Hupfer

What Hupfer does

Hupfer GmbH is a privately held, family-owned German plastics manufacturer founded in 1965 and headquartered at Sichelweg 10, Fürth. The company specializes in plastic injection molding (Kunststoffspritzguss) and in-house mold construction (Formenbau), with its flagship product line being needle and ball bearing cages (Nadel- und Kugellagerkäfige) manufactured from high-temperature resistant plastics. All production occurs at a single 7,100 sqm facility in Fürth, with the company emphasizing a "Made in Germany" exclusively-domestic production posture.

The business model is B2B hardware sales to world-leading automotive suppliers, with revenue generated through long-term supply contracts and quote-based enterprise pricing. Customer acquisition is driven by direct relationships, industry reputation, and quality certifications (continuous DIN EN ISO 9001 since 2002, currently ISO 9001:2015), rather than digital or channel marketing. Distribution is direct, with no intermediaries, resellers, or marketplace presence. The product portfolio is unified around a single end-application (automotive bearing cages) supported by an integrated value chain covering engineering design, mold making, and serial production.

Hupfer employs between 11 and 50 people and is led by Managing Directors Klaus Hupfer and Isabelle Hupfer-Edeline following a 2021 generational succession from founder Georg Hupfer. The firm has no external investors, no parent company, and no public listing. Recent operational moves include a 2023 full transition to renewable electricity (saving approximately 263 tonnes of CO2 annually), and infrastructure investments including a 2019 new 1,200 sqm warehouse hall and a 2016 company-owned transformer station. Customer names are not individually disclosed, and the company has no disclosed AI, software, or digital product capabilities.

Name

Hupfer

Legal name

Hupfer GmbH

Website

https://hupfer-kunststoff.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hupfer GmbH is a family-owned German plastics manufacturer founded in 1965 in Fürth, specializing in plastic injection molding of high-temperature resistant needle and ball bearing cages for world-leading automotive suppliers, with all production conducted in Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Plastic Components Manufacturing

NAICS

Plastics Product Manufacturing (3261)

SIC

Plastics Products, Nec (3089)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Injection Molding & Contract Manufacturing (Job Shops/CMs) (IMANAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial & Machinery Injection Molded Components (Gears, Wear Parts) (IMANAFAF)

Keywords

• Plastic bearing cages
• Injection molding services
• Precision mold making
• High-temperature plastics
• Automotive components manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Fürth

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Automotive component manufacturing: Manufactures and supplies precision plastic components (bearing cages) to leading automotive suppliers. Revenue is generated through long-term supply contracts with major automotive industry customers. Production is entirely based in Germany.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Hupfer manufactures high-temperature-resistant plastic needle and ball bearing cages using precision plastic injection molding and proprietary in-house mold making. The company produces engineered plastic components for rolling-element bearings supplied to worldwide leading automotive suppliers. Manufacturing is conducted exclusively in Germany under ISO 9001:2015 quality standards.

Product overview

Hupfer GmbH is a specialized manufacturer offering a unified portfolio of plastic injection molding, mold making, and bearing cage production services. The core offerings include Kunststoffspritzguss (plastic injection molding), Formenbau (mold construction), and the flagship product Nadel- und Kugellagerkäfige (needle and ball bearing cages) made from high-temperature resistant plastics. These products are delivered as an integrated service where Konstruktion (engineering/design) supports the entire value chain from mold making through to production. The company produces exclusively in Germany, serving worldwide leading automotive suppliers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plastic Needle Bearing Cages
• Plastic Ball Bearing Cages
• Plastic Injection Molding Services
• Mold Making Services

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Murtfeldt Kunststoffe: German manufacturer of technical plastic products for industrial applications, including plastic bearing, slide, and wear components. Comparable to Hupfer as a specialized plastics processor serving industrial and automotive customers with engineered plastic parts.
• igus: Germany-based manufacturer of polymer plain bearings, ball bearings, and bearing cages. Directly comparable to Hupfer as a specialist in plastic bearing components, including high-performance polymer cages for industrial and automotive applications.
• GGB (Glacier Garlock Bearings): Global manufacturer of polymer/plain bearings and bearing-related components, including self-lubricating plastic bearings. Comparable to Hupfer in producing polymer-based bearing components for industrial and automotive end markets.

Emerging players

• Barlog Plastics: German plastics engineering company specializing in high-performance polymer compounds and molded components for demanding applications. Comparable as a smaller specialty plastics competitor with overlap in engineered automotive and industrial plastic parts.

Broad incumbents

• Röchling Group: Large German industrial plastics group operating across automotive, industrial, and medical segments with molded, extruded, and machined plastic components. Comparable as a broader incumbent in industrial plastics manufacturing overlapping with Hupfer's automotive and industrial offerings.
• Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials (formerly Quadrant): Global manufacturer of high-performance engineering plastics and machined/molded plastic components. Comparable to Hupfer as a large incumbent serving industrial and automotive customers with engineered polymer components.
• Ensinger: German processor of high-performance engineering plastics producing semi-finished products, machined parts, and injection-molded components for industrial customers including automotive. Comparable as a broader technical plastics incumbent with overlap in precision injection-molded components.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

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 Hupfer