What Weisser does

Weisser is a German manufacturer of high-precision, multifunctional turning machines and turning centers, headquartered in St. Georgen im Schwarzwald, with origins dating to 1830 and formal incorporation as a machine factory in 1856. The company designs and builds CNC turning centers — including the UNIVERTOR, VERTOR, ARTERY, and MULTICENTER product families — that integrate multiple manufacturing processes (turning, milling, grinding, whirling, gear cutting, and laser cladding) into single machine setups to enable complete machining in one clamping. Its core proprietary technologies include patented rotational turning (which achieves up to 77% machining time reduction versus conventional hard turning), the WEISSER Pick-Up automated loading system (patented 1987), and WEISSER HOT out-of-round turning for non-circular profiles such as pistons and camshafts.

The company's primary customer segment is automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers producing high-volume powertrain and brake components, with secondary segments in aerospace, medical technology, precision engineering, and general metalworking. WEISSER generates revenue primarily through project-based sales of large-ticket custom machine systems with quote-based pricing, supplemented by aftermarket streams including spare parts, spindle repair services (5-day guaranteed turnaround), machine retrofit and modernization, training programs, and certified used machine sales. The business operates through direct field sales with regional representatives in Germany, authorized distributors across Europe and Korea, and wholly owned subsidiaries in the USA (Greer, South Carolina) and China (Shanghai). Since 2021, Weisser has operated as a subsidiary of the publicly traded Hardinge Group (NASDAQ: HDNG), with the St. Georgen site and business areas preserved post-acquisition. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, VDA 6.4, and TISAX certifications, and employs approximately 400 people at its German headquarters.

Name

Weisser

Legal name

J.G. WEISSER SÖHNE GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://weisser-web.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1856

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Weisser is a German manufacturer of high-precision multifunctional CNC turning centers and turning machines, serving primarily automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers with proprietary technologies including patented rotational turning and pick-up loading systems for complete machining in single setups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Machine Tools

NAICS

Machine Tool Manufacturing (333517), Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (33351)

SIC

Machine Tools, Metal Cutting Types (3541), Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Grinding, Honing & Superfinishing Equipment (IMAHADAE), Spindles & High-Speed Drives (Machine Tool Spindles, High-speed Motors) (IMAGACAL)

Keywords

• Precision turning machines
• CNC turning centers
• Multifunctional machining
• Automotive machine tools
• Turnkey production solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Straße

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Precision CNC Machine Tool Sales: Sale of multifunctional CNC turning centers and precision lathes including UNIVERTOR, VERTOR, ARTERY, and MULTICENTER series. Machines are sold directly to automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and other precision engineering manufacturers. Pricing is project-specific and quote-based. Revenue is generated through single large-ticket machine sales with long sales cycles.
2. Spare Parts Supply: WEISSER provides original spare parts for its precision lathes, supporting maximum productivity and highest machine availability. Parts include wear components, replacement spindles, and original components. Supported by a fast logistics operation.
3. Spindle Repair Services: In-house spindle repair service using original parts, manufacturer know-how, with guaranteed turnaround of 5 working days (3 days express repair available). Includes condition assessment, disassembly, new assembly with original parts, quality check. 12-month warranty on new parts.
4. Machine Retrofit & Modernization: Complete or selective machine retrofit services including mechanical overhaul, control system upgrades (e.g., floppy drive to USB), software updates, safety glass replacement, and integration of new technologies. Offered as turnkey retrofit packages with manufacturer-quality execution.
5. Training Services: Comprehensive training programs covering machine programming, operation, maintenance and repair. Conducted in German or English, in accordance with latest standards, by the Head of Technical Documentation & Training Center.
6. Used Machine Sales & Buyback: WEISSER sells certified used machines in three retrofit classes: Function Tested, Partly Overhauled, and General Overhaul. Also offers buyback programs for existing WEISSER machines as partial payment toward new machines.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WEISSER manufactures and supplies high-precision, multifunctional CNC turning machines and turning centers (UNIVERTOR, VERTOR, ARTERY, MULTICENTER series) for precision machining of chuck and shaft parts. The company delivers complete turnkey production solutions integrating multiple process technologies (turning, milling, grinding, whirling, gear cutting, laser cladding) into single machine setups, enabling complete machining in one clamping for automotive, aerospace, medical technology and general metalworking customers.

Product overview

WEISSER is a leading manufacturer of high-precision machine tools and turning centers based in St. Georgen, Germany, operating as part of the Hardinge Group since 2021. The product portfolio centers on the UNIVERTOR series (AC, AM, AS, AE, V) for various turning applications including pick-up precision turning, vertical turning, and horizontal shaft machining, complemented by ARTERY and MULTICENTER machining centers for complex 5-axis turn-milling operations. The company also offers the LMD BD 450 laser coating system for brake disc production. Key proprietary technologies include the patented WEISSER Pick-Up System, rotational turning, and WEISSER HOT out-of-round turning. WEISSER provides comprehensive turnkey solutions including machine selection, process development, automation integration, and lifecycle services such as spindle repair, machine retrofit, and training. The portfolio serves primarily the automotive and aerospace industries, with specialized solutions for workpieces including pistons, rotor shafts, differential housings, planetary gears, gears, and brake discs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WEISSER Präzisionstechnik: Specialized business unit for laser welding technology, producing HLA (manual laser welding machine) product line including HLA-B, HLA-M, and HLA-M+ models.

