Kuhler

What Kuhler does

Kühler GmbH & Co. KG is a privately held German contract manufacturer and engineering services provider headquartered in Kempen, Germany, with a second operations site in Hildburghausen, Thuringia. Founded in 1922 as a pipe and steel trading house, the company was acquired by Wilhelm Steffes in 1995 and reoriented toward custom metalworking and mechanical engineering services. Since 2016, it has been led by Managing Director and Owner Marcus Heller. The firm operates as a GmbH & Co. KG with Ungnad & Küppers GmbH as the personally liable general partner.

The company delivers a one-stop portfolio spanning individual components to complete functional units: sheet metal processing (laser, plasma, waterjet cutting; punching; edging), the licensed TOX round-point joining process, precision CNC pipe bending (6×1mm to 323.9×20mm, including hot bending for thick-walled tubes), wire bending (1–20mm diameter), turning and milling from grams to multiple tons, cable assembly via the certified Elpress system, custom special ball valves (DN 10–DN 250, PN 5–PN 200), and downstream assembly, warehousing, picking, and just-in-time logistics. A standalone sub-brand markets crane support plates globally via dedicated websites (cranesupportplates.com, kranabstuetzplatten.de), and cable trays are offered with a downloadable product catalog.

Kühler's primary vertical is the railway industry, where it is qualified to IRIS (DIN EN ISO 22163 Rev. 4), EN 15085-2 Class CL1 (welding), and DIN EN 17460 Class A3 (adhesive bonding), alongside DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 quality management. Additional served verticals include mechanical and plant engineering, vehicle/forklift technology, chemical and pharmaceutical valve applications, and trade/craft businesses. Revenue is generated via project-based B2B contracts with specifications, materials, quantities, and complexity driving pricing; go-to-market is direct sales through project inquiry channels, supplemented by trade fair presence and digital catalogs.

Name

Kuhler

Legal name

Kühler GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://kuehler-gmbh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kühler GmbH & Co. KG is a German contract metalworking and mechanical engineering manufacturer serving primarily the rail industry, with certified capabilities spanning sheet metal processing, CNC pipe bending, TOX joining, machining, assembly, and JIT logistics from two German sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Industrial Metal Fabrication

NAICS

All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (332999), All Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (33299), Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (3369)

SIC

Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490), Sheet Metal Work (3444)

akta.pro primary industry

Steelwork & Fabrication Facilities (Plate/Section Processing, Welding Lines) (IMAJALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vehicle Body-in-White & Structural Assemblies Manufacturing (IMACAGAG), Welding, Joining & Soldering Equipment (Arc, Resistance, Friction, Brazing) (IMAHADAH)

Keywords

• Precision metal fabrication
• Sheet metal processing
• Rail vehicle components
• CNC pipe bending
• Mechanical engineering manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Kempen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Manufacturing Services: B2B manufacturing services for individual components, assemblies, and complete functional units. Revenue generated through project-based orders with pricing based on complexity, materials, and volume. Services include sheet metal processing, machining, pipe bending, welding, and assembly.
2. Specialized Component Production: Production of specialized components such as crane support plates, cable trays, TOX-joined products, custom ball valves, and Erdungsseile (grounding cables). Revenue from repeat orders and long-term supply relationships.
3. Assembly and Logistics Services: Assembly of components into semi-finished or finished products, warehousing, picking, and just-in-time delivery services. Provides integrated supply chain solutions as an add-on to manufacturing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kühler GmbH & Co. KG is a custom industrial metalworking manufacturer offering precision components, welded assemblies, and complete functional units from individual pieces through series production. Core capabilities include mechanical engineering, sheet metal processing (laser/plasma/waterjet cutting), CNC pipe bending, turning and milling, the TOX round point joining process, wire bending, special ball valve production (DN 10–250, PN 5–200), and cable assembly, plus warehousing and just-in-time delivery. The company sells specialized finished products including crane support plates and cable trays through dedicated brand websites.

Product overview

Kühler GmbH & Co. KG is a traditional manufacturing company (established 1922) offering a comprehensive portfolio of metalworking and mechanical engineering services. The portfolio centers on core manufacturing capabilities including mechanical engineering (individual components to complete functional units), sheet metal processing (laser, plasma, waterjet cutting), the TOX round point joining process, precision turning and milling, CNC pipe bending (6mm to 323.9mm diameter), wire bending (1-20mm), cable assembly for grounding systems, and custom special ball valves (DN 10-250, PN 5-200). Specialized products include crane support plates (distributed via dedicated websites) and cable trays. The company differentiates through certified quality processes for the railway industry (IRIS, EN 15085, DIN EN 17460), offering end-to-end solutions from individual parts to assembled, tested, and delivered products. Assembly services combine customer-provided or self-manufactured components, while storage and logistics capabilities enable just-in-time delivery with flexible lot sizes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IRIS: IRIS® certification brand for railway industry quality standards, based on DIN EN ISO 22163 Rev. 4.
• Crane Support Plates / Kranabstützplatten

