What pewag group does

pewag group is an Austrian-headquartered industrial manufacturing group, privately held under the Ägyd Pengg Privatstiftung, that produces and sells chains and chain-based components worldwide. The group's documented history traces back to a forging plant in Brückl in 1479, with the modern "pewag" brand name created in 1923 through the merger of the Graz and Kapfenberg plants; in 1912 the group produced the first snow chain worldwide. Today, pewag operates across six business segments — snow and forestry chains (A), hoist and conveyor chains (B), do-it-yourself (C), engineering/drive technology (D), lifting accessories and lashing chains (F), and tire protection chains (G) — plus a pelagus sub-brand covering fishing, aquaculture, and yachting (E).

The group's product technology is built on more than five centuries of forging heritage combined with modern process engineering, notably deep case hardening with tight dimensional tolerances and surface-hardness/core-toughness tuning for hoist and conveyor chains, and dense steel mesh tire-protection chains engineered for underground mining and high-mountain operations. Manufacturing sites are located in Austria (Brückl, Kapfenberg, Graz), the Czech Republic, France (via the 2009 acquisition of Chaineries Limousines S.A.S.), and the USA (first US manufacturing site founded in 2012), supported by international sales subsidiaries established since 1972.

pewag distributes through a multi-brand, multi-channel model: ten sub-brands (pewag, KWB, König, APEX Automotive, Taurean, peform, Terrier, Chaineries Limousines, LMS, Modulift) operate semi-independently in their respective markets, selling via direct field sales subsidiaries, brand-specific e-commerce sites, and a group-level online shop under pewag International GmbH. Pricing for industrial chains, lifting and lashing systems, and tire-protection products is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customers span passenger vehicles, trucks, special-purpose vehicles, emergency and military fleets, forestry operations, industrial OEMs (conveyor, hoisting, machine and plant engineering), transport and logistics operators, mining and high-mountain operators, DIY end-users, and marine/aquaculture buyers. Group-level certification across ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 50001, and 29993, plus ISO 29990 and LEEA references, supports procurement-grade customer requirements, and a stated goal of CO2-neutral production by 2030 anchors the sustainability agenda.

Name

pewag group

Legal name

pewag International GmbH

Website

https://pewag-group.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

pewag group is an Austrian privately held industrial manufacturer producing chains and chain-based components across six segments — snow, forestry, hoist/conveyor, DIY, lifting/lashing, tire protection, and marine — through ten sub-brands serving automotive, industrial OEM, mining, transport, and consumer markets worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Chain Manufacturing

NAICS

Other Building Material Dealers (44418), General Merchandise Retailers (455)

SIC

Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031), Wholesale-Lumber & Other Construction Materials (5030)

akta.pro primary industry

Pharmacy Front-End & Sundries Distribution (Health & Wellness, Personal Care, Convenience) (CRAOAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional Department Store Groups / Holding Companies (CRAGAFAG), Lawn & Garden Equipment Retail (Mowers, Trimmers, Blowers) (CRAIAIAA)

Keywords

• Industrial chain manufacturing
• Snow chain systems
• Hoist and conveyor chains
• Tire protection chains
• Lifting and lashing equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Klagenfurt

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial and consumer chain product sales: Core revenue from manufacturing and sale of chains across six segments: snow and forestry chains (Segment A), hoist and conveyor chains (Segment B), DIY products (Segment C), engineering/drive technology (Segment D), lifting accessories and lashing chains (Segment F), tire protection chains (Segment G), plus pewag pelagus for fishing, aquaculture and yachting (Segment E). Sold through brand-specific sites, group online shop and international sales subsidiaries.
2. Online shop / e-commerce sales: Direct online shop operated under pewag International GmbH, enabling registered users to order products and providing the group a direct digital sales channel.
3. Brand-specific specialized product sales: Specialized offerings through sub-brands KWB (hoisting technology), König (chain), APEX Automotive (automotive springs), Taurean, peform, Terrier (lifting clamps), Chaineries Limousines, LMS (load monitoring systems), Modulift — each operating independently in its market segment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

