Kessler & Co

What Kessler & Co does

Kessler & Co (legal name Kessler & Co GmbH & Co. KG) is a family-owned German manufacturer of high-performance drivetrain components for heavy off-highway vehicles, founded in 1950 and headquartered in Abtsgmünd, Baden-Württemberg. The company produces planetary axles (steerable, drive, oscillating, tandem/tridem, and independent suspension variants), transmissions (transfer cases, Upboxes, CVT, powersplit, and powershift units), electric drive systems, and wheel drives, serving OEM customers across construction machinery, mobile cranes, mining, port logistics, airport ground support, defense, heavy trucks, buses, agriculture, and telehandlers.

Its technical core rests on proprietary planetary axle architecture and powershift/CVT transmission technology that has been in continuous series production since 1982, complemented by an electric drive product line launched in 2012. Production is vertically integrated across 130,000 m² of manufacturing space in four facilities (Werk 1–4, with Werk 4 added in 2021) at the Abtsgmünd headquarters, including in-house gear cutting and approximately 45,000 units of annual axle and gearbox output.

The business operates a direct B2B OEM sales model with quote-based pricing, supplemented by wholly-owned sales subsidiaries in the United States (Kessler Inc., Indian Trail NC), China (Kessler & Co Shanghai), and India (Kessler Drive Systems, Mumbai), and an authorized service partner and spare parts distribution network spanning at least ten additional countries. Revenue is generated through hardware sales of drivetrain components, electric drive systems, and aftermarket parts and service. The company is controlled by the Grimminger family, with four family members serving as Managing Directors, and reports approximately 1,200 employees worldwide.

Name

Kessler & Co

Legal name

Kessler & Co GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://kessler-co.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kessler & Co is a family-owned German manufacturer of planetary axles, transmissions, wheel drives, and electric drive systems for heavy off-highway vehicles, serving OEM customers across construction, cranes, mining, ports, airports, defense, and heavy commercial transport.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heavy-Duty Commercial Vehicle Drivetrain Components

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Transmission and Power Train Parts Manufacturing (33635), Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (3363), Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612), Motor Vehicle Steering and Suspension Components (except Spring) Manufacturing (336330)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment (3790)

akta.pro primary industry

Axle, Differential & Final Drive Manufacturing (Front/Rear/E-axle housings) (IMACAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Off-Highway Vehicle Cabs, Frames & Attachments Manufacturing (Cabs/Booms/Buckets/Implements) (IMACAFAL), Material Handling & Industrial Lift Vehicle Manufacturing (Forklifts/Telehandlers/Reach Stackers) (IMACAFAD), Airport Ground Support Vehicles (Tugs, Baggage Tractors, Deicers) (IMAHAIAF), Military & Tactical Off-Highway Vehicles (Armored, Tactical Mobility) (IMAHAIAJ), Differentials, Axles & Final Drive Rebuild/Remanufacturing (TLAKALAC)

Keywords

• Heavy-duty axles
• Planetary gearboxes
• Electric drivetrains
• Off-highway transmissions
• Wheel drive systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Abtsgmünd

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Axles and Drivetrain Components: Kessler + Co generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of planetary axles, transmissions, and wheel drives to OEM manufacturers of heavy construction equipment, cranes, mining vehicles, and commercial vehicles. Production volume is approximately 45,000 units annually.
2. Electric Drive Systems: Sale of integrated e-mobility solutions including electric drive systems for commercial vehicles, representing a growing revenue stream as the company expands into electrification.
3. Spare Parts and Service: Global spare parts supply and service support through regional service partners, providing ongoing revenue from the installed base of vehicles using Kessler components.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kessler + Co designs, manufactures, and sells planetary axles, transmissions (transfer cases, CVT, powershift, power-split), electric drive systems, and integrated wheel drives for heavy-duty off-highway vehicles. Products are supplied to OEM manufacturers of construction machinery, mobile cranes, mining vehicles, port and airport equipment, agricultural and telehandler machines, heavy trucks, buses, and defense vehicles. The portfolio also includes planetary independent suspension variants and a global spare parts and service network for the installed base.

