S-GARD

What S-GARD does

S-GARD is the brand name of Hubert Schmitz GmbH, a German family-owned manufacturer of protective clothing for firefighters and emergency responders, headquartered and manufactured in Heinsberg, Germany. Founded in 1889 and led by Managing Directors Dipl.-Ing. Hubert Schmitz and Dipl.-Kaufmann Bruno Schmitz, the company designs and produces a portfolio of protective garments organized by operational use case: Einsatzkleidung (mission clothing), Technische Hilfeleistung (technical rescue), Dienstkleidung (service uniforms), Höhenrettung (height rescue), Wildland (vegetation fire), and Zubehör (accessories). Core technical differentiation comes from combinations of proprietary materials including DuPont Nomex, GORE-TEX membranes, PBI Performance Products, and 3M Scotchlite reflective trim, engineered to meet German and European safety certifications including DGUV Grundsatz 305-002.

The company's go-to-market is multi-channel: a B2B direct sales team for enterprise and government accounts, an authorized dealer network across Germany supported by an online dealer locator, a direct-to-consumer Merch-Shop for accessories, and presence at major industry trade shows. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of protective clothing, supplemented by professional services revenue from the SAFETYTOUR training platform (30+ workshops annually across 20+ German cities, training over 2,000 fire service participants), repair services, and emergency supply. Distribution is overwhelmingly domestic, with international trade show participation (Intersec 2027 in Dubai) only just beginning to signal geographic expansion.

S-GARD serves a German fire services market of approximately 1.1 million firefighters, of which 94% are volunteers, organized across thousands of municipal departments. The customer base is fragmented across many small public-sector buyers, with purchasing typically driven by procurement cycles and certification requirements. The company faces no disclosed direct competitors of comparable brand heritage in the German fire services segment, though it competes in a broader European PPE market alongside other specialty protective apparel manufacturers.

Name

S-GARD

Legal name

Hubert Schmitz GmbH

Website

https://s-gard.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1889

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

S-GARD is a German family-owned manufacturer (Hubert Schmitz GmbH, founded 1889) of protective clothing for firefighters and emergency responders, serving German fire departments primarily through an authorized dealer network, B2B direct sales, and the SAFETYTOUR training ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Firefighter Protective Clothing

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Safety & Law Enforcement Uniforms (CRAAALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workwear, Uniforms & Safety Apparel Cut & Sew (IMAOAEAC), Fire-Resistant (FR) & Arc-Rated Apparel (CRAAALAD), Protective & Work Accessories Manufacturing (Safety Gloves/Hi-Vis Accessories) (IMAOAFAH)

Keywords

• Firefighter protective clothing
• Emergency responder gear
• Technical rescue equipment
• Flame resistant apparel
• Fire service uniforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Heinsberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Protective Clothing Sales: S-GARD generates revenue primarily through the sale of protective clothing and equipment for firefighters and rescue services. Products include mission clothing, technical rescue gear, service uniforms, high-angle rescue equipment, wildland firefighting clothing, and accessories. The company operates both B2B (fire departments, government agencies) and B2C (merchandise shop) channels.
2. Workshop and Training Services: The SAFETYTOUR program provides paid workshops and seminars to fire departments on topics including firefighting, leadership, and technical rescue. Revenue generated from training fees for these on-site and online educational programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

S-GARD designs, develops, and manufactures high-quality protective clothing for firefighters and emergency responders, organized by operational use case: mission clothing (Einsatzkleidung), technical rescue gear, service uniforms, height rescue equipment, wildland firefighting clothing, and accessories. The company integrates advanced materials such as Nomex®, GORE-TEX, PBI®, and 3M Scotchlite into garments compliant with German and European safety certifications. It also delivers the SAFETYTOUR training platform with on-site workshops and certified seminars, plus repair and emergency supply services.

Product overview

S-GARD is a German manufacturer of firefighting and emergency responder protective clothing, offering a comprehensive portfolio organized by operational use case. The core product lines include Einsatzkleidung (emergency operations clothing), Technische Hilfeleistung (technical rescue gear), Dienstkleidung (service uniforms), Höhenrettung (height rescue equipment), Wildland (vegetation fire clothing), and Zubehör (accessories). The RANGER 2.0 HIGH VIS represents a high-visibility variant of their flagship jacket. Beyond products, S-GARD provides the SAFETYTOUR training platform with on-site workshops and seminars covering firefighting techniques, leadership development, and real-fire training, as well as an online certification seminar on inspection and care of their protective clothing. Additional services include repair and emergency supply services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SAFETYTOUR: Training and workshop program for fire service personnel including seminars on equipment inspection, firefighting techniques, leadership, and technical rescue operations

