What Cable Stern does

Kabel Sterner GmbH (doing business as Kabel Sterner / Cable Stern) is a German specialty cable manufacturer founded in 1991 and headquartered in Gaimersheim, Bavaria. The company develops and produces custom-engineered cables and connection solutions for industrial B2B customers, with in-house capabilities spanning stranding (Verseilerei), braiding (Flechterei), and extrusion, plus proprietary material compounding (FEP, TPE) and an in-house test laboratory covering drag-chain dynamics to 20 m/s, torsion to ±720°, and cold chambers down to -60°C. Its product portfolio covers six main families — multimedia, bus/data, dynamic industrial (robot, drag chain, elevator, crane), control and power, flat, and special-application cables (helical, hybrid, rail, canal-inspection) — supplemented by VDE-certified flat ribbon cables, cUR-listed TPE compounds, and EN 50575 CPR-compliant construction cables.

Kabel Sterner serves verticals including robotics and automation, elevator technology, agricultural technology, canal/sewage inspection, medical technology, and automotive, with primary use cases in dynamic, harsh-environment, and dimensionally constrained applications where standard catalog cables are insufficient. The company operates with custom project work beginning at roughly 300 meter minimum quantities, while also maintaining framework agreements, consignment warehousing, and Kanban inventory solutions for recurring customers. A dedicated field sales team (Frank Accorsi, Claudio Büren, Thomas Schneider) plus technical inside-sales support drives a sales-led, quote-based go-to-market; distribution is direct, supplemented since 2025 by the MEDI Kabel GmbH-led Bayernverbund network.

Following the July 1, 2025 full integration of long-time partner ByK Bayern Kabel GmbH, Kabel Sterner operates two production sites (Gaimersheim and Grafenau) and remains family-owned under Managing Directors Michael Sterner (since 2008) and Andreas Wittmann (since 2024), with no disclosed external private equity or venture backing. The business holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, UL, VDE, cUR, CSA, EN 50575, EN 45545, and ISO 6722 certifications supporting access to automotive, rail, construction, and industrial OEM customers.

Name

Cable Stern

Legal name

Kabel Sterner GmbH

Website

https://kabel-sterner.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kabel Sterner GmbH is a German family-owned specialty cable manufacturer founded in 1991 in Gaimersheim, producing custom-engineered industrial cables for robotics, elevator, agricultural, medical, and automotive B2B customers through in-house stranding, braiding, and extrusion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaimersheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Cable Manufacturing: One-time product sales of custom-engineered specialty cables. Customers provide specifications; company develops, prototypes, and manufactures cables to exact requirements. Revenue generated through project-based orders with minimum quantities around 300 meters for custom cables.
2. Customer Solutions Development: Technical consulting and development services accompanying custom cable projects. Includes analysis, concept development, technical documentation, prototyping, and support through serial production.
3. Framework Agreements and Inventory Solutions: Long-term framework contracts with inventory management, consignment warehouse, and Kanban systems. Recurring revenue through scheduled deliveries and call-off orders for standardized products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kabel Sterner GmbH is a German manufacturer that develops, prototypes, and produces custom-engineered specialty cables for industrial B2B customers, with in-house stranding, braiding, and extrusion capabilities covering multimedia, bus and data, dynamic industrial, control and power, flat, and special-application cables. The company serves customers in robotics and automation, elevator technology, agricultural machinery, canal inspection, medical technology, and automotive markets, offering minimum quantities from 300 meters, framework agreements with consignment-warehouse inventory, and accompanying technical consulting from concept through serial production.