Product overview

Kessler + Co is a leading manufacturer of drive components and control software for heavy mobile vehicles. The company's product portfolio consists of planetary axles (Planetenachsen), transmissions (Getriebe), electric drive systems (E-Mobility), and wheel drives (Radantriebe). These products are designed for demanding high-load applications including construction machinery, mobile cranes, material handling equipment, and underground mining vehicles. The portfolio operates as a unified system where planetary axles, transmissions, and electric drive solutions work together to provide complete drivetrain systems for heavy non-road vehicles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Planetary Axles (Planetenachsen) High-performance planetary axles for heavy-duty vehicles in the high-load range, including steerable axles (Lenktriebachse), drive axles (Antriebsachsen), oscillating axles (Pendelachsen), and tandem/tridem configurations. Sold to OEM manufacturers of construction machinery, mobile cranes, mining vehicles, port handling equipment, and airport ground support vehicles.
• Transmissions (Getriebe) Transmission systems for heavy mobile vehicles, including transfer cases (Verteilergetriebe), Upboxes, and CVT, power-split, and powershift transmissions. Sold to OEM manufacturers of heavy construction equipment, cranes, mining vehicles, and other off-highway vehicles.
• Electric Drive Systems (E-Mobility) Application-optimized system solutions for electric drive systems in the high-load segment, including integrated electric motors, power electronics, and control systems developed to customer specifications for various vehicle layouts. Sold to OEMs in the commercial vehicle, bus, and other heavy-duty vehicle sectors for vehicle electrification.
• Wheel Drives (Radantriebe)

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Teknom Otomotiv Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Kessler service partner and spare parts distributor for Turkey. Located in Ankara, providing sales, service, and spare parts support for the Turkish market.
• Kessler Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorth American subsidiary providing sales, service, and spare parts for the USA market. Located in Indian Trail, North Carolina.
• EmWest Powertrain SystemsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized service partner in Eugene, Oregon, USA, providing power systems service and support.
• Bull PowertraincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized spare parts distributor for Canada, with locations in Sudbury Ontario, Edmonton Alberta, and Vancouver British Columbia.
• Daenggi CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized sales partner for Korea, located in Seoul. Provides sales and technical support for the Korean market.
• Kessler Drive SystemscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales operation in India serving the Indian market with sales and service support.
• Kessler & Co Shanghai Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales office in Shanghai, China, providing direct sales and support for the Chinese market.
• IOW SERVICE Sp. z o.o.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized service partner in Poland, providing service support for the Polish market.
• IOW BULGARIA Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized service partner for Bulgaria, providing service support in the Sofia region.
• Hydraulic Engineering Repair ServicesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized service partner in South Africa, located in Germiston, providing repair and service support.
• explorhino Science CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience education center initiated by the Grimminger family and supported through Kessler + Co Foundation for Education and Culture. Kessler supports science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for children and youth through this initiative.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bonfiglioli: Italian manufacturer of gear drives, gearboxes, and electric mobility solutions for industrial, mobile, and renewable applications. Directly comparable in planetary gearboxes, wheel drives, and integrated electric drive products.
• Carraro Group: Italian specialist in axles, transmissions, and drivetrain components for off-highway vehicles including agricultural and construction machinery. Closest European peer to Kessler in product mix and customer overlap.
• Poclain Hydraulics: French manufacturer of hydraulic motors, integrated transmissions, and electric drivetrains for off-highway vehicles. Comparable niche positioning in heavy-duty mobile drivetrains and growing e-mobility portfolio.
• Dana Incorporated: Global supplier of drivetrain, sealing, and thermal-management technologies for off-highway and commercial vehicle OEMs. Most direct competitor to Kessler's planetary axles and e-drive portfolio, with comparable customer base in construction, mining, and material handling.

Broad incumbents

• Bosch Rexroth: Global supplier of drive and control technologies including gearboxes, hydraulic drives, and electric drives for off-highway and industrial applications. Competes with Kessler in wheel drives and integrated electric drive systems.
• ZF Friedrichshafen: Major German tier-1 supplier of drivetrain and chassis technology for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and off-highway machinery. Much larger and broader than Kessler, but with overlapping off-highway axle and transmission product lines.
• Meritor (Cummins): Supplier of axles, driveline components, and braking systems for commercial and off-highway vehicles, now part of Cummins. Overlaps with Kessler in heavy-duty axle offerings, particularly for vocational and off-road trucks.

Emerging players

• Allison Transmission: US-based manufacturer of fully automatic transmissions for heavy-duty commercial and specialty vehicles, including construction and mining. Adjacent product overlap with Kessler's powershift/CVT transmission portfolio, with a growing electrification initiative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Kessler & Co