Linck

What Linck does

LINCK Holzverarbeitungstechnik GmbH is a German manufacturer of industrial sawmill plant systems and wood-processing machinery, headquartered and operating entirely from its Oberkirch site in the Black Forest region near Strasbourg. Founded in 1827, the company designs, engineers, manufactures and commissions complete sawmill plants (PRO MAX, PRO S, PRO NANO, RED FLEX, RED L, PRO SL) as well as individual machines across the processing chain including round-timber infeed (RHZ, EV/EVP), chipping (VM, VMH), profiling (VPM, VPF, VPS), sawing (CSMK, MKS, HKM), separation (SE) and turning (DV) units. All engineering and production is conducted in-house.

The company's technology stack combines mechanical engineering with automation and process expertise: PLC software integration (since 2003), 3D measurement systems, stereoscopic-camera-based real-time closed-loop control (Log Motion Control, 2022), proprietary cutting-pattern optimization software (OptiSim, 2015), a cloud-based lifecycle platform (myLINCK, 2021), operation-mode-shifting logic, NONstop in-process tool-change technology, and the patented SEL chain-free separator principle. The company holds at least one granted patent (SEL separator conveyor) and cites an installed base of more than 300 plants operating on five continents, with 19 of the 20 largest European sawmill operators as customers.

LINCK generates revenue through direct enterprise sales of custom-engineered, project-based capital equipment with multi-year contract cadences and quote-based pricing; modernization/retrofit solutions (notably Log Motion Control) and software/aftermarket services add a secondary revenue stream from the installed base. The company serves a single vertical — industrial sawmill and wood-processing operators — and self-describes as Europe's largest sawmill plant manufacturer and a globally leading profiling-system provider. It is privately held, with no disclosed external investors, ~354 employees at the single Oberkirch site and managing directors Julian Fabarius and Sven Schempp.

Name

Linck

Legal name

LINCK Holzverarbeitungstechnik GmbH

Website

https://linck.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1827

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

LINCK Holzverarbeitungstechnik GmbH designs, engineers, manufactures, and commissions complete sawmill plant systems and individual wood-processing machines. Based in Oberkirch, Germany, it serves industrial sawmill operators globally through direct enterprise sales, modernization retrofits, and lifecycle software services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Sawmill Machinery

NAICS

Sawmill, Woodworking, and Paper Machinery Manufacturing (333243)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Logging Equipment (IMAHACAK)

Keywords

• Sawmill machinery
• Wood processing equipment
• Industrial plant systems
• Profiling machinery
• Timber processing technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Oberkirch

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sawmill plant systems and individual machines: LINCK designs, engineers, manufactures, and implements complete sawmill plant systems as well as individual machines and components. The revenue is project-based, involving custom engineering, production, installation, and commissioning. The company maintains 100% in-house engineering and 100% production in Oberkirch, Germany.
2. Modernization and upgrade solutions: LINCK offers modernization solutions (e.g., Log Motion Control retrofit) for existing sawmills. These are add-on/upgrades to installed base systems, providing ongoing revenue from the existing customer fleet.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LINCK Holzverarbeitungstechnik GmbH designs, engineers, manufactures, and commissions complete sawmill plant systems (Plant Concepts such as PRO MAX, PRO S, PRO NANO, RED FLEX, RED L, PRO SL) as well as individual machines and components across the processing chain (log infeed, chipping, profiling, sawing, separation, turning). All engineering and production are performed in-house at the company's Oberkirch, Germany site. The company also provides modernization and upgrade solutions (e.g., Log Motion Control retrofit), digital lifecycle management via the myLINCK cloud platform, and the OptiSim optimization software.

