Wicke

What Wicke does

Wicke GmbH + Co. KG is a privately held German manufacturer of industrial wheels, castors, tires, axles, and related system components, headquartered in Sprockhövel, Germany. The company employs approximately 1,000 people globally across three production sites — Germany, Czech Republic (since 1995), and China (since 1994) — and a network of 17 service, assembly, and distribution centers supplemented by wholly-owned regional subsidiaries in France, the UK, Italy, Poland, Benelux, Scandinavia, Spain, and Switzerland. Wicke sells under proprietary material brands including Wicke-URETHANE (polyurethane), Wicke-ELASTIC (elastic rubber, ~73 Shore A), and Conducthane (electrically conductive polyurethane, 92 Shore A), with product load capacities reaching up to 25 tons for specialty heavy-duty applications and 6,000 kg per wheel in the steel castor series. Standard ranges include plastic (PA 6), solid rubber, stainless steel (INOX), equipment castors (Apparaterollen), stabilizing feet, expander clamps, and ESD-conductive wheels meeting EN 12527-EN 12533.

The business model is a B2B direct-sales motion with 85%+ of production consisting of custom OEM solutions co-developed with customers using in-house CAD/FEM design capabilities. Wicke operates as an integrated design, manufacturing, and logistics partner for OEMs across industrial vehicle technology, intralogistics, construction, distribution logistics, conveyor systems, heavy-duty trailers, and increasingly robotic vehicles and electronics manufacturing (ESD applications). Revenue is generated primarily through unit pricing on custom and standard castor products, supplemented by a transactional e-commerce storefront in 11 languages offering 48-hour delivery and free shipping above €150. The company is family-controlled, structured as a German Kommanditgesellschaft, and managed by Klaus Schlösser, Christian Schrape, and Stephan Schlösser.

Wicke holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 50001 certifications (integrated quality, environmental, and energy management), is a FairCommerce member since November 2021, and operates primarily outside of public capital markets — no funding rounds, M&A, or financial disclosures appear in the available data.

Name

Wicke

Legal name

Wicke GmbH + Co. KG

Website

https://wicke.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1866

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Wheels and Castors

NAICS

Tire Manufacturing (32621), Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (3363)

SIC

Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420), Nonferrous Foundries (Castings) (3360), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084)

akta.pro primary industry

Off-the-Road (OTR) & Heavy Equipment Tires Manufacturing (IMANAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tires Manufacturing (IMACAIAK)

Keywords

• Industrial wheels
• Swivel castors
• Heavy-duty tires
• OEM wheel solutions
• Material handling castors

Headquarters

HQ city

Sprockhövel

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Wheels and Castors Sales: Direct manufacturer sales of industrial wheels, tires, axles, steering castors, and fixed castors. The company operates own online shops and serves as an integrated design, manufacturing, and logistics partner for OEM customers worldwide.
2. Custom OEM Solutions: More than 85% of Wicke's products are special custom-made solutions for international OEM customers, involving networked construction and design solutions under international manufacturing and cost optimization aspects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Wicke manufactures and sells industrial wheels, tires, axles, steering castors (Lenkrollen), and fixed castors (Bockrollen) for intralogistics and material handling applications. More than 85% of products are custom OEM solutions engineered for international OEM customers, leveraging proprietary material brands (Wicke-ELASTIC and Wicke-Urethane) and in-house capabilities across casting, steel processing, aluminum die-casting, plastics, polyurethane, and rubber manufacturing.

Product overview

Wicke is a leading manufacturer of industrial wheels, tires, axles, steering casters (Lenkrollen), and fixed castors (Bockrollen) for intralogistics and material handling applications. The company's product portfolio centers on two proprietary material brands—Wicke-ELASTIC (elastic rubber with approximately 73 Shore A hardness) and Wicke-Urethane (polyurethane elastomer with high load capacity)—supplemented by standard product lines including Blue Elastic, INOX stainless steel, Apparaterollen (equipment casters), Kunststoff (plastic), Standard-Vollgummi (solid rubber), and Stahl (steel wheels/casters) capable of supporting up to 6,000 kg per wheel. Supporting product categories include Feststellfüße (stabilizing feet), Expander (tube clamps), and Elektrisch leitfähig (ESD/conductive wheels) using the proprietary Conducthane material. Beyond standard offerings, over 85% of products are custom OEM solutions including load and drive wheels, chassis parts, and special heavy-duty castors designed at Wicke's R&D center in Sprockhövel. The company operates as an integrated design, manufacturing, and logistics partner serving international OEM customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wicke-ELASTIC: Elastic rubber wheels with direct vulcanization, approximately 73 Shore A hardness
• Wicke-Urethane
• Blue Elastic
• Conducthane

