Metzeler Schaum

What Metzeler Schaum does

Metzeler Schaum GmbH is a German industrial manufacturer of polyurethane (PUR) foam products headquartered in Memmingen in the Allgäu region near Ulm and Munich. Founded in 1954 as one of Germany's first foam plants and tracing its brand heritage to the 1860 rubber-trading business of Robert Friedrich Metzeler, the company operates a single 150,000 m² production site producing over 30,000 tons of foam and more than 5,000,000 formed parts annually, with over 100 foam types in its range. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Vita Group and sits within Vita's 'Cellular Foams' portfolio.

The company's product portfolio is organized into four business units — Automotive, Industry, Aviation & Rail, and Bedding — supported by a set of proprietary branded foam technologies (METZONOR® acoustic foams, METZOPOR® recycled flock foam, METZOTEX® flame-lamination foams, METZOMED® viscoelastic foams, METZOTRONIC® antistatic foams, METZOPROTECT® fire-hard foams, Rubex® HR foams including NaWaRo® regenerative variants, DryTec functional composite foams, ErgoFlexx® adaptive seating, and the METZO aviation/rail sub-brand). The company holds several hundred patents, certifications including IATF 16949, ISO 9001/50001, EASA Part 21J & 21G, Öko-Tex, and AGR, and operates its own R&D, prototyping, testing, and quality management functions.

Metzeler Schaum monetizes through direct B2B enterprise sales of customized foam components and semi-finished products on a quote-based pricing model. Its go-to-market is a full-service specialist model — from material development through engineering, prototyping, production, and logistics — targeting OEMs in commercial vehicle manufacturing, automotive interior systems (roof liners, seats, acoustic components, door coverings), aviation/rail seating, mattress manufacturing, and industrial sectors (construction, packaging, footwear, filtration, audio, sports). Exports account for over 30% of revenue in the Aviation, Railway, and Automotive divisions, with documented reach into Europe, the USA, and China. The company employs approximately 300 specialists and is led by managing directors Holger Seitz and Matthias Mialhe.

Name

Metzeler Schaum

Legal name

Metzeler Schaum GmbH

Website

https://metzeler-schaum.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Metzeler Schaum GmbH is a German polyurethane foam manufacturer (founded 1954, wholly owned by The Vita Group) producing customized PUR foam components and semi-finished products for automotive, aviation/rail, bedding, and industrial OEM customers from a single Memmingen site.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Polyurethane Foam Manufacturing

NAICS

Urethane and Other Foam Product (except Polystyrene) Manufacturing (32615), Urethane and Other Foam Product (except Polystyrene) Manufacturing (326150)

SIC

Plastics Foam Products (3086), Gaskets, Packg & Sealg Devices & Rubber & Plastics Hose (3050)

akta.pro primary industry

Polyurethane (PU) Flexible Foam Manufacturing (IMANAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foam Conversion & Fabrication (Cutting, Laminating, CNC, Packaging Inserts) (IMANAIAJ), Foam Protective Packaging (EPS/EPE/EPP, PU, Molded Foam) (IMALAFAA), Polyurethane (PU) Rigid Foam Manufacturing (IMANAIAD)

Keywords

• Polyurethane foam manufacturing
• Molded foam components
• Automotive foam products
• Acoustic foam insulation
• Industrial foam materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Memmingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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. Polyurethane Foam Products: Manufacturing and sale of polyurethane foam products including block foam, formed foam parts, rolled products, and specialty foams for automotive, industry, aviation/rail, and bedding applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Metzeler Schaum manufactures and supplies polyurethane (PUR) soft foam molded parts, block foam, and specialty foam products for enterprise customers. The company operates as a full-service specialist providing foam solutions across four business units — Automotive, Industry, Aviation & Rail, and Bedding — delivering everything from material development and prototyping through to finished components and logistics. Annual production capacity exceeds 30,000 tons of foam and 5,000,000+ formed parts, supported by proprietary branded technologies including METZONOR®, METZOPOR®, METZOTEX®, METZOMED®, METZOTRONIC®, METZOPROTECT®, Rubex®, DryTec, and ErgoFlexx®.

Product overview

Metzeler Schaum GmbH is a full-service specialist and high-end producer of polyurethane (PUR) foam solutions, operating as part of the Vita Group. The company's product portfolio centers on specialized foam technologies across multiple industry segments: Automotive (roof liners, seat technology, acoustic components, interior parts), Aviation & Rail (flame-retardant seating systems via METZO division), Bedding (premium mattresses including AGR-certified products), and Industry (sealing, filtering, packaging, footwear, acoustics). Core branded products include METZONOR® acoustic foams, METZOPOR® rebond/recycled foams, METZOMED® viscoelastic foams, METZOTEX® flame lamination foams, METZOTRONIC® anti-static foams, Rubex® HR foams including Nawaro (regenerative raw materials), ErgoFlexx® adaptive seat systems, and DryTec climate-control insoles. The company offers comprehensive full-service support from consultation through engineering, prototyping, production, and quality management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• METZO: Aviation & Rail division, certified under EASA Part 21J & 21G
• METZONOR®
• METZOPOR®
• METZOTEX®
• METZOMED®
• METZOTRONIC®
• METZOPROTECT®
• Rubex®
• DryTec®
• ErgoFlexx®
• Q-Seal®
• Lo-M®

