Helfrich

What Helfrich does

Helfrich GmbH is a German precision machining job shop specializing in electrical discharge machining (EDM), operating from a single headquarters at Robert-Bosch-Straße 26 in Süßen, Baden-Württemberg, since 1977. The company runs three core service lines: Drahterosion (wire EDM), which produces filigree contours, cuts, and radii in all electrically conductive materials; Senkerosion (sinker EDM), which handles 3D geometries, special surface treatments such as texturing and internal gearing, and cemented carbide workpieces; and Startlocherosion (small hole EDM), which produces precise through-holes and blind holes from 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm diameter in materials up to 400 mm thick. Equipment comprises Japanese-made Seibu M-series wire cutting centers alongside German sinker EDM systems from AEG Elotherm, Walter, and Exeron, with automatic wire threading enabling near-24/7 autonomous operation. Maximum workpiece capacity is stated at 1200 x 900 x 500 mm and up to 3000 kg.

The company serves industrial manufacturers in automotive, electrical, toy, household goods, packaging, rubber, medical, pharmaceutical, mold and tool, mechanical engineering, model making, and aviation sectors, executed as one-off pieces, small series, or special custom productions. Go-to-market is direct sales-led, targeting manufacturing companies in Southern Germany through a German-language website, contact form, and personal consultation, with no intermediaries, resellers, or digital marketplace presence. Revenue is generated on a quote-based, project-by-project basis for custom EDM services, with no public pricing. Helfrich cooperates with regional partner machining centers covering grinding, turning, milling, brazing, and heat treatment, allowing the company to deliver complete finished parts rather than only EDM operations. Ownership is private and family-controlled under Managing Director Jochen Helfrich, with no external investors, funding rounds, or parent company disclosed in the source materials.

Name

Helfrich

Legal name

Helfrich GmbH

Website

https://helfrich-gmbh.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Helfrich GmbH is a family-owned German precision job shop, founded 1977 in Süßen, specializing in wire, sinker, and small-hole electrical discharge machining (EDM) for industrial manufacturers across automotive, tool and die, medical, aerospace, and related sectors in Southern Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Machining Services

NAICS

Machine Shops (332710)

SIC

Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540)

akta.pro primary industry

EDM & Electrochemical Machining (Wire/Sinker EDM, ECM) (IMAHADAF)

Keywords

• Precision machining services
• Wire EDM machining
• Sinker EDM machining
• Electrical discharge machining
• Small hole EDM

Headquarters

HQ city

Süßen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Precision Machining Services: Job shop manufacturing revenue from custom EDM (wire cutting, sinker erosion, start hole drilling) services. Orders are executed as single pieces, series, or special custom productions (Einzel-, Serien- oder Sonderanfertigungen). The company serves diverse industries requiring precision machined components.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Helfrich GmbH is a precision machining job shop providing custom Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) services, including wire erosion (Drahterosion), sinker erosion (Senkerosion), and start hole erosion (Startlocherosion). The company produces high-precision contours, cuts, corners, radii, and small through-holes in electrically conductive materials such as hardened steel, carbide, copper, graphite, brass, and sintered alloys for industrial manufacturers.

Product overview

Helfrich GmbH is a precision manufacturing service provider specializing in electrical discharge machining (EDM). The company operates three core service offerings: Drahterosion (Wire EDM), Senkerosion (Sinker EDM), and Startlocherosion (Small Hole EDM). These services work together to serve the tool and mold-making, automotive, electrical, medical, pharmaceutical, aerospace, and general manufacturing industries. The company has over 50 years of industry experience (since 1977) and serves customers throughout southern Germany with high-precision machining capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drahterosion (Wire EDM) Wire electrical discharge machining service that produces filigree and complex contours, cuts, corners, and radii with highest precision. Capable of processing all electrically conductive materials including carbide, copper, steel, graphite, brass, and sintered alloys. Features automatic wire threading for near-24/7 autonomous operation including overnight rush order processing. Designed for industrial manufacturers in tool and die making, automotive, aerospace, and general machining sectors.
• Senkerosion (Sinker EDM) Sinker electrical discharge machining service featuring precise electrode planning for various workpiece materials and sizes. Capable of processing 3D geometries, special surface treatments like roughening, finest surface rib processing, internal gearing, and tungsten carbide workpieces. Erosion from self-manufactured or customer-supplied sinker electrodes (graphite or copper). Maximum workpiece dimensions up to 1200 x 900 x 500 mm and weights up to 3000 kg. Targets tool and die makers, mold makers, and manufacturers needing complex 3D cavity work.
• Startlocherosion (Small Hole EDM) Small hole electrical discharge machining service for producing very small and precise through holes (starting holes or blind holes). Bore diameters range from 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm through material heights up to 400 mm. Particularly suitable for hardened steel and all electrically conductive metals. Used by mold makers and tool manufacturers requiring micro-hole drilling in hardened materials.

