Friedrich Muench

What Friedrich Muench does

Friedrich Münch GmbH + Co KG, doing business as niroflex, is a German family-owned industrial manufacturer founded in 1920 and headquartered in Mühlacker, Germany. The company specializes in stainless steel chainmail (ring mesh) protective equipment for the food processing industry, with a catalog that spans puncture-resistant and cut-resistant gloves, moisture-protection gloves, cold-protection gloves, stainless steel aprons, boleros, and accessories. The underlying technology consists of thousands of welded stainless steel rings forming a flexible yet highly resistant structure; the protection mechanism works by distributing blade force across the mesh so that penetration is impeded, rather than by a single impermeable layer. Products carry multiple European certifications (DIN EN ISO 13999, EN 14328, EN 1082, EN 388, EN 511, EN 407) as well as ISO 9001, and are manufactured in Germany.

The revenue model rests on three streams: (1) catalog hardware sales of standardized chainmail PPE delivered through a hybrid motion of direct sales consultation and a network of international and regional sales partners, with most standard products available from stock and same-day shipping; (2) custom/bespoke manufacturing for specific user or application requirements; and (3) an original-spare-parts repair service that preserves CE compliance. The primary customer base sits in meat processing and butcher operations, with secondary presence in fish processing and broader food production (vegetable, fruit, and packaging). Distribution is documented across DACH, France, Spain, Poland, and Russia, and the niroflex platform has been extended to adjacent verticals via dedicated sub-brand sites covering industrial PPE, military/police/security, and architectural mesh.

The legal entity is a Kommanditgesellschaft (limited partnership) registered in Mühlacker under the Amtsgericht Mannheim, with Münch Verwaltungs-GmbH and Thomas Zaphiris-Münch as personally liable partners and Jörg Schüle as Managing Director. The company is privately held with no external institutional, PE, or VC ownership evidenced in the source material. The organization is small (stated 1-10 employees), has no app, API, or AI/ML capability, and operates as a conventional specialty industrial manufacturer whose primary differentiators are its 100-year brand heritage, EN-standard-certified product portfolio, and the technical properties of stainless steel ring mesh.

Name

Friedrich Muench

Legal name

Friedrich Münch GmbH + Co KG

Website

https://niroflex.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Friedrich Münch GmbH + Co KG, trading as niroflex, is a German family-owned manufacturer of stainless steel chainmail cut- and puncture-resistant gloves, aprons, and boleros for the food processing industry, founded in 1920 and headquartered in Mühlacker, Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Personal Protective Equipment (Food-Industry PPE / Chainmail Protective Wear)

NAICS

Cutlery and Handtool Manufacturing (3322)

SIC

Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420)

akta.pro primary industry

Gloves & Mittens Manufacturing (IMAOAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Gloves & Mittens (CRAAAJAG)

Keywords

• Cut resistant gloves
• Chainmail protective equipment
• Stainless steel ring mesh
• Puncture protection gloves
• Food industry PPE

Headquarters

HQ city

Mühlacker

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Protective Equipment Sales: Sale of stainless steel chainmail gloves, aprons, boleros, and accessories for cut and puncture protection in the food processing industry. Products are sold through direct consultation and via regional and international sales partners.
2. Custom Manufacturing: Customization feasible for people and applications. The company develops ideas and products together with customers and creates tailor-made solutions, application-oriented down to the smallest detail.
3. Original niroflex Repair Service: Professional repair service for CE-compliant chainmail products using original spare parts to maintain product integrity and compliance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Friedrich Münch manufactures and sells stainless steel chainmail personal protective equipment (gloves, aprons, boleros, and accessories) for the food processing industry under the niroflex brand. Core offerings include puncture protection gloves, cut-resistant gloves, moisture protection gloves, cold protection gloves, and upper-body protection garments certified to multiple EN standards, complemented by custom manufacturing and a brand-authorized repair service. Products are Made in Germany and distributed through direct sales and a network of international and regional sales partners.

