DBW Advanced Fiber Technologies GmbH

What DBW Advanced Fiber Technologies GmbH does

DBW Advanced Fiber Technologies GmbH is a Germany-headquartered, family-owned manufacturer of high-temperature resistant fiber and metal insulation components, primarily for the global automotive industry. Founded circa 1980 and operating under parent DMB Dr. Dieter Murmann Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, the company runs eight manufacturing plants across Germany (Bovenden and Hildesheim), Hungary, Poland, Mexico, China (Shanghai and Taicang), and a sales presence in the United States. DBW reports FY2023 turnover of €102 million with 1,015 employees, serving automotive OEMs and tier-1 suppliers in three segments: Exhaust (cold-end and hot-end insulation), Engine Compartment (acoustic and thermal encapsulation), and Industrials (shipbuilding, household appliances), with a fourth emerging Alternative Mobility vertical targeting EV battery thermal management and NVH applications.

The company's core technology portfolio covers biosoluble mineral wool (biosil®), textile E-CR glass fibers (powertex®, powertex® LE), non-combustible needle mats (powermat®), stainless steel wool in grades 1.4113 and 1.4841 (Edelstahlwolle), and metal shielding components with proprietary i-shape texturing (powershield®). Process differentiation rests on the patented binder-free powertex LE manufacturing route, patented i-shape metal tooling, and a fully in-house tool construction and CNC capability through subsidiary DBW tec. Temperature resistance spans up to 1,100°C (stainless steel wool grades) and 1,600°C (technical papers), with biosil® carrying RAL quality certification for health-safe mineral wool. The company's vertical integration from raw fiber to finished stamped metal shields is described in its own materials as unique globally.

DBW operates a sales-led B2B model with custom, quote-based pricing and multi-year supply contracts to named automotive OEMs (Audi, Volkswagen, SEAT, Škoda) and tier-1 suppliers (Eberspächer, Faurecia, Magneti Marelli, Tenneco, Autoneum, Adler Pelzer, IAC, Carcoustics). Hardware sales of fiber and metal insulation products constitute the sole revenue stream. The company carries a full automotive-industry compliance stack (IATF 16949:2016, ISO 9001/14001/45001/50001, TISAX), supported by sector-specific certifications (RAL quality mark, TÜV Hamburg non-combustibility, Germanischer Lloyd, EU Type Examination) for industrial applications.

Name

DBW Advanced Fiber Technologies GmbH

Legal name

DBW Advanced Fiber Technologies GmbH

Website

https://dbw.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

DBW Advanced Fiber Technologies GmbH is a Germany-based global manufacturer of high-temperature fiber and metal insulation components, supplying automotive OEMs and tier-1 suppliers with thermal and acoustic solutions for exhaust, engine compartment, and EV battery applications across eight plants worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Thermal and Acoustic Insulation

NAICS

Textile Mills (313), Nonwoven Fabric Mills (31323), Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (32522), Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills (313110)

SIC

Textile Mill Products (2200), Miscellaneous Fabricated Textile Products (2390), Sheet Metal Work (3444)

akta.pro primary industry

Thermal & Acoustic Insulation Textiles (Insulation Felts/Soundproofing) (IMAOADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Fabric Mills (Performance/Protective/Medical Substrates) (IMAOABAH), Automotive & Transportation Technical Textiles (Interiors/Airbags/Seatbelts/Acoustic) (IMAOADAE), Industrial & Technical Yarn Manufacturing (High-Tenacity/Aramid/Carbon/Glass) (IMAOAAAG)

Keywords

• Automotive insulation materials
• Thermal acoustic insulation
• Fiber metal components
• Exhaust system components
• Automotive textile fibers

Headquarters

HQ city

Bovenden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fiber and Metal Products Manufacturing: DBW develops, produces, and supplies raw products, tailor-made semi-finished products, and components for the automotive industry and non-automotive applications. Revenue comes from selling manufactured fiber and metal insulation products including mineral wool, glass fibers, stainless steel wool, and metal components.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

DBW Advanced Fiber Technologies GmbH develops, produces, and processes high-quality fiber and metal products—including mineral wool, textile glass fibers, stainless steel wool, metal components, needle mats, and composite materials—primarily serving the automotive industry with thermal and acoustic insulation solutions for exhaust systems, engine compartments, and electric vehicle applications.

