DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbH

What DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbH does

DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbH is a German industrial machinery manufacturer founded in 1946 and headquartered in Achim, Lower Saxony, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Salzgitter AG. The company designs and builds production systems for industrial footwear manufacturing, with its core technology centered on direct soling — injecting polyurethane, rubber, TPU, or other thermoplastic materials onto shoe uppers via rotary table machines offered in 12, 14, 18, 24, 30, and 36-station configurations, with approximately 60 such systems produced annually at the Achim facility. Technology and operational support is provided through a long-standing (40+ year) partnership with ABB for industrial robotics.

Beyond direct soling equipment, DESMA offers an integrated portfolio that includes the amir® automation line for direct soling and the amir®c robotic system for cemented footwear (launched February 2023), in-house mouldmaking and last design, and a software suite spanning Smart Shopfloor production monitoring, DESCOM and EASY GROUP process management, and the DESPARTS 2.0 spare parts platform. Specialized processes such as Multi Section Injection (MSI), Super Critical Foaming (SCF, debuted at Hausmesse 2024), and Particle Dosing address multi-zone sole properties, lightweight recyclable thermoplastics, and circular economy use cases respectively. The company reports having installed over 1,700 robotic and automation solutions worldwide and employs approximately 240 people at the 12,000 sqm Fabrik der Zukunft facility completed in July 2020.

DESMA generates revenue primarily through capital equipment sales (direct soling machines, boots machines, unit soles machines, reconditioned machines) and mould making, supplemented by recurring revenue from spare parts, field service, Smart Remote diagnostics, training, and sample production at its Achim Showroom. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales from Achim for key accounts and a global distributor network — including the MELCHERS Group across several Asian markets and named regional partners across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Australia — supplemented by a biennial Hausmesse (800+ visitors, 57 exhibitors in 2024) and roughly 20 annual international trade fair participations. Named end customers span safety (Atlas Schuhfabrik, Uvex), premium (Lloyd Shoes), minimalist (leguano), athletic (adidas), and orthopedic/comfort (Birkenstock) footwear segments. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated on a project basis.

Name

DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbH

Legal name

DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbH

Website

https://desma.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbH, a Salzgitter AG subsidiary founded in 1946 in Achim, Germany, manufactures direct soling machines, robotic automation lines, moulds, and software for industrial footwear production, serving safety, athletic, casual, and orthopedic footwear manufacturers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Achim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Revenue model

1. Industrial Machinery and Equipment Sales: DESMA manufactures and sells capital equipment including rotary table machines for direct soling (available in 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36-station configurations), robotic cells, and automation lines. Machines are produced at the Achim facility with approximately 60 rotary table systems manufactured per year, predominantly exported.
2. Mould Making and Custom Tooling: DESMA designs and manufactures custom shoe moulds through its in-house mouldmaking division. Services range from concept creation through design, prototyping, and series production moulds.
3. Spare Parts Supply (DESPARTS 2.0): DESMA provides spare parts through its DESPARTS 2.0 online portal, enabling customers to check availability, pricing, and order history for components. Parts are supplied globally.
4. Customer Service, Field Service, and Training: Comprehensive service package including field service, Smart Remote service, training, sampling/mustering, and technical support. Services are delivered through the Customer Service Center (CSC) in Achim.
5. Sample Production and Testing Services: DESMA offers sample and small-series production in its Showroom at Achim, allowing customers to test materials and processes without interrupting their own production. Includes material testing and process development support.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DESMA designs, manufactures and globally distributes capital equipment, automation/robotics systems, moulds and supporting software for industrial footwear production. Core offerings are direct soling rotary table machines (12–36 stations) for PU/TPU/rubber soles, amir® and amir®c robotic automation lines, in-house mouldmaking, and a software suite (Smart Shopfloor, EASY GROUP, DESCOM, DESPARTS 2.0) for footwear manufacturers.

Product overview

DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbH offers an integrated portfolio for industrial footwear manufacturing consisting of direct soling machines (rotary table systems with 12-36 stations for PU, rubber, TPU soles), amir® and amir®c robotics/automation solutions, comprehensive software suite (Smart Shopfloor for production monitoring, EASY GROUP for order management, DESCOM for process optimization, DESPARTS 2.0 for spare parts), and mouldmaking/last support services. The product ecosystem is supported by the Customer Service Center offering Smart Remote, Field Service, Training, and Sampling. Key technologies include Multi Section Injection (MSI) for property variation, Super Critical Foaming (SCF) for lightweight recyclable soles, Particle Dosing for sustainability, and Center Wedge/DESwing for design expansion. DESMA is the technology and market leader for direct soling equipment with over 1,500 robotics/automation solutions installed worldwide, serving footwear manufacturers from its headquarters in Achim, Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DESMA SCF technology: Super Critical Foaming technology for producing lightweight, high-performance thermoplastic soles
• amir
• amir®c
• DESPARTS
• Smart Shopfloor
• DESCOM
• EASY GROUP