Product overview

LINCK offers a comprehensive portfolio of plant concepts and individual product solutions for sawmill and wood processing operations. Plant Concepts (PRO MAX, PRO S, PRO NANO, RED FLEX, RED L, PRO SL) are complete production line configurations ranging from compact systems for small-diameter wood to large-scale high-capacity lines. Product Solutions include individual machines across the processing chain: RHZ round timber infeed, EV/EVP feed devices, VM and VMH profiling/chipping machines, VPM/VPF/VPS profiling aggregates, CSMK/MKS/HKM sawing units, SE separator conveyors, and DV turning devices. LINCK plans sawmills as complete integrated systems, combining mechanical engineering, automation and process expertise from initial requirement analysis through technical design, implementation and operation. The company also offers modernization solutions like Log Motion Control for upgrading existing plants, and software tools such as OptiSim for optimization and myLINCK cloud platform for lifecycle management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PRO MAX Plant Concept Large-scale sawmill plant concept offering maximum throughput and capacity for high-volume timber production operations.
• PRO S Plant Concept Mid-range sawmill plant concept delivering high performance with optimized footprint for medium-scale timber production.
• PRO NANO Plant Concept Compact and efficient profiling line for weak/small-diameter wood processing, featuring active curve-following cutting guidance specifically designed for small diameters and unsorted round timber.
• RED FLEX Plant Concept Reducer line with round-trip (return-loop) technology for up to three passes, processing round timber to main products and unedged side boards in a space-efficient layout.
• RED L Plant Concept Compact reducer line with high cutting performance based on 3D data evaluation, using chipper-circular saw technology with automatic log turning and off-center or diagonal post-cutting.
• PRO SL Plant Concept Specialist short-wood profiling line for pallet board production, processing pre-sorted short round timber according to fixed sawing patterns at up to 80,000 fm/year/shift.
• CSMK Double-Shaft Circular Sawing Unit Double-shaft circular sawing unit for processing round timber, edgings and canted timber, with up to 8 horizontal tool axes and servo-controlled guide plates for high dimensional accuracy and cutting quality.

Quantifiable outcome

• Log Motion Control delivers a 1.1% increase in wood yield with an amortization period under one year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Biesse Group: Biesse is a large Italian manufacturer of machinery for processing wood, glass, stone, plastic, and metal. Its woodworking division is a broad incumbent in industrial wood processing with overlapping customer segments to LINCK in sawmill and engineered-wood production.
• SCM Group: Italian-based SCM Group is a major global player in woodworking machinery, offering a broad range of processing equipment. It overlaps with LINCK in solid-wood processing and sawmill-adjacent applications, with a much larger product portfolio and global footprint.
• Homag Group: Homag Group, part of Dürr, is one of the world's largest woodworking machinery manufacturers, serving furniture, construction, and wood-processing customers. It is a broad incumbent whose product breadth and global service network dwarf LINCK's specialized sawmill focus.
• Weinig Group: Weinig is a large German manufacturer of solid-wood processing machinery, with a broad portfolio spanning sawing, profiling, and moulding. It is a broader incumbent in woodworking machinery that overlaps with parts of LINCK's profiling and sawing product line.

Direct peers

• USNR: USNR is a North American manufacturer of sawmill equipment and optimization systems, including log in-feed, scanning, and processing machinery. It is one of the closest direct competitors to LINCK in complete sawmill plant systems, with overlapping customer profiles among large sawmill operators.
• Ledinek: Slovenia-based Ledinek is a specialist in high-speed profiling lines and engineered wood processing equipment, directly competing with LINCK's PRO NANO and RED FLEX product families in the European and global sawmill market.
• Wintersteiger: Austria-based Wintersteiger produces sawmill and wood-processing machinery, including thin-kerf and special-purpose saw systems. It overlaps with LINCK in industrial wood processing equipment for sawmill and adjacent wood-product applications.
• Vallée: Vallée is a Canadian manufacturer of sawmill equipment, including log processing, chipping-canter lines, and mill optimization. It competes with LINCK in the integrated sawmill plant segment, particularly in North America.

Others

• Leitz: Leitz is a German manufacturer of precision tooling and tool systems for the wood-processing industry, including saw blades and profiling cutters used on LINCK and competitor equipment. It is a key supplier-adjacent player in the same value chain.
• Vollmer Group: Vollmer is a German manufacturer of machines for sharpening and eroding circular saw blades and tools, serving the woodworking and metalworking industries. It is an enabling supplier in the sawmill and woodworking tool ecosystem rather than a direct equipment competitor to LINCK.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/linck-holzverarbeitungstechnik-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Linck