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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Regional Machining Partners (Schleif-, Dreh-, Fräs-, Löt- und Härterei-Zentren)supportingOthersCooperation with regional grinding, turning, milling, brazing, and heat treatment centers in the Süßen/Süddeutschland region. These partnerships enable Helfrich to offer complete parts beyond just EDM operations, providing customers with comprehensive manufacturing solutions by collaborating with complementary machining specialists.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• EMAG: Salach-based German machine tool group producing turning, grinding, and gear-cutting machines for automotive and industrial customers. Comparable to Helfrich because both are Germany-based precision manufacturing specialists serving overlapping mid-size industrial customers in automotive and general engineering, with EMAG occupying a much broader scope.
• Sodick: Japanese EDM and high-speed milling machine manufacturer with global sales and service operations, including the Sodick Additive Manufacturing / Sodick Europe contract-machining presence. Comparable because Sodick both builds wire and sinker EDM equipment used in Helfrich's process category and competes for the same end-customers in automotive, medical, and tooling.
• GF Machining Solutions: Swiss-origin global manufacturer of EDM, milling, and laser-texturing machines (formerly Charmilles/Agie) with a worldwide network of application centers that also provide contract machining services. Helfrich uses Exeron sinker equipment and operates Seibu wire centers in the same EDM ecosystem, serving overlapping automotive/tool/aerospace customers across DACH.
• Trumpf: Ditzingen-based global market leader in machine tools, laser systems, and electronics for industrial manufacturing. Comparable as a Southern Germany precision-machining powerhouse serving shared automotive, mechanical engineering, and tooling customers, with a much broader technology footprint than Helfrich.
• Makino: Japanese-founded global machine tool builder with a dedicated EDM product line (wire and sinker) and contract manufacturing / parts services in Europe. Relevant because its EDM machines serve the same mold-and-die and automotive/aerospace customers that Helfrich supports, and it operates competing job-shop services in the same regional market segments.
• Starrag Group: Swiss precision machine tool builder focused on milling, turning, and grinding systems for aerospace, energy, and high-precision industrial customers. Comparable to Helfrich because both serve high-mix, high-precision, tightly toleranced work in aerospace, energy, and industrial engineering within the broader DACH precision ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Exeron: German manufacturer of EDM equipment (sinker and micro-EDM) named explicitly as one of Helfrich's equipment vendors. Comparable because Exeron operates in the same EDM process category, sells a partially overlapping machine portfolio to the same German and European mold/die and aerospace customers, and competes for similar contract EDM work.
• Kern Microtechnik: Swiss precision machine tool builder specialized in high-precision micro-machining centers used in medical, aerospace, and watchmaking. Comparable to Helfrich in overlapping micro-precision, hardened-material processing, and high-end industrial customer base, although Kern manufactures machines while Helfrich runs an EDM job shop.
• Zimmer & Kreim: German mid-size precision parts manufacturer specialized in complex metalworking services for industrial customers, including stamping, machining, and EDM-adjacent processing. Directly comparable to Helfrich as a privately held German precision-machining specialist with horizontal industrial customer coverage and similar Mittelstand positioning.
• ONA EDM: Spanish manufacturer of wire EDM, sinker EDM, and start-hole EDM machines with global reach, also offering EDM services through affiliated centers. Comparable because it competes for the same wire/sinker/micro-EDM process work Helfrich performs and serves European automotive, aerospace, and tool-and-die customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helfrich-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 Helfrich