Products and services

• Direct Soling Machines
• amir® Automation (Direct Soling Robotics)
• amir®c Automation (Cementing Robotics)
• Unit Soles Machines
• Boots Machines
• Reconditioned Machines
• Smart Shopfloor Software
• EASY GROUP Software
• DESCOM Software
• DESPARTS 2.0 Spare Parts Portal
• DESMA Mouldmaking Service
• Last Support Service
• Sampling and Sample Production Service
• Customer Service Center (Field Service, Spare Parts, Training)
• Smart Remote Service
• Field Service
• Training Programs

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature16 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• BASFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2021DESMA and BASF collaborate closely on materials development for shoe production, including the joint launch of NovaCoat-D (a unique combination of release agent and in-mould coating) in March 2021. BASF is a key materials supplier providing polyurethane and other chemicals used in DESMA direct soling processes. BASF has been a long-standing exhibitor and supporter of DESMA Hausmesse events, presenting at the DESMAology conference on topics such as circular footwear with polyurethanes.
• ABBcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1980DESMA and ABB have maintained a close partnership for over 40 years since the 1980s, beginning with adapted ABB robots for industrial shoe manufacturing. The partnership has developed into a significant business success, particularly through collaboration with major footwear brands. ABB provides the industrial robot systems integrated into DESMA's amir®c and amir®D automation lines. DESMA has installed more than 1,500 (now over 1,700) robotic solutions globally, all powered by ABB robotics technology.
• Huntsman CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuntsman Corporation is a key materials supplier for polyurethane systems used in shoe manufacturing. Huntsman has participated in DESMA Hausmesse events as an exhibitor and presenter at the DESMAology conference, discussing latest PU footwear innovations and sustainability. Huntsman has collaborated with DESMA on advancing polyurethane applications in the footwear industry.
• Leibniz-Hochschule Hannover (Dependance)minorOthersA branch/department of Leibniz University of Applied Sciences Hannover is located within the DESMA technology park at the former Desmastraße 3/5 address in Achim, on the same property as the DESMA headquarters.
• CovestromajorTechnology or IntegrationCovestro is a materials supplier participating in DESMA Hausmesse events, providing polyurethane and coating solutions for the footwear industry that complement DESMA's production equipment.
• HenkelmajorTechnology or IntegrationHenkel supplies adhesives and bonding solutions for shoe manufacturing. Henkel participates in DESMA Hausmesse events as an exhibitor, supporting the cemented footwear production workflows enabled by DESMA's amir®c automation systems.
• CETI (Centre Europeen de Textile Innovation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCETI (European Centre for Textile Innovation) presented at the DESMAology Footwear Innovation Conference 2024 on IDSHOES and Re_SHOES projects for a new footwear recycling industry, collaborating with DESMA on sustainable manufacturing topics.
• PFI (Prüf- und Forschungsinstitut Pirmasens)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFI (Testing and Research Institute Pirmasens) awarded DESMA the PFI-Eco-Label in 2024, certifying DESMA's contributions to climate protection, circular economy, and sustainability. PFI presented at the DESMAology conference on the EU Green Deal and regulatory frameworks.
• FootwearologyminorOthersFootwearology organized the DESMAology Footwear Innovation Conference co-located with the DESMA Hausmesse, providing educational and conference programming on footwear industry topics including design, sustainability, and technology.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• For.do S.r.l. Italian specialist in industrial shoe-making machinery with focus on lasting and bottoming operations; part of the Italian cluster that directly competes with DESMA in European and emerging footwear manufacturing markets.
• Comelz S.r.l. Italian manufacturer of CNC cutting and laser systems for footwear, leather goods, and similar industries; competes directly with DESMA in industrial shoe manufacturing equipment, particularly in cutting and upper-processing applications. Part of the Italian shoe-machinery cluster that is DESMA's primary competitive set in Europe and Asia.
• Atom International S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of shoe-making machinery including lasting presses, sole-attaching systems, and PU injection machines; overlaps with DESMA's product portfolio in the Italian footwear cluster and competes for direct-injection PU soling business globally.
• OMAC S.r.l. Italian shoe-making machinery manufacturer within the Italian footwear-machinery cluster; competes with DESMA on direct soling, lasting, and finishing equipment sales to footwear producers across Europe and Asia.

Others

• KUKA AG: German industrial robotics company and ABB competitor that supplies robotic arms capable of powering competing footwear automation architectures. While not a direct shoe-machinery competitor, KUKA's platform parallels ABB's role as DESMA's robot partner and could enable alternative automation solutions to amir/amir c.
• ABB Industrial Automation: Swiss-Swedish industrial automation leader and DESMA's 40+ year robotics partner, supplying ABB robots integrated into amir and amir c automation lines (1,700+ installations globally). Relevant as a critical supplier and as a potential vertical integrator if ABB chose to enter the footwear-automation stack.

Regional players

• Matek Makina: Turkish shoe-making machinery manufacturer supplying injection molding, lasting, and finishing equipment to footwear producers; a comparable regional peer serving European and Middle Eastern footwear manufacturing markets with similar direct-soling capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/37006312

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 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 DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbH