Livar

What Livar does

Livar d.d. is the largest foundry in Slovenia, producing grey and nodular (ductile) cast iron castings from two production units at Ivančna Gorica (headquarters) and Črnomelj. The company operates a vertically integrated model spanning casting simulation (Solidworks, Magmasoft), in-house tool-making, two foundries, CNC mechanical processing (turning, milling, drilling, slotting, balancing), surface protection (phosphatising), and a rapid prototyping service that uses 3D sand printing to deliver casting prototypes within 14 days. Beyond core castings, Livar sells a proprietary municipal/communal product line of manhole covers and gratings under the Livar brand, with a 50-year tradition in Slovenia and the former Yugoslav markets.

The business serves three customer segments: industrial manufacturers (automotive, railway, and general industrial OEMs requiring complex castings with integrated machining), municipal/communal infrastructure customers (utilities, road construction), and R&D/product development teams needing rapid casting prototypes. It holds IATF 16949 (automotive), ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 certifications, and supplies safety-critical components such as brake system castings for high-speed trains to Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems Budapest and driveline components to GKN Driveline Slovenija. Go-to-market is direct sales supported by a European agent network covering DACH, Scandinavia, Benelux, CEE, the Baltics, France, and Italy, complemented by participation in major trade shows (Elmia Subcontractor, World Foundry Congress).

In December 2021, Livar completed a compulsory settlement procedure, converting approximately EUR 5.1 million of creditor claims into equity and a EUR 450,001 cash contribution, with AnaCap Financial Partners becoming the new majority shareholder. The company has 580–600 employees, reduced from 700 at the start of 2019, and is led by a management team appointed in 2019 under CEO Dr. Rok Rozman, who has overseen its financial-stability rating improvement to the top 7% of Slovenian companies.

Name

Livar

Legal name

LIVAR, d.d.

Website

https://livar.si

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Livar is the largest foundry in Slovenia, producing grey and nodular cast iron castings, in-house CNC machining, and 3D sand-printed rapid prototypes. It serves industrial OEM customers (automotive, rail) across 14+ European markets and operates a 50-year municipal manhole-cover brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Iron Foundry Castings

NAICS

Iron Foundries (331511)

SIC

Iron & Steel Foundries (3320)

akta.pro primary industry

Steel Casting (Continuous Casting, Ingots, Semi-Finished Slabs/Billets/Blooms) (IMAKABAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sand/Foundry & Mold 3D Printers (Sand Binder Jetting, Tooling Systems) (IMAAAAAE)

Keywords

• Grey cast iron castings
• Nodular cast iron foundry
• CNC machining services
• Rapid prototyping castings
• Municipal manhole covers

Headquarters

HQ city

Ivancna Gorica

HQ country

Slovenia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Casting Production (Grey and Nodular Cast Iron): Production of grey and nodular (ductile) cast iron castings to the highest standards and quality. Covers planning, casting simulations, and 3D tooling. This is the core revenue stream of the company.
2. Mechanical Processing Services: CNC machining of castings including turning, milling, drilling, slotting, and balancing to make castings ready for immediate assembly. Performed using modern CNC technology.
3. Municipal/Communal Program (Livar Brand): Own brand of manhole covers and gratings with 50-year tradition, covering most of the market in Slovenia and former Yugoslavia. Includes telescopic covers, grates, and custom products.
4. Rapid Prototyping Services: 3D printing of sand moulds for casting prototypes, enabling faster development of mechanical components, aftermarket spare parts, and trade fair presentations without investing in serial tools.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Livar designs, casts, and machines grey and nodular (ductile) cast iron castings for industrial customers (automotive, railway, general industry), supported by in-house tooling, casting simulation, and CNC machining. The company also produces its own Livar-branded line of manhole covers and gratings for municipal infrastructure, and offers a Rapid Prototyping service that delivers casting prototypes within 14 days using 3D printing of sand moulds.

