DGS
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1925
- HeadquartersSankt Gallen, Switzerland
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
DGS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DGS
- Legal name
- DGS Druckguss Systeme AG
- Website
- https://dgs-druckguss.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1925
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DGS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Die Casting Components
- NAICS
- Forging and Stamping (3321)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Body Panels, Doors, Hoods & Closures Manufacturing (IMACAGAH)
Keywords
Where DGS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sankt Gallen
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
DGS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Die Casting Component Manufacturing: Design, development, and series production of aluminum and magnesium die casting components for automotive and industrial applications. Revenue generated from component sales with full value chain including heat treatment, machining, coating, and assembly services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
DGS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DGS designs and manufactures high-pressure die-cast aluminum and magnesium components, primarily for automotive structural applications such as body, interior, steering, e-mobility, and powertrain parts. The company operates a vertically integrated value chain that includes melting, casting (250-4400 t closing force), heat treatment (T5/T6/T7), CNC machining, surface coating, and assembly, together with in-house development services covering process engineering, tool design, alloy development, and rapid prototyping. Production is delivered globally from facilities in Switzerland, Czech Republic, and China with just-in-time/just-in-sequence logistics.
Product overview
DGS Druckguss Systeme AG is a die-casting manufacturing company offering aluminum and magnesium high-pressure die-cast components and comprehensive manufacturing services. The company operates as a system partner providing innovative customized solutions from development through production to delivery. Their core offerings include die-cast components (Aluminum and Magnesium), supported by in-house manufacturing processes: Casting, Heat Treatment (T5/T6/T7), CNC Machining, Surface Coating, Assembly & Systems, and Logistics. Development services include Process Development, Tool Design, Alloy Development, and Rapid Prototyping. Applications focus primarily on automotive (body, interior, steering, e-mobility, powertrain) with additional industrial segments (renewable energy, industrial, consumer goods). DGS serves automotive manufacturers globally with manufacturing facilities in Switzerland, Czech Republic, and China.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Aluminum Automotive Body Components (Structural Castings) Structural aluminum die-cast components for crash-relevant automotive body applications, including spring strut mounts, crossbeams, longitudinal beams (Audi A8 Space-Frame), A-pillars, B-pillars, hinge reinforcements, and impact absorbers. Sold to automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers for body-in-white and chassis integration.
- Aluminum and Magnesium Automotive Interior Components Interior die-cast components with high functionality and compaction requirements, including CQT consoles, shift housings, CQT braces, and handbrake systems. VW handbrake systems have been produced across three generations with magnesium, achieving ~1 kg weight reduction.
- Magnesium Automotive Steering Components Safety-critical magnesium die-cast steering components, including steering column supports and steering column adjustment (mantel tubes). Produced for automotive OEMs requiring lightweight chassis solutions.
- E-Mobility and BEV Cast Components Aluminum die-cast components for electric vehicles, including battery housings and structural cast components. First series deliveries of aggregate and battery components for BEVs from Mercedes-Benz and BMW started November 2022 from the Frýdlant plant.
- Front/Rear-End Cast Modules Front- and rear-end solutions from individual cast parts to assembled modules, including air outlet grilles (e.g., Audi R8), front-end supports, crash absorber mounts, and front-end brackets.
- Engine and Powertrain Cast Components Complex and tolerance-critical aluminum die-cast powertrain components that withstand extraordinary thermal-dynamic loads, including cylinder head covers, oil pans, transmission internals, transmission housings (VW premium manufacturer global platform, ~1.8M vehicles/year), and cooling housings.
- Renewable Energy / Solar Frame Castings Large-scale aluminum die-cast solar panel frames for renewable energy customers. The Hoval solar frame (Euroguss 2014 award) is the largest European die-cast part in a single shot at 2050 x 1230 x 54 mm and 6.4 kg.
- Industrial and Consumer Goods Die-Cast Components Precision die-cast components for industrial equipment and consumer goods, including scale housings, lamp enclosures, drill machine bearing bridges, and sewing machine components. Approximately 5% of DGS revenue comes from this segment.
- Development Services (Process, Tool, Alloy, Prototyping) Bundled development services including process development (alloy and property development, product/system development, 3D data optimization, die casting consulting), in-house tool design (3D construction, gating, mold filling/solidification/stress/cooling simulation, FEM, NC programming), alloy development (testing programs with alternative casting alloys, quenching simulation), and rapid prototyping (milled and 3D-printed plastic prototypes, milled metal, sand casting, rapid tooling, and die-cast prototypes). Sold to automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers as part of component programs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 19% weight reduction in Audi structural component vs predecessor
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use DGS
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
DGS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature6 records
DGS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hochschule AalencoreEducational partnership for research and development collaboration in die casting technology and materials science.
