Fritz Studer

What Fritz Studer does

Fritz Studer AG, founded in 1912 and headquartered in Steffisburg, Switzerland, manufactures CNC cylindrical grinding machines for universal, external, internal, and non-cylindrical grinding applications. The company operates as a self-described market and technology leader in its niche, with a product portfolio spanning the S-series (S11 through S151), favorit, and favoritCNC machine lines. Core technical differentiation is built on proprietary technologies including Granitan® mineral casting machine beds (with 50 years of continuous use as of 2025), StuderGuide® linear guideway systems with linear motor drives, WireDress® integrated dressing technology, SmartJet™ coolant systems, and the C.O.R.E. (Customer Oriented REady) digital operating platform that enables IoT connectivity and data exchange across the UNITED GRINDING Group installed base.

The company generates revenue primarily through direct sale of high-precision capital equipment to industrial manufacturers, with pricing conducted on a quote basis depending on configuration and options. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with distribution through the UNITED GRINDING Group network, which maintains regional headquarters in Switzerland, North America, China, and India, plus a dedicated sales entity in Japan. Customer segments span machine tool and precision engineering component manufacturers (primary), aerospace and defense suppliers, and the tooling industry. STUDER supplements equipment sales with the STUDER Academy training program, Digital Solutions retrofits, rebuild/retrofit services, and a customer magazine (MOTION), positioning itself as a long-term partner rather than a transactional supplier.

As a privately held Swiss Aktiengesellschaft and wholly-owned subsidiary of UNITED GRINDING Group, Fritz Studer AG sits alongside sister brands Mägerle, Blohm, Jung, Schaudt, Mikrosa, Walter, Ewag, and IRPD within a diversified precision machine manufacturing conglomerate. The company employs 101–250 staff and runs an active apprenticeship program with 70+ apprentices across six professions, supporting a talent pipeline that reinforces its domain specialization.

Name

Fritz Studer

Legal name

Fritz Studer AG

Website

https://studer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Fritz Studer AG is a Swiss manufacturer of CNC cylindrical grinding machines for universal, external, internal, and non-cylindrical grinding. It serves machine tool, aerospace, and tooling manufacturers globally via direct sales and the UNITED GRINDING Group distribution network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Grinding Machinery

NAICS

Machine Tool Manufacturing (333517)

SIC

Machine Tools, Metal Cutting Types (3541)

akta.pro primary industry

Grinding, Honing & Superfinishing Equipment (IMAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

CNC Machine Tools (Turning, Milling, Machining Centers) (IMAHADAA)

Keywords

• CNC grinding machines
• Cylindrical grinding
• Precision machining
• Metalworking equipment
• Surface grinding

Headquarters

HQ city

Steffisburg

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. CNC Cylindrical Grinding Machines: Manufacture and sale of CNC cylindrical grinding machines including universal, production, and radius variants. Machines are sold directly to industrial manufacturers and through distribution partners. Products include S11, S20, S22, S23, S30, S31, S33, S36, S41, S100, S110, S121, S122, S131, S141, S151, favorit, and favoritCNC models.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fritz Studer AG manufactures and sells CNC cylindrical grinding machines for high-precision industrial applications, covering universal, external, internal, and non-cylindrical grinding workpieces. Its portfolio includes the S-series (S11, S20, S22, S23, S30, S31, S33, S36, S41, S100, S110, S121, S122, S131, S141, S151) and the favorit/favoritCNC conventional machine lines. The company complements its machines with proprietary control and software (C.O.R.E., StuderWIN/StuderSIM, StuderPictogramming), automation options, STUDER Academy training, and full Customer Care services including Rebuild, Retrofit, and Digital Solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STUDER: The Art of Grinding - brand identity and tagline for Fritz Studer AG's cylindrical grinding machines and solutions.

