Hunger Dichtungen

What Hunger Dichtungen does

Hunger DFE GmbH, trading as Hunger Dichtungen (Hunger Seals), is a German manufacturer of sealing and bearing elements for hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, headquartered in Würzburg, Germany. Founded in 1977 as a focused seal-focused entity within the broader Hunger Hydraulik Group — which traces its origins to Walter Hunger's seal-making activities from 1945 and the formal establishment of Hunger OHG in November 1958 in Lohr am Main — the company produces a focused portfolio of approximately ten product categories: rod seals, piston seals, rotary seals, wipers, bearing elements, V-packings, static seals, complete pistons, and additional specialized/custom sealing solutions. Hunger DFE's technology base rests on approximately 22 patents covering sealing concepts that minimize friction and exclude metallic contact within hydraulic cylinders, combined with proprietary processing of high-quality plastics and elastomers and the use of surface coatings and additives that improve sliding properties, pressure resistance, and abrasion resistance. The company supports in-house tool manufacturing, enabling custom-engineered solutions for extreme applications, and maintains R&D collaboration with the South German Plastics Center (SKZ) and Würzburg University of Applied Sciences, both adjacent to its headquarters.

Hunger DFE serves industrial hydraulic-equipment manufacturers across aerospace, hydropower, offshore and maritime, large-scale construction, and dredging. Named reference applications include jack, equalizing and leveling (JEL) cylinders for NASA's crawler transporter at Kennedy Space Center — delivered in 2014 to lift crawler load capacity by 50% — hydraulic cylinders for hydropower dam operators and lock gates, piling barge cylinders for bridge and harbor construction in China, and giant special hydraulic cylinders for dredgers (25.6m retracted length, 200+ tonne weight, 1,500-tonne tensile force).

The go-to-market model is B2B enterprise field sales, executed through wholly-owned international subsidiaries in the United States (Rossford, Ohio), the United Kingdom (Edinburgh), Switzerland (Dübendorf), China (Tianjin), South Korea (Busan), and India (Sankrail, with manufacturing), supplemented by independent sales representatives across Denmark, Finland, Estonia, France, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Japan, and Brazil. Customer acquisition is heavily event-driven via repeated participation in industry exhibitions such as Hannover Messe, PTC Asia, MADEX, Intermach, Offshore Europe, Hydro Conference, and the International Sealing Conference. Pricing is quote-based with standard 30-day net B2B payment terms (2% discount within 10 days) and no public price list. Hunger DFE is privately held within the family-owned Hunger Hydraulik Group — parent: Walter Hunger GmbH & Co. KG — currently led by Managing Director Lic. oec. (HSG) Ingrid Hunger.

Name

Hunger Dichtungen

Legal name

Hunger DFE GmbH, Dichtungs- und Führungselemente

Website

https://hunger-dichtungen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hunger DFE GmbH (Hunger Dichtungen) is a German manufacturer of sealing and bearing elements for hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, serving 6,500+ industrial customers worldwide via approximately 22 patented technologies and a direct subsidiary and representative network spanning Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Hydraulic Sealing Components

NAICS

Rubber and Plastics Hoses and Belting Manufacturing (326220)

SIC

Gaskets, Packg & Sealg Devices & Rubber & Plastics Hose (3050), Fabricated Rubber Products, Nec (3060)

akta.pro primary industry

Seals, Gaskets & Fluid Connectors (O-rings, packings, rotary seals, quick couplers) (IMAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Hydraulic sealing solutions
• Pneumatic sealing systems
• Bearing elements
• Rod and piston seals
• Cylinder sealing components

Headquarters

HQ city

Würzburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sealing and bearing elements sales: Sale of standard and custom sealing elements, bearing elements, and related hydraulic components. Products include rod seals, piston seals, rotary seals, wipers, bearing elements, V-packings, static seals, and complete pistons.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hunger DFE GmbH (Hunger Dichtungen) manufactures sealing elements and bearing elements for hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. The company produces rod seals, piston seals, rotary seals, wipers, bearing elements, V-packings, static seals, and complete piston assemblies using high-quality plastics, elastomers, and patented surface treatments. Products are sold as standard catalog items as well as custom-engineered solutions for industrial customers across heavy machinery, aerospace, offshore, dredging, and hydropower sectors.

