What Daetwyler Industries does

Daetwyler Industries (legal entity: MDC Max Daetwyler AG Ursenbach) is a Swiss precision contract manufacturer founded in 1943 by Max Daetwyler and operated as a family-owned business within the broader Daetwyler Group. The company provides custom, low-volume manufacturing services for industrial customers requiring large-format, high-tolerance work — specifically welding (MIG/TIG), large-scale milling and grinding, mechanical assembly, sandblasting, painting, annealing, and material preparation. Technical capabilities include machining of components up to 12 meters in length and 64 tons in weight, precision grinding to 0.002 mm tolerances, and operation of one of Europe's largest annealing furnaces (25-ton capacity, 1000°C). The company also produces Daetwynol, a proprietary filling compound developed for specialized manufacturing applications. Operations have been conducted from Ursenbach (Switzerland) and Tallinn (Estonia); the Estonian facility has been transferred to SwissFactory.Group, and the Ursenbach site is scheduled to wind down by June 30, 2025.

The business model is project-based contract manufacturing. Revenue is generated through bespoke, qualification-intensive engagements with a small set of enterprise customers in research infrastructure and marine/shipbuilding. Named clients include the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) for the SwissFEL free-electron laser project, EVAC (shipboard water treatment equipment, customer since 2009), and cruise/ferry operators Tallink, Windstar Cruises, and Viking River USA. Long relationship durations and the high cost of qualifying alternate suppliers for mission-critical components are the economic substrate of customer retention. Pricing is project-quoted, reflecting tooling, material, and tolerance specifications rather than unit volume.

In 2023 Daetwyler entered a strategic partnership with SwissFactory.Group to access MedTech and semiconductor contract manufacturing, and in September 2024 acquired an equity stake in that entity. The Tallinn operations have been transferred into SwissFactory.Group, and the Ursenbach facility is being wound down by June 30, 2025. The standalone entity is effectively transitioning into a holding/equity role over SwissFactory.Group, with the legacy heavy-industry contract manufacturing business being deliberately exited.

Name

Daetwyler Industries

Legal name

MDC Max Daetwyler AG Ursenbach

Website

https://industries.daetwyler.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Daetwyler Industries is a Swiss precision contract manufacturer specializing in heavy-duty machining, welding, and grinding for research and shipbuilding clients, currently restructuring via a SwissFactory.Group equity stake ahead of winding down its Ursenbach facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Contract Manufacturing

NAICS

Special Die and Tool, Die Set, Jig, and Fixture Manufacturing (333514)

SIC

Sheet Metal Work (3444), Fabricated Plate Work (Boiler Shops) (3443)

akta.pro primary industry

Steelwork & Fabrication Facilities (Plate/Section Processing, Welding Lines) (IMAJALAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tooling, Jigs, Fixtures & Molds for Airframe/Composite Manufacturing (IMABAEAI)

Keywords

• Precision contract manufacturing
• Large-scale CNC machining
• Heavy weldments fabrication
• Precision grinding services
• Machine bed manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Ursenbach

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract Manufacturing Services: Job-shop contract manufacturing with custom project-based work. Services include welding, milling, grinding, material preparation, assembly, painting, annealing, sandblasting, and filling. Pricing based on project complexity, materials, and specifications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Daetwyler Industries is a precision contract manufacturer providing welding (MIG/TIG), large-scale CNC milling (up to 64 tons, 12 meters), precision grinding, annealing, assembly, painting, sandblasting, and material preparation services for enterprise customers. The company serves tool and machine builders, aviation, shipbuilding, automotive, and scientific research sectors from facilities in Ursenbach, Switzerland and Tallinn, Estonia, and offers proprietary Daetwynol filling compound for composite machine constructions.

Product overview

Daetwyler Industries is a Swiss family-owned contract manufacturing company offering precision manufacturing services through two locations in Switzerland (Ursenbach) and Estonia (Tallinn). The company provides a comprehensive portfolio of manufacturing services including welding (MIG/TIG), large-scale milling and grinding, assembly, sandblasting, painting, annealing, material preparation, and custom filling using their proprietary Daetwynol compound. Their core offering centers on manufacturing high-precision machine components, weldments, and complex assemblies for industries including research (PSI SwissFEL), shipbuilding (EVAC water treatment systems), aerospace, automotive, and general machine building. The company operates under the parent Daetwyler Group and has formed a strategic partnership with SwissFactory.Group.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MEWAG: Brand/company reference found on site
• microwaterjet®

