What Ortlinghaus does

Ortlinghaus is a fourth-generation, family-owned industrial manufacturer headquartered in Wermelskirchen, Germany, founded in 1898 by Otto Ortlinghaus. The company engineers and manufactures drive technology products — clutches, brakes, plates/lamellen (friction linings), clutch-brake combinations, and mechatronic systems — serving four primary industrial verticals: press/metal forming, marine propulsion, winch systems, and agricultural machinery. Customer end-applications include servo press safety systems, marine vessel maneuvering and propulsion, winch braking on construction and maritime equipment, and PTO/CVT gearbox components for tractors and harvesters.

The company's distinctive technical capability is its vertically integrated plate production, in continuous operation since 1923, which Ortlinghaus claims is unique among clutch and brake manufacturers. The product portfolio spans wet-running sintered plates with bronze-containing friction materials (torque range 200-12,000 Nm), electromagnetic and hydraulic clutches, hydraulic released safety brakes, the Prot.act Series 171/172 servo press brakes, the Prop.act autonomous marine clutch unit, the Cee.go clutch-brake combination (Series 480), and the DC650 digital diagnostic and control platform. Internationally protected patents, proprietary calculation and design software, and over a century of accumulated engineering know-how support the technology base. The founder family retains board representation through Peter Ortlinghaus alongside Dr. Bastian Franzkoch.

Ortlinghaus runs an enterprise field-sales model with technical sales teams organized by industry vertical. Distribution is global via more than 25 subsidiaries, sales partners, and service hubs, with wholly-owned operations in Germany, Switzerland, China (manufacturing), India, and the UK, and additional distribution partners covering the Americas, Nordics, Eastern Europe, and Japan. Revenue is generated through engineered-to-order hardware sales at undisclosed B2B pricing. The company has not raised external funding and is not owned by a parent or financial sponsor.

Name

Ortlinghaus

Legal name

Ortlinghaus-Werke GmbH Wermelskirchen

Website

https://ortlinghaus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ortlinghaus is a fourth-generation, family-owned German manufacturer of clutches, brakes, friction plates, and mechatronic drive systems for press, marine, winch, and agricultural machinery applications, sold globally via 25+ subsidiaries and partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wermelskirchen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Drive Components and Systems: Revenue generated from engineering and manufacturing of clutches, brakes, plates, clutch-brake combinations, and mechatronic/mechanical systems for industrial applications. Products are sold as engineered-to-order solutions based on customer specifications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ortlinghaus engineers, manufactures, and sells industrial drive technology products including clutches, brakes, friction plates/lamellen, clutch-brake combinations, and mechatronic systems for marine propulsion, press/metal forming, winch, and agricultural machinery applications. Products are predominantly engineered-to-order based on customer specifications, supported by in-house plate manufacturing and proprietary calculation software. The company also offers the DC650 digital diagnostic and control platform and hydraulic aggregates as part of system solutions.

Product overview

Ortlinghaus develops and manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of drive technology products centered on clutches, brakes, and plates. The core product categories include wet-running sintered plates/linings (torque range 200-12,000 Nm), electromagnetic and hydraulic clutches (Series 893 and 992), hydraulic brake systems, and combined clutch-brake units. The mechatronic systems division produces the Prop.act autonomous propeller unit for marine applications. For digital operations, Ortlinghaus offers the DC650 diagnostic and control platform for marine and metal forming applications. The company also provides hydraulic aggregates and control units as part of their system offerings. All products serve industrial applications across press technology, marine propulsion, winch systems, and agricultural machinery sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Prop.act: Autonomous, ready-to-install clutch unit that allows stepless variation of propeller speed and thrust via the control lever at constant engine speed
• Prot.act
• Cee.go
• DC650

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Miki Pulley Co., Ltd. Japanese manufacturer of electromagnetic clutches, brakes, and power transmission components. Directly comparable in clutch and brake product categories serving industrial machinery, with analogous engineered-product positioning to Ortlinghaus.
• Twin Disc, Inc. Manufacturer of power transmission equipment including marine transmission, clutches, and marine controls. Overlaps with Ortlinghaus in marine propulsion clutches and industrial drive systems for commercial and workboat markets.
• Transfluid S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of industrial clutches, power take-offs, and marine transmission systems. Comparable in product type (clutches, brakes) and a leading overlap with Ortlinghaus in marine propulsion and industrial driveline applications.
• Wichita Clutch (Altra Industrial Motion): Industrial clutches and brakes for marine, oil and gas, metals, and material handling applications. Directly comparable product category (industrial clutches and brakes) and shares the same end-market verticals as Ortlinghaus.
• KTR Systems GmbH: Germany-based manufacturer of power transmission technology including couplings, clutches, and brake systems. Closely comparable product portfolio and target markets (industrial, marine, agricultural) to Ortlinghaus, with similar engineered-to-order approach.
• Renk Group AG: German manufacturer of special gear units, drive technology, and marine propulsion systems. Comparable as a German-engineered, niche specialist in drive technology and marine propulsion with substantial vertical overlap to Ortlinghaus.
• Kobelt Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Manufacturer of marine braking, steering, and control systems. Directly comparable in marine braking and control subsystems, addressing similar workboat and commercial marine customers as Ortlinghaus's marine technology segment.

Broad incumbents

• Bosch Rexroth AG: Global leader in drive and control technology including industrial hydraulics, electric drives, and motion control. Competes with Ortlinghaus in industrial drive components but operates at much greater scale and across a broader product portfolio.
• Regal Rexnord Corporation: Manufacturer of power transmission and motion control products including industrial clutches, brakes, and couplings. Comparable product category to Ortlinghaus but at significantly larger scale and broader end-market exposure.
• Eaton Corporation plc: Diversified industrial manufacturer with significant presence in industrial clutches, brakes, and vehicle drivetrain components. Competes with Ortlinghaus in industrial clutch and brake systems as part of a much larger portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ortlinghaus
• Instagraminstagram.com/ortlinghaus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Ortlinghaus