POLAR
POLAR (Polar Mohr), now part of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, is a German manufacturer of cutter blocks and high-speed cutters for printing finishing, absorbed into HEIDELBERG's broader packaging, defense, and e-mobility technology portfolio. The consolidated entity sells hardware and dual-use technology systems to enterprise customers globally through direct field sales and joint ventures.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1851
- HeadquartersHofheim, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What POLAR does
POLAR (Polar Mohr) was founded in 1906 in Hofheim, Germany as a manufacturer of ball-bearing cutter blocks and high-speed cutters for timber and printing finishing applications. The company has since been absorbed into Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG), a German printing press manufacturer founded in 1851; the polar-mohr.com domain now redirects to heidelberg.com, indicating POLAR operates as a legacy product brand within the HEIDELBERG group. The underlying corporate entity is publicly traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange as a German Aktiengesellschaft, headquartered in Heidelberg.
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, the consolidated entity that encompasses POLAR, operates as a technology company with two principal pillars. The core business is packaging and label printing equipment, which generated €2,293 million in FY 2025/26 revenue. The second pillar is HD Advanced Technologies GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary established to house dual-use technology activities in defense, security, and e-mobility. Key initiatives include the ONBERG joint venture with US-Israeli technology company Ondas for autonomous anti-drone defense systems, and a Memorandum of Understanding with a Ukrainian drone company signed at the ILA Berlin Air Show. The company is also pursuing EV charging infrastructure and AI-driven industrial automation under the same umbrella.
The revenue model is predominantly hardware sales across packaging equipment, defense systems, and e-mobility infrastructure, selling to enterprise customers through direct field sales and joint-venture channel partners. The firm is actively restructuring its manufacturing footprint, relocating production to China and opening a new site in North Macedonia, which has reduced the personnel cost ratio to 36% and expanded EBITDA margin from 5.7% to 7.1% in the first nine months of FY 2025/26. Net result after taxes tripled to €15 million year-over-year, and the stock rose 4.22% following the Q4 release, indicating positive investor reception of the transformation.
POLAR firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- POLAR
- Legal name
- Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
- Website
- https://polar-mohr.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1851
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- POLAR (Polar Mohr), now part of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, is a German manufacturer of cutter blocks and high-speed cutters for printing finishing, absorbed into HEIDELBERG's broader packaging, defense, and e-mobility technology portfolio. The consolidated entity sells hardware and dual-use technology systems to enterprise customers globally through direct field sales and joint ventures.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
POLAR industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Cutting Tools
- NAICS
- Sawmill, Woodworking, and Paper Machinery Manufacturing (333243)
- SIC
- Sawmills & Planting Mills, General (2421)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Forestry & Logging Equipment (IMAHACAK)
Keywords
Where POLAR is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hofheim
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
POLAR business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Packaging and Label Printing Equipment: Traditional printing machinery and packaging equipment sales, representing the core business segment with sales of €2,293 million in FY 2025/26.
- Defense and Security Technology: Dual-use technology products including autonomous anti-drone defense systems through the ONBERG joint venture, representing new growth areas.
- E-Mobility and Energy Technology: Charging infrastructure and energy technology products under HD Advanced Technologies, part of strategic transformation into new growth markets.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
POLAR product offering
Product offeringCore offering
POLAR manufactures ball-bearing cutter blocks and high-speed cutters for timber products. Founded in 1906 and based in Hofheim, Germany, the company produces precision cutting tools for the timber processing industry, with its domain now redirecting to the HEIDELBERG parent group.
Product overview
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG operates as a technology company with a core packaging and label printing business, expanded through its HD Advanced Technologies GmbH division into dual-use technology areas including defense and security (via the ONBERG joint venture) and e-mobility/charging infrastructure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ball-bearing cutter blocks Cutting tool components with ball-bearing mechanism designed for smooth, precise cuts in timber processing applications.
- High-speed cutters High-speed cutting tools designed for efficient timber product processing.
Quantifiable outcome
- Net result after taxes tripled to €15 million year-over-year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use POLAR
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
POLAR technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
POLAR partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Ukrainian Drone CompanyflagshipMemorandum of Understanding signed between ONBERG joint venture and a Ukrainian drone company at the ILA Berlin Air Show. This partnership advances Heidelberg's defense and security business through the ONBERG autonomous anti-drone defense systems, representing a significant milestone in the company's dual-use transformation strategy.
- Ondas (US-Israeli technology company)coreONBERG joint venture established between Heidelberg and Ondas (US-Israeli technology company) for development and deployment of autonomous anti-drone defense systems. The joint venture operates under HD Advanced Technologies GmbH umbrella as part of Heidelberg's strategic transformation into dual-use technologies.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
POLAR competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights4 records
Customer concentration
POLAR social profiles
Digital presencePOLAR financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
POLAR leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
POLAR subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
POLAR funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
POLAR M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about POLAR
What does POLAR do?
POLAR manufactures ball-bearing cutter blocks and high-speed cutters for timber products. Founded in 1906 and based in Hofheim, Germany, the company produces precision cutting tools for the timber processing industry, with its domain now redirecting to the HEIDELBERG parent group.
Is POLAR a public or private company?
POLAR is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was POLAR founded?
POLAR was founded in 1851. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is POLAR based?
POLAR is headquartered in Hofheim, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does POLAR make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Packaging and Label Printing Equipment is the primary driver. The others are defense and Security Technology and E-Mobility and Energy Technology.
Does POLAR have an API?
No public API is recorded for POLAR.
What industry is POLAR in?
POLAR's product category is Industrial Cutting Tools. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHACAK, Forestry & Logging Equipment. Its NAICS code is 333243 and its SIC code is 2421.