WKM Maschinenbau

What WKM Maschinenbau does

WKM Maschinenbau GmbH is a privately held Austrian mechanical engineering company founded in 1990, headquartered in Klaus, Vorarlberg, with approximately 25 employees. It operates three integrated business lines: (1) HV cable assembly equipment — a proprietary modular product family including FAS (Final Assembly Station) manual and electric variants and SSC (Shield Sleeve Crimping Station) pneumatic and electric variants, purpose-built around connectors from Hirschmann, TE Connectivity, Rosenberger, Kostal, and Aptiv, with the FAS1-E featuring integrated force/position monitoring and an OPC-UA Industry 4.0 interface; (2) special-purpose machine construction (Sondermaschinenbau) — custom machines, fixtures, test rigs, prototypes, and assembly systems delivered as general contractor from concept through CE-marked commissioning; and (3) contract CNC machining (Lohnfertigung) — milling and turning of individual parts and small series in steel, aluminum, and polymers, supported by a capital-intensive machine park anchored by a 7-axis WFL M35-G turning/milling center, a DMF 360 Linear 5-axis machining center, a MaxTurn G2 lathe, and a Mitutoyo Crysta-Apex V9106 CMM in a climate-controlled facility.

The company's go-to-market is exclusively B2B and relationship-driven, with direct sales led by Managing Director/Owner Martin Klien and Head of Organization/Project/Sales Andreas Leimegger from the Klaus headquarters; there is no e-commerce, distributor network, or public pricing. Revenue is project-based across one-time equipment sales, custom machine builds, and per-part contract manufacturing, with customers concentrated among Tier-1 automotive HV connector manufacturers in the DACH region (Austria, Germany, Switzerland) alongside a longer tail of industrial contract-manufacturing clients, though the company claims its HV equipment is deployed worldwide. The company is ISO 9001 certified since 2013, Ökoprofit-recognized since 2000, and designated an "Ausgezeichneter Lehrbetrieb" (Excellent Training Company) in 2024, operating under concentrated founder ownership with no disclosed external investors.

Name

WKM Maschinenbau

Legal name

WKM Maschinenbau GmbH

Website

https://wkm.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WKM Maschinenbau is an Austrian mechanical engineering firm (founded 1990, ~25 employees, Klaus, Vorarlberg) that designs and builds proprietary HV cable assembly equipment (FAS/SSC stations) for Tier-1 automotive connector makers, custom special-purpose machines, and precision CNC contract manufacturing, sold direct to DACH industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Klaus

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Special-Purpose Machine Construction: Design, manufacture, assembly, and commissioning of custom special-purpose machines, fixtures, test rigs, and assembly systems. Revenue is project-based, typically one-time with potential for follow-on orders from existing customers.
2. HV Cable Assembly Equipment Sales: Sale of standardized and modular HV cable assembly equipment (FAS, SSC product lines) compatible with connectors from Hirschmann, TE, Rosenberger, Kostal, and Aptiv. Available as manual workstations, semi-automatic, and scalable systems.
3. Contract Manufacturing / Machining (Lohnfertigung): CNC milling and turning services for individual parts and small series from steel, aluminum, and polymer materials. Full service includes material procurement, complete manufacturing, surface treatment, and special machining processes. Billed per part or project.
4. General Contractor & Project Management Services: WKM coordinates the entire process chain as general contractor including design, manufacturing, assembly, and commissioning, providing a single point of contact for customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WKM Maschinenbau designs and manufactures modular high-voltage (HV) cable assembly equipment (FAS, SSC, MEP product lines compatible with Hirschmann, TE, Rosenberger, Kostal, and Aptiv connectors), custom special-purpose machines and fixtures, and provides CNC contract manufacturing (milling, turning) of individual parts and small series for industrial and automotive customers. The company operates as a general contractor covering consulting, design, manufacturing, assembly, and commissioning, with solutions deployed worldwide, particularly in automotive e-mobility.

