What Kabeltec does

Kabeltec is a privately held German family-owned cable manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Oberndorf am Neckar, Baden-Württemberg, operating globally through wholly-owned regional subsidiaries and third-party distribution partners in more than 20 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Founded in 1989 as a Mittelstand cable wholesale business, the company expanded into manufacturing through the 2012 acquisition of SÜDWEST-KABEL GmbH in Zimmern o.R. — a facility producing cables with up to 42 cores and employing approximately 60 people — and is led by Managing Directors Timo Polte and Berthold Polte of the founding family.

The company's product portfolio spans more than 200 cable types across five primary verticals: Offshore & Energy, Shipbuilding & Marine (VG 95218-compliant LMGSGO, MGSGO, MPRX, MPRXCX, TCX(C), FMGSGO series), Industrial Automation (drag chain, servo, and control cables compatible with Siemens, Fanuc, INDRAMAT motion-control systems), Data & Communication (KNX/EIB, DeviceNet, Profibus, CAN-BUS, ASI-BUS, PA-BUS protocols), and Oil/Gas & Petrochemicals (fire-resistant, halogen-free, Ex-rated lines). Technically distinguishing capabilities include in-house Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) witnessed by customers or external inspectors, a drag chain testing facility capable of simulating up to 5 million cycles, and ISO 9001:2015-certified quality management (renewed 2025-2028) with per-drum certificates. Additional lines span power cables up to 18/30 kV, medium voltage cables, halogen-free LSOH cables, fire-survival signal cables (E30/E90), rubber and welding cables, TÜV/CE-certified SOLAR H1Z2Z2-K photovoltaic cables, EV charging cables, marine shipboard cables, and custom cable solutions. The product set is qualified against IEC, VDE, BS, BASEC, KEMA, UL, CSA, DIN, ANSI, MIL, and other international standards.

Revenue is generated predominantly through direct hardware sales of standard and custom cables, supplemented by on-demand Factory Acceptance Testing services. Pricing follows a copper-surcharge model tied to the daily Süddeutsche Kupfer SK value plus a 1% purchase-cost factor, layered onto per-unit quote pricing for each SKU. Go-to-market combines dedicated German internal-sales (Innendienst) and regional field-sales (Außendienst) teams covering Baden, Württemberg, Bayern, and Mittel-/Westdeutschland with a separate international export sales function under a Head of Sales Export. Marketing channels include participation in major industry exhibitions (Elecrama, i+e industrial fair, Automation Expo), a multi-language corporate website, social media presence on Facebook and LinkedIn, and a multi-decade gold sponsorship of the Schwenninger WILD WINGS DEL ice hockey team in the Baden-Württemberg market.

Name

Kabeltec

Legal name

kabeltec GmbH

Website

https://kabeltec.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kabeltec is a German family-owned cable manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Oberndorf, serving industrial customers across offshore energy, marine, automation, data infrastructure, and oil and gas sectors through 200+ certified cable types and a wholly-owned subsidiary and distributor network spanning 20+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oberndorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cable and Wire Product Sales: Primary revenue from selling industrial cables and conductors including control cables, power cables, data cables, marine cables, and specialty cables. Products are sold directly through sales teams with pricing based on copper raw material plus processing fees and surcharges.
2. Custom Cable Solutions: Custom-designed cable manufacturing and system solutions for complex industrial applications
3. Factory Acceptance Testing Services: On-demand testing services conducted by customer or external inspector with company witnessing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kabeltec is a German cable manufacturer and wholesaler that designs, produces, and distributes an extensive portfolio of industrial cables and conductors. Its offering spans control cables, power cables, data cables, drag chain cables, marine cables, halogen-free cables, solar cables, EV charging cables, and custom-engineered cable solutions for sectors including industrial automation, shipbuilding, energy, and oil & gas. The company also provides integrated system solutions, technical consulting, factory acceptance testing, and just-in-time delivery through a global network of subsidiaries and partners.

