SMR special machines

What SMR special machines does

SMR Sondermaschinen GmbH, founded in 1991 and headquartered in Wutha-Farnroda, Thuringia, Germany, designs, develops, and manufactures custom special-purpose machines and automation systems for industrial customers. The core product portfolio is organized along two axes — discrete machines (assembly systems, conveyor/spiral conveyors, the proprietary Zentrifugalsortierer BG500 centrifugal feeder, rotary transfer machines, testing machines, the patented O-ring assembly unit, handling systems, and palletizers) and underlying technology modules (laser/ultrasonic welding, feeding technology, dispensing/testing/soldering/gluing, marking, and process rationalization). SMR also serves as a System Partner for fruitcore robotics' HORST industrial robots, integrating them into customer processes.

SMR's customer base is distributed across six named verticals — medical technology, automotive suppliers, packaging, plastics, food, and electronics — with primary emphasis on medical technology, automotive suppliers, and packaging. Engagement is project-based: feasibility study, planning, construction, assembly, and on-site commissioning, with full lifecycle support including training, maintenance, and inspections. Pricing is non-public and quote-based, reflecting the engineered-to-order nature of the work.

SMR is the smallest entity within the MACK Group, a family-run association of three companies (alongside MackSmaTec GmbH at ~280 employees and ~€50M revenue, and mack AUTOMATION at ~30 employees and ~€5M revenue). SMR itself has approximately 20-30 employees and ~€4M in annual output. Management is led by Managing Directors Christian Wüst (with SMR since 1996) and Thomas Mack (Mack family). Geographically, SMR operates from a single German site with no disclosed international footprint; its only public distribution channel is direct enterprise B2B sales with no resellers or marketplace presence.

Name

SMR special machines

Legal name

SMR Sondermaschinen GmbH

Website

https://smr-sondermaschinen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SMR Sondermaschinen GmbH is a German custom special-purpose machine builder founded in 1991, headquartered in Wutha-Farnroda. It designs and manufactures assembly systems, centrifugal feeders, testing machines, and automation cells for medical technology, automotive suppliers, packaging, plastics, food, and electronics customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Equipment

NAICS

Machinery Manufacturing (333), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Conveying, Feeding & Accumulation Systems (Packaging Lines) (IMAHAOAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Filling & Dosing Machines (Liquid/Powder/Solid) (IMAHAOAF), Capping, Sealing & Closing Machines (IMAHAOAG)

Keywords

• Special machine manufacturing
• Industrial automation solutions
• Custom assembly systems
• Conveyor and feeding systems
• Automated testing machines

Headquarters

HQ city

Wutha

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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 Machine and System Sales: Project-based revenue from custom-designed and manufactured special-purpose machines, assembly systems, conveyor systems, testing machines, and automation solutions. One-time sales of capital equipment with full lifecycle support including feasibility studies, planning, construction, commissioning, and maintenance services.
2. Energy Efficiency Grants: EU regional development funding (EFRE-OP 2014-2020) and Thuringia state funding for energy efficiency measures including lighting modernization, heat recovery from compressed air generation, and frequency-controlled compressor acquisition.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

SMR Sondermaschinen GmbH designs, engineers, manufactures, and commissions custom special-purpose machines and automation systems for industrial customers. Core offerings include assembly systems, spiral conveyors, centrifugal feeders, rotary transfer machines, testing machines, handling systems, palletizers, and integrated welding/dispensing/testing modules, all individually tailored to customer specifications across medical technology, automotive supply, packaging, electronics, plastics, and food industries.

