GFM

What GFM does

GFM GmbH is an Austrian special machine builder founded in 1945 and headquartered in Steyr, Austria, with wholly-owned subsidiaries in the United States (American GFM / AGFM, Chesapeake, Virginia, est. 1977) and the United Kingdom (GFM UK Ltd., Wellingborough, est. 1992), plus a majority stake in German composites manufacturer Cevotec acquired in 2021. The company is in its third generation of family ownership under President Michael R. Kralowetz and employs 400+ professionals across its three operating geographies. GFM operates as a low-volume, high-engineering-content special machine builder rather than a serial-production OEM, delivering turnkey systems from feasibility study through in-house manufacture and lifetime after-sales support.

GFM's core technologies are organized around four proprietary pillars: (1) radial forging machines — including the RX series for steel and special alloys, the ESA series for automotive drive-train and e-mobility components, and special-application variants for titanium, refractory metals, and aerospace/medical implants, all built on a 4-tool incremental radial forming architecture for chip-less production; (2) ultrasonic cutting machines for composites, honeycomb, aramid, leather, foam, and rubber; (3) composites automation systems including tapelayers (TL-20/TL-30), pick-and-place units, and full process-chain cells; and (4) CNC routers and crankshaft milling machines for aerospace and automotive applications. More than 2,400 GFM machines are in operation worldwide, with deliveries to 60+ countries and an installed base exceeding 200 machines in the automotive sector alone producing more than 10 million shafts annually.

Revenue is generated through five streams: custom machine sales (radial forging, ultrasonic cutting, CNC routing, milling — quote-based, multi-year enterprise contracts), contract manufacturing on GFM's own equipment, service and after-sales (maintenance, spares, training, upgrades), tool sales (including reconditioning), and feasibility studies/machinery development. GFM serves automotive (primary), steel and special alloys (primary), aerospace, and composites manufacturers, with named enterprise customers including Mubea and Metalltechnik Menges. The company self-identifies as the world market leader in its niches and holds ISO 9001:2015 and EN ISO 3834-2:2005 certifications plus a Climate-Friendly Company certification awarded in 2024. No public revenue, funding, or valuation data is disclosed.

Name

GFM

Legal name

GFM GmbH

Website

https://gfm.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

GFM is an Austrian family-owned special machine builder (founded 1945) that designs, manufactures, and services custom radial forging machines, ultrasonic cutting systems, composites automation cells, and CNC routers for automotive, steel, aerospace, and composites manufacturers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Industrial Machinery

NAICS

Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (33351), Machine Tool Manufacturing (333517), Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (33324)

SIC

Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)

akta.pro primary industry

Metal Forming & Fabrication Machines (Presses, Bending, Shearing, Stamping) (IMAHADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Discrete Manufacturing IIoT (Automotive/Electronics/Machinery) (IMAIAMAN)

Keywords

• Radial forging machines
• Ultrasonic cutting machines
• Composites automation systems
• CNC router machines
• Crankshaft milling machines

Headquarters

HQ city

Steyr

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Machine Sales: Sale of special machines including radial forging machines, ultrasonic cutting machines, CNC routers, and milling machines. Machines are custom-built for specific industrial applications.
2. Contract Manufacturing: Professional contract manufacturing services using GFM's own equipment and machinery park for external customers.
3. Service and After-Sales: Maintenance, spare parts, training, and upgrades throughout the entire service life of machines. Includes revamps to update production machines to latest technology standards.
4. Tool Sales: Customized tools developed for maximum process optimization, perfectly tuned for operation, process reliability and durability. Also includes management and reconditioning of worn tools.
5. Feasibility Studies and Development: Feasibility studies for novel applications, machinery development, and layout/concept design services for customized plant concepts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

GFM designs, develops, and manufactures custom-built special industrial machines for processing metals and composites, including radial forging machines, ultrasonic cutting machines, CNC routers, crankshaft milling machines, and automated production cells. The company sells these machines primarily to manufacturers in the automotive, steel, aerospace, and composites industries via direct enterprise sales. GFM complements its equipment with contract manufacturing services, feasibility studies, custom tooling, and full after-sales support across the machine lifecycle.