pewag group manufactures and sells chains and related components across seven business segments: snow and forestry chains (Segment A), hoist and conveyor chains (Segment B), do-it-yourself chain products (Segment C), engineering and drive technology components (Segment D), fishing, aquaculture and yachting chains under the pelagus brand (Segment E), lifting accessories and lashing chains (Segment F), and tire protection chains (Segment G). The group operates through ten sub-brands and reaches customers via direct sales subsidiaries, brand-specific sites and an online shop, serving industrial OEMs, transport operators, mining and extreme-condition operators, and end consumers for snow traction and DIY use.

Product overview

pewag group operates a multi-brand, multi-segment industrial product portfolio organized as a holding of independent sub-brands serving shared markets in chain-based safety solutions. It is not a single unified software product but a federation of product brands — pewag (snow, forestry, tire-protection, hoist/conveyor, lifting and lashing chains), KWB (hoist technology), König, APEX Automotive B.V. (automotive springs), Taurean, peform (forming and forging technology), Terrier (lifting clamps), Chaineries Limousines (chain manufacturing, acquired 2009), LMS (load monitoring systems) and Modulift (modular lifting) — delivering the group's six business segments: Snow- and Forestry Chains (A), Hoist- and Conveyor Chains (B), Do-It-Yourself (C), Engineering (D), Lifting accessories and lashing chains (F), Tire Protection Chains (G) and pelagus for fishing, aquaculture and yachting (E). The group is headquartered as pewag International GmbH and operates through two sub-groups formed in 2005: Schneeketten Beteiligungs AG (snow chains) and pewag austria GmbH (technical chains), with subsidiaries in Germany, USA, Czech Republic, France and other countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• pewag: Flagship brand of the group covering snow chains, forestry chains, hoist and conveyor chains, DIY products, lifting and lashing chains, and tire protection chains.
• KWB
• König
• APEX Automotive B.V.
• Taurean
• peform
• Terrier
• Chaineries Limousines
• LMS (Load Monitoring Systems)
• Modulift
• pewag pelagus

Products and services

• Snow and Forestry Chains (Segment A) pewag group's Segment A: snow chains for passenger cars, trucks and special-purpose vehicles, plus high-strength forestry chain systems for maximum safety and easy application in forestry operations. The segment was founded on the world's first pewag snow chain (1912) and is led by the pewag brand.
• Hoist and Conveyor Chains (Segment B) pewag group's Segment B: hoist and conveyor chains featuring deep case hardening, very high breaking force, resistance to stress fractures, and tight dimensional tolerances, designed for conveyor systems, bucket elevators and hoisting equipment. Led by the pewag and Chaineries Limousines brands.
• Do-It-Yourself Chain Products (Segment C) pewag group's Segment C DIY programme: standardised chains, cable chains, ropes, cattle chains, pins and other accessories that home improvement, farming and forestry users can individually assemble for their specific non-industrial applications.
• Engineering and Drive Technology (Segment D) pewag group's Segment D: drive technology components for machine and plant engineering, including sprocket chains, chain wheels and wheel discs, spur wheels, spur racks, bevel gears, chain tighteners, clutches, sliding hubs, toothed belts and discs, and clamping sets.
• pelagus Fishing, Aquaculture and Yachting Chains (Segment E) pewag group's Segment E: pewag pelagus brand offering high-quality chains and components for traditional fishing, aquaculture and yachting, engineered and manufactured in Europe to meet harsh-environment marine standards.
• Lifting Accessories and Lashing Chains (Segment F) pewag group's Segment F: lifting products with high lifting capacity and ease of use, plus lashing chains developed for load security in the transport industry, offering high durability and the highest degree of safety.
• Tire Protection Chains (Segment G)

Quantifiable outcome

• CO2-neutral production target by 2030 (formal sustainability goal)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship, historical and core.