Product overview

Livar is a foundry company offering a unified portfolio of cast iron products and manufacturing services. The core offering includes production of grey and nodular cast iron castings combined with in-house CNC machining services for ready-to-assemble components. The municipal/communal program provides manhole covers and gratings with a 50-year brand heritage. Rapid Prototyping enables 14-day casting development using 3D sand printing. The company operates two foundries and maintains comprehensive machining capabilities including vertical/horizontal turning machines, processing centers, surface protection, and an in-house tool-making shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cast Iron Castings Production (Grey and Nodular) Production of grey and nodular (ductile) cast iron castings to the highest standards and quality, including planning, casting simulations, and 3D tooling. Targeted at industrial manufacturers in automotive, railway, and general industrial sectors across Europe.
• CNC Machining Services
• Municipal / Communal Program (Livar Brand) Own-brand line of manhole covers, gratings, telescopic covers, and custom products for low-level construction and civil engineering. Covers most of the Slovenian and former Yugoslavian market. Products meet SIST EN 124-2:2015. Targeted at municipalities, utility companies, and road construction firms.
• Rapid Prototyping Service 3D printing of sand moulds for casting prototypes, with comprehensive development of castings within 14 days from order. Enables faster delivery of first prototypes, development of classic castings without serial tooling, flexibility to produce design variations, and small-batch production. Targeted at engineering teams and manufacturers needing to accelerate product development, aftermarket spare parts, or trade fair presentations.
• Art. 655 Telescopic Manhole Cover Ø 600 mm, D400 class telescopic manhole cover with ventilation openings, double symmetrical locking, anti-noise EPDM rubber, and self-standing cover. Payload 40 t/m², weight 101 kg. Standard SIST EN 124-2:2015. Targeted at municipal and civil infrastructure buyers.
• Art. 654 Telescopic Manhole Cover Telescopic manhole cover with self-standing cover, anti-noise EPDM rubber, and ventilation openings. Weight 102 kg. Targeted at municipal and civil infrastructure buyers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40%+ reduction in electric energy consumption for compressed air production through compressor station overhaul
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered strategic and minor.

• FosecostrategicTechnology or IntegrationLong-term partnership for business transformation and industry standards redefinition. Partnership started three years before 2023 article. Relationship is based on trust and commitment to progress. Co-development of business strategies.
• RESALTA d.o.o.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy efficiency partner for the compressor station overhaul project at the Črnomelj production unit. Project won award for energy-efficient projects at the 20th Energy Management Conference.
• KNORR-BREMSE Rail Systems BudapeststrategicOthersKey business partner for whom Livar produces brake system components for high-speed trains. Also exhibited at Materials of the Future exhibition. Represents Livar's entry into high-precision rail sector.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Eisenwerk Erla: German iron foundry producing grey and nodular cast iron for automotive, commercial vehicle and industrial customers. Comparable in product mix (grey/nodular iron), customer verticals and integrated machining services.
• Silbitz Group: German-based foundry group operating multiple iron and steel casting facilities with mechanical processing. Comparable to Livar in dual-material casting, in-house machining and European industrial customer base.
• Le Bélier: French-headquartered iron foundry supplying complex cast iron components to European automotive OEMs. Direct competitor to Livar in grey/nodular cast iron automotive and industrial castings with comparable customer profile.
• Waupaca Foundry: One of the largest iron foundries in the world (US-based), producing grey and ductile iron castings primarily for automotive and industrial markets. Highly comparable in material, process and customer base, albeit at significantly larger scale.
• Handtmann Group: German group with light-metal casting operations producing aluminium and iron castings for automotive and industrial customers. Overlaps with Livar in casting-to-finished-component workflow and central European customer base.
• Fritz Winter Eisengießerei: German iron foundry producing grey and ductile iron castings for commercial vehicles and industrial applications. Closely comparable to Livar in material focus, customer verticals and integrated machining approach.

Emerging players

• Voxeljet: German-headquartered provider of 3D sand printing systems and services for foundries, including binder-jetting technology for sand moulds. Comparable to Livar's rapid prototyping service line, although Voxeljet is primarily a technology/service provider rather than a foundry operator.

Broad incumbents

• Georg Fischer (GF Casting Solutions): Swiss-listed industrial group with a substantial iron and steel casting division serving automotive and industrial customers. Overlaps with Livar's casting offerings but operates across multiple materials and a much broader global footprint.

Regional players

• Laudenberger Gruppe: German regional foundry group producing iron castings and machined components primarily for DACH industrial customers. Comparable in casting + machining integration and mid-market positioning, although focused on a different geography.

Others

• ASK Chemicals: Global supplier of foundry consumables (binders, coatings, resins) and a strategic partner to iron foundries including Livar (via the Foseco relationship). Comparable as an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LivarSlo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/livar-d-d-

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Livar