KTW K.Weisshaupt

What KTW K.Weisshaupt does

KTW Konstruktion-Technik K. Weißhaupt GmbH, now operating as KTW Carl Stahl GmbH, is a German Sondermaschinenbauer (special machine builder) headquartered in Friedrichshafen, Baden-Württemberg, with a wholly-owned subsidiary in Budapest, Hungary. Founded in 1987 as a spin-off from an 18-year-old design office, the company serves industrial manufacturers as a single-source system partner for custom-engineered load-bearing equipment, hydraulic clamping devices, assembly systems, and robotic automation — handling component weights from 5 kg to 20 tonnes. Core technical capabilities span mechanical design (using PRO-E Creo, SolidWorks, Inventor, and Siemens NX), control engineering (Simatic S7, WinCC, TwinCAT3 PLCs; MOTOMAN, EPSON, Stäubli, and KUKA robots), and full CE-compliant documentation per the EU Machinery Directive. A standardized 3-arm gripper product line (50/150/250 kg capacities, priced €1,590-1,790 per unit) supplements the predominantly custom project business.

Name

KTW K.Weisshaupt

Legal name

KTW Konstruktion-Technik K. Weißhaupt GmbH

Website

https://ktw-friedrichshafen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KTW K. Weißhaupt GmbH is a German special machine builder and system partner for industrial automation, designing custom load-bearing equipment, robotic assembly systems, and CE-compliant manufacturing technology solutions for industrial manufacturers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Machine Construction and Industrial Automation

NAICS

All Other Miscellaneous General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (333998)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

Factory Automation Cells & Integrated Systems (Assembly, Welding, Painting Lines) (IMAHAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation (DCS/PLC/SCADA, SIS, Metering) (EUAEAFAC), Conveying, Feeding & Accumulation Systems (Packaging Lines) (IMAHAOAK)

Keywords

• Special machine construction
• Industrial automation systems
• Custom robotic assembly
• Load-bearing equipment
• Manufacturing engineering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Friedrichshafen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Special Machine Construction: Design, development, and manufacturing of bespoke special machines and automated systems. Services range from pure development and construction work to complete turnkey solutions including manufacturing, assembly, commissioning, and CE documentation. Revenue is project-based and typically one-time per project, with follow-on revenue from after-sales service, spare parts, and maintenance contracts.
2. Standard Product Sales: Sale of standardized 3-arm gripper products (small, medium, large) at fixed unit prices. Products are sold directly via email inquiry to [email protected]. One-time purchase model.
3. After-Sales Service, Spare Parts, and Maintenance: Worldwide commissioning, spare parts sales for KTW manufacturing parts and assemblies, and support for type change conversions. Service contracts and remote maintenance support are offered. Revenue is recurring/maintenance-based.
4. Construction and Design Services: Pure construction and design work provided as a standalone service to customers. Includes layouts, 3D models, manufacturing drawings, audited calculations, risk analyses, and customized design guidelines created in customer commissions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

KTW designs, develops, and manufactures custom special machines and automated systems for industrial manufacturing customers. The portfolio spans load-bearing equipment, hydraulic clamping devices, assembly systems, robotic automation with articulated arm and SCARA robots, gripping technology, and rotary indexing assembly systems, with project execution covering pure design and construction services through turnkey solutions including CE-compliant documentation and worldwide commissioning. Complementary offerings include a standard 3-Arm Gripper product line and after-sales services (spare parts, maintenance contracts, remote fault analysis).