Product overview

Kabel Sterner GmbH is a German cable manufacturer specializing in custom special-purpose cables and connection solutions. Their product portfolio includes eight main product categories: (1) Multimedia Cables for audio/video/light signal transmission, (2) Bus and Data Cables for automation and communication applications, (3) Dynamic Industrial Cables for robot, drag chain, and crane applications, (4) Control and Power Cables for industrial energy and signal supply, (5) Flat Cables for space-constrained installations, and (6) Special Applications including helical, hybrid, rail, and canal inspection cables. Additional offerings include custom material solutions (TPE compounds, VDE-certified flat ribbon cables) and CPR-compliant cables. The company operates as a system provider offering the complete cable production chain from stranding and twisting to extrusion, serving B2B industrial customers in automation, medical technology, automotive, agricultural technology, and robotics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Multimedia Cables (Multimediakabel) High-quality cables for analog and digital transmission of audio, video, and light signals, including microphone, speaker, instrument, guitar, AES/EBU, and DMX cables for professional applications.
• Bus and Data Cables (Bus- und Datenleitungen) Specialized cables for reliable signal and data transmission in automation, building technology, and industry applications, including bus, LAN, sensor, coaxial, and measurement cables.
• Dynamic Industrial Cables (Dynamische Industrieleitungen) Flexible cables designed for demanding applications with high mechanical loads and constant movement, including crane/conveyor, robot, drag chain, and elevator cables tested for torsion up to ±720°, 20 m/s speeds, and 5 m/s² acceleration.
• Control and Power Cables (Steuer- und Powerleitungen) Cables for precise signal transmission and stable power supply in industrial applications, including servo, encoder, battery, grounding, welding, and supply cables.
• Flat Cables (Flachleitungen) Space-saving flat cables ideal for confined installation conditions and high flexibility requirements, including jacketed flat cables and raster cables.
• Special Applications Cables (Spezialapplikationen) Custom cable solutions for specific industry requirements, including building technology cables, helical/spiral cables, combination/hybrid cables, rail vehicle cables, and canal inspection pull/push cables.
• Customer Solutions Service (Kundenlösungen) End-to-end custom cable development service — concept design, prototyping, certification, and serial production — for B2B customers needing special cables that meet specific technical and regulatory standards.
• Storage Solutions / Framework Agreements (Lagerlösungen) Long-term framework agreement service for recurring customers including consignment warehouse, Kanban call-off ordering, and just-in-time scheduled deliveries to keep customer production lines supplied.
• Length Variety Service (Längenvielfalt) Custom-length cable manufacturing service delivering specialty cables in tailored lengths from minimum quantities of around 300 meters for special and small-batch applications.
• VDE Flat Ribbon Cables with Reduced Wall Thicknesses (VDE-Flachbandleitungen mit reduzierten Wandstärken) VDE-certified flat ribbon cables with reduced wall thicknesses for compact cable constructions, available in PVC and halogen-free flame-retardant versions (VDE-REG 8847 and 8848).
• TPE Jacket Compound with cUR for +120°C / +125°C (TPE-Mantelmischung mit cUR) TPE jacketing compound with cUR certification for temperature range -40°C to +120°C / CSA +125°C, suitable for automotive temperature class C applications (ISO 6722).
• TPE Conductor Compound with cUR for +120°C / +125°C (TPE-Adermischung mit cUR) TPE conductor insulation compound with cUR certification for internal wiring applications, temperature range -40°C to +120°C / CSA +125°C.
• CPR Cables per BauPVO (CPR-Leitungen nach BauPVO) Construction Products Regulation-compliant cables certified according to EN 50575 for permanent installation in buildings for energy, control, and data cables.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MEDI Kabel GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Part of the Bayernverbund (Bavarian network) together with MEDI Kabel GmbH. MEDI Kabel serves as the specialized distribution partner within the network. Kabel Sterner focuses on production while MEDI Kabel handles distribution to customers.
• ByK Bayern Kabel GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025ByK Bayern Kabel GmbH (Grafenau location) has been fully integrated into Kabel Sterner GmbH as of July 1, 2025. Former partnership spanning over 10 years culminated in merger, combining expertise in special cables and individual conductor/jacket cables.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Prysmian Group: Prysmian Group is the world's largest cable manufacturer with a portfolio spanning energy, telecom, and industrial cables. Its industrial segment overlaps with Kabel Sterner's portfolio, but scale and breadth place it as a broader incumbent rather than a direct specialty competitor.
• Belden Inc. Belden is a US-based specialty cable and network solutions manufacturer serving industrial automation, broadcast, and enterprise markets. Although geographically distant, its specialty cable products (data, control, drag-chain) overlap with Kabel Sterner's industrial cable portfolio.
• Nexans: Nexans is a French-headquartered global cable manufacturer with strong EU manufacturing presence. Its industrial cable segment overlaps with Kabel Sterner's specialties but covers a much broader portfolio and customer base.
• LEONI AG: LEONI AG is a long-established German manufacturer of cables and wiring systems serving automotive, industrial, and infrastructure markets. Its scale and broad portfolio dwarf Kabel Sterner's specialty position but overlap materially in industrial cable categories.

Direct peers

• TKD Kabel: TKD Kabel is a German manufacturer of flexible, drag-chain, servo, robot, and data cables serving factory automation and industrial machinery customers. Its special-cable portfolio parallels Kabel Sterner's robotics, automation, and dynamic industrial product lines.
• Studer Cables: Studer Cables is a Swiss/DACH specialty cable manufacturer focused on industrial cables, fire-resistant cables, and instrumentation cables. Its specialty positioning and quality heritage make it a closely comparable small specialty cable peer to Kabel Sterner.
• Lapp Group: Lapp Group is a leading German manufacturer of integrated cable and connection solutions headquartered in Stuttgart with global operations. Kabel Sterner's custom industrial cable portfolio closely mirrors Lapp's specialty, drag-chain, servo, and elevator cable lines, directly competing for German Mittelstand industrial customers.
• Brugg Cables: Brugg Cables is a Swiss specialty cable manufacturer with strength in high-voltage, infrastructure, and industrial cables. Its custom cable engineering capabilities and EU manufacturing footprint make it a comparable specialty cable peer of similar scale and orientation.
• Conductix-Wampfler: Conductix-Wampfler is a German specialist in energy and data transmission systems for mobile applications, including festoon systems, cable reels, and drag chains. It directly competes with Kabel Sterner in dynamic industrial cables for cranes, robotics, and material-handling environments.
• HELUKABEL: HELUKABEL is a German manufacturer of cables, wires, and accessories specializing in industrial, energy, and data-communication applications. It competes directly with Kabel Sterner in flexible, drag-chain, elevator, and specialty industrial cables for B2B customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KabelSternerGmbH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kabel-sterner-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/ks_gmbh

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Cable Stern