Stephex Group
Stephex Group is a privately-held Belgian diversified equestrian company that designs and manufactures custom horse transport vehicles (STX, AKX, Ketterer) and luxury motorhomes, while also operating stables, stallion breeding, equestrian events, financial services, and an auction platform for professional riders and affluent customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersWolvertem, Belgium
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Stephex Group does
Stephex Holding Comm. VA ("Stephex Group") is a privately-held Belgian group headquartered in Meise, just north of Brussels, that operates a vertically integrated portfolio of equestrian businesses anchored by custom-built horse transport vehicles. Its core manufacturing activity is the design and production of premium horsetrucks marketed under three proprietary sub-brands — STX, AKX, and Ketterer — for which the company claims world leadership with roughly 3,500 vehicles built over ~35 years of operation.
Beyond vehicle manufacturing, the group operates wholly-owned subsidiaries covering the broader equestrian value chain: Stephex Stables (boarding and breeding facilities at the headquarters site), Stephex Stallions (genetics and stallion services), Stephex Events (competition and experience organization), Stephex Motorhomes (luxury recreational vehicles), STX Finance (leasing, insurance, and contract management tied to vehicle sales), and Stephex Auction (online marketplace for horses and equipment). The stated headcount is approximately 500 employees across these divisions.
Go-to-market is enterprise-style direct sales with dedicated sales executives and directors per division, supported by a regional office in Wellington, Florida, and claimed presence on five continents. Pricing is bespoke (quote-based) with no public list, reflecting the custom-built nature of each vehicle. Revenue mix draws from hardware sales (horsetrucks, motorhomes), professional services (stables, stallions, events), managed services (STX Finance), and transaction fees (Stephex Auction). The company is founder-led by Stephan Conter, with Vincent De Vlieger as CFO, and has no disclosed external institutional investors or parent entity.
Stephex Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stephex Group
- Legal name
- Stephex Holding Comm. VA
- Website
- https://stephex.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Stephex Group is a privately-held Belgian diversified equestrian company that designs and manufactures custom horse transport vehicles (STX, AKX, Ketterer) and luxury motorhomes, while also operating stables, stallion breeding, equestrian events, financial services, and an auction platform for professional riders and affluent customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stephex Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Horse Transport Vehicles
- NAICS
- Horses and Other Equine Production (112920)
- SIC
- Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948), Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Equine Transport & Hauling Services (AFAEAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Racing Logistics & Transport (Equine Haulage, Quarantine) (MPAEADAO), Training, Stables & Equine Services (MPAEADAI)
Keywords
Where Stephex Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wolvertem
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Stephex Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Horsetrucks Sales: Design, manufacture and sale of premium horse transport vehicles under STX, AKX, and Ketterer brands. The company is the world leader in the horsetrucks market with 3,500 vehicles built.
- Motorhomes Sales: Design and sale of premium motorhomes under the Stephex Motorhomes brand for equestrian enthusiasts and luxury vehicle market.
- Equestrian Services: Horse breeding, training, and management through Stephex Stables; stallion services; and event hosting through Stephex Events.
- STX Finance: Financial services including leasing and insurance for equestrian equipment and vehicles.
- Stephex Auction: Auction services for horses and equestrian equipment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Custom vehicle pricing based on specifications |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Stephex Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stephex Group designs, manufactures, and sells custom-built premium horse transport vehicles (horsetrucks) under proprietary brands STX, AKX, and Ketterer, claiming the world leader position with over 3,500 vehicles built. It complements this core with luxury motorhomes, equestrian stable and breeding operations, stallion services, equestrian event management, financial services (leasing and insurance) via STX Finance, and an online horse auction platform.
Product overview
Stephex Group is a diversified equestrian luxury goods and services company comprising multiple divisions under a unified corporate umbrella. The core product is the manufacture and sale of custom-built horse transport vehicles (horsetrucks) under the STX, AKX, and Ketterer brands, positioning the company as the world leader in this market. The portfolio extends through complementary divisions: Stephex Motorhomes for luxury recreational vehicles, Stephex Stables for horse boarding and breeding facilities, Stephex Stallions for genetics services, Stephex Events for equestrian event management, and STX Finance for integrated financial services (leasing, insurance, contracts). Stephex Auction provides an additional marketplace channel. Together, these divisions create an integrated ecosystem serving equestrian enthusiasts from vehicle acquisition through horse management and competitive participation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- STX: Premium horse truck and motorhome brand featuring unmatched technology
- AKX
- Ketterer
Products and services
- Stephex Horsetrucks (STX / AKX / Ketterer) Custom-built premium horse transport vehicles (horsetrucks) manufactured and sold under the STX, AKX, and Ketterer brands, targeting professional equestrian riders, horse owners, breeding operations, and riding schools.
