HGT Hydraulikgreifer-Technologie

What HGT Hydraulikgreifer-Technologie does

HGT Hydraulikgreifer-Technologie GmbH is a privately held German manufacturer of hydraulic grabs and hydraulic slewing gears (Drehantriebe) for excavators and material handling machines. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Ilsede (between Brunswick and Hanover), the company operates from a 40-employee production facility producing approximately 1,800 grab units per year. Its product portfolio spans roughly twelve series covering excavation, trenching, deep shaft work, railroad/track construction, bulk material loading, scrap and recycling handling, wood/timber handling, demolition, and universal applications, plus a custom Sondergreifer line and a used equipment program. The company also develops and manufactures proprietary DW and DWP series hydraulic slewing gears — including the modular DWP architecture with independent functional units — at its Peine facility, forming the rotational interface between the carrier machine and the grab.

The company's underlying technology centers on continuous hydraulic rotation, wear-resistant fine-grain steel construction (HB 450), welded steel frames (S355J2+N), and hard-chromed piston rods with end-position damping. Differentiation comes from the in-house Slewing gear design, the modular three-point plug system (Dreipunkt-Stecksystem) available from the DCS2 model onwards, and integration of OilQuick quick-change systems with safety features such as double hose rupture valves and continuous hydraulic retightening of locking bolts. The product range covers carrier machines from 800kg mini-excavators to 400t+ (per product range statements up to 500t) handling excavators.

HGT generates revenue almost exclusively from hardware sales through multiple streams: standard grab sales, proprietary slewing gear sales, custom/special grab commissions, accessories and spare parts, and certified used equipment. The company sells through a Europe-wide dealer network that provides local sales and technical support, with direct sales used in Germany and for custom solutions. Pricing is quote-based and varies by model specifications, excavator compatibility, and customization. End customers are B2B operators across construction, recycling, waste management, quarrying, rail construction, timber, and demolition sectors. No public revenue figures are disclosed; managing director Helge Schwark leads the operating entity, which is not venture- or PE-backed.

Name

HGT Hydraulikgreifer-Technologie

Legal name

HGT Hydraulikgreifer-Technologie GmbH

Website

https://hgt-greifer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HGT Hydraulikgreifer-Technologie GmbH is a German manufacturer of hydraulic grabs and proprietary slewing gears for excavators and material handling machines, serving construction, recycling, rail, timber, and demolition operators across Europe via a dealer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Excavator Attachments

NAICS

Construction Machinery Manufacturing (33312)

SIC

Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Excavators (IMAHAAAA)

Keywords

• Hydraulic grabs
• Excavator attachments
• Hydraulic slewing gears
• Material handling equipment
• Construction equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Groß Denkte

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, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hydraulic Grab Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling hydraulic grab attachments for excavators, ranging from mini-excavators (800kg) to large handling excavators (up to 400t). Products include two-shell grabs, round-shell grabs, orange peel grabs, wood grabs, demolition grabs, and universal grabs.
2. Hydraulic Slewing Gear Sales: Sales of proprietary hydraulic slewing gears (DW and DWP series) designed for excavator attachments and handling machines.
3. Accessories and Spare Parts: Comprehensive accessory offerings including ejectors, grab extensions, load hooks, tooth systems, clamping rolls, and wearing parts for all grab series.
4. Custom/Special Grabs: Custom-designed grabs tailored to specific customer requirements, built by experienced sales, design, and production teams at the Ilsede facility.
5. Used Equipment: Sale of inspected, ready-to-use pre-owned grabs from inventory.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HGT Hydraulikgreifer-Technologie GmbH designs, manufactures, and sells hydraulic grabs (Greifer) and proprietary hydraulic slewing gears (Drehwerke) for hydraulic excavators, spanning mini-excavators at 800 kg operating weight up to large handling excavators of 400–500 t. The portfolio includes two-shell excavation, round-shell, railroad/track, loading, orange peel, wood, demolition, universal, OilQuick-equipped, and custom-built special grabs, complemented by the DW/DWP slewing gear series, accessories, and certified pre-owned equipment, distributed via a Europe-wide dealer network.