Product overview

Kabeltec is a mid-sized cable wholesale company with over 30 years of experience offering an extensive portfolio of industrial cables and power lines. The product range includes control cables (FLEX, PU, CY series), data cables (LIYCY, LI2YCY, EF series), drag chain cables, VDE-approved cables, international standard cables (UL/CSA, BS, CEI), installation cables, halogen-free cables, flat/lift cables, marine cables, fire alarm cables, power cables, medium voltage cables, rubber cables, solar cables, and special custom manufacturing. The company provides system solutions combining these products with project management services including technical consultation, production control, factory acceptance testing (up to 5 million cycle testing), and just-in-time delivery. The company operates from Germany (Oberndorf) with subsidiaries in over 20 countries including Singapore/Shanghai since 1996.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Control Cables (Steuerleitungen) Wide range of control cables including flexible (FLEX-JB/OB, FLEX-JZ/OZ), shielded (FLEX-CY-JZ, CY-JZ Grey), PUR-jacketed (PU-JZ, PU-CY), and halogen-free variants for industrial automation and machinery applications.
• Data Cables (Datenleitungen) Flexible data transmission cables including LIYCY, LIYY, LI2YCY, LI2YCY-PIMF, EF Data-Cable, and paired/twisted pair variants for signal transmission and data communication in industrial environments.
• Drag Chain Cables Highly flexible cables for continuous flexing in cable carriers/chain systems, including FLEX-EF, FLEX-PU-EF, MULTIPLUS-P, MULTIPLUS-CP, and PU-EF series; tested up to 5 million cycles.
• VDE Approved Cables Cables meeting German VDE standards including H05VV5-F, H05VVC4V5-K multinorm cables, and various VDE-compliant control and power cables.
• Cables According to Foreign Standards International cables meeting UL/CSA (American/Canadian), BS (British), CEI (Italian), and French NF standards, including UL/CSA Style 1007/1569, 1015, 1430/1431, and BS 5308, BS 5467, BS 6724.
• Installation Cables and Single Cores Fixed installation cables including NYM-O/NYM-J, H05V-U/H07V-U, H05VV-F, H07V-R, NYY-O/NYY-J, NAYY-J, NYCWY, NYCY, and single core conductors (H05V-K, H07V-K, LIY-V, FLKF/LIFY).
• Compensating Cables and Heat Resistant Cables High-temperature resistant cables including PTFE, FEP, SIHF silicone series, SID, SIF, SIFF single cores, and SIHF-GLP with steel wire braiding; temperature ratings from -60°C to +260°C.
• Halogen-Free Cables Environmentally friendly halogen-free cables including 2XSLCHK-J LSOH, 2YSLCY-J, FLEX-(ST)CH EMC, J-H(ST)H series, LiHCH, LiHH, and halogen-free power cables for fire safety applications.
• Flat Cables and Lift Cables Flat cable solutions including NEO-FLACH (NGFLGÖU), NEO-FLACH-CY, PVC-FLAT (H05VVH6-F, H07VVH6-F), LSOH FLAT, and LIFT series elevator cables with steel wire or hemp rope support elements.
• Marine Cables (Schiffskabel) Shipboard power and control cables including LMGSGO, MGSGO, MPRX, MPRXCX, TCX(C), FMGSGO, and FMSGSGO, meeting VG 95218 standards for naval applications.
• Fire Signal Cables and Telecommunication Cables

Quantifiable outcome

• Cables tested and certified to meet strict international safety standards including IEC, VDE, UL/CSA, BS, BASEC, KEMA, and more
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SÜDWEST-KABEL GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Manufacturing subsidiary acquired by Kabeltec Group in 2012. Located in Zimmern o.R., producing cables with up to 42 cores. Currently employs approximately 60 people at the facility.
• CONTEC GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman distribution partner for cable technology products, located in Germany with contact via Tel.: +49 741 348 8886
• Lemvigh-Müller A/SminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDanish electrical materials distributor and partner. Kabeltec participated in Lemvigh-Müller's supplier exhibition in March 2016.
• ELIS ELEKTRO ASminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorwegian electrical distribution customer that visited Kabeltec facilities in June 2022 along with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
• Inspire Protech Co.,Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThai distributor partner for Kabeltec products, located in Bangkok, Thailand.
• BSK Security LLPminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKazakhstan distributor for Kabeltec products, located in Almaty.
• Advanced Product TechnologyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouth African distributor partner located in Randburg, Johannesburg.
• ÍskraftminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIcelandic electrical products distributor partner located in Kopavogur.
• Doruk Dış Ticaret Kablo Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited ŞirketiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTurkish cable industry distributor partner located in Denizli.
• Schwenninger WILD WINGSminorOthersGerman DEL ice hockey team. Kabeltec has been gold sponsor since 1989, continuing through 2024|25 season. Partnership focuses on regional brand building and community engagement.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Lapp Group: Family-owned German cable and connectivity manufacturer (Ölflex, Unitronic, ETHERLINE) serving industrial automation, machinery, and robotics — overlapping heavily with Kabeltec's automation, drag chain, and servo cable portfolio. Larger in scale but operates in the same niche.
• Belden Inc. US-listed specialty cable manufacturer focused on industrial automation, data, and broadcast cables. Comparable product positioning in drag chain, bus, and data cables; similar mid-market scale to Kabeltec with global reach.
• Helukabel: German-based mid-market cable manufacturer and wholesaler with a comparable product mix of control, data, drag chain, and specialty industrial cables. Closest direct peer to Kabeltec in geography, customer base, and product breadth, though typically larger in scale.
• TKD Kabel GmbH: German mid-market cable manufacturer/distributor specializing in drag chain, servo, and industrial cables. Closest size and product-mix peer to Kabeltec, also focused on European industrial automation customers.
• TPC Wire & Cable Corp. US-based specialty industrial cable manufacturer focused on flexible, high-performance, and harsh-environment cables. Comparable mid-market size and product positioning in heavy-duty rubber and drag chain cables.

Broad incumbents

• Leoni AG: Large German cable and wiring systems manufacturer serving automotive, industrial, and infrastructure. Significantly larger and broader than Kabeltec but competes in overlapping segments such as industrial cables and custom solutions.
• Nexans S.A. French-headquartered global cable manufacturer covering power, data, and telecom cables. Competes with Kabeltec on international-standard power and control cables for industrial and energy customers.
• Prysmian Group: Global market leader in power, telecommunications, and submarine cables with full multi-standard certification coverage. Sets the competitive ceiling for cable pricing and certification depth that mid-market players like Kabeltec must meet.

Regional players

• Metrofunk Kabel-Union GmbH: German cable distributor and manufacturer with a focus on special and custom cables for industrial customers. Direct competitor in the German Mittelstand cable distribution segment.
• Gebauer & Griller Kabelwerke GmbH: Austrian family-owned cable manufacturer serving European industrial, energy, and specialty markets. Comparable Mittelstand profile and multi-generational ownership structure, though primarily serving Central European customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kabeltec.GmbH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kabeltec-gmbh

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries13 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 Kabeltec