Product overview

SMR Sondermaschinen GmbH is a special-purpose machine builder and automation solutions provider founded in 1991, offering a comprehensive portfolio of custom industrial machines and technologies. The product portfolio centers on manufacturing automation systems including the proprietary Zentrifugalsortierer BG500 centrifugal feeder, O-ring assembly units, rotary transfer machines, assembly systems, conveyor/spiral conveyor systems, testing machines, handling systems, and palletizers. These core products are complemented by technology modules for laser/ultrasonic welding, dispensing/testing/soldering/gluing, feeding technology, labeling, design/assembly engineering, and process rationalization. All solutions are individually planned, designed, and constructed to customer specifications, operating from initial consultation through planning, construction, assembly, and commissioning. The company serves automotive, medical technology, electrical engineering, packaging, and food industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Centrifugal Feeder BG500 (Zentrifugalsortierer BG500) Proprietary centrifugal feeder developed by SMR for sorting, orienting, and feeding small bulk parts up to approximately 60x60mm surface area. Achieves up to 60,000 parts per hour for symmetrical components and up to 20,000 parts per hour for asymmetrical parts. Modular construction with exchangeable components allows on-site conversion. Intended for industrial manufacturers needing high-throughput component feeding.
• Assembly Systems and Plants (Montageanlagen / Montagesysteme) Custom-designed assembly systems for economic and reliable operation across tasks including welding, riveting, marking, and palletizing. Available as individual workstations, linked workstations, rotary transfer machines, or transfer systems. Built for industrial customers requiring tailored assembly automation.
• Conveyor Systems / Spiral Conveyors (Fördersysteme / Wendelförderer) Custom spiral conveyors and complete conveyor systems used to sort, transport, or separate smaller workpieces and bulk materials. Developed using components from renowned manufacturers and tailored to customer work processes. Used in feeding technology and across automotive, plastics, and food applications.
• Rotary Transfer Machines / Rotary Tables (Rundschalttisch / Rundtaktautomat) Space-saving rotary transfer machines and rotary tables combining different work processes for efficient and economic production. Tailored to individual assembly processes, supporting screwing, mounting, welding, and marking operations. Designed for industrial manufacturers needing compact multi-process automation.
• Testing Machines (Prüfautomaten) Individual testing machines for faster and more precise quality control. Capabilities include leak tests (overpressure/underpressure), camera inspection, haptic testing, electrical functional tests, force/displacement measurements, and part marking (embossing, inkjet, laser, labelling). Built for industrial customers needing integrated quality assurance.
• O-Ring Assembly Unit (O-Ring-Montage) Patented solution for installation of external O-rings. Uses mechanical clamping with collet chuck so that O-rings mechanically jump into the component's O-ring groove. Cycle times approximately 2.5-3 seconds. Customized to individual customer O-ring dimensions and combinable with spiral conveyors for optimal efficiency. Used by manufacturers of O-ring-sealed components.
• Special-Purpose Machines (Sondermaschinenbau) Custom special-purpose machines reflecting individual company and industry specifications. Increases profitability, productivity, and quality for products that cannot be efficiently produced using standardized systems. Applied in automotive, medical technology, electrical engineering, and packaging industries.
• Handling Systems (Handlingsysteme) Pneumatic or electrical axle systems and fully automatic industrial robots using pick-and-place technology. Handles insertion, transfer, and removal of components from rotary transfer machines. Reduces employee workload and improves cycle times for industrial production lines.
• Palletizers (Palettierer) Automated palletizers for logistic tasks that save time and reduce employee workload. Maximum pallet size of 600x400mm, stacking pallets above the conveyor belt. Designed for integration with linear transfer systems and rotary transfer machines. Used by manufacturers needing end-of-line palletizing automation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Centrifugal Feeder BG500 processes up to 60,000 symmetrical parts per hour
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• fruitcore roboticscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2022SMR Sondermaschinen GmbH is a System Partner (Systempartner) for HORST industrial robots from fruitcore robotics. SMR handles the integration and inclusion of the industrial robot into customer processes, as well as complete automation projects with HORST. This partnership enables SMR to offer affordable industrial robots as part of their automation solutions portfolio.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• MackSmaTec GmbH: Sister company within the MACK Group; German special-purpose machine builder and automation provider serving automotive, medical, and industrial customers. Directly comparable in product portfolio and customer verticals but at much larger scale (~50M EUR, 280+ employees).
• Gerhard Schubert GmbH (Schubert Group): German family-owned manufacturer of packaging machines and automation systems, including top-loading robots, format-flexible packaging lines, and custom automation. Comparable as a DACH special-machine builder serving similar packaging/consumer verticals.
• Heitec AG: German mid-market automation solutions provider offering special-purpose machines, robotics integration, and assembly systems to industrial customers. Comparable in scale and direct B2B engineering-led sales motion.
• Harro Höfliger Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG: German family-owned special-purpose machine builder for pharma, medical technology, and consumer products; comparable in customization approach, customer verticals (medical, packaging), and Mittelstand positioning.
• mack AUTOMATION GmbH: Third company in the MACK Group focused on automation technology and special machines; comparable in headcount (~30 employees) and product mix. Useful as a same-group peer benchmark for pricing and project structure.
• Sonderhoff Chemicals GmbH: Provider of dosing, sealing, and gluing automation systems (FIPFG / CIPG technology), closely aligned with SMR's dispensing/sealing/test technology modules and O-ring assembly capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• KUKA AG: Global German-headquartered incumbent in industrial robotics and automation systems. Competes with SMR in robotic integration for assembly and handling but at vastly larger scale and with a productized portfolio.
• Festo SE & Co. KG: Large German pneumatics and automation components/systems provider. Adjacent rather than direct, but competes in feeding, assembly, and handling subsystems that SMR integrates into special-purpose machines.
• HOMAG Group AG: Leading global supplier of machines and systems for the woodworking and furniture industry, part of the Dürr Group. Comparable as a German special-purpose machine builder but operating in a different end market.

Emerging players

• fruitcore robotics GmbH: German industrial robot maker (HORST platform) and SMR's strategic system partner. Compares as a complementary technology provider rather than competitor, but useful as a reference for the affordable-robotics positioning SMR is leveraging.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 SMR special machines