Products and services

• METZONOR® Ester- and ether-based polyurethane block foams for acoustic insulation, sealing, and automotive applications. Available in various volume weights, compression hardnesses and colors. Includes low-emission variants compliant with Daimler requirements.
• METZOPOR® Composite flock / rebond foam made from recycled polyurethane foam scraps. Volume weights 60–400 kg/m³, used in automotive, construction and shoe industries.
• METZOTEX® Ether-PUR foams designed for flame lamination processes and passive climate seat applications.
• METZOMED® Viscoelastic PUR soft foam for comfort and pressure relief applications in bedding and medical/orthopaedic uses.
• METZOTRONIC® Antistatic PUR foams for the electronics area, providing electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection.
• METZOPROTECT® NG Fire-hard / flame-retardant foam specifically developed for the aviation sector.
• Rubex® High Resilience (HR) foam line including Rubex® Nawaro (first foam using regenerative raw materials) and Rubex® Tubes for bedding applications.
• DryTec PUR-based functional composite foam for shoe insoles with climate control, anti-microbial and activated carbon properties. Includes Soft, Hard, Classic, Comfort, Shape, Premium S, and electrically conductive DryTec SAFE variants.
• ErgoFlexx® Adaptive seat system with open-cell foam core and closed outer skin that supports chest, ribs, lumbar spine, spine and pelvis, with passive and active adjustability via changing component inside volume.
• Q-Seal® Special sealing foam for transportation and construction applications with controlled pore-size and air permeability.
• METZO (Aviation & Rail Division) Aviation & Rail division of Metzeler Schaum, certified under EASA Part 21J & 21G. Provides flame-retardant formed foam parts, cut parts, and complete seating systems with full-service support from construction through procurement, installation and logistics.
• Climate Seat Tubes System Patented passive ventilation system using tubes for climate seat applications, providing moisture transport, heat transport and weight reduction without additional electrical consumption.

Quantifiable outcome

• Export rate increased by 10% within 2 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Vita GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetzeler Schaum GmbH is 100% owned by The Vita Group, a leading provider of flexible polyurethane foam products with 70 years of heritage. The Vita Group develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of flexible polyurethane foam, Talalay latex and flooring products. Metzeler operates as part of the 'Cellular Foams' group of companies.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BASF: Global chemical incumbent producing MDI, polyols, and polyurethane systems used as direct inputs to Metzeler's foam production. A potential upstream competitor as BASF expands downstream into specialty foam systems and automotive interior materials.
• Covestro: German-based leading producer of MDI and TDI polyurethanes and a key raw material supplier to the flexible foam industry. Relevant as both upstream input and downstream systems-house competitor for differentiated PU foams.
• The Vita Group: Parent company of Metzeler Schaum and one of Europe's largest flexible PU foam producers, with operations across multiple foam categories including Talalay latex and flooring. Comparable at the portfolio level but much broader in product and geographic scope.
• Leggett & Platt: Diversified US bedding and furniture components manufacturer with significant flexible foam and bedding foam operations. Overlaps with Metzeler's Bedding business unit and competes for premium mattress OEM contracts.

Direct peers

• FXI (formerly Foamex International): US-based polyurethane and specialty foam manufacturer serving bedding, furniture, healthcare, and industrial markets. Directly comparable product portfolio and customer overlap in flexible foam.
• Carpenter Co. Largest privately held PU foam producer in the United States with broad coverage of bedding, furniture, and automotive cushioning. Closest direct peer by product mix (flexible PU foam, formed parts, specialty foams) and full-service conversion model.
• Armacell: Luxembourg-headquartered manufacturer of engineered foams (flexible PU and other foams) for industrial, construction, and transportation applications. Comparable in specialty foam conversion and industrial customer base.
• Recticel: Belgian-headquartered flexible polyurethane foam manufacturer serving automotive, bedding, and industrial markets across Europe. Directly comparable to Metzeler Schaum in PU foam product portfolio, end-market mix, and European OEM customer base.
• Woodbridge Group: Canadian-headquartered foam and trim supplier focused on automotive seating, interior systems, and specialty molded foam. Highly comparable to Metzeler's automotive business unit and ErgoFlexx-style adaptive seating.

Regional players

• Eurofoam (Greiner Group): Austrian/Central-European flexible polyurethane foam converter serving bedding, furniture, and industrial markets. Comparable in product technology but primarily focused on Austria/Czechia/Slovakia regional markets versus Metzeler's German/European focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metzeler-schaum-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Metzeler Schaum