Products and services

• Einsatzkleidung (Mission Clothing) High-performance protective clothing designed for firefighters facing extreme heat, moisture, and toxic substances during emergency operations. Features advanced fabric technologies including Nomex®, GORE-TEX, PBI®, and 3M Scotchlite for maximum protection and comfort.
• Technische Hilfeleistung (Technical Rescue Gear) Robust and flexible protective clothing for technical rescue operations, ensuring full performance capability and optimal protection for emergency responders.
• Dienstkleidung (Service Uniforms) Service uniforms for firefighting and rescue operations designed for consistent professional appearance and reliable everyday use by fire service personnel.
• Höhenrettung (Height Rescue Equipment) Protective equipment providing maximum freedom of movement and safety at heights for high-angle rescue operations.
• Wildland (Wildland Firefighting Clothing) Lightweight, breathable protective clothing designed for vegetation fires and wildland firefighting operations.
• Zubehör (Firefighting Accessories) Firefighting accessories including badges, functional vests, and other equipment to complete emergency responder gear.
• RANGER 2.0 HIGH VIS High-visibility version of the RANGER protective jacket for firefighters, featuring enhanced visibility combined with the classic design reimagined.
• SAFETYTOUR Training Program Training and education platform offering workshops, seminars, and dialogue formats for fire service personnel on topics including interior firefighting, technical rescue, breathing apparatus, ABC operations, leadership, and real-fire training.
• Online Seminar: Prüfung und Pflege von S-GARD Schutzkleidung Online training seminar teaching proper inspection and care of S-GARD protective clothing, covering contamination, cleaning, and quality control. Successful completion provides certification valid for two years per DGUV Grundsatz 305-002.
• Reparaturservice (Repair Service) Repair service that inspects and professionally repairs S-GARD protective equipment to ensure operational readiness for fire service personnel.
• Notfallversorgung (Emergency Supply Service) Emergency supply service for rapid replacement or provision of protective equipment when fire departments need urgent equipment support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 firefighters trained annually through SAFETYTOUR workshops
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Nomex® (DuPont)coreTechnology or IntegrationS-GARD uses DuPont's Nomex® fiber technology in their firefighting protective clothing. Nomex® provides inherent heat and flame resistance, a core material component in their protective garments.
• GORE-TEXcoreTechnology or IntegrationS-GARD incorporates GORE-TEX membrane technology in their protective clothing for durable weather protection. GORE-TEX provides waterproof and breathable properties essential for firefighter comfort and safety.
• PBI® Performance ProductscoreTechnology or IntegrationS-GARD uses PBI® Performance Products materials in their firefighting clothing line. PBI® provides advanced thermal protection and comfort for firefighters.
• 3M ScotchlitecoreTechnology or IntegrationS-GARD incorporates 3M Scotchlite reflective materials in their protective clothing for high-visibility safety. Scotchlite provides retro-reflective properties for firefighter visibility in low-light conditions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Texport Industrie: Texport is an Austria-based specialist manufacturer of firefighter protective clothing (Einsatzkleidung) with comparable certifications and product mix. It is the closest geographically specialized DACH competitor to S-GARD and competes head-to-head for German and Austrian municipal tenders.
• Drägerwerk: Drägerwerk is a German leader in safety and medical technology, including respiratory protection and fire service PPE. It serves the same German fire department customer base as S-GARD and overlaps with protective clothing, breathing apparatus, and emergency response equipment.
• Ballyclare: Ballyclare is a UK/European manufacturer of protective clothing for fire, military, and industrial safety end markets. Its fire service PPE range overlaps directly with S-GARD's Einsatzkleidung and Dienstkleidung lines, serving the same customer segment with similar structural and wildland offerings.
• Bristol Uniforms: Bristol Uniforms is a UK-based manufacturer of firefighter and emergency service protective clothing with multi-decade heritage. It targets the same volunteer and professional fire service market as S-GARD and is a natural M&A or distribution counterpart for a German player looking to enter the UK Commonwealth markets.
• LION Group: LION Group is a Dayton, Ohio-based direct manufacturer of firefighter turnout gear, stationwear, and protective clothing. It is the most direct head-to-head competitor to S-GARD in structural firefighting PPE, serving a comparable professional and volunteer firefighter customer base with structural and wildland garments.
• Rosenbauer International: Rosenbauer is an Austrian global leader in firefighting vehicles and equipment, with a complementary protective clothing and PPE portfolio. It overlaps with S-GARD in structural and wildland PPE and represents the most likely strategic acquirer profile given international footprint and financial scale.

Others

• DuPont: DuPont supplies Nomex and other aramid fibers that are core to S-GARD's protective garments. While not a direct garment competitor, DuPont is a critical material supplier and at times markets its own branded firefighter gear, making it both an enabler and a future vertical threat.
• 3M: 3M supplies Scotchlite reflective material used in S-GARD's high-visibility and standard protective clothing. 3M is an enabling ecosystem partner, and its Personal Safety Division also competes in adjacent respiratory and head protection segments relevant to the same fire service buyers.

Broad incumbents

• MSA Safety: MSA Safety is a US-listed global manufacturer of safety equipment including fire service turnout gear, helmets, and breathing apparatus. It competes with S-GARD in firefighter PPE from a broader safety product portfolio, with the scale and capital access of a public company.
• Honeywell First Responder: Honeywell operates a large First Responder Products business (including Morning Pride, North, and Lite Force turnout gear) as part of its broader industrial safety portfolio. It is a broad incumbent competitor with global scale advantages over S-GARD in R&D budget and international distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SGARDSchutzkleidung
• Facebookfacebook.com/SGARD.DE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/s-gard
• Instagraminstagram.com/sgard.de
• TikToktiktok.com/@sgard.de
• Xx.com/sgard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 S-GARD