What UNIOR Forging Industry does

UNIOR Forging Industry (legal name UNIOR Kovaška industrija d.d.) is a publicly listed Slovenian industrial group founded in 1919, headquartered in Zreče, with FY2025 revenue of EUR 174.3M and 1,224 employees. The company operates across four business programmes: Forge (the core segment at ~78% of FY2025 revenue, producing drop-forged steel and aluminum parts, cold forgings, sintered components, and machined parts for automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers including VW, BMW, Renault, Ferrari, and ZF Friedrichshafen); Hand Tools (~18% of revenue, branded chrome-vanadium professional tools); Special Machines (custom automotive manufacturing equipment, declining from EUR 18.1M in 2022 to EUR 2.8M in 2025 due to EV transition disruption); and a small Tourism/Energy programme (hotels, heating, and electricity distribution in the Zreče area). UNIOR runs 26 forging lines (14 Lasco hammers, 5 Eumuco presses, 7 drop hammers) with 2,500 tons of monthly forging capacity, producing 30M+ undercarriage and steering parts and 16M+ connecting rods annually, and claims that four out of five European cars contain at least one UNIOR part.

The business model is direct enterprise B2B sales to automotive OEMs and Tier 1 steering-system suppliers (ZF, THK, JTEKT, Bosch, SEAC) with long-term program contracts and custom quotations. UNIOR is vertically integrated from steel supply (29.25% ownership of Štore Steel) through in-house tool-making, forging, sintering, and machining, and operates a global network of subsidiaries across Europe, China (50% JV, 584 employees), and North America. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, reflecting custom-engineered component economics. As of 2025, the company is undergoing comprehensive financial restructuring following a 2024 EBITDA loss of EUR 4.2M, while launching new capacity (forging line L-6, robotic trimming on UK-27) and developing EV-related product lines including battery housing machining centers and soft magnetic sintered stators/rotors for electric motors.

Name

UNIOR Forging Industry

Legal name

UNIOR Kovaška industrija d.d.

Website

https://unior.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

UNIOR Forging Industry is a publicly listed Slovenian industrial group founded in 1919 that produces drop-forged steel and aluminum components, sintered parts, and hand tools for European automotive OEMs and Tier 1 steering-system suppliers, with EUR 174.3M in FY2025 revenue and 1,224 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Forgings

NAICS

Forging and Stamping (3321), Nonferrous Forging (332112), Special Die and Tool, Die Set, Jig, and Fixture Manufacturing (333514)

SIC

Metal Forgings & Stampings (3460), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

Metal Cutting Tools, Tooling & Workholding (Cutters, Inserts, Chucks, Fixtures) (IMAHADAB)

Keywords

• Forged steel parts
• Automotive forgings
• Professional hand tools
• Powder metallurgy sintering
• Special purpose machines

Headquarters

HQ city

Zrece

HQ country

Slovenia

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Forging Products: Sale of forged steel parts for automotive industry including undercarriage components, steering mechanism parts, and connecting rods. Revenue from forging represents approximately 60% of total company revenue. The company is among the largest forges worldwide for undercarriage (30M+ pieces annually) and connecting rods (16M+ pieces annually in Europe).
2. Hand Tools: Production and sale of professional hand tools including bicycle tools. Long tool life provided by tool forging tradition and use of chrome and vanadium steel. Hand tools segment represents approximately 22% of total revenue.
3. Special Machines: Design, manufacturing, and sale of special machines for automotive industry including deep drilling machines, custom machining centers for battery housings, multi-spindle machining centers, and automation/robotic systems. Revenue declining significantly from €18.1M (2022) to €2.8M (2025) due to market disruption from electromobility transition.
4. Tourism and Energy: Tourism operations including hotels (Hotel Atrij, Hotel Natura) in Rogla and Terme Zreče, plus local heat and electricity production/distribution. This segment is part of diversified operations and represents a smaller portion of overall business.
5. Energy Production and Distribution: Local producer and distributor of thermal energy and electricity, supplying heat, electricity, air conditioning, and natural gas to the Zreče area while developing renewable energy sources.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UNIOR Forging Industry is a Slovenian industrial manufacturer that produces drop-forged steel and aluminum parts for the automotive industry, professional hand tools, sintered (powder metallurgy) components, and special-purpose CNC machining centers. Its core offering is high-volume steel forgings (undercarriage components, steering mechanism parts, and connecting rods) supplied directly to major automotive OEMs and Tier 1 system suppliers. The company operates integrated forging, machining, sintering, and tool-making facilities, and sells hand tools under the UNIOR brand through its own distribution network and subsidiaries.

