What Kaco does

Kaco is a German-headquartered developer and manufacturer of high-precision, application-oriented sealing solutions for the global automotive and mechanical engineering industries. Its product portfolio spans seven core categories — dynamic seals (RADIA®, AXIA®, FRed® radial and axial shaft seals, piston and rod seals), static seals (steel-elastomer gaskets, EMV seals), pressure compensation elements (EvoLift® quick deflation systems, E-Drive Venting), encoders, shaft grounding rings, integrated sealing systems, and proprietary materials (Sygumin® elastomers) — with the IOSS® sensorized oil seal adding a condition-monitoring layer. Underlying technology rests on proprietary elastomer compounding, PTFE processing, vulcanization, and in-house CAE/CFD-supported design, protected by a broad multi-jurisdiction patent portfolio covering each product family.

The business operates as a B2B enterprise supplier selling directly to automotive first-tier OEMs and tier-one subsystem integrators through regional sales teams and application-engineering support, with quote-based, multi-year contracts tied to vehicle platform lifecycles. KACO is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China's Zhongding Group (中鼎集团) and runs seven production facilities across Germany (Kirchardt), Austria (St. Michael), Hungary (Enese), China (Wuxi and Ningguo/Anhui), the USA (Lincolnton, NC), and France (Solyem SAS in Lyon), employing more than 1,800 people worldwide. Customers span combustion-engine, hybrid, and electric powertrain applications, with secondary exposure to agricultural machinery, home appliances, and industrial equipment, and the business is certified to IATF 16949 and ISO 9001.

The commercial engine is hardware sales of components embedded into customer subsystems, with revenue visibility anchored by platform-lifecycle contracts and pricing negotiated bilaterally with OEM and tier-one procurement. Recent strategic activity — including a new generation of battery venting systems (2024), a new generation of pressure compensation elements (2025), the KACO Production System (2025), and an upcoming microvalve component line (2026) — points to deliberate repositioning toward EV and adjacent fluid-control applications under a newly constituted management team installed in January 2025.

Name

Kaco

Legal name

KACO GmbH + Co. KG

Website

https://kaco.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Kaco is a German-headquartered B2B manufacturer of high-precision sealing solutions for the global automotive industry, supplying nearly all major OEMs and tier-one suppliers through seven production facilities across Europe, Asia, and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Sealing Solutions

NAICS

Gasket, Packing, and Sealing Device Manufacturing (339991), Rubber Product Manufacturing (3262)

SIC

Gaskets, Packg & Sealg Devices & Rubber & Plastics Hose (3050), Fabricated Rubber Products, Nec (3060)

akta.pro primary industry

Seals, Gaskets & Fluid Connectors (O-rings, packings, rotary seals, quick couplers) (IMAHAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Automotive Weatherseals, Gaskets & Sealing Systems Manufacturing (Door/Window/Trunk Seals) (IMACAKAI), Seals, Gaskets & O-Rings (Industrial Elastomer) (IMANALAC)

Keywords

• Automotive sealing solutions
• Radial shaft seals
• Elastomer materials manufacturing
• Precision mechanical gaskets
• Pressure compensation elements

Headquarters

HQ city

Szeged

HQ country

Hungary

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sealing System Components: KACO generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of precision sealing solutions including dynamic seals, static seals, pressure compensation elements, encoders, shaft grounding rings, and systems. Products are sold as components to automotive OEMs and tier-one suppliers with recurring purchase relationships based on vehicle platform lifecycles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

KACO develops and manufactures high-precision sealing solutions for the automotive and mechanical engineering industries. The portfolio spans dynamic seals (radial shaft seals, mechanical face seals, piston and rod seals), static seals (steel-elastomer gaskets, EMV/LEM seals), pressure compensation elements, encoders, and shaft grounding rings, sold as components to nearly all major automotive OEMs and tier-one suppliers worldwide.

Product overview

KACO is a leading developer and manufacturer of high-precision, application-oriented sealing solutions for the automotive and mechanical engineering industries. The product portfolio is organized into seven main categories: Dynamic Seals (including RADIA® radial shaft seals, AXIA® mechanical seals, FRed® high-speed seals, piston seals, rod seals), Static Seals (including Steel-Elastomer gaskets, injector seals, PIP seals), Pressure Compensation Elements (EvoLift® quick deflation systems, E-Drive Venting, Venting Modular Kits), Encoders (multipole trigger wheels), Shaft Grounding Rings (for EMI protection in electric vehicles), Systems (integrated sealing solutions), and Materials (including proprietary Sygumin® elastomers). The company also operates Solyem SAS in France, which provides specialized electromagnetic shielding seals. KACO supplies virtually all major automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers globally with sealing solutions spanning combustion engine, hybrid, and electric vehicle applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RADIA®: Radial shaft seals for various applications including land machines, home/house applications, and plastic support versions
• AXIA®
• FRed®
• EvoLift®
• IOSS®
• IOS®
• Sygumin®