Product overview

niroflex is a product brand of Friedrich Münch GmbH + Co KG offering a comprehensive portfolio of stainless steel chainmail protective equipment for the food industry. The product range centers on puncture protection gloves and cut-resistant gloves made from welded metal rings forming a flexible yet highly resistant protective structure, complemented by moisture protection gloves (including BlueCut dry), cold protection gloves, as well as protective aprons and boleros. The portfolio also includes accessories and custom manufacturing options. Products are certified according to multiple EN standards (EN ISO 13999, EN 14328, EN 1082, EN 388, EN 511) and manufactured in Germany, with the company claiming decades of experience and global leadership in cut protection solutions for butchers, meat processing, and food industry professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stechschutzhandschuhe (Puncture Protection Gloves) Stainless steel chainmail ring mesh gloves that protect hands and forearms from accidental stabs during food processing operations. Tested and certified to DIN EN ISO 13999, EN 14328, and EN 1082. Sold to food processing and meat industry customers.
• Schnittschutzhandschuhe (Cut-Resistant Gloves) Cut-resistant safety gloves for the food industry that protect against sharp blades and abrasive tools. Includes specialized variants such as BlueCut dry for wet environments. Sold to food processing enterprises.
• Nässeschutz Handschuhe (Moisture Protection Gloves) Gloves designed for work in moist and wet food processing environments, with a special surface that keeps hands dry while providing high grip security. Sold to food industry customers working in wet production areas.
• Kälteschutz Handschuhe (Cold Protection Gloves) Cold protection gloves certified to EN 511, providing high thermal insulation for work in refrigerated food processing environments. Sold to food industry customers in cold zones.
• Schürzen (Aprons) Stainless steel ring mesh aprons protecting the chest, abdomen, and shoulders when working with knives and sharp tools. Designed for high freedom of movement and wearing comfort in food processing operations.
• Boleros Upper body protection garments made of stainless steel ring mesh that protect shoulders and upper torso during food processing operations involving sharp tools.
• Zubehör (Accessories) Butcher and food industry accessories including replacement parts, hanging systems, and storage solutions for chainmail products. Sold to existing chainmail glove and apron users.
• niroflex BlueCut dry Specialized cut-resistant glove that combines flexible cut protection with reliable grip in wet environments, using textured or coated surfaces. Designed for food industry applications where safety, hygiene, and precision are equally important.
• Custom Manufacturing (Bespoke Chainmail Solutions) Tailor-made chainmail protective solutions developed jointly with customers for individual users and specific applications, application-oriented down to the smallest detail. Sold to enterprise customers with specialized requirements.
• Original niroflex Repair Service Professional repair service for CE-compliant chainmail products using original spare parts to maintain product integrity and compliance. Sold to existing niroflex customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significant reduction of cut and puncture injuries in meat processing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• S-IT Informationstechnologie GmbH & Co. KGminorOthersExternal hosting provider for niroflex website. Located at Marktstraße 7-11, 75365 Calw, Germany. Website hosting services with data processing agreement (AVV) in place.
• GetResponseminorOthersNewsletter service provider for email marketing. GetResponse Sp. z o.o. based in Gdansk, Poland. Used for organizing and analyzing newsletter distribution.
• ADDICTED CREATIVE SERVICES GmbHminorOthersWebsite concept, design and realization partner for niroflex website.
• Milena Paralis (Freelance Web Developer)minorOthersWeb programming services for niroflex website.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ansell: Global leader in personal protective equipment with a substantial cut-resistant and food-processing glove portfolio (e.g., HyFlex, ActivArmr). Most comparable broad incumbent: overlaps with niroflex's food-industry chainmail and cut protection, but operates at much larger scale across multiple PPE categories.

Direct peers

• Showa: Japanese manufacturer of protective gloves with dedicated cut-resistant and food-processing lines. Directly comparable to niroflex in target end-market (food processing) and core product category (cut-resistant gloves), though Showa competes primarily with coated knit gloves rather than chainmail.

Peers

• Honeywell Safety Products:

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Niroflex/61554233324067
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friedrich-munch-gmbh-und-co-kg
• Instagraminstagram.com/niroflex.de

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Friedrich Muench