- Fachhochschule St. Gallen (FHSG)corePartnership with Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences for digitalization and informatics education collaboration.
- IRPD (Institute for Rapid Product Development)coreResearch institution partnership for rapid prototyping and product development.
- Giessereiverband Schweiz (Swiss Foundry Association)coreIndustry association membership for networking, standards development, and vocational training promotion (OBA trade fair participation).
- StartfeldminorRegional innovation network for technology transfer and startup collaboration.
- Tuno SchweizminorIndustry association membership for training and education initiatives.
- Institut für Digitale und Informatische Bildung (IDIB-PHSG)minorCollaboration for digital education and informatics training programs. Joint initiative for filming and documenting learning experiences.
- OST - Ostschweizer FachhochschuleminorPartnership with Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences for student visits and educational programs.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights6 records
DGS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nemak: Mexico-headquartered global leader in aluminum die casting for automotive powertrain, e-mobility, and structural components; directly comparable to DGS on lightweight aluminum castings supplied to global OEMs.
- Dynacast (Form Technologies): Global precision metal die casting manufacturer (aluminum, magnesium, zinc) with multi-continent footprint serving automotive, industrial, and consumer markets; competes with DGS on engineered cast components for tier-1 customers.
- Shiloh Industries: US supplier of lightweighting, noise/vibration/harshness, and chassis components, with significant aluminum and magnesium die casting capacity serving automotive structural applications similar to DGS.
- Endurance Technologies: Indian Tier-1 automotive component manufacturer with aluminum die casting and suspension product lines serving global OEMs; comparable to DGS on aluminum casting content per vehicle and global OEM supply.
- Georg Fischer AG (GF Casting Solutions): Swiss industrial group with a major GF Casting Solutions division producing iron, aluminum, and magnesium castings for automotive and industrial customers; competes head-to-head with DGS on global automotive structural casting contracts.
- Ryobi Die Casting: Japanese die casting specialist with large-scale aluminum and magnesium HPDC operations supplying global automotive OEMs for structural and powertrain components, directly comparable to DGS's HPDC structural casting focus.
Broad incumbents
- Magna International: World's largest tier-1 automotive supplier with body, chassis, and powertrain operations including aluminum casting capabilities; broader and much larger than DGS but materially overlaps on structural cast components and OEM system supply.
- Martinrea International: Canadian diversified automotive supplier with aluminum casting and lightweight metal forming capabilities across body, chassis, and powertrain; broader portfolio than DGS but overlapping on automotive structural castings.
- Rheinmetall Automotive (formerly KSPG): German automotive division of Rheinmetall, large supplier of powertrain and cast components (including pistons and structural castings) using aluminum and other alloys; competes with DGS on engine/powertrain castings and increasingly on e-mobility housings.
Others
- Bühler Group: Swiss supplier of die casting machines and complete die casting cells — the original parent lineage of DGS (Bühler Druckguss AG) and a long-standing technology partner; comparable as an equipment and process supplier enabling DGS's HPDC operations.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DGS social profiles
Digital presenceDGS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance19 records
DGS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DGS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
DGS subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
DGS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DGS 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 DGS
What does DGS do?
DGS designs and manufactures high-pressure die-cast aluminum and magnesium components, primarily for automotive structural applications such as body, interior, steering, e-mobility, and powertrain parts. The company operates a vertically integrated value chain that includes melting, casting (250-4400 t closing force), heat treatment (T5/T6/T7), CNC machining, surface coating, and assembly, together with in-house development services covering process engineering, tool design, alloy development, and rapid prototyping. Production is delivered globally from facilities in Switzerland, Czech Republic, and China with just-in-time/just-in-sequence logistics.
Is DGS a public or private company?
DGS is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was DGS founded?
DGS was founded in 1925. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is DGS based?
DGS is headquartered in Sankt Gallen, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does DGS make money?
One revenue line is on record: die Casting Component Manufacturing.
Who are DGS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nemak, Dynacast (Form Technologies), Shiloh Industries, Endurance Technologies, Georg Fischer AG (GF Casting Solutions) and Ryobi Die Casting. Broad incumbents are Magna International, Martinrea International and Rheinmetall Automotive (formerly KSPG). Bühler Group is listed as an others.
Does DGS have an API?
No public API is recorded for DGS.
What industry is DGS in?
DGS's product category is Automotive Die Casting Components. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAGAH, Body Panels, Doors, Hoods & Closures Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 3321.