Product overview

HGT Hydraulikgreifer-Technologie GmbH is a manufacturer of hydraulic grabs and hydraulic slewing gears for excavators, offering a comprehensive portfolio of mechanical products designed and produced in Peine/Ilsede, Germany since 1986. The product range spans multiple grab series for diverse applications: the DCS Series for excavation and trenching, DCS-RT for rectangular profile work, DCS-R for round-shell applications, DC-RW for railroad/track construction, RCS Series for bulk material loading, MT Series (orange peel grabs) for scrap and quarry operations, TG/TGR/FTG Series for wood/log handling, DG Series for demolition, MP Series for universal applications, and OQC Series featuring OilQuick quick change systems. These are complemented by the DW/DWP hydraulic slewing gear series, which serve as the connection between the carrier machine and grab, and a full range of accessories and certified used equipment. The company produces approximately 1,800 grab units annually and serves equipment from mini-excavators (800kg) up to large handling excavators (up to 400t), with products sold through a Europe-wide dealer network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DCS Series — Two-Shell Excavation Grabs (Zweischalen-Tiefbaugreifer) Universal two-shell excavation grabs for hydraulic excavators, designed for excavating natural soil, digging ditches and cable trenches, and loading earth, gravel, and sand. Feature continuous hydraulic slewing gears, wear-resistant HB 450 cutting edges, and an optional three-point plug system for modular configuration.
• DCS-RT Series — Two-Shell Excavation Grabs for Rectangular Profiles Two-shell excavation grabs developed for precise positioning work in rectangular profiles; intended for cable and conduit construction, tight shaft work, and exact trench excavation, with stable construction and optimized shell shapes for efficient trench pulling.
• DCS-R Series — Round-Shell Grabs (Rundschalengreifer) Specialized round-shell grabs for hydraulic excavators, ideal for excavating deep shafts, foundation construction, and universal earth and demolition work. Features continuous hydraulic slewing gears and high-quality HB 450 cutting edges.
• DC-RW Series — Railroad and Track Construction Grabs Specialized grabs for railroad and track construction, optimized for 2-way mobile excavators. Features low installation height, adapted opening width, and maximum closing forces for safe gripping, loading, and positioning of rails.
• RCS Series — Two-Shell Loading Grabs (Zweischalen-Verladegreifer) Optimized grabs for bulk material handling of flowing goods such as gravel, sand, pebbles, grain, feed, fertilizer, ore, coal, and similar materials, designed for efficient loading and unloading in ports, terminals, and industrial facilities.
• RCS-P Series — Two-Shell Loading Grabs with Plunger Cylinder Loading grabs equipped with a plunger cylinder featuring piston rods on both sides of the piston surface, providing equal active areas for retraction and extension. Oil is guided within the cylinder, eliminating the need for additional hydraulic hoses under the DWP15 slewing gear and ensuring absolute synchronous operation.
• MT Series — Orange Peel Loading Grabs (Mehrschalen-Verladegreifer) Special handling grabs for large and bulky materials found in scrap sorting, waste and recycling operations, and quarries. Available in 4-shell and 5-shell configurations; the 4-shell version offers approximately 20% lower dead weight while maintaining the same capacity, with opening and closing times under 2 seconds.
• MT6.6 — Custom Orange Peel Loading Grab Custom-built heavy-duty handling grab for coarse and bulky materials in scrap recycling, waste operations, and quarries. Features welded S355J2+N steel frame, HB 450 fine-grain steel components, hard-chromed piston rods with end-position damping, and optional protective bumpers, shell edge protection, and tooth systems.
• TG, TGR, and FTG Series — Wood Loading Grabs (Holz-Verladegreifer) Orange peel grabs for logs and round timber. The claw shape enables picking up single or multiple logs of different diameters from the ground, a stack, or a truck and securely holding them during handling. Available in standard (TG), rotating (TGR), and fixed (FTG) configurations.
• DG Series — Two-Shell Demolition Grabs (Zweischalen-Abbruchgreifer) Versatile grabs for demolition applications and handling of different materials including demolition sorting, sorting of construction debris, and loading and sorting of recycled materials.
• MP Series — Two-Shell Universal Grabs (Zweischalen-Universalgreifer) Multi-use grabs for a wide range of applications including stone-setting tasks, sorting construction debris, loading and sorting recycling materials, earth excavation and loading of coarse bulk goods, and handling bushes and shrubs.
• OQC Series — OilQuick Quick-Change System Grabs Grabs equipped with OilQuick quick-change systems, marketed as among the safest on the market. Features include double hose rupture valves, continuous hydraulic retightening of locking bolts, dual-function lock switch, and acoustic and optical warning signals, enabling rapid attachment changes directly from the operator cab.
• Sondergreifer — Custom / Special Grabs Custom-designed and constructed grabs tailored to specific customer requirements. Examples include BigBag handlers, Kübeltraverse (bucket traverse), Betonbeißer (concrete breaker), Rohrgreifer (pipe grabs), and Gittermasthandler (lattice mast handlers), built by experienced sales, design, and production teams at the Ilsede facility.
• DW and DWP Series — Hydraulic Slewing Gears (Hydraulische Drehantriebe) Hydraulic slewing gears for hydraulic attachments on excavators as well as mobile and stationary handling machines. The DWP series features a modular design allowing quick mounting and dismounting of wear components, with three independent functional units enabling easy and economical replacement of individual components.
• Zubehör — Accessories Comprehensive accessory solutions including ejectors, grab extensions, load hooks, various tooth systems, clamping rolls, and clamping bars. All accessories and wear parts are available for quick replacement or adaptation of grabs across the product range.
• Gebrauchtgreifer — Used / Certified Pre-Owned Grabs Certified pre-owned grabs across all series. All used grabs are inspected, operational, and immediately available, offering high-quality technology at attractive pricing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Opening and closing times under 2 seconds achievable with 4-shell grab designs
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• OilQuickcoreTechnology or IntegrationOilQuick quick-change systems are integrated into HGT grab products, offering automated attachment changes directly from the cab. OilQuick systems are marketed as the safest on the market with features including double hose rupture valves, continuous hydraulic retightening of locking bolts, and acoustic/visual warning signals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kinshofer Group: German manufacturer of hydraulic attachments for excavators (grabs, buckets, tiltrotators, quick couplers). Directly comparable as a European specialist competing in the same product categories as HGT, including two-shell grabs and demolition grabs.
• Verachtert (Werkcon Group): Dutch manufacturer of buckets, grabs, and quick-change systems for excavators. Direct European competitor with overlapping product categories and similar dealer-based distribution model.
• Rototilt Group: Swedish manufacturer of tiltrotators and machine control systems for excavators. Competes in the same excavator attachment category with focus on premium positioning and integrated technology, paralleling HGT's positioning in the German-speaking market.
• Steelwrist AB: Swedish manufacturer of tiltrotators, quick couplers, and excavator attachments. Directly competes in hydraulic excavator attachments with a focus on productivity-enhancing technologies, overlapping with HGT's grab and OilQuick-compatible portfolio.
• Lehnhoff Hartstahl GmbH: German manufacturer of quick-change systems and excavator attachments including buckets and grabs. Direct competitor in the German market with overlapping product offerings for hydraulic excavators.

