Hilgefort

What Hilgefort does

Hilgefort is a German heavy steel fabrication and welding specialist operating from a 19,500 m² production facility in Dinklage and now functioning as an integrated division of Züblin Stahlbau GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the publicly listed Austrian construction group STRABAG SE. The company manufactures large-scale industrial plant components — including pressure vessels, blast furnace and electric arc furnace components, chemical/food/pharmaceutical process equipment, filter systems, shipbuilding and offshore parts, and structural/architectural steel — using certified welding procedures (WIG, WIG hot-wire, automated MAG, plasma keyhole, and submerged arc welding), in-house non-destructive testing (ultrasonic, X-ray, magnetic particle, dye penetrant), CNC flame cutting up to 300 mm thickness, surface finishing, and 3D metrology, with annual steel processing capacity of 6,000–7,000 tons and lifting capability up to 300 tons per piece. It serves enterprise customers in steel/metallurgy, chemical/food/pharma, shipbuilding/offshore, and construction/architecture verticals, with documented projects for Steelwerk Duisburg-Schwelgern, Dutch Steelworks (IJmuiden), a US Steelworks site, the Wössingen heat-exchanger build (2,500 t in 11 months), and the award-winning Trumpf-Steg pedestrian bridge. Hilgefort's business model is B2B project-based manufacturing: revenue is generated through direct enterprise sales of custom-fabricated, certified (ASME S-Stamp/U-Stamp, AD-2000, EAC) components, priced per-project rather than on a recurring SaaS-like basis, with delivery typically spanning detail engineering, prefabrication, and on-site assembly under a single-source contract. Following the 2024 integration into Züblin Stahlbau, the Dinklage location is being deepened specifically for bridge construction, and the portfolio is being cross-sold through STRABAG's broader steel-construction channel.

Name

Hilgefort

Legal name

Züblin Stahlbau GmbH

Website

https://hilgefort.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1848

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hilgefort is a German heavy steel fabricator (Dinklage facility) producing certified pressure vessels, blast furnace components, and large industrial containers for enterprise customers in steel, chemical, shipbuilding, and construction, now operating as an integrated division of Züblin Stahlbau GmbH (STRABAG SE).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Steel Fabrication and Apparatus Manufacturing

NAICS

Boiler, Tank, and Shipping Container Manufacturing (3324), Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (33324)

SIC

Fabricated Plate Work (Boiler Shops) (3443), Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440)

akta.pro primary industry

Steel Plate, Sections & Welded Assemblies (IMADACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Heavy steel fabrication
• Pressure vessel manufacturing
• Industrial plant components
• Blast furnace equipment
• Certified metal welding

Headquarters

HQ city

Dinklage

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Hilgefort is a custom industrial steel fabrication operation that designs, engineers, and manufactures large-scale plant components and apparatus — including large containers, certified pressure vessels, blast furnace and electric arc furnace components, chemical/food/pharmaceutical equipment, filter systems, and shipbuilding/offshore parts — executed from project planning through pre-assembly and on-time delivery. Production is supported by certified welding procedures, NDT, CNC flame cutting/drilling, and surface finishing, all delivered to enterprise industrial customers from its 19,500 m² Dinklage facility in Germany.