Products and services

• UNIVERTOR AC 1-/2-spindle pick-up precision turning center for chuck turned parts up to Ø 150 mm or short shafts up to 100 mm length in medium and large quantities, including rotational turning, grinding, and milling operations. Targeted at automotive and precision engineering manufacturers.
• UNIVERTOR AM Multifunctional vertical turning center designed for turning and drilling operations, particularly used in brake disc production process chains.
• UNIVERTOR AS Horizontal shaft turning center with high dynamics of all axes, available in two machine sizes with left and right machine variants for complete shaft machining.
• UNIVERTOR AE Unique horizontal pick-up finishing and centering machine for shafts up to 650 mm length, including overturning, milling, and deep drilling operations.
• UNIVERTOR V

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 77% reduction in machining time with rotational turning vs. conventional hard turning (6.0 s vs. 17.9 s per part)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT (Aachen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWEISSER integrates the Extreme High-Speed Laser Cladding (EHLA) technology developed by Fraunhofer ILT into its ARTERY machining centers, creating a hybrid machine that combines rotational turning with additive laser welding. Both processes have been proven in series production. The partnership represents a co-development of a hybrid manufacturing technology.
• REKUNORM / PTI Working GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWEISSER participates in the REKUNORM funding project as the only machine manufacturer in the PTI (Polygonal Turning Interface) working group. WEISSER is the first manufacturer to integrate a PTI turret in a turning centre, completing the design of the new turret interface for Industry 4.0 standardization.
• WEISSER Präzisionstechnik (WPT)coreOthersWEISSER Präzisionstechnik (WPT) is a related business unit specializing in laser welding technology (HLA series manual laser welding machines). It develops the LMD BD 450 laser coating machine concept for brake disc production. WPT exhibits at MedtecLIVE trade fair for medical technology. The company is a separate entity under the WEISSER Group.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EMAG: EMAG is a German machine builder specializing in vertical turning machines, gear cutting, and grinding systems, directly serving automotive component suppliers. Its product architecture and customer profile closely align with WEISSER's focus on chuck parts and shaft machining.
• DMG Mori: DMG Mori is a global leader in CNC machine tools, including turning centers and mill-turn machines that directly compete with WEISSER's UNIVERTOR, ARTERY, and MULTICENTER series for automotive and aerospace customers. Both companies serve high-precision production environments with premium, project-based selling models.
• Okuma: Okuma is a Japanese CNC machine tool manufacturer with a strong portfolio of multitasking turning centers (e.g., MULTUS series) that compete directly with WEISSER's multifunctional turning/milling offerings for high-precision, mixed-production environments.
• INDEX-Werke: INDEX is a German manufacturer of high-precision turning machines and turn-mill centers with a strong automotive and supplier base in Europe. Its product range directly overlaps with WEISSER's UNIVERTOR and ARTERY platforms, particularly in chuck and shaft part production.
• Maschinenfabrik Berthold Hermle: Hermle is a German manufacturer of high-precision machining centers widely used in aerospace, medical technology, and mechanical engineering. Its 5-axis milling and turn-mill platforms overlap with WEISSER's ARTERY and MULTICENTER offerings in non-automotive precision segments.
• Grob-Werke: GROB is a German manufacturer of machining centers and turn-mill systems with deep automotive Tier 1 and OEM relationships, including EV drivetrain applications. Its turn-mill platforms and automation expertise overlap with WEISSER's complete-in-one-clamping positioning.
• Gebr. Heller: Heller is a German machine tool builder with strong automotive and aerospace OEM relationships, producing machining centers for powertrain and structural aerospace components. Its customer base and application focus closely parallel WEISSER's automotive and aerospace served segments.
• Yamazaki Mazak: Mazak is a major Japanese manufacturer of CNC turning centers and multitasking machines (e.g., Integrex series) that overlap with WEISSER's multifunctional turning/milling platforms. Both serve automotive powertrain and aerospace component production with high-mix, high-precision applications.

Broad incumbents

• Trumpf: Trumpf is a large German industrial machine and laser technology company with a portfolio that spans laser cladding and metalworking systems overlapping with WEISSER's LMD BD 450 and EHLA hybrid processes. As a much larger group with broader industrial laser expertise, Trumpf serves as both a partner (via Fraunhofer ILT) and a competitor in laser-based manufacturing.
• Hardinge Inc. Hardinge is the publicly traded parent company of WEISSER and a broader machine tool brand portfolio (including BRIDGEPORT and KELLENBERGER). While not a direct external competitor, Hardinge's broader turning and grinding portfolio shares end-markets with WEISSER and serves as a related operating comparable.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@J.G.WEISSER-Soehne
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weisser-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/j.g.weissersoehne

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Weisser