Product overview

DBW Advanced Fiber Technologies GmbH is a global manufacturer of high-quality fiber and metal products for the automotive industry and non-automotive applications. The company produces a comprehensive portfolio including mineral fibers (biosil®, biosil® PT6, protext®), textile glass fibers (powertex®, powertex® LE, powerfil®), stainless steel wool, and metal components (powershield®). Their products serve thermal and acoustic insulation needs in exhaust systems, engine compartments, and alternative mobility applications. All products are non-combustible with thermal and acoustic insulation properties. The company operates 8 manufacturing plants globally and is the worldwide only provider covering the entire spectrum from fiber production to finished components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• biosil®: Recyclable biosoluble mineral wool for thermal insulation and acoustic absorption in exhaust systems.
• powertex®
• powerfil®
• powermat®
• powershield®
• bicomat®

Products and services

• biosil®
• biosil® PT6
• protext®
• powertex®
• powertex® LE
• powerfil®
• powermat®
• powershield®
• bicomat®
• Stainless steel wool
• Technical papers

Quantifiable outcome

• Temperature resistance up to 1100°C for stainless steel wool, up to 1600°C for technical papers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Faurecia (FORVIA): Global Tier-1 supplier of exhaust systems, interior acoustics, and clean mobility solutions (now FORVIA Group). Direct customer overlap with DBW and a broad incumbent in the same automotive acoustic/exhaust insulation space.
• Knauf Insulation: One of the world's largest producers of mineral wool insulation, including high-temperature and glass-mineral products. Comparable fiber-manufacturing capability to DBW's biosil® and powermat® lines, though primarily focused on building/industrial insulation rather than automotive.
• Owens Corning: Global manufacturer of glass fiber reinforcements and insulation materials, including E-CR glass variants. Comparable at the fiber-manufacturing layer to DBW's powertex® and powerfil® E-CR glass technologies, though at much larger scale across construction and industrial markets.
• Eberspächer Group: Major Tier-1 supplier of exhaust systems, catalytic converters, and automotive thermal management. Both a customer of DBW and a broader incumbent operating in the same end-market segment — exhaust technology and vehicle thermal management — though at a much larger scale.
• Tenneco (DRiV / Apollo Global): Large global automotive supplier with exhaust and ride-performance divisions, including powertrain/clean-air and NVH. Overlaps DBW's exhaust acoustic/thermal customer base at the Tier-1 level and serves the same major OEMs.

Direct peers

• Unifrax (now Alkegen): Global manufacturer of high-temperature specialty fibers (alumina, biosoluble alkaline earth silicate, microfiberglass) for thermal management, EV battery fire protection, and exhaust insulation. Closely matches DBW's biosil® and powertex® portfolio and competes in the same automotive thermal applications.
• Adler Pelzer Group: German privately-held supplier of acoustic and thermal insulation components for the automotive industry. Closely comparable to DBW in target applications (engine bay, interior, underbody) and customer overlap across European OEMs.
• Autoneum Holding AG: Swiss-listed specialist in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles, supplying OEMs and Tier-1s with engine-compartment and underbody systems. Direct peer to DBW's engine-compartment encapsulation and acoustic insulation offering, including overlap on E-CR glass fiber and needled-mat substrates.
• Carcoustics International GmbH: German specialist in acoustic insulation solutions for the automotive industry, including dash, engine-compartment, and underbody systems. Direct competitor to DBW in engineered acoustic/thermal NVH components with overlapping OEM customer base.

Regional players

• Lydall, Inc. (now part of Unifrax/Alkegen): Previously a North American specialist in thermal/acoustic solutions for automotive and industrial filtration markets. Highly comparable to DBW's engine-compartment and exhaust insulation product lines and North American manufacturing footprint, particularly relevant given DBW's Mexican operations.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 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 DBW Advanced Fiber Technologies GmbH