Products and services

• RADIA® Radial Shaft Seals Proprietary radial shaft seals for automotive, commercial vehicles, agricultural machinery, and home appliance applications. Multiple patent protections including US11603933B2, US11719343B2, and others.
• AXIA® Mechanical Seals Mechanical shaft seals including axial seals, lip seals, and mechanical face seals for various automotive applications. Protected by patents in EU, US, China, and Japan.
• FRed® Radial Shaft Seals Specialized radial shaft seals for electric drive applications with high-speed capabilities. Patented design features.
• High-Speed Oil Seals High-speed sealing solutions for bidirectional applications in electric drive gearboxes using FKM material, compliant with Chinese specification QC/T 1022-2015.
• Piston Seals Piston seals for hydraulic and pneumatic applications, operating up to 200 bar (hydraulic) and 16 bar (pneumatic).
• Rod Seals Sealing solutions for piston rods in hydraulic and pneumatic systems.
• Steel-Elastomer Seals Static gaskets combining elastomer materials (ACM, AEM, FKM, HNBR, NBR) with steel, stainless steel, or aluminum carriers for high-temperature and high-pressure static sealing applications.
• EvoLift® Quick Deflation Systems Reversible pressure relief systems with optional valve configuration for battery and electric drive applications. Patented pressure compensation technology.
• E-Drive Venting Pressure compensation element for oil-containing environments in electric drive units, rated IP68 and IPX9K, with -40°C to +140°C temperature range and UL94-V0 flammability classification.
• Shaft Grounding Rings Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) solutions for grounding rotating shafts in electric and hybrid vehicles, preventing bearing damage from shaft voltages.
• Encoders Position and speed sensing solutions including multipole trigger wheels for electric motors and machine tools.
• IOS® Integrated Oil Seal Integrated oil sealing solutions combining multiple sealing functions in a single component for compact installations.
• IOSS® Integrated Oil Seal with Sensor Intelligent oil seal with integrated sensor for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance in drivetrain applications.
• LEM Seals Electromagnetic shielding and sealing solutions (LEM seals) produced by KACO's French subsidiary Solyem SAS.
• Cassette Sealing Systems Integrated sealing system solutions combining multiple components such as elastomer parts and plastic support rings for complete functional units like cassette seals.
• Microvalve Components Microvalve components with precise elastomer and membrane solutions developed using in-house material expertise. Launched in February 2026.
• Battery Quick Venting Systems New generation of battery quick venting systems introduced to the market in May 2024, providing pressure relief for automotive battery packs.
• Battery Parts Product portfolio expansion into battery parts introduced in August 2023, extending KACO's offerings into electric vehicle battery components.
• Scalable High-Speed Sealing Systems Scalable high-speed sealing systems released in February 2023, designed for high-performance electric drive applications.
• Rotor Inner Cooling Seals New generation of rotor inner cooling seals developed in August 2022 for electric motor thermal management applications.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Freudenberg Sealing Technologies: Global market leader in automotive and industrial sealing solutions, including radial shaft seals, O-rings, and custom elastomer components. Directly comparable to KACO across dynamic and static sealing product lines and similar tier-1 OEM customer base.
• Federal-Mogul (DRiV / Tenneco): Global automotive sealing supplier (now part of DRiV/Tenneco) producing gaskets, dynamic seals, and sealing systems for powertrain and chassis applications. Comparable in automotive sealing depth and global tier-1 footprint.
• Trelleborg Sealing Solutions: Major global manufacturer of precision seals, radial shaft seals, and engineered polymer solutions for automotive, aerospace, and industrial customers. Closely comparable product portfolio and B2B tier-1 supplier model.
• NOK Corporation: Japan-based global sealing products manufacturer supplying automotive OEMs with oil seals, O-rings, and mechanical seals. Closely comparable product mix and tier-1 OEM customer base, especially in Asian markets.
• SKF (Seals division): Global bearing and sealing supplier with a substantial automotive and industrial seals business, including radial shaft seals and cassette seals. Comparable in serving global OEMs with sealing components, though SKF is significantly larger and broader.
• Hutchinson (TotalEnergies): French-based manufacturer of sealing systems, anti-vibration, and fluid transfer solutions for automotive OEMs. Directly comparable in dynamic and static sealing solutions and European OEM customer base.
• ElringKlinger: German automotive supplier specializing in cylinder-head and specialty gaskets, plastic sealing components, and e-mobility products. Comparable in static sealing product families and German OEM customer relationships.
• Parker Hannifin (Engineered Materials / Seals): Diversified motion and control technologies group with a major sealing solutions segment serving automotive, aerospace, and industrial markets. Directly comparable in O-rings, gaskets, and engineered sealing products.

Broad incumbents

• Zhongding Group (parent): Parent company and broader Chinese automotive components conglomerate producing rubber sealing products, NVH components, and air intake systems. KACO operates as the group's high-precision sealing subsidiary and benefits from parent scale.
• Saint-Gobain (Seals / Performance Plastics): Global materials group with engineered seals and polymer product lines serving automotive and industrial markets. Comparable in materials science and sealing component supply, though Sealing is one of many segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KACO_Dichtungen
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7-dxaPyNaAJrXHtK9Kz5FA
• Facebookfacebook.com/KACO.Ausbildung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kaco-gmbh-co-kg
• Instagraminstagram.com/kacosealings

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Kaco