What Kunstler Bahntechnik does

Künstler Bahntechnik GmbH is a German railway infrastructure manufacturer founded in 1907 and headquartered in Hamm. The company designs, engineers and manufactures customised turnout (switch) systems, track systems, and elastic rail mounting solutions at two dedicated switch factories in Hamm and Röblingen (Teutschenthal), with a branch office in Chemnitz. Its proprietary portfolio includes the RCS® (Rail Comfort System), DELTA-Lager®, VIBREX® and Cologne Egg® elastic mounting/vibration-damping systems, developed in cooperation with SEALABLE Solutions GmbH and ORTEC, as well as the VeloTrack (VeloGleis) bike-safe rail system. A wheelset machining division was spun off into the separate entity Künstler Maschinenbau GmbH.

Künstler sells directly to European railway operators, tram and light-rail operators (e.g., Stuttgarter Straßenbahnen, VAG Freiburg, DSW21, Ruhrbahn, Mainzer Verkehrsgesellschaft), and railway construction firms, with a customer base that includes Dutch operator HTM. Products are delivered either pre-assembled for short construction-window projects or as individual components, with project-specific quotations rather than public list pricing. The company holds Q1, DIN EN ISO 3834-2, ISO 9001 and HPQ certifications, as well as Deutsche Bahn Oberbauschweißtechnik approvals at both manufacturing sites.

Künstler has been a member of the Fehlings-Gruppe since 2008 and operates as a private GmbH under German law (HRB 3232, Amtsgericht Hamm), managed by Dipl.-Ing. Nicola Klein. Revenue, headcount and order-book figures are not publicly disclosed; the Fehlings-Gruppe parent context is the principal capital and capacity lever behind the business.

Name

Kunstler Bahntechnik

Legal name

KÜNSTLER BAHNTECHNIK GmbH

Website

https://kuenstler-bahntechnik.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Künstler Bahntechnik is a German railway infrastructure manufacturer, founded in 1907, designing and producing customised turnout systems, track systems, and elastic rail mounting solutions for European railway and tram operators from two switch factories in Hamm and Röblingen.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railway Infrastructure Components

NAICS

Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (33699)

SIC

Railroad Equipment (3743), Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment (3790)

akta.pro primary industry

Track Infrastructure Management & Maintenance (Rails, Sleepers, Ballast, Turnouts) (TLAJADAA)

Keywords

• Railway turnout systems
• Track construction
• Elastic rail mounting
• Vibration damping
• Tram infrastructure components

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamm

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Turnout and Track System Manufacturing: Design, development, and manufacturing of customised turnout (switch) systems, track systems, and railway infrastructure components. Products are constructed and custom-made in the company's two switch factories in Germany. Revenue derived from project-based orders and component supply contracts.
2. Elastic System Solutions: Supply and installation of proprietary elastic mounting and vibration damping systems (RCS®, DELTA-Lager®, VIBREX®, Cologne Egg®) developed in cooperation with technology partners. Revenue from system supply and associated services.
3. Wheelset Machining: Wheelset machining services operated through the spun-off entity Künstler Maschinenbau GmbH. Processing of wheelsets for railway vehicles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Künstler Bahntechnik designs and manufactures custom railway turnout (switch) systems, track systems and elastic rail mounting solutions at two switch factories in Germany. Products are delivered as pre-assembled systems or individual parts to railway operators, tram operators and railway infrastructure companies throughout Europe, including proprietary vibration-damping systems co-developed with SEALABLE and ORTEC.