Products and services

• CNC Universal External Cylindrical Grinding Machines CNC grinding machines in the STUDER S-series designed for universal external cylindrical grinding of precision workpieces, used by industrial manufacturers producing shafts, spindle components, and similar cylindrical parts.
• CNC Production External Cylindrical Grinding Machines CNC machines from the STUDER S-series engineered for production-grade external cylindrical grinding runs, used by manufacturers needing automated, high-productivity grinding of external cylindrical workpieces.
• CNC Universal Internal Cylindrical Grinding Machines CNC grinding machines for universal internal cylindrical grinding, developed by STUDER and offered from its internal grinding competence center in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, serving manufacturers needing precision internal grinding.
• CNC Production Internal Cylindrical Grinding Machines CNC machines configured for production internal cylindrical grinding, targeting manufacturers running high-volume precision internal grinding operations.
• CNC Radius Internal Cylindrical Grinding Machines CNC grinding machines for radius internal cylindrical grinding, used by manufacturers producing internal radii and profiles on cylindrical components.
• Conventional Cylindrical Grinding Machines (favorit / favoritCNC) Conventional and conventional-CNC cylindrical grinding machines in the STUDER favorit and favoritCNC lines, for manufacturers preferring conventional machine operation or smaller batch / single-piece grinding.
• C.O.R.E. (Customer Oriented REady) Digital Machine Platform C.O.R.E. is STUDER's next-generation machine operating system and control panel that enables digital connectivity, IoT applications, and data exchange between machines, allowing customers to monitor and integrate their CNC grinding fleet.
• Studer Grinding Software (StuderWIN / StuderSIM / StuderPictogramming) Software package consisting of StuderWIN/StuderSIM for creating and simulating grinding programs on the machine control or PC, and StuderPictogramming for icon-based simplified machine programming, sold to operators of STUDER CNC cylindrical grinding machines.
• Grinding Machine Automation Solutions Automation solutions integrated with STUDER external and internal cylindrical grinding machines to enable automated loading, unloading, and lights-out production runs for industrial manufacturers.
• Used / Pre-owned STUDER Grinding Machines Pre-owned STUDER cylindrical grinding machines offered by the company as a lower-cost entry point for buyers seeking STUDER precision grinding on a reduced budget.
• STUDER Academy Training Courses Instructor-led training courses at the STUDER Academy on operating and programming STUDER CNC cylindrical grinding machines, sold to customer personnel building in-house grinding expertise.
• STUDER Customer Care Services (Start Up, Qualification, Prevention, Service, Rebuild, Retrofit, Digital Solutions) Post-sale service portfolio covering machine start-up, operator qualification, preventive maintenance, field service, spare parts, machine rebuilds, retrofit upgrades, and digital solutions for existing STUDER grinding machine installations.
• UNITED GRINDING Digital Solutions™ Ready Retrofit Retrofit package from UNITED GRINDING Digital Solutions that equips existing STUDER cylindrical grinding machines with digital connectivity and IoT capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 years of proven performance with Granitan® machine beds

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• UNITED GRINDING GroupcoreOthersSTUDER is a member of UNITED GRINDING Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of precision machines for grinding, eroding, lasering, and measurement. The group includes brands such as Mägerle, Blohm, Jung, Schaudt, Mikrosa, Walter, Ewag, and IRPD.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Junker (Otto Junker GmbH): German specialist manufacturer of CNC grinding machines for non-round and cylindrical workpieces. Closely comparable in technology positioning and customer base to Studer's non-cylindrical and external grinding lines.
• Walter Maschinenbau: UNITED GRINDING brand specializing in tool grinding (inserts and rotary tools). Comparable premium German-built precision grinding machines and shared enterprise sales motion through parent group.
• Schaudt (Mikrosa): Sister brand under UNITED GRINDING Group specializing in cylindrical and non-cylindrical grinding machines. Direct overlap in product category, target customers, and go-to-market, but competes from within the same parent group rather than independently.
• Mägerle: UNITED GRINDING sister brand focused on flat and profile grinding machines. Comparable premium Swiss-built precision grinding positioning, overlapping customer base (aerospace, machine tools), and shared parent distribution.
• ANCA: Australian-founded global manufacturer of CNC tool and cutter grinders. Comparable premium CNC grinding technology and direct competition for high-precision tool grinding applications.

Broad incumbents

• Okuma Corporation: Japanese broad-line CNC machine tool manufacturer (lathes, machining centers, grinding). Overlaps with Studer in cylindrical and universal grinding product lines, particularly in Asia.
• DMG MORI: Global broad-line machine tool leader (turning, milling, additive). Overlaps indirectly with Studer through competing for machine shop capex budgets but does not specialize in cylindrical grinding.
• Gleason Corporation: US-based global leader in gear manufacturing machinery including precision grinding (Gleason Pfauter). Overlaps in high-precision cylindrical gear grinding and serves similar aerospace/automotive customers.
• Makino Milling Machine: Japanese-owned precision machine tool maker with horizontal machining centers and special-purpose machines. Competes for the same aerospace and high-precision customer capex dollars as Studer.
• EMAG Group: German precision machine tool manufacturer offering a broad portfolio including turning, grinding, and gear-cutting machines. Competes with Studer for automotive and industrial precision grinding work but with broader product diversification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-iuonKZZC9krPa-RpwMO9w
• Facebookfacebook.com/studer.machines
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fritz-studer-ag
• Instagraminstagram.com/studer.machines

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Fritz Studer