Nordmetall

What Nordmetall does

Nordmetall GmbH is a privately held German engineering consultancy and testing laboratory headquartered in Neukirchen-Adorf, Saxony, specializing in highly dynamic (impact) materials testing, constitutive material modeling, materials development, and metal additive manufacturing. The company operates a single facility equipped with an unusually broad portfolio of in-house developed testing rigs, including Split-Hopkinson bar rigs for compression and shear, a DYNATOR torsional testing machine co-developed with WTD91, drop towers with a 5.5-tonne drop weight, gas guns, rotational impact testers, and high-speed/ultra-high-speed cameras coupled with Aramis deformation field measurement and electro-optical extensometry. Testing capabilities span strain rates of 10^3 to 10^4 s^-1 and temperatures from -196C to 1200C across metallic, polymer, fiber-reinforced composite, ceramic, and glass materials.

The company converts its experimental data into validated material cards for the LS-Dyna and Impetus commercial solvers and provides constitutive equations for forming, cutting, blasting, penetration, and crash simulation. Adjacent services include materials development consulting using ICME tools (notably JMatPro) and WAAM-based wire-arc additive manufacturing consulting using Gefertec's 3DMP process. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services across automotive (primary), transport (rail, water, air), safety/defense, sports equipment, medical/biotech, and government segments, plus conference fees from the annual International Nordmetall Colloquium. Approximately 15 scientists and engineers are led by Managing Director Dr. Norman Herzig, with the company reporting revenue of approximately 3 million EUR.

Nordmetall reaches customers via direct enterprise sales, website inquiries, an annual two-day scientific colloquium, and research project collaborations under programs such as ZIM, Eurostars, and EDF. No external institutional investors, M&A activity, or public funding rounds have been disclosed; the firm is founder-/management-owned and operates without subsidiaries or reseller channels.

Name

Nordmetall

Legal name

Nordmetall GmbH

Website

https://nordmetall.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nordmetall GmbH is a privately held German engineering consultancy that specializes in highly dynamic (impact) materials testing, constitutive material modeling, and WAAM metal 3D printing consulting, serving automotive, transport, defense, and sports equipment manufacturers worldwide from a single laboratory in Neukirchen-Adorf, Saxony.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Materials Testing and Engineering Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

NDT/Inspection & Testing Services (Aviation) (IMABALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Marine Surveys, Testing & NDT (Thickness Gauging, UT/MPI, Pressure Testing, Commissioning) (TLAHAMAK)

Keywords

• Highly dynamic materials testing
• FEM material card development
• Wire arc additive manufacturing
• Crash simulation testing
• Materials engineering consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Chemnitz

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Highly Dynamic Materials Testing Services: Nordmetall provides specialized destructive materials testing services for strain rate, temperature, and state of stress. Testing covers tension, compression, torsion, bending, and shear under quasi-static to highly dynamic (impact/crash) conditions. They test metallic materials, plastics, fiber-reinforced plastics, ceramics, glasses, and composites. This is the primary revenue-generating service line, covering the full range of testing methods including Split-Hopkinson Bar, drop tests, torsional testing, and Taylor tests.
2. Material Modelling and Material Card Development: Converting material characteristics obtained in the test laboratory into computerized material models and validated material cards for commercial solvers (LS-Dyna, Impetus). Material cards describe strength and failure behavior. Constitutive equations are provided for forming, cutting, blasting, penetration processes, and crash simulations. This is a high-value add-on to testing services.
3. Component and Structural Testing: Validation of simulations through careful component testing and assembly testing. Services include complete characterization of materials for input data for simulations and component tests at high testing speeds.
4. Materials Development and Research Consulting: Consulting for right material selection for highly dynamic applications. Independent consulting to analyze material or component in the event of damage. Development of new testing technologies for specific applications, materials, or components. Material optimization and new material design services.
5. Metal 3D Printing (WAAM) Development Support: Support in developing processes for wire 3D printing with focus on material-specific aspects. Includes process development, process quality assurance, material suitability testing with subsequent material testing and analysis. Process parameter mapping and consulting services.
6. Conference Fees (International Nordmetall Colloquium): Revenue from the annual International Nordmetall Colloquium conference, held in Chemnitz. Conference fees range from free for speakers to 440-570 EUR for early-bird academic/industry registrations and 650 EUR standard industry rate.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nordmetall is a specialist materials and components testing laboratory providing destructive, highly dynamic (impact) materials testing across strain rates from 10^3 to 10,000 s^-1 and temperatures from -196C to 1200C. It converts test data into validated FEM material cards for solvers such as LS-Dyna and Impetus, supports materials development and research, and produces metal components via Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). Customers span automotive, transport (rail/maritime/aerospace), defense, safety technology, sports equipment, and medical/biotech sectors.