Products and services

• Wicke-ELASTIC wheels and castors Proprietary elastic rubber tire brand offering floor protection, vibration damping, and quiet operation at approximately 73 Shore A hardness. Designed for intralogistics and material handling wheels and casters.
• Wicke-Urethane wheels and castors Proprietary polyurethane tire brand offering high load capacity, abrasion resistance, and chemical resistance for heavy-duty industrial applications with extended service life.
• Blue Elastic wheels Elastic rubber wheel series with distinctive blue coloring, offering optimized performance characteristics for industrial transport applications.
• INOX stainless steel casters Stainless steel caster series designed for hygiene-critical environments, food processing, pharmaceutical, and cleanroom applications with corrosion-resistant construction.
• Apparaterollen (equipment casters) Equipment casters for light to medium-duty applications in medical equipment, furniture, display units, and institutional devices, with various mounting options and wheel materials.
• Kunststoff (plastic wheels and casters) Plastic wheel and caster series using polyamide (PA 6) and similar materials, featuring high load capacity relative to weight, chemical resistance, and non-marking properties.
• Standard-Vollgummi (solid rubber) wheels Standard solid rubber tire series providing good floor protection, vibration absorption, and quiet operation for sensitive flooring and general industrial transport.
• Stahl (steel wheels and casters) Heavy-duty steel wheel and caster series designed for maximum load capacities up to 6,000 kg per wheel, heat-resistant from -25°C to 120°C, suitable for demanding industrial environments.
• Feststellfüße (locking feet / stabilization feet) Stabilizing feet devices for immediate securing of mobile equipment in fixed positions, using a knee-lever mechanism for height adjustment and floor contact pressure application.
• Expander (tube clamps) Tube clamping devices for round or square tube frames, enabling caster attachment without drilling, available in round and square tube configurations.
• ESD / electrically conductive wheels and casters Electrically conductive wheels and casters with electrical resistance R ≤ 10^4 Ω per EN 12527-EN 12533 standards, designed for ESD-protected areas in electronics manufacturing and handling.
• Load and drive wheels (OEM custom solutions) Custom-engineered load and drive wheels for OEM customers, including special load wheels, drive wheels, and chassis parts designed to OEM specifications, leveraging CAD/FEM design and Wicke's proprietary materials.
• Hubwagenrollen (pallet truck casters) Specialized casters for pallet trucks and hand trucks designed for maneuverability and durability in warehouse and logistics operations, available in polyamide, rubber, and other materials.
• Special heavy-duty castors (OEM) Custom high-end heavy-duty castors designed for specific customer applications, engineered and manufactured at the R&D center in Sprockhövel to meet demanding load and performance requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Load capacities up to 25 tons for specific application profiles
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tente International: German-headquartered global manufacturer of industrial castors and wheels serving intralogistics, healthcare, and industrial OEMs. Highly comparable to Wicke in product range, custom OEM focus, and European-international footprint.
• Caster Concepts: US heavy-duty industrial caster manufacturer serving automotive, aerospace, and material handling OEMs. Comparable to Wicke's heavy-load custom castor engineering and OEM-focused business.
• RWM Casters: US manufacturer of industrial casters and wheels with focus on heavy-duty and ergonomic material handling. Comparable to Wicke's industrial castor portfolio and OEM custom engineering capabilities.
• Payson Casters: US manufacturer of polyurethane and rubber industrial wheels and casters. Comparable to Wicke's Wicke-URETHANE and Wicke-ELASTIC product lines for heavy-duty and ESD applications.
• Revvo Caster: Manufacturer of heavy-duty industrial casters and wheels with custom engineering capabilities. Overlaps with Wicke in industrial material handling and custom OEM solutions.
• Hamilton Caster & Mfg. Co. US-based industrial caster and wheel manufacturer serving material handling, automotive, and heavy-duty applications. Comparable to Wicke in industrial OEM castor offerings and heavy-load wheel systems.
• Steinco Paul Vetter GmbH: German manufacturer specializing in heavy-duty and custom castors for industrial applications. Directly comparable to Wicke's heavy-duty OEM business with similar load-capacity engineering focus.
• Blickle Räder+Rollen: Family-owned German manufacturer of wheels and castors with proprietary polymer technology, serving OEM customers globally. Comparable to Wicke in heavy-duty applications, proprietary material branding, and OEM specialization.

Broad incumbents

• Colson Group: Largest global castor and wheel manufacturer with a broad portfolio of brands (Colson, Albion, Shepherd, MedCaster) serving industrial, medical, and retail applications. Wicke competes with Colson on enterprise OEM programs and standard catalog lines.

Others

• Kessler & Co. Adjacent German manufacturer of axles, drive systems, and chassis components for commercial vehicles. Relevant as a sister-component supplier to OEMs that also source castors and wheels from Wicke.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries11 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 Wicke