Product overview

UNIOR operates as a diversified industrial group with four main programmes: Forge (forgings), Hand Tools, Special Machines (machine building), and Tourism. The Forge programme is the core business, producing steel forgings and sintered parts for the automotive industry, accounting for nearly 60% of sales. Hand Tools manufacture professional tools using forging expertise and quality steel. Special Machines produces CNC machining centers, deep drilling machines, battery housing machining equipment, and automation solutions including robotic systems. The company also operates a Tourism programme with hotels and spa facilities. The product portfolio ranges from raw forgings to fully machined components, serving major European automotive manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UNIOR Forge: Forging programme specializing in drop forging of steel, aluminum forging, cold forging, machining of own forgings, and sintering for automotive industry
• UNIOR Hand Tools
• UNIOR Sinter
• UNIOR Special Machines
• UNIOR Tourism

Products and services

• UNIOR Forge / Forgings Programme Core manufacturing programme producing drop-forged steel and aluminum parts, cold forgings, and machined forged components for the automotive industry. Products include undercarriage forged segments, steering mechanism components, connecting rods for petrol and diesel engines, and related safety-critical parts supplied to automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.
• UNIOR Hand Tools Professional hand tools including wrenches, bicycle tools, and workshop tools manufactured from chrome and vanadium steel using forging techniques. Sold to professional mechanics, bicycle technicians, industrial users, and distributors through the UNIOR tools brand and the uniortools.com e-commerce site.
• UNIOR Special Machines Design and manufacture of special-purpose CNC machines and automation equipment for the automotive industry, including deep drilling machines, tandem ECO multi-spindle machining centers, battery housing machining centers for EV battery frames, universal machining centers, robotic bin picking systems, automated assembly lines, and pre-engineered welding cells.
• UNIOR Tourism Programme Tourism operations comprising Hotel Natura (Rogla) and Hotel Atrij (Terme Zreče), with wellness, spa, and conference facilities targeting leisure and corporate guests.
• UNIOR Sinter (Sintered Parts) Powder metallurgy (sintered) parts including chain sprockets, belt pulleys, connecting rods, flanges, impellers, oil pump housings, self-lubricating slide bearings and bushings, and soft magnetic stators and rotors for electric motors.
• UNIOR Energy Production and Distribution Local production and distribution of thermal energy, electricity, air conditioning, and natural gas to the Zreče area, including development of renewable energy sources through subsidiary SPITT d.o.o.

Quantifiable outcome

• Four out of five European cars have at least one UNIOR-produced part installed
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PetrolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2018Joint investment with Petrol (energy company) in Zreče heating system. Partnership for energy infrastructure development and renewable energy initiatives.
• Team SkyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 June 2016Official Tool Partner for professional cycling team (2016-2018 era). UNIOR supplied specialized bicycle tools to the team's mechanics and received brand visibility through team sponsorship.
• Stahlwerk ŠtorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNIOR owns 29.253% of Štore Steel, a steel mill that supplies the majority of steel required for UNIOR's forging production. This ownership enables UNIOR to develop custom steel grades and ensure supply chain control for quality steel inputs.
• Ningbo Unior Forging Company Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture (50% ownership) in China for production of steel forgings for automotive industry. Enables global supply to Chinese automotive market and international customers requiring Asian production capacity. 584 employees at Yuyao, Zhejiang facility.
• Unior – Sinter Factory RacingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional mountain bike and cycling team sponsorship. UNIOR provides specialized bicycle tools program while Sinter provides organic brake pads. Team includes Olympic-level athletes for XC and downhill disciplines.
• Devinci BikesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMountain bike manufacturer partnership with Unior – Sinter Factory Racing team. Collaborative relationship in cycling sports equipment.
• Kolesarsko društvo RajdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLjubljana's largest mountain bike and BMX club managing the Unior – Sinter Factory Racing team. All team athletes are members. Club also operates largest cycling school (200+ children), Bike Park Ljubljana, BMX Park Ljubljana, and KoloParki.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Doncasters Group: UK-based precision engineering company producing forged and cast components for aerospace, industrial gas turbines, and automotive. Comparable in technical forging capability and precision component manufacturing, though with stronger aerospace focus.
• Stackpole International: Canadian-based powder metallurgy and sintered components producer serving automotive applications including engine, transmission, and EV motor components. Direct peer specifically in UNIOR's sintering business line producing chain sprockets, oil pump components, and soft magnetic parts for EV motors.
• Gestamp: Spanish multinational specializing in metal automotive components including chassis, body-in-white, and mechanism parts. Direct peer in supplying Tier 1 and OEM customers across Europe with forged and stamped structural components.
• BGH Edelstahlwerke: German specialty steel and forging producer serving automotive and industrial customers. Comparable as a European mid-sized forging specialist competing in similar product categories and customer segments.
• Scot Forge: US-based open-die forging specialist producing large forged components for industrial, defense, and power generation markets. Comparable as a forging-focused manufacturer, though with different end-market mix and geographic focus.
• Bharat Forge: One of the world's largest forging companies, headquartered in India, supplying automotive, industrial, and aerospace forgings globally. Closest direct competitor in terms of scale, vertical integration, and automotive OEM customer base.
• Ellwood Group: US-based family-owned producer of forged and cast metal components serving industrial, oil & gas, defense, and automotive markets. Comparable in integrated forging and machining capabilities, though with North American geographic focus.
• Hirschvogel Holding: German automotive forging specialist producing forged components for chassis, drivetrain, and steering applications. Direct competitor to UNIOR in European automotive OEM and Tier 1 supply chains, with similar product portfolio in connecting rods and steering parts.

Broad incumbents

• Voestalpine: Austrian steel and technology group with automotive components division producing forged and formed parts for OEMs. Comparable in geographic base (Central Europe) and automotive supplier positioning, though significantly larger and more diversified across steel value chain.
• ThyssenKrupp Forged Technologies: Division of German industrial conglomerate ThyssenKrupp producing large forged components for automotive, construction, and industrial machinery. Larger player with broader product portfolio including steel and materials services, competing with UNIOR in heavy forgings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=3wCUWVofCvM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unior-d.d.

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries14 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 UNIOR Forging Industry