Product overview

GFM is a special machine construction company offering a portfolio of industrial manufacturing machines. The core product lines include: (1) Radial Forging Machines (RX Series for steel/special alloys, ESA Series for automotive, and Special Applications for titanium/refractory metals/medical implants), (2) Ultrasonic Cutting Machines for 2D and 3D cutting of composites and honeycomb materials, (3) Composites Automation systems including tapelayers (TL-20, TL-30) and automated production cells, (4) CNC Routers (RMS-30 stack routers, RM-30 panel routers) for aerospace applications, and (5) Crankshaft Milling Machines. The company also provides comprehensive services including contract manufacturing, machine development, feasibility studies, tooling, and after-sales support. Their machines are used across automotive, aerospace, steel, and general industrial manufacturing sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RX Series Radial Forging Machines (Radial Forging Steel) Radial forging machines for the steel and special alloys industry, forming cast, continuous cast, ingots and remelts into bars, stepped shafts, and axles across any steel grade, super alloys, titanium, and many other metals. Sold to steel mills and special alloys producers globally.
• ESA Series Radial Forging Machines (Radial Forging Automotive) Radial forging technology for chip-less production of highly stressed automotive components in drive train, chassis, steering systems, and e-mobility, supporting weight optimization, cost reduction, and environmentally friendly manufacturing. Used to produce EV rotor shafts, side shafts, drive shafts, hollow stabilizers, and gear shafts for OEMs and tier-1 suppliers.
• Radial Forging Special Applications Radial forging solutions for special materials and complex forms, including special alloys, super alloys, refractory metals, titanium, hip joint prostheses, and aerospace components such as tie-rods and struts. Monoblock versions are available for longest service life in safety-critical applications.
• Ultrasonic Cutting Machines Ultrasonic cutting machines providing unsurpassed cutting quality for composites, honeycomb materials, preforms, floorings, leather, aramid, foam, rubber, and other advanced materials. Includes 2D and 3D cutting solutions for composites manufacturers and parts fabricators.
• Composites Automation Systems Automation systems combining or linking single and multiple production steps for composite manufacturing. Includes tapelayers (TL-20, TL-30), automated production cells, pick-place-distribute systems, and complete process chain integration for composites manufacturers.
• CNC Router Special Applications (RMS-30, RM-30) CNC routing systems for highly productive manufacturing, including the RMS-30 stack router for aluminum sheet stacks in the aircraft industry and the RM-30 panel router with flexible fixture system for flat or curved panels.
• Crankshaft Milling Machines Milling machines for large crankshafts and automotive applications delivering high machining performance for metal component processing. Targeted at automotive and heavy machinery manufacturers.
• Contract Manufacturing Services Contract manufacturing services utilizing GFM's comprehensive in-house machine park to produce customer parts on GFM equipment for external customers.
• Service and After-Sales Support Service engineering support including assembly, commissioning, maintenance, spare parts supply, training, and upgrades throughout the entire service life of GFM machines.
• Machine Revamps and Modernization Modernization services to update existing production machines to the latest state of technology and safety standards, ensuring long-term economic use of installed GFM equipment.
• Custom Tools and Tool Reconditioning Customized tools developed for maximum process optimization, tuned for operation, process reliability and durability, including management and reconditioning of worn tools for GFM machine customers.
• Machinery Development Customized machine development based on deep application understanding and many years of experience, with in-house production and thorough testing of new machine designs.
• Feasibility Studies Feasibility studies for novel applications where technically clear statements are necessary due to insufficient prior experience, conducted on GFM's in-house trial machines to validate manufacturing approaches.
• Layout and Concept Design Customized plant concept development based on customer requirements, leveraging GFM's industry knowledge and experience with existing plants to design integrated production layouts.
• MTS Turnkey Systems Complete turnkey production systems combining multiple GFM machines — for example two radial forging machines, a double-sided end machining machine, and a simultaneous gear drawing machine — for maximum flexibility and short changeover times.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 10 million shafts produced per year with increasing tendency
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CevoteccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2021Since July 2021, GFM became partner and shareholder of Cevotec, the leading developer for patch-based composite production technologies. GFM has been the majority shareholder since 2021. The partnership focuses on fiber composite manufacturing technologies.
• Metalltechnik Menges GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 November 2011Technical cooperation agreement signed November 22, 2011. Menges acquired GFM radial forging machines (SKK-10 type) in August 2012, with 2 more machines following in January 2016 and September 2018. Menges provides contract processing services on GFM machines for customers where quantities don't justify a new machine purchase.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• INDEX-Werke: German manufacturer of CNC turning machines and turn-mill centers for automotive and aerospace. Comparable as a European mid-size special machine builder with custom-engineered offerings to industrial customers.
• Trumpf: German global leader in machine tools and laser technology, including 2D/3D laser cutting systems for sheet metal and composites. Comparable on cutting machinery for composites and metals, with a far broader product portfolio and global footprint.
• SMS group: Large German industrial machinery group providing metallurgical plant and rolling/forging equipment for steel and non-ferrous metals. Overlaps with GFM's steel and special alloys forging line, but on a much broader plant-scale scope.
• GF Machining Solutions: Swiss machining specialist (EDM, milling, laser texturing) serving aerospace, automotive, and medical. Overlaps with GFM on high-precision milling and EDM-style equipment, though broader in scope and significantly larger.
• FFG (FFG Werke / Fehlmann Group): Global machine tool group with milling, turning, and grinding product lines for aerospace and industrial customers. Comparable on CNC routing and milling machines (RMS-30, FKP-80) within a much broader machine tool portfolio.

Emerging players

• Starrag Group: Swiss-German high-precision machine tool maker focused on aerospace, energy, and industrial customers. Comparable on special-purpose milling and machining centers for aerospace components where GFM also supplies CNC routers and machining cells.

Direct peers

• Schuler Group: Schuler is a German world-market leader in metal forming machinery (presses, forging, roll-forming) for automotive and industrial customers. Directly comparable to GFM as a global supplier of custom metal forming equipment into automotive OEMs and tier-1 suppliers.
• Hatebur Umformmaschinen: Swiss specialist in cold and hot forming/forging presses for automotive components. Comparable niche-leader positioning to GFM in metal forming machinery, serving similar automotive and industrial customers with custom-engineered equipment.
• LASCO Werkzeugmaschinen: German manufacturer of forming/forging presses and special-purpose machines for automotive and aerospace. Direct competitor to GFM in radial and axial forming equipment for shaft and drivetrain components.

Others

• Cevotec: German developer of patch-based fiber composite production technology and a majority-owned GFM subsidiary since 2021. Listed as OTHERS rather than peer because of its subsidiary status, but relevant as the embedded composites platform within GFM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gfmsteyr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/artsana-usa
• Instagraminstagram.com/gfmsteyr

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 GFM