Product overview

Nordmetall GmbH is a private research company and engineering consultancy specializing in highly dynamic materials testing. The company offers a unified service portfolio centered on four interconnected core offerings: (1) Highly Dynamic Materials Testing with destructive impact loading for strain rate, temperature, and state of stress characterization; (2) Material Models & Material Cards converting test data into constitutive equations and validated solver-specific material cards for LS-Dyna and Impetus; (3) Materials Development & Research optimizing or designing materials for specific applications using ICME tools; and (4) Metal 3D Printing using WAAM technology. The company also hosts the annual International Nordmetall Colloquium and provides independent consulting services. All services support numerical simulation of crash events, high-speed forming, hot forming, and safety applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Highly Dynamic Materials & Components Testing Destructive, highly dynamic materials and components testing service that characterizes how materials behave under extreme impact loads such as crash, ballistic, blast, and high-speed forming conditions. Used by automotive, transport, defense, safety, and sports equipment manufacturers needing validated data for FEM simulation.
• Material Models & Validated Material Cards Service that converts laboratory test data into constitutive material models and validated material cards ready for commercial FEM solvers (LS-Dyna, Impetus). Targets engineering teams performing crash, forming, hot-forming, cutting, and safety simulations who need accurate, solver-ready material data.
• Materials Development & Research Consulting and applied research for selecting, optimizing, or designing materials for highly dynamic applications, delivered via ICME tools and partner networks. Used by manufacturers needing independent material selection, damage analysis, or new testing technology development.
• Metal 3D Printing (WAAM) and Additive Manufacturing Wire-based additive manufacturing using WAAM (Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing) with the Cold Metal Transfer process for rapid production of large, complex metallic components from expensive alloys. Includes process development, process quality assurance, material suitability testing, and parameter mapping.
• International Nordmetall Colloquium Annual paid scientific conference (registration-fee based) covering materials for high-rate applications, dynamic material behavior, impact testing, material modelling, and numerical simulation. Targets national authorities, industrial partners, and academic researchers in the materials testing community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Strain rate testing capability from 10^3 s^-1 to 10,000 s^-1 (in compression) and ~5,000 s^-1 in tension
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DeltaSigma Analytics GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Part of the ATLAS competence cluster (Alloy Testing Laboratory at Advanced Specifications), a ZIM-funded support program. DeltaSigma Analytics contributes analytical expertise for materials data evaluation and processing in the cluster focused on high-performance metallic materials development and characterization.
• Sampro GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Part of the ATLAS competence cluster (Alloy Testing Laboratory at Advanced Specifications). Sampro provides software expertise for FEA material cards in the cluster focused on high-dynamic, high-temperature deformation testing.
• AMMICAL Consortium (German-Czech)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019German-Czech joint project (2019-2021) focused on horizontal and vertical integration of material data in Industry 4.0 value chains and derivation of generic material models for process and system simulation.
• MatpluscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNordmetall partners with Matplus for materials development and research services. Together they offer materials simulation using the CalPhad method and physically based models (JMatPro), data evaluation using EDA systems, and production on laboratory scale. Matplus contributes expertise in computational materials engineering.
• Comtes FHTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNordmetall collaborates with Comtes FHT in the materials development and research network. Comtes FHT provides expertise in materials development, simulation, and validation services. Together they offer a full range of materials research services for metallic materials.