Product overview

Künstler Bahntechnik is a leading German rail technology provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of railway infrastructure products. The core offerings include switch construction (Weichenbau) for complex turnout systems and track technology (Gleistechnik) for stable railway line construction. These are complemented by elastic systems including the RCS® (Rail Comfort System), DELTA-Lager®, VIBREX®, and Cologne Egg® systems for vibration damping and noise reduction. The VeloTrack system provides bike-safe track solutions for railway-cyclist junctions. A wheelset machining division now operates separately under Künstler Maschinenbau GmbH. Products are manufactured in two switch factories in Germany (Hamm and Röblingen) with a focus on quality, innovation, and flexibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Switch Construction (Weichenbau) Custom-engineered turnout (switch) systems for rail transport, including Vignol and grooved rail switches, intersections, switch components and complete systems designed to withstand extreme conditions such as snow/ice, dust/sand, temperature fluctuations and increasing axle loads. Delivered pre-assembled or as individual parts based on customer requirements to railway operators and infrastructure companies.
• Track Technology (Gleistechnik) Stable track systems providing the basis for railway line construction, produced using high-precision machines with frames, yokes and curves in any combination of rail profile, quality, track gauge and geometry. Supplied pre-assembled or in individual parts, including rail machining services (bending, sawing, punching) and comprehensive planning support.
• Elastic Systems - DELTA-Lager® Advanced vibration damping system developed with ORTEC for damping shocks and vibrations in rail transport. Achieves vertical deflection up to 10mm with horizontal head deflection below 2mm and is compatible with W-fastenings used in Germany, suitable for local and long-distance transport loads.
• Elastic Systems - VIBREX® System Highly elastic rail bearing system featuring stray current insulation per EN 50122-2, scatter and de-icing salt resistant materials, 100% recyclable materials, available as head rail and grooved rail, with customisable groove widths from 36 to 60.5mm.
• Elastic Systems - Cologne Egg® System Noise reduction and vibration damping solution consisting of metal parts connected by heavy-duty rubber elements installed between railway tracks and ground. Absorbs train vibrations and dampens sound. Suitable for axle loads up to 16 tonnes and resistant to road salt and de-icing salt.
• Elastic Systems - RCS® (Rail Comfort System) Elastic rail bedding system for urban infrastructures, developed with SEALABLE; significantly reduces shocks and vibrations from trams, minimises stray current dissipation, suitable for various rail profiles and surfaces including asphalt, paved, concrete and grass tracks, with quick modular installation and pre-assembly capability.
• VeloGleis / VeloTrack (Bike-safe Track System) Bike-safe track system developed in cooperation with SEALABLE Solutions GmbH. Features a special rubber profile that fills the track groove to prevent bicycle tyres from becoming trapped, minimises slipping risk in wet conditions, and can be retrofitted to existing rails.
• Wheelset Machining (Radsatzbearbeitung) - now Künstler Maschinenbau GmbH Precision wheelset machining services for railway vehicles, now operated under the spun-off entity Künstler Maschinenbau GmbH in cooperation with Vosswinkel GmbH.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% reduction in energy consumption (other than electricity) since 2021
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Fehlings-GruppeflagshipOthers · 1 January 2008Künstler Bahntechnik is a member of the Fehlings-Gruppe since 2008, providing access to a strong network, high technical competence and comprehensive material capacities. The group includes FG (Fehlings Gleis- und Tiefbau), HF (Hamm), FN (Fehlings Nord), and FW (Fehlings West).
• SEALABLE Solutions GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with SEALABLE for developing the VeloGleis (VeloTrack) bike-safe track system - a rubber profile solution that fills rail grooves to prevent bicycle tyre accidents. Also jointly developed the RCS® (Rail Comfort System) for elastic rail bedding in urban infrastructures.
• ORTECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner for DELTA-Lager® elastic mounting system for damping shocks and vibrations in rail transport. The system achieves vertical deflection up to 10mm with horizontal head deflection below 2mm, suitable for local and long-distance transport loads.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• voestalpine Railway Systems: Division of voestalpine producing turnouts, rails, and complete track systems for high-speed, mainline, and urban rail. Closest large-scale direct competitor to Künstler in custom turnout manufacturing.
• BWG GmbH: German manufacturer of railway switches, crossings, and complete track systems. Directly competes with Künstler in the DACH turnout market with comparable product portfolio and municipal transit customers.
• Rail.ONE GmbH: Manufacturer of concrete sleepers, slab track systems, and rail infrastructure components serving DACH and broader European customers. Adjacent peer in rail track infrastructure with overlapping customer base.
• Schwihag AG: Swiss-German maker of rail switches, crossing components, and elastic rail fastenings. Comparable product depth in turnout systems and elastic bedding solutions to Künstler.
• ORTEC GmbH: Specialist in elastic rail fastening and vibration-damping systems for tram and rail applications. Direct competitor and current co-development partner of Künstler on DELTA-Lager® and VIBREX®.
• Vossloh AG: Global market leader in rail infrastructure, manufacturing switches, rail fasteners, and concrete ties. Directly comparable to Künstler as a switch/turnout manufacturer with overlapping European customer base and DB approvals.

Emerging players

• Getzner Werkstoffe: Austrian specialist in elastic vibration-damping solutions for rail track superstructures. Competes with Künstler’s elastic systems (Cologne Egg®, RCS®) in the urban transit vibration-reduction segment.
• SEALABLE Solutions GmbH: Innovator of elastic rail bedding and bike-safe track groove solutions. Direct competitor and current co-development partner of Künstler on RCS® and VeloGleis.

Broad incumbents

• Wenzel & Snow (now part of Vossloh): Historically an independent switch manufacturer, now integrated into Vossloh. Listed to illustrate how switch specialists get absorbed by larger rail groups — a structural backdrop relevant for Künstler.

Regional players

• Wirthwein GmbH (rail division): German plastics and concrete component maker supplying rail infrastructure elements including sleeper components and track accessories. Comparable as a German mid-sized supplier into rail infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/234753546540707

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Kunstler Bahntechnik