Product overview

KTW is a system partner for special machine construction and manufacturing technology, offering a comprehensive portfolio of custom-engineered products and services. The core offerings comprise Manufacturing Technology (load bearing equipment, hydraulic clamping devices, assembly devices and systems) and Automation (robotic systems, gripping technology, rotary indexing assembly systems, and customized solutions), supported by services including design, documentation, control technology, and maintenance. The company also offers a Standard Product line featuring the 3-Arm Gripper in three sizes. KTW serves as a single-source provider from development and design through manufacturing, CE-compliant documentation, and lifecycle support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Manufacturing Technology Solutions Custom-engineered load-bearing equipment, hydraulic clamping devices, and assembly devices/systems designed and manufactured to customer-specific requirements for industrial manufacturing applications. Delivered as turnkey systems from development and design through CE-compliant documentation and lifecycle support.
• Automation Solutions Complete automation solutions including product-specific robotic assembly systems (articulated arm and SCARA robots), gripping technology, and rotary indexing assembly systems for semi-automatic and fully automatic manufacturing plants. Covers full project scope: planning, design, manufacturing, assembly, and commissioning.
• 3-Arm Gripper Standard Product Line Standardized three-arm gripper for loads with through holes, available in three sizes with load capacities of 50 kg, 150 kg, and 250 kg respectively. Features one-hand operation, >200,000 load cycles service life, and CE-compliant design. Sold as one-time purchase via direct email inquiry.
• Design and Engineering Services Standalone design and construction services using CAD systems (PRO-E Creo 2.0, SolidWorks, Inventor, Siemens NX/UniGraphics), including layouts, 3D models, manufacturing drawings, audited calculations, risk analyses, and customized design guidelines. Available as a standalone service independent of full machine build projects.
• Documentation and CE Compliance Services Professional documentation services including risk assessments, operating manuals, user manuals, CE documentation, and conformity declarations per the current Machinery Directive. Supports the entire product lifecycle.
• Control Technology and Programming Services E-planning, E-design, and full PLC (Simatic S7, WinCC, TwinCAT3) and robot programming for MOTOMAN, EPSON, Stäubli, and KUKA brands. Includes remote fault analysis and service/maintenance contracts.
• Maintenance, Spare Parts, and After-Sales Services Worldwide commissioning, spare parts sales for KTW-manufactured parts and assemblies, and support for type change conversions. Includes service contracts and remote maintenance support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Component handling solutions implemented from 5 kg to 20 tonnes
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SCHUNK GmbH & Co. KG: German specialist in gripping systems, clamping technology, and load-bearing automation components. Directly comparable product overlap with KTW's 3-arm gripper standard line and custom load-bearing/handling equipment.
• J. Schmalz GmbH: German handling and vacuum automation specialist producing grippers and handling systems for industrial manufacturers. Closely aligned with KTW's handling systems and gripper product positioning.
• Hahn Group GmbH: German industrial automation and robotics systems integrator delivering custom-engineered assembly and production solutions. Directly comparable in special machine construction and factory automation integration.
• IMA Automation GmbH: German Sondermaschinenbauer focused on assembly automation, robotic integration, and manufacturing technology systems for industrial customers. Closely comparable in custom-engineered production systems and turnkey automation scope.
• Fill Gesellschaft mbH: Austrian-headquartered special machine and plant builder serving automotive, aerospace, and industrial automation customers. Comparable in custom machine construction, robotics integration, and full-lifecycle system delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Festo SE & Co. KG: Major global supplier of pneumatic and electric automation technology, including controllers and handling systems. Overlaps with KTW's automation and control engineering service portfolio as a broad incumbent.
• KUKA AG: Major German robotics manufacturer and systems integrator with a broad automation portfolio. KTW programs KUKA robots and competes for similar automation integration work as a much larger incumbent.
• Yaskawa Electric Corporation: Japanese robotics manufacturer (MOTOMAN) and motion control provider. KTW programs MOTOMAN robots, and Yaskawa's growing systems-integration activities compete with KTW in custom robotic assembly applications.
• Stäubli International AG: Swiss robotics and mechatronics manufacturer with significant industrial automation integration capability. KTW programs Stäubli robots, making Stäubli both a partner and a broad incumbent in the same automation systems space.
• Siemens AG (Digital Industries): Industrial conglomerate whose Digital Industries division offers PLCs, drives, and factory automation hardware/software. Comparable through Siemens' Simatic S7 platform, which KTW explicitly programs as part of its control technology services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ktw-friedrichshafen

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 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 KTW K.Weisshaupt