Broad incumbents

• Liebherr-Werk Bischofszofen GmbH: Austrian/German manufacturer of excavators and attachments including hydraulic grabs. Operates in the same European market with broader product lines and global reach, competing with HGT particularly in larger excavator classes.
• Komatsu Attachments: Major construction equipment OEM producing buckets, grapples, and excavator attachments as part of a broader machine portfolio. Provides overlapping grab capabilities as part of a wider earthmoving and construction equipment line.
• Caterpillar Work Tools: Caterpillar's attachments division producing a comprehensive range of excavator buckets, grapples, and thumbs. A broad incumbent offering competing solutions across the full excavator size range with global dealer reach.

Emerging players

• Wacker Neuson SE: German/Austrian manufacturer of compact and mini-excavators with attachments. Overlaps with HGT's mini-excavator segment (800kg+) and competes for similar urban construction and landscaping customers.
• MB Crusher S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of crusher buckets and screening buckets for excavators. Represents an emerging specialist competitor in the excavator attachment space, though focused on crushing rather than material handling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@hgthydraulikgreifer-techno958
• Facebookfacebook.com/HGT-Hydraulikgreifer-Technologie-GmbH
• Instagraminstagram.com/hgt_greifer
• TikToktiktok.com/@hgt.greifer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hgt-hydraulikgreifer-technologie-gmbh

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 HGT Hydraulikgreifer-Technologie