• Limesoda Interactive GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLimesoda Interactive GmbH is identified as the implementation partner for the pewag group corporate website. The partnership is referenced on the English Imprint page together with pewag International GmbH as joint implementers of the corporate web presence.
• Ägyd Pengg Privatstiftung (Ägyd Pengg Foundation)flagshipOthersOwning foundation of the pewag austria GmbH. In 2003 the pewag austria GmbH was incorporated into the Ägyd Pengg Privatstiftung, providing the long-term capital base for the technical-chains group.
• Weissenfels GrouphistoricalStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeissenfels Group was acquired in 1999 and subsequently separated from in 2003, when the pewag austria GmbH was incorporated into the Ägyd Pengg Privatstiftung. Listed as a historical relationship with strategic relevance to the group's evolution.
• Chaineries Limousines S.A.S.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChaineries Limousines S.A.S. was acquired in 2009 and integrated as a sub-brand of the pewag group, contributing to the chain portfolio under the French operation.
• Local universitiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partnerpewag group cites partnerships with local universities as part of its SDG 17 'Partnerships for the goals' commitments, supporting knowledge transfer, research and talent pipelines.
• Honorary consulate of the Czech Republic in AustriaminorOthersBilateral partnership cited by pewag group as part of its SDG 17 'Partnerships for the goals' agenda, reflecting its Czech Republic operations (first subsidiary founded 1994).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RUD Ketten Rieger & Dietz GmbH: Privately held German chain manufacturer with overlapping product portfolio across lifting/lashing chains, hoist and conveyor chains, tire protection chains and snow chains. RUD is the most direct head-to-head comparable to pewag in product breadth and customer base.
• Thiele GmbH & Co. KG: German family-owned chain manufacturer specialising in round steel chains, hoist and conveyor chains, lifting chains and chain accessories. Direct overlap with pewag's hoist/conveyor (Segment B) and lifting/lashing (Segment F) offerings.
• Kisling AG: Swiss-based chain manufacturer producing round steel chains, lifting chains, lashing chains and conveyor chains. Closely comparable to pewag in product mix and European industrial customer base, though smaller in scale and segment breadth.
• Peerless Industrial Group: US-based manufacturer of industrial chain products including tire chains, tow chains, lifting chains and security chains. Direct overlap with pewag's snow chains and tire protection (Segment G) offerings, particularly for North American automotive and industrial customers.

Broad incumbents

• Bridon-Bekaert: Global steel wire rope and synthetic rope conglomerate resulting from the merger of Bridon and Bekaert's rope businesses, serving lifting, mining, oil & gas and industrial markets. Overlaps with pewag's lifting/lashing and engineering drive technology segments as a broad incumbent in industrial rigging.
• Tsubaki Group: Japanese global manufacturer of power transmission and industrial chains, including conveyor chains, drive chains and timing chains. Overlaps with pewag's hoist/conveyor (Segment B) and engineering (Segment D) offerings as a large broad incumbent.
• Columbus McKinnon Corporation: US-listed designer and manufacturer of material handling products including hoists, chain and rigging products, serving industrial, mining and construction markets. Overlaps with pewag's lifting/lashing (Segment F) and Modulift/Terrier sub-brands as a broad incumbent in lifting solutions.
• Gunnebo Industries: Swedish manufacturer of lifting and material handling equipment, including chain blocks, lever hoists and load securement products. Comparable to pewag's KWB, Terrier and lifting/lashing segment as a broad incumbent in European lifting markets.
• The Crosby Group: Global manufacturer of lifting and rigging hardware including shackles, hooks, blocks and chain fittings. Overlaps with pewag's lifting/lashing (Segment F) and Modulift sub-brand as a broad incumbent serving oil & gas, construction and industrial markets.

Regional players

• Kito Group: Japanese manufacturer of hoists, cranes and chain blocks primarily serving Asia-Pacific material handling markets. Comparable to pewag's KWB hoist technology and lifting/lashing segment but with limited geographic overlap, making it a regional rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pewag
• Facebookfacebook.com/pewag.international

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 pewag group