Product overview

Hunger DFE GmbH (Hunger Dichtungen) is a manufacturer of sealing and bearing elements for hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, based in Würzburg, Germany. The company produces a comprehensive portfolio of approximately 22 patented sealing technologies serving over 6,500 customers worldwide. The product portfolio centers on core sealing components including rod seals, piston seals, rotary seals, wipers, bearing elements, V-packings, and static seals, complemented by complete piston assemblies and custom solutions. Products are manufactured using high-quality plastics and elastomers with specialized surface treatments and additives that enhance sliding properties, pressure resistance, and abrasion resistance. The company emphasizes minimal friction, excellent sealing performance, and elimination of metallic contact within hydraulic cylinders to prevent scoring and extend cylinder lifespan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rod Seals (Stangendichtungen) Sealing elements for hydraulic and pneumatic cylinder rods that prevent fluid leakage while minimizing friction during reciprocating motion. Designed for industrial cylinder manufacturers.
• Piston Seals (Kolbendichtungen) Sealing elements installed on pistons to separate pressure zones within hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. For industrial cylinder OEMs and rebuilders.
• Rotary Seals (Rotordichtungen) Sealing solutions for rotating shafts in hydraulic systems, preventing fluid leakage at rotating interfaces. For hydraulic equipment manufacturers.
• Wipers (Abstreifer) Protective sealing elements that prevent contaminants such as dust, ice, and scale from entering hydraulic cylinders, extending component life. Customized versions available for harsh environments.
• Bearing Elements (Führungselemente) Guide rings and bearing elements that provide lateral support for pistons and rods, preventing metal-to-metal contact and reducing wear in hydraulic cylinders.
• V-Packings (Dachmanschetten) V-shaped sealing assemblies used in hydraulic cylinders for high-pressure applications, providing reliable sealing through multiple lip design.
• Static Seals Sealing solutions for stationary joints and flanges where no relative motion occurs between sealing surfaces.
• Complete Pistons (Komplettkolben) Fully assembled piston units combining seals, bearing elements, and supporting components for drop-in cylinder installation. For hydraulic cylinder manufacturers.
• Further Products (Sonstiges Programm) Additional specialized sealing products and components including custom solutions for specific industrial applications.
• Customer Service Technical support, consultation, and application engineering services for seal selection and custom solution development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6500+ customers served worldwide

Named customers5 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• South German Plastics Center (SKZ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic and research partnership providing synergy effects for research and development of new materials and production methods. Located near Würzburg headquarters.
• Würzburg University of Applied SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the university for plastic and elastomer technology studies, providing access to academic research and talent.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Greene Tweed: Manufacturer of high-performance seals and engineered components for demanding applications including aerospace, oil & gas, and industrial hydraulics; directly comparable in extreme-duty custom sealing solutions and engineering-driven approach.
• Kastas Sealing Technologies: Turkey-based specialist in hydraulic and pneumatic seals, rod and piston seals, wipers, and bearing elements; a direct comparable in scale, product scope, and target customers to Hunger DFE.
• A.W. Chesterton Company: Manufacturer of industrial sealing products including mechanical seals, hydraulic/pneumatic seals, and wear-resistant components for industrial and process industries; comparable niche manufacturer with similar B2B industrial model.
• Hallite Seals: Specialist manufacturer of hydraulic and pneumatic sealing products including rod seals, piston seals, wipers, and bearing elements; a directly comparable niche competitor with similar product focus and customer base.
• Dichtomatik: European sealing specialist (Freudenberg subsidiary) distributing standard and custom hydraulic seals including O-rings, rod/piston seals, and wipers; competes with Hunger in industrial hydraulic distribution channels.

Broad incumbents

• SKF (Seals business): Global bearings and sealing manufacturer offering hydraulic and rotary seals; comparable in serving industrial cylinder OEMs with engineered sealing solutions, though SKF's portfolio is much broader.
• Trelleborg Sealing Solutions: Global leader in polymer-engineered sealing solutions for hydraulic and pneumatic applications; directly comparable product portfolio (rod seals, piston seals, wipers, rotary seals) but operates at vastly larger scale across multiple industries.
• Parker Hannifin (Hannifin Seals): Major diversified motion and control technologies company with a substantial sealing product line serving hydraulic and pneumatic cylinder markets; a key global competitor with broader catalog and deeper distribution.
• Freudenberg Sealing Technologies: One of the largest global manufacturers of sealing technology including hydraulic and pneumatic seals under brands such as Simrit; offers an overlapping product range and competes with Hunger in industrial hydraulic applications.

Regional players

• MFC Sealing Technology (formerly MFC Technics): Germany-based specialist manufacturer of hydraulic and pneumatic sealing elements including rod/piston seals and wipers; directly comparable product range with overlapping regional customer base in German industrial hydraulics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hunger-dfe-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries13 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 Hunger Dichtungen