Products and services

• Mechanical Engineering (Maschinenbau) Comprehensive mechanical engineering services covering individual components to complete functional units for industrial customers, including welded constructions in steel or stainless steel with mechanical processing, cast parts in various materials, and finishing operations such as annealing, sandblasting, painting, pickling, and grinding.
• Sheet Metal Processing (Blechverarbeitung) Sheet metal forming and joining services for steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and brass in all material thicknesses. Uses laser, plasma, and waterjet cutting machines for both coarse and fine processing, with additional services including punching, nibbling, edging, and welding.
• TOX Round Point Joining Service Patent-licensed joining technology using a round punch press to connect aluminum and steel sheets, pressing sheets into a die to force material to flow outward, creating round connection points without edges or burrs. Supports point diameters from 1.5 to 26 mm, sheet thicknesses from 0.1 to 11 mm, and 2 to 4 sheet layers.
• Turning and Milling Parts Precision turning and milling services for steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and non-ferrous metals, producing parts ranging from a few grams to several tons. Finishing options such as powder coating, wet painting, hardening, tempering, burnishing, chrome plating, polishing, and grinding are available through partner companies.
• CNC Pipe Bending CNC-controlled pipe bending services for tube dimensions from 6 x 1 mm to 323.9 x 20 mm, including hot bending for thick-walled tubes. Provides pipe pre-material with certificates, necking operations, mechanical preparation, and follow-up work such as welding, brazing, painting, pressure tests, and TÜV inspections.
• Wire Bending Wire bending services using modern manufacturing technology for steel, stainless steel, and other cold-formable metals, with diameter range from 1 mm to 20 mm. Includes additional processing such as welding, pressing, stamping, and surface finishing.
• Cable Assembly (Grounding Cables) Custom assembly of copper grounding cables (Erdungsseile) with cross-sections from 10 mm² to 95 mm². Cable lugs are crimped using the certified Elpress GmbH system, ensuring safe and standard-compliant connections.
• Special Ball Valves (Sonderkugelhähne) Custom-developed and manufactured special ball valves for chemical, pharmaceutical, plant engineering, and rail vehicle industries. Available in nominal diameters from DN 10 to DN 250 and pressure ratings from PN 5 to PN 200, designed for demanding applications requiring high safety, reliability, and longevity.
• Assembly Services Assembly of components, semi-finished products, and end products from individually manufactured or customer-provided parts, ranging from single-piece assembly to automated mass production. Includes functional and visual inspection, labeling, packaging, storage, and just-in-time delivery.
• Storage and Logistics Services Warehouse management, picking, and delivery services including storage of components or assemblies, individual quantity picking, and just-in-time delivery. Offers framework agreements with flexible lot sizes from single items to large series.
• Crane Support Plates (Kranabstützplatten) Development and production of crane support plates used worldwide, representing a long-term focus area of the company's business. Distributed through dedicated brand websites www.cranesupportplates.com and www.kranabstuetzplatten.de.
• Cable Trays (Kabelkanäle) Cable tray product line available as a downloadable PDF catalog showcasing the complete product range and palette, sold to commercial and industrial customers.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• EU | FHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partnership with EU | FH organization. Nature of cooperation not detailed but indicates institutional relationship for training and development purposes.
• TOX (TOX Pressotechnik)coreTechnology or IntegrationLicensed use of TOX round point patent for sheet metal joining. The patented process enables economical and durable connections of aluminum and steel sheets with up to 60% cost savings vs spot welding. TOX provides the technology license and process specifications.
• Elpress GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified system for cable lug pressing used in Erdungsseile (grounding cable) manufacturing. The Elpress system combines certified cables, connectors, and tools for safe, standardized connections. Kühler uses this certified system for reliable grounding cable production.
• Bureau VeritasminorOthersThird-party certification body for IRIS (International Railway Industry Standard) certification. Conducts audits and issues certifications for railway industry quality management requirements.
• TÜV NORDminorOthersThird-party certification body for EN 15085-2 CL1 and DIN EN ISO 9001 certifications. Conducts audits and issues certifications for welding and quality management standards.
• European IC / DVSminorOthersThird-party certification body for DIN EN 17460 adhesive process certification. Issues certifications for railway vehicle adhesive bonding processes.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Kuhler