What Schulte does

Schulte & Co. GmbH is a family-owned German Tier-1 automotive supplier founded in 1923 and currently in its third generation of family ownership, headquartered in Hemer-Deilinghofen, Germany. The company develops and manufactures electrical power distribution and connection components for the automotive industry, with a product portfolio spanning six core categories: wiring harnesses (Leitungssätze), copper busbars/conductor rails (Stromschienen) for 12V, 48V, and high-voltage applications, cable lugs (Kabelschuhe) in tubular, stamped, and forged variants, battery terminals (Batterieklemmen), fuse boxes (Sicherungsboxen), and construction parts such as cable ducts and holders (Konstruktionsteile). Annual production capacity stands at approximately 8 million wiring harnesses, 20 million forged components, and 150 million contact parts, with manufacturing processes including forging, stamping, machining, and assembly using crimping, ultrasonic welding, soldering, and screwing techniques.

The company operates four production sites in Germany (Hemer, ~350 employees), the Czech Republic (Jablonné nad Orlicí, ~200 employees, established 2010), and Tunisia (Bouarada, ~180 employees, established 2012; Zaghouan, ~220 employees, established 2018), totaling approximately 800 employees. Schulte explicitly positions itself as a development supplier (Entwicklungslieferant) that co-develops vehicle-specific components with automotive OEMs and their system suppliers from pre-development through to series production, with a stated focus on products compatible with both combustion and electric powertrains and an early-mover emphasis on electric vehicle power supply technology.

Commercially, Schulte operates a direct B2B enterprise sales model as a qualified Tier-1 supplier, with IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 50001, and TISAX certifications supporting OEM qualification. Revenue is generated through hardware sales of custom-engineered components under private contract terms; no public pricing, customer names, or revenue figures are disclosed. The company is privately held, family-controlled (Regina Schulte as managing director), with no external investors, no funding rounds, and no M&A activity documented.

Name

Schulte

Legal name

Schulte & Co. GmbH

Website

https://schulte-co.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Schulte & Co. GmbH is a family-owned German Tier-1 automotive supplier manufacturing wiring harnesses, busbars, cable lugs, battery terminals, fuse boxes, and construction parts for global automotive OEMs and their system suppliers, with four production sites in Germany, Czech Republic, and Tunisia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Electrical Components Manufacturing

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632), Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (3363)

SIC

Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive Power Electronics & Inverters/Converters Manufacturing (IMACAJAE)

Keywords

• Automotive electrical components
• Wiring harness manufacturing
• Busbar production
• Cable lug forging
• Battery terminal manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Hemer

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. Automotive Components Manufacturing and Supply: Schulte generates revenue through the manufacture and direct supply of automotive electrical components to OEMs and system suppliers. As a Tier 1 supplier, the company develops vehicle-specific wiring harnesses and components that are supplied directly to automotive manufacturers for integration into vehicles.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Schulte & Co. GmbH is a Tier-1 automotive supplier that manufactures electrical power distribution and connection components, including wiring harnesses, busbars, cable lugs, battery terminals, fuse boxes, and construction parts. The company supplies these components primarily to automotive OEMs and system suppliers for both conventional and electric vehicles.

Product overview

Schulte & Co. GmbH is a Tier-1 automotive supplier operating as a component and systems manufacturer for vehicle electrical power supply and distribution. The company offers six core product categories: (1) Leitungssätze (wiring harnesses/line sets) as vehicle-specific cable assemblies for power applications from prototypes to series production; (2) Stromschienen (busbars/conductor rails) as copper power distribution components for 12V, 48V, and high-voltage applications in hybrid and electric vehicles; (3) Kabelschuhe (cable lugs) available in tubular, stamped, and forged variants; (4) Batterieklemmen (battery terminals) manufactured via forging and stamping-bending technology; (5) Sicherungsboxen (fuse boxes) as individually developed power distribution units; and (6) Konstruktionsteile (construction parts) including cable ducts, holders, and protective tubes. All products are developed in collaboration with automotive customers and manufactured across four locations in Germany, Czech Republic, and Tunisia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Leitungssätze (Wiring Harnesses) Wiring harnesses used in automotive electrical systems to connect and route electrical power and signals throughout passenger and commercial vehicles. Supplied to automotive OEMs and system suppliers.
• Stromschienen (Busbars) Busbars for power distribution in electric and hybrid vehicles, including high-voltage busbar solutions. Designed for automotive OEM applications requiring efficient current distribution.
• Kabelschuhe (Cable Lugs) Forged cable lugs that terminate electrical cables and provide secure bolted connections in automotive electrical systems. Manufactured using forging technology for durability and conductivity.
• Batterieklemmen (Battery Terminals) Battery terminals used to connect automotive batteries to vehicle electrical systems. Produced through forging and stamping processes for reliable high-current connections.
• Sicherungsboxen (Fuse Boxes) Fuse boxes that house and protect electrical fuses in automotive electrical architectures, providing organized circuit protection and distribution.
• Konstruktionsteile (Construction Parts) Custom-manufactured construction parts produced through machining, stamping, and assembly operations to meet specific customer specifications for automotive applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% quality through integrated testing on forging and assembly technology
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• beepart (Local Sustainability Project)minorOthers · 1 January 2023Schulte supports the local 'beepart' project as part of their 100th anniversary celebrations, purchasing a 100m² blooming meadow in Kalthof to support biodiversity and environmental protection. This initiative demonstrates the company's commitment to sustainability and community responsibility.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lear Corporation: Global automotive Tier-1 with an E-Systems segment covering wiring, power distribution, and connection systems. Competes in the same OEM electrical architecture space as Schulte, including EV-related power distribution components.
• TE Connectivity: Global manufacturer of automotive connectors, terminals, and power distribution components including busbars. Overlaps with Schulte's cable lugs, battery terminals, and busbar product lines as a broad incumbent serving the same OEMs.
• Aptiv plc: Global Tier-1 supplier of automotive electrical architectures, including wiring harnesses, connectors, and high-voltage power distribution for EVs. Overlaps directly with Schulte's wiring harness and busbar portfolio but at vastly larger scale.
• Nexans SA: Global cable manufacturer with an automotive cables segment producing wiring solutions and power cables for EVs. Comparable in automotive wire and cable supply, though with a much broader non-automotive portfolio.
• Sumitomo Wiring Systems: Major Japanese Tier-1 supplier of wiring harnesses and electrical components for the automotive industry. Directly comparable in wiring harness and connection-system offerings serving global OEMs.
• Furukawa Electric: Japanese manufacturer of automotive wiring harnesses, electrical components, and copper-based products including busbars. Overlaps with Schulte in copper-intensive electrical distribution components for OEMs.
• Yazaki Corporation: World's largest wiring harness manufacturer, supplying global automotive OEMs. Directly competes with Schulte in wiring harness and related electrical components, with significantly larger scale and geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• PKC Group (Motherson): Specialist in wiring harnesses and commercial vehicle electrical systems, now part of Samvardhana Motherson Group. Comparable as a focused Tier-1 wiring harness supplier with similar product profile and OEM customer base.
• Leoni AG: Germany-headquartered Tier-1 and Tier-2 supplier of wires, wiring harnesses, and related connection systems to the global automotive industry. Directly comparable as a European specialist in vehicle electrical distribution with similar customer base and product overlap.
• Draexlmaier Group: Family-owned German automotive supplier of wiring harnesses, interior components, and electrical/electronic systems. Highly comparable profile to Schulte in terms of family ownership, Tier-1 status, and focus on premium-vehicle wiring systems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Schulte