Products and services

• Contract Manufacturing Services Precision contract manufacturing services covering the entire production chain from material preparation through welding, milling, grinding, assembly, sandblasting, painting, annealing, and custom filling. Designed for industrial enterprises requiring high-precision large-scale components with tight tolerances, serving tool and machine building, aviation, shipbuilding, automotive, and scientific research sectors.
• Daetwynol Filling Compound Proprietary cement-bound mineral filling compound developed by Daetwyler Industries for filling composite machine constructions. Provides high static and dynamic stiffness with excellent dampening characteristics, enabling innovative construction possibilities for machine tool beds and bases.
• Large-Scale Machining Services CNC machining services for large cubic components including milling and grinding of workpieces up to 12 meters in length and 64 tons in weight. Achieves precision tolerances including flatness of 0.004 on 2m x 2m surfaces, straightness of 0.002 on 3 metre lengths, and parallelism of 0.002 on 1 metre lengths. Serves research, aerospace, shipbuilding, and industrial machine building applications.
• Machine Beds and Weldments Manufacturing Manufacturing of machine beds, weldments up to 12 tons, prototypes, individual pieces, and series production of geometrically complex containers, tubes, and unfinished parts. Includes expertise in titanium, aluminium, chrome, and construction steel with MIG and TIG welding capabilities for tool and machine construction, aviation, automotive, and shipbuilding industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Flatness tolerance of 0.004 on 2m x 2m surfaces
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SwissFactory.GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2023Strategic partnership formed in Spring 2023, resulting in Daetwyler acquiring a stake in SwissFactory.Group while integrating its contract manufacturing business. SwissFactory.Group is acquiring Daetwyler's Estonian factory. The partnership combines complementary manufacturing and assembly technologies to serve high-tech industries including MedTech, semiconductors, optics, aerospace, and traditional sectors.
• EVACcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Partnership since 2009 with EVAC, world leader in water treatment and waste treatment systems for ships. Daetwyler manufactures customized vacuum units, MBR systems, and stainless steel piping for EVAC's cruise ship, ferry, and offshore projects. All products manufactured in close cooperation with EVAC's designers, engineers, and end customers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Starrag Group: Swiss precision machine tool manufacturer serving aerospace, energy, and industrial customers. Comparable as a Swiss precision manufacturing brand with overlapping customer base in aerospace and high-tolerance industrial segments.
• Bystronic: Swiss-based provider of sheet metal processing solutions (laser cutting, bending, automation). Comparable on the sheet metal preparation and bending-press capabilities that Daetwyler operates in its material preparation workflow.
• Waldrich Siegen: German manufacturer of large heavy-duty grinding and milling machines, including Waldrich-type grinders that Daetwyler operates. Comparable from the perspective of serving large-format precision machining demand and operating in the same heavy-machinery ecosystem.
• Trumpf: German global leader in sheet metal processing machinery and laser cutting. Comparable on the laser cutting, sheet metal preparation, and welding automation dimensions that Daetwyler performs as services.
• GF Machining Solutions: Swiss division of Georg Fischer providing EDM, milling, and laser texturing systems. Comparable as a Swiss-headquartered precision manufacturer serving aerospace and industrial OEMs with high-tolerance requirements.
• Burkhalter Group: Swiss group providing industrial manufacturing and engineering services across multiple sectors. Comparable as a Swiss-rooted, multi-segment industrial manufacturing peer with similar project-based enterprise customers.

Regional players

• AW Bell: Australian precision contract manufacturer serving aerospace, defence, and research with large-scale machining and complex assemblies. Comparable as a niche heavy-lift precision contract manufacturer serving similar aerospace/research customer profile in a different geography.
• Hawle Armaturen: European metal fabrication specialist producing complex cast and welded components for infrastructure and industrial customers. Comparable in heavy metal fabrication and welding competencies, though focused on a different product category.

Direct peers

• SwissFactory.Group: Swiss high-precision contract manufacturer serving MedTech, semiconductors, optics, and aerospace. Direct overlap with Daetwyler's heavy-lift precision manufacturing and now the corporate entity that has integrated Daetwyler's Industries division.
• Hänsel Group: European precision manufacturer of complex weldments and machined components for automotive, energy, and industrial customers. Comparable as a contract manufacturer specializing in heavy weldments and precision machining for similar B2B customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DaetwylerEesti
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mdc-max-daetwyler-ag-ursenbach

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Daetwyler Industries