Product overview

Hilgefort operates as a sub-brand under Züblin Stahlbau GmbH, offering a comprehensive portfolio of industrial plant components and apparatus construction services from its facility in Dinklage, Germany. The core offerings span large containers, pressure vessels, blast furnace and electric arc furnace components, chemical/food/pharmaceutical industry equipment, filter systems, and shipbuilding/offshore components. These products are manufactured using certified welding procedures (TIG, TIG hot-wire, automated MAG, plasma keyhole, and submerged arc welding) and subject to rigorous quality testing including ultrasonic, X-ray, magnetic particle, and dye penetrant inspection. The company also provides surface finishing, project management, and turnkey delivery services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Großbehälter (Large Containers) Custom-manufactured large-scale containers in dimensions up to 7 m diameter and 25 m length, including rotating drums, granulation systems, large-diameter pipelines, blast furnace casings, converters, mixers, mixing chambers, reactors, tube bundle dryers, silos, and cyclones for industrial applications.
• Druckbehälter (Pressure Vessels) Certified pressure vessels and apparatus including autoclaves, steam generators, superheaters, heat exchangers, calcinators, and air/gas preheaters, manufactured with ASME (S-Stamp, U-Stamp), AD-2000 Pressure Equipment Directive, and EAC certifications.
• Komponenten für Hochofenanlagen und Elektroschmelzöfen (Blast Furnace and Electric Arc Furnace Components) Large-scale industrial components for steel and metallurgy plants including water-cooled exhaust and hot gas systems, complete furnace housings, converter cooling stacks, electric arc furnace components, ladle heaters, water-cooled copper tube panels, combustion chambers, washers, gas capture armor, drop separators, hot blast ring piping, tangential sinter coolers, and material bunkers.
• Bauteile und Anlagen für Chemie-, Lebensmittel- und Pharmaindustrie (Chemical, Food, and Pharmaceutical Industry Components) Double-walled stainless steel containers, custom constructions, separators, dryers, filter housings, piping, and apparatus with Thermplate and Pillow Plate technology for processing and storage applications.
• Filteranlagen (Filter Systems) Complete filter systems with pre-mounted control systems and Venturi systems, including flue gas and clean gas channels such as bag filters, dust filters, electrostatic precipitators, turbine air filters, and jet filters.
• Komponenten für Schiffbau und Offshore (Shipbuilding and Offshore Components) Custom marine and offshore components including lifting platforms, hatch covers, and ship doors (exterior and interior) for shipbuilding applications.
• Sonstige Stahl- und Metallbaulösungen (Other Steel and Metal Construction Solutions) Diverse steel and metal construction solutions including walkway systems, chimneys, channels, piping, steel supports, stair towers, aluminum components, conveyor systems, copper components, artworks, stadium roofs, and seawater treatment systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• 375 tons of steel welded and mounted for granulation plants in Dutch steelworks project
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Züblin Stahlbau GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHilgefort's complete service portfolio is now operated under Züblin Stahlbau as part of STRABAG SE. This creates a stronger platform for steel construction, plant component and apparatus manufacturing. The Dinklage location is being expanded specifically within bridge construction, achieving greater manufacturing depth in this segment. Competencies and resources are bundled to ensure quality, reliability, and new potentials for demanding projects.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MAN Energy Solutions: Manufactures large reciprocating engines, turbomachinery, and pressure-containing industrial equipment for marine, power, and process industries. Overlaps with Hilgefort on heavy welded pressure vessels and large-scale industrial apparatus.
• Andritz AG: Austrian/European supplier of plants and equipment for pulp & paper, metals processing, and chemical industries, including large welded pressure vessels, separators, and reactors served from European workshops.
• SMS group: German metallurgical plant constructor that designs and supplies blast furnace components, continuous casters, and rolling mill equipment. Comparable because Hilgefort builds many of the large fabricated components integrated into SMS plant deliveries.
• Züblin Stahlbau GmbH: Parent company that absorbed Hilgefort in 2024; performs heavy steel fabrication for bridges, plant components, and industrial apparatus out of facilities in Germany. Most direct comparator given shared processes, customer base, and certifications.
• Babcock Borsig Steinmüller: German manufacturer of boilers, pressure vessels, and industrial apparatus with comparable ASME/AD-2000-certified heavy fabrication and service to power, chemical, and steel customers. Closest competitor in pressure equipment for European industry.
• Hitachi Zosen Inova: Swiss/Japanese-headquartered plant constructor for waste-to-energy and industrial process plants, building large welded pressure vessels, heat exchangers, and filter systems for European heavy industry.

Emerging players

• Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction: Korean fabricator of boilers, pressure vessels, and steel structures for power, petrochemical, and desalination plants. Comparable in ASME-certified heavy fabrication and increasingly competing for European industrial vessel work.

Broad incumbents

• Bilfinger SE: European industrial services provider active in process industry maintenance, fabrication, and EPC of pressure equipment. Comparable for project-based industrial fabrication services across chemical, energy, and steel end markets.
• voestalpine AG: Major European steel and technology group that performs heavy plate production and welded component fabrication for railway, energy, and industrial customers — broader scope but overlapping fabrication capability and customer segments.
• ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe: Large German flat steel producer with downstream heavy-plate processing and component manufacturing for industrial plant and infrastructure applications. Overlaps with Hilgefort in supplying heavy plate and fabricated assemblies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hilgefort-gmbh

Compliance3 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 Hilgefort