offering a comprehensive portfolio of manufacturing technologies and service packages. The core offerings include Single-Sheet-Thermoforming (up to 4,200 x 2,500 mm), Twin-Sheet-Thermoforming (with format sizes up to 4,000 x 2,500 x 850 mm), PUR-Schaumtechnik/RIM-Technik, and the automated RUNbyROBOT system. Their services span five phases: Design, Engineering, Prototyping, Tooling, and Series production. Service packages include DURObasic, DUROdesign, DUROquality, DUROgreen, DUROspeed for development/delivery, and DUROexact, DUROflex, DUROtime for serial production. The company operates across 7 facilities at 6 locations serving industries including automotive, agriculture, rail, aviation, mechanical engineering, caravanning, medical technology, and HVAC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DURObasic: Package including project management, feasibility studies, prototyping, tool contracts, and fixture and tool construction based on provided data, drawings and material specifications.
• DUROdesign
• DUROquality
• DUROgreen
• DUROspeed
• DUROexact
• DUROflex
• DUROtime
• RUNbyROBOT

Products and services

• Single-Sheet Thermoforming Manufacturing capability that forms individual plastic sheets using modern thermoforming machinery with form sizes up to 4,200 x 2,500 mm, offering flexibility in component design and material selection for industrial OEM customers.
• Twin-Sheet Thermoforming Manufacturing capability that forms two plastic sheets simultaneously in one operation to create hollow components with high strength, complex geometries, and reduced weight, available in format sizes up to 4,000 x 2,500 x 850 mm.
• PUR-Schaumtechnik / RIM-Technik PUR foam and Reaction Injection Molding technology for twin-sheet components that improves mechanical properties including impact resistance, thermal insulation, and acoustic insulation, enabling lightweight construction with high stability.
• RUNbyROBOT Fully automated thermoforming manufacturing system offering up to 10% cost efficiency versus market rates compared to injection molding, with faster time-to-market, consistent high quality, and design flexibility for batch sizes starting at 150 units.
• DURObasic Service package covering project management, feasibility studies, prototyping, tool contracts, and fixture/tool construction based on customer data, drawings, and material specifications.
• DUROdesign Comprehensive design and engineering service covering consultation, planning, development, construction, creation of data, drawings, material specifications, and application engineering including FMEA.
• DUROquality Quality assurance service covering initial sample production, initial sample inspection reports, first article inspection per IATF and VDA 6.3, measurement protocols, and process capability analyses.
• DUROgreen Sustainability service package featuring CO2 accounting, Next-Loop services, and use of PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) materials.
• DUROspeed Accelerated delivery service leveraging preferred supplier relationships, 24/7 processing, in-house tool and mold making, and 3D printing to minimize lead times.
• DUROexact Precision serial production service guaranteeing exact piece deliveries, warehousing, order picking, and series quality monitoring per IATF specifications with documentation.
• DUROflex

Quantifiable outcome

• 10% more cost-effective than market for automated thermoforming with batch sizes starting at 150 units
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments16 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Menschik GmbH & Co KGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Company acquired by DUROtherm in 2024. The Lindlar facility is associated with this acquisition.
• TWIN-TEC Packaging GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Packaging-focused company spun off from DUROtherm in 2020. Specializes in packaging solutions using thermoforming technology.
• Crisco Formtechnik AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Swiss thermoforming company based in Sennwald, Switzerland. Acquired by DUROtherm in 2007. Extends DUROtherm's presence into the Swiss market.
• swissplast groupminorOthersThe assets of DUROtherm in Lindlar and Haiterbach were taken over by the swissplast group. This represents an ownership/investment relationship rather than a commercial partnership.
• Grauer Formenbau GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMold making company based in Pfullingen, Germany. Acquired by DUROtherm in 2020. Provides mold making capabilities that complement DUROtherm's thermoforming operations.
• ID Plastics, LPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the DUROtherm group. Located in the USA, extending DUROtherm's geographic reach beyond Europe.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Röchling Group: Large German plastics processor with deep thermoforming capabilities across industrial and automotive segments. Directly comparable as a European, family-owned plastics manufacturer serving similar industrial customers with thermoformed and machined plastic components.
• Georg Utz AG: Swiss-headquartered plastics manufacturer specializing in thermoformed reusable containers, pallets, and technical parts. Comparable in scale, European footprint, and thermoforming focus, with overlap in industrial/automotive applications.
• Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH: German manufacturer of plastic processing machinery and thermoformed/blow-molded products serving automotive and industrial markets. Comparable in thermoforming technology and European automotive customer base.
• Rädlinger ZSK Group: German plastics and thermoforming manufacturer serving construction machinery, agricultural, and commercial vehicle customers. Directly comparable mid-sized thermoformer with vertical industrial focus.
• Tupack Verpackungen: German thermoformed packaging manufacturer serving food, medical, and industrial customers. Comparable on packaging thermoforming (TWIN-TEC Packaging) and European footprint.

Emerging players

• Cannon Group: Global supplier of PUR/foam and plastics processing equipment including RIM technology used by DUROtherm. Comparable on the PUR/RIM technology dimension though positioned as an equipment vendor rather than parts manufacturer.
• Hennecke Group: German manufacturer of PUR and RIM processing machinery and systems, overlapping with DUROtherm's PUR/RIM foam technology capabilities. Adjacent rather than direct competitor, but comparable on technology stack.

Broad incumbents

• Witte Automotive: German automotive supplier with plastics product lines including interior and functional components for OEMs. Broad incumbent that overlaps with DUROtherm's automotive thermoforming work as part of a wider portfolio.
• Huhtamaki (European operations): Global packaging company with significant thermoformed packaging operations in Europe. Broad incumbent whose food-service and consumer packaging operations directly overlap with TWIN-TEC Packaging.
• Sonoco Plastics: Global packaging manufacturer with thermoformed plastic products for industrial, medical, and consumer applications. Broad incumbent comparable on thermoformed packaging offerings though at much larger scale and broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries8 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 DUROtherm Plastics Processing