• WTD91coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe DYNATOR torsional testing machine was developed in cooperation with WTD91. This proprietary testing equipment tests shear behavior under quasi-static and highly dynamic torsion loading, a key differentiator in Nordmetall's testing portfolio.
• TU Chemnitz (historical)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrom 1996 to 2009, Nordmetall worked closely with TU Chemnitz under a cooperation agreement. Prof. Lothar Meyer (founder) held the Chair of Materials for Mechanical Engineering at TU Chemnitz (1992-2009). They jointly built a high-dynamics laboratory for impact-dynamic testing. Nordmetall was spun out from TU Chemnitz in 2009.
• Partner Institute for Rolling ProcessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRolling process with final rolling thicknesses of approx. 1 mm for simulating sheet metal production is conducted in cooperation with a partner institute.
• Wasserschloss KlaffenbachminorOthersConference venue for the International Nordmetall Colloquium. Wasserschloss Klaffenbach, Wasserschlossweg 6, D-09123 Chemnitz, Germany.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Applus+ IDIADA: Applus+ IDIADA provides design, engineering, testing and homologation services globally to the automotive industry, including crash testing and material characterization. Directly comparable to Nordmetall's automotive testing offering but at much larger scale and broader scope.
• MTS Systems: MTS Systems provides high-performance materials testing systems and solutions for dynamic and static testing across aerospace, automotive, and biomedical applications. Comparable to Nordmetall in serving materials testing needs but as a dominant equipment manufacturer rather than a specialized services provider.
• TÜV SÜD: TÜV SÜD is a global testing, inspection, and certification organization with extensive materials testing and automotive homologation capabilities. Comparable in serving automotive and defense customers with materials characterization, though vastly larger and more diversified than Nordmetall.
• ZwickRoell: ZwickRoell is a leading German manufacturer of materials testing machines with services for static and dynamic testing. Directly comparable to Nordmetall as a German-headquartered materials testing specialist, though ZwickRoell primarily sells equipment rather than running an independent testing lab.
• Instron (Illinois Tool Works): Instron manufactures materials testing instruments and also operates testing services, including dynamic and impact testing systems. Comparable to Nordmetall as a provider of materials testing capabilities, though primarily an equipment manufacturer with services as a secondary offering.
• Element Materials Technology: Element is one of the world's largest independent materials testing and product qualification services providers, serving aerospace, defense, automotive, and transport with testing, certification, and failure analysis. Comparable to Nordmetall in customer verticals but operates at vastly greater scale with broader service portfolio.

Direct peers

• Fraunhofer EMI (Ernst-Mach-Institut): Fraunhofer EMI specializes in high-velocity impact, ballistic, and blast research with extensive experimental facilities for dynamic materials testing. Highly comparable to Nordmetall in serving defense, automotive crash, and protective equipment applications.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM: Fraunhofer IWM performs materials testing, component evaluation, and material modeling for industrial applications including dynamic loading and fracture mechanics. Directly comparable to Nordmetall as a research-driven provider of materials characterization and validated constitutive models for simulation.
• Comtes FHT: Comtes FHT is a Czech materials development, simulation, and validation services provider for metallic materials. Already a strategic partner of Nordmetall, and directly comparable as a European specialty materials testing and development laboratory serving similar industrial customers.
• Matplus GmbH: Matplus provides computational materials engineering services including JMatPro-based materials simulation and CalPhad-based modeling. Strategic partner of Nordmetall and directly comparable as a specialized materials data and modeling services provider for industrial R&D customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nordmetall-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Nordmetall