- Stephex Motorhomes (STX Motorhomes) Luxury motorhomes built and sold for equestrian enthusiasts and luxury recreational vehicle buyers, allowing riders to travel in comfort to competitions and events.
- Stephex Stables Premium horse boarding, breeding, and training facilities for equestrian professionals, located on the company campus in Meise, Belgium, including landscaped gardens, fountains, and natural lakes.
- Stephex Stallions Horse breeding and stallion services offering access to exceptional sport horses and premium genetics for equestrian buyers.
- Stephex Events Equestrian event organization and management services, delivering competition and brand experience events for horse enthusiasts worldwide.
- STX Finance Financial services offering leasing, insurance, and contract management solutions for buyers of Stephex vehicles and equestrian equipment.
- Stephex Auction Online auction services for horses and equestrian equipment, providing a transactional marketplace within the Stephex Group ecosystem.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3,500 vehicles built across all brands
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Stephex Group
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Stephex Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Stephex Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Stephex Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Adria Mobil: Adria Mobil is a Slovenian motorhome, caravan, and trailer manufacturer serving the European market with premium and mid-tier lines. Relevant peer for Stephex's motorhome division given comparable European premium positioning and custom-build capability overlap.
- Rapido Group: Rapido Group is a French group owning multiple premium European motorhome brands (Rapido, Itineo, Fleurette). Comparable to Stephex Motorhomes in product category, premium French/European positioning, and diversified brand portfolio approach.
- Ifor Williams Trailers: Ifor Williams Trailers is a UK-based, larger manufacturer of horse, livestock, and commercial trailers with broad European distribution. Overlaps with Stephex in the horse transport segment but operates at much higher volumes and across additional categories (livestock, utility) rather than premium custom builds only.
- Hymer Group: Hymer is one of Europe's largest premium motorhome and caravan manufacturers, directly comparable to Stephex's Stephex Motorhomes brand in product category and target audience (premium/affluent buyers). Hymer operates at much larger scale and broader distribution than Stephex's motorhome division.
- Carthago (Carthago Reisemobilbau): Carthago is a German premium motorhome manufacturer with strong European brand recognition in the luxury class — directly comparable to Stephex Motorhomes' positioning. Operates at substantially larger volumes but in the same premium motorhome segment.
Direct peers
- Cheval Liberté: Cheval Liberté is a French manufacturer of horse trailers and transport solutions sold across Europe, directly overlapping Stephex's product category. Comparable target customers (equestrian professionals and enthusiasts), comparable custom-build model, and broader trailer-led offering.
- Featherlite Trailers: Featherlite is a US-based manufacturer specializing in horse, livestock, and specialty trailers with strong North American distribution. Comparable product category (premium horse transport) and complementary geographic coverage to Stephex's Wellington, Florida operations.
- Theault: Theault is a long-established French manufacturer of custom horse transport trucks (van and truck models), directly competing with Stephex's STX/AKX/Ketterer brands for the same professional equestrian buyer. Comparable product, comparable premium positioning, comparable custom-built delivery model.
- Fautras: Fautras is a French specialist in horse trailers and horse transport vehicles serving professional and amateur equestrian customers. Direct competitor to Stephex in custom horse transport with similar premium positioning and European market overlap.
- Böckmann: Böckmann Fahrzeugwerke is one of Germany's largest manufacturers of horse trailers, transporters, and equestrian vehicles, serving the same premium equestrian buyer as Stephex. Comparable engineering-led German craftsmanship heritage and overlap with Stephex's Ketterer brand positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Stephex Group social profiles
Digital presenceStephex Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stephex Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Stephex Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Stephex Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stephex Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Stephex Group
What does Stephex Group do?
Stephex Group designs, manufactures, and sells custom-built premium horse transport vehicles (horsetrucks) under proprietary brands STX, AKX, and Ketterer, claiming the world leader position with over 3,500 vehicles built. It complements this core with luxury motorhomes, equestrian stable and breeding operations, stallion services, equestrian event management, financial services (leasing and insurance) via STX Finance, and an online horse auction platform.
Is Stephex Group a public or private company?
Stephex Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Stephex Group founded?
Stephex Group was founded in 1990. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Stephex Group based?
Stephex Group is headquartered in Wolvertem, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Stephex Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Horsetrucks Sales are the primary driver. The others are motorhomes Sales, equestrian Services, STX Finance and stephex Auction.
Who are Stephex Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Adria Mobil, Rapido Group, Ifor Williams Trailers, Hymer Group and Carthago (Carthago Reisemobilbau). Direct peers are Cheval Liberté, Featherlite Trailers, Theault, Fautras and Böckmann.
Does Stephex Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stephex Group.
What industry is Stephex Group in?
Stephex Group's product category is Horse Transport Vehicles. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEAGAI, Equine Transport & Hauling Services, with a secondary code of MPAEADAO, Racing Logistics & Transport (Equine Haulage, Quarantine). Its NAICS code is 112920 and its SIC code is 7948.