Product overview

WKM Maschinenbau is a specialist mechanical engineering company founded in 1990 in Klaus, Vorarlberg, Austria, with approximately 25 employees. The company operates three core business lines: (1) HV Cable Assembly Solutions — a portfolio of modular machines for high-voltage connector assembly including FAS (Final Assembly Station) in manual and electric versions, SSC (Shield Sleeve Crimping Station) in pneumatic and electric versions, and MEP (end cap and seal assembly), all targeting connectors from Hirschmann, TE, Rosenberger, Kostal, and Aptiv; (2) Special-Purpose Machine Construction and Fixture Design — custom machines from concept to commissioning, including CE-compliant documentation and OPC-UA/IT interface integration; and (3) Contract Manufacturing/Machining — CNC milling and turning of individual parts and small series using a modern machine park including WFL M35-G 7-axis turning/milling center and DMF 360 Linear 5-axis machining center. The company also provides in-house consulting, engineering, and general contractor project management services. Turnkey solutions and full-service (material procurement, manufacturing, surface treatment) are offered across all service lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FAS - Final Assembly Station Modular stations for final assembly of high-voltage connector components (Hirschmann HPS series and others), available in manual (FAS3-M) and electric (FAS1-E) versions with optional integrated measurement systems, adjustable press depth, simple tool changes, and Industry 4.0 OPC-UA process data interface.
• SSC - Shield Sleeve Crimping Station Modular stations for shield sleeve crimping on contact carriers of Hirschmann HPS-series connectors per processing specifications, available in pneumatic (SSC1-P, SSC2-P) and electric (SSC1-E) versions with Siemens control system, HMI visualization, height-adjustable tables, simple tool changes, and optional force measurement.
• MEP - End Cap and Rubber Seal Assembly Station Assembly station for mounting end caps and rubber seals in HV cable assembly processes, complementing the FAS and SSC modules to cover the complete process chain for high-voltage connector assembly.
• Special-Purpose Machine Construction (Sondermaschinenbau) Custom design and manufacture of special-purpose machines, fixtures, test rigs, prototypes, tools, component assemblies, and plant engineering, delivered under general contractor responsibility from design through commissioning with CE marking and documentation.
• Automation Technology (Automatisierungstechnik) Industrial automation solutions ranging from simple manual workstations to fully automated assembly systems, with focus on process reliability, integrated quality monitoring, and customer-specific concept-to-commissioning support.
• Contract Manufacturing / Machining (Lohnfertigung / Zerspanung) CNC milling and turning services for individual parts and small series in steel, aluminum, and polymer materials, with full-service scope covering material procurement, complete manufacturing, surface treatment, and special processes (drilling, grinding, welding, EDM).

Quantifiable outcome

• Solutions deployed worldwide in the HV cable assembly sector
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HirschmanncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for HV connector assembly equipment. WKM has developed turnkey solutions already in portfolio for diverse Hirschmann processes, including the HPS40-1, HPS40-2, and HPS40-2+ connector series. Products include FAS (Final Assembly Station) and SSC (Shield Sleeve Crimping) machines designed specifically for Hirschmann specifications.
• TE ConnectivitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWKM's modular HV cable assembly systems are compatible with TE Connectivity connectors. The company develops and manufactures assembly fixtures for high voltage connectors compatible with TE products as part of its standard portfolio.
• RosenbergercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurnkey solutions in WKM's portfolio are compatible with Rosenberger connectors for HV cable assembly applications in the automotive industry.
• KostalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKostal connectors are among those with pre-built turnkey solutions in WKM's HV cable assembly equipment portfolio.
• AptivcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAptiv connectors are supported in WKM's modular HV cable assembly systems alongside Hirschmann, TE, Rosenberger, and Kostal.
• Partner Companies (for Manufacturing Processes)minorOthersWKM works with partner companies to cover all manufacturing processes necessary for producing finished machines, including EDM, grinding, welding, surface treatment, and other processes not available in-house. This reduces delivery times for parts procurement and extends production capabilities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Stäubli: Swiss-headquartered global player in industrial automation, robotics, and connector solutions. Broad incumbent offering automated assembly systems for connectors and electrical components that overlap with WKM's HV cable assembly equipment portfolio.
• Yaskawa: Japanese global supplier of industrial robots and automation systems, including solutions for cable and connector assembly. Comparable as a broader automation incumbent that competes for HV assembly line projects alongside specialty peers like WKM.
• Phoenix Contact: German-headquartered global manufacturer of connectors, terminal blocks, and industrial automation solutions with in-house assembly equipment development. Comparable to WKM through its automotive connector presence and automation equipment capability.
• TE Connectivity: Global Tier 1 connector manufacturer that also develops internal automation equipment for HV connector production. Both a customer of WKM (through compatible HV connectors) and a potential competitor with internal assembly capabilities.

Direct peers

• Yamaichi Electronics: Japanese manufacturer of connectors and IC sockets with associated connector assembly equipment. Comparable to WKM through its specialization in connector-related assembly automation serving semiconductor and automotive test markets.
• Komax Group: Swiss-headquartered global market leader in automated wire and cable assembly equipment for the automotive industry. Direct competitor to WKM in HV cable assembly machinery, with significantly larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• Schleuniger: Swiss wire processing equipment manufacturer (now part of Metall Zug Group) offering automated cutting, stripping, crimping, and assembly solutions. Directly comparable to WKM in cable processing machinery for automotive and industrial customers.
• Metzner Maschinenbau: German manufacturer of cable processing and assembly machines, including solutions for the automotive sector. Direct peer of WKM in custom cable assembly equipment, with overlapping customer base among Tier 1 connector suppliers.
• Schäfer Werkzeug- und Sondermaschinenbau: German special-purpose machinery manufacturer focused on automation and assembly solutions for industrial customers. Similar in scale and customer profile to WKM, competing for custom machine and contract manufacturing work in the DACH region.

Others

• Festo: German-headquartered global supplier of pneumatic and electric automation technology. Adjacent to WKM through its role as a likely component supplier for WKM's pneumatic and electric assembly stations (FAS, SSC product lines).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 WKM Maschinenbau