What Ketterer Antriebe does

Ketterer Antriebe (legal entity B. Ketterer Söhne GmbH & Co. KG) is a family-controlled German precision-drive manufacturer founded in 1832 and headquartered in Furtwangen in the Black Forest region. The company produces gears, gearboxes, BLDC and DC geared motors, electromotive spindle drives, lifting gearboxes, lead screws, threaded tubes, couplings, universal joints, ball bearings, and mounting profiles — all manufactured in-house from proprietary CAD designs using CNC machining centres, CNC turning machines, thread rolling machines, and gear-cutting machines. Sub-brands Ket-Bee (bevel gearboxes), Ket-Motion (worm gearboxes), and KET-LIFT (lifting solutions for boxes and bicycles) segment the product range, supplemented by manual cutting tools such as the Multi-Rollschneider and Vinylschneider.

The business operates a self-serve, e-commerce-first go-to-market through shop.ketterer.de, with multilingual support, international shipping, and a broad mix of European payment methods (PayPal, SEPA, iDEAL, Bancontact, BLIK, eps, Multibanco, OXXO, Przelewy24). Customers span industrial manufacturers, machine builders, furniture producers, building-component and sun-protection system makers, medical technology, model makers, and hobbyists — a hybrid segmentation serving both horizontal industrial demand and vertical application use cases. Standard catalogue items ship directly from stock; custom and non-stock items are reproduced within a two-week window, supporting both volume and bespoke-order revenue streams. Pricing is unit-based with no subscription or recurring component, ranging from €3.78 (spindle nuts) to over €210 (worm gear 2030), with sale items and volume discounts available on select SKUs.

Monetisation rests on one-time hardware sales of both standard products and customised OEM drive solutions, with regulatory compliance handled via WEEE registration (DE 46904832). The company maintains a small 1-10 employee footprint managed by Robert Jäger, Marcel Wehrle, and Felix Riesterer as authorised representatives of Ketterer Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH. Marketing is minimal: organic SEO, a Brevo-powered newsletter, and the shop itself. No external institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity are identified in source data.

Name

Ketterer Antriebe

Legal name

B. Ketterer Söhne GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://shop.ketterer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1832

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ketterer Antriebe is a family-owned German manufacturer (founded 1832, Furtwangen, Black Forest) producing precision drive components — gears, gearboxes, BLDC/DC motors, linear actuators, lead screws, and lifting systems — sold direct via its own e-commerce shop to industrial buyers, furniture makers, model builders, and hobbyists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Mechanical Drive Components

NAICS

Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612)

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Ball & Roller Bearings (3562)

akta.pro primary industry

Gearmotors, Gearboxes & Speed Reducers (IMAGACAF)

Keywords

• Precision drive components
• Worm gearboxes
• Bevel gearboxes
• BLDC motors
• Lead screws

Headquarters

HQ city

Furtwangen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (E-commerce): Direct sales of standardized drive components and custom solutions through the online shop. Products include gears, motors, linear actuators, and accessories sold as individual components or smaller quantities.
2. Custom/OEM Solutions: Customized drive solutions and individual solutions based on customer specifications, extending beyond standard product portfolio.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ketterer Antriebe manufactures and sells precision mechanical drive solutions and components — including gearboxes (bevel and worm), motors (BLDC and DC geared), spindle drives, lifting gearboxes and systems, lead screws, threaded components, universal joints, shaft couplings, ball bearings and manual cutting tools. Products are produced in-house in Furtwangen (Black Forest) from proprietary CAD designs and sold directly through the company's online shop, with custom drive solutions also manufactured to specification.

Product overview

Ketterer Antriebe is a German manufacturer of drive solutions and precision mechanical components, founded in 1832 and based in Furtwangen in the Black Forest region. The company produces a comprehensive portfolio including bevel gearboxes (Ket-Bee 200X series with 7 sizes, 0.1-4 Nm), worm gearboxes (Ket-Motion 2020 and 2030 families with multiple gear ratios), BLDC motors, DC geared motors, electromotive spindle drives, lifting gearboxes and systems (KET-LIFT product line including KET-LIFT4BOX and KET-LIFT4BIKE), trapezoidal lead screws (TR 12/SG 12 series), profile tubes and rods, threaded components, universal joints, shaft couplings, ball bearings, mounting profiles, and manual cutting tools (Multi-Rollschneider, Vinylschneider). The company operates its own manufacturing with CNC machining centers and produces components based on proprietary CAD designs. Products are available directly from stock with standard items reproducible within two weeks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KET-LIFT: Product line for lifting systems including KET-LIFT4BOX and KET-LIFT4BIKE.
• Ket-Bee
• Ket-Motion

Products and services

• KET-LIFT4BOX Lifting System Lifting product line for box handling applications, available in electric and manual variants, designed for industrial box lifting use cases.
• KET-LIFT4BIKE Lifting System Lifting product designed for bicycle storage and maintenance applications.
• Ket-Bee 200X Bevel Gearbox Series Bevel gearbox family with 7 sizes and 1:1 gear ratio covering torque range 0.1–4 Nm, with anodized aluminum housing and hardened steel bevel gears for right-angle motion and force transmission.
• Multi-Rollschneider Manual Roll Cutter Manual roll cutter for precise cutting of various materials up to 5mm thickness without electricity, suitable for industrial and workshop applications.
• Vinylschneider Vinyl Cutter Manually operated vinyl floor cutter with stepless height adjustment for cutting vinyl planks and panels up to 650mm, designed for on-site use by tradespeople.
• Trapezgewindespindel TR 12 / SG 12 Trapezoidal Lead Screw Steel trapezoidal lead screw with 12mm diameter and 1000mm length, available in right-hand or left-hand thread and single or multi-start configurations, for converting rotary motion to linear movement.
• Kegelradgetriebe Bevel Gearboxes Bevel gearboxes for right-angle power transmission, including the Ket-Bee 200X series and spindle gearbox units.
• Schneckenradgetriebe Worm Gearboxes (Ket-Motion) Worm gearboxes including the Ket-Motion 2020 and 2030 families, offering multiple gear ratios (1:1 to 65:1) with aluminum or zinc housings and a maintenance-free, grease-lubricated design.
• BLDC Motors Brushless DC motors for precise motion control applications.
• DC Geared Motors DC geared motors combining DC motors with gearboxes for industrial automation applications.
• Electromotive Spindle Drives Electromotive linear actuators for converting rotary to linear motion in industrial applications.
• Hubgetriebe Lifting Gearboxes Gearboxes designed for lifting applications and linear adjustment systems.
• Hubsysteme Lifting Systems Complete lifting systems for various industrial and furniture applications.
• Wellenkupplungen Shaft Couplings Shaft couplings made from black anodized aluminum for connecting two aligned shafts, available in claw, sleeve and axle designs for mechanical engineering, model building and hobby applications.
• Kreuzgelenke Universal Joints Universal joints in steel and aluminum for transmitting torque and rotary motion between non-linearly aligned shafts, available with double-sided bores, hexagons or pins.
• Profilrohre & Profilstäbe Profile Tubes and Rods Profile tubes and rods in aluminum, steel, stainless steel and POM variants for technical applications.
• Gewinderohre & Muttern Threaded Tubes and Nuts Threaded tubes and nuts including aluminum and steel variants and POM flange nuts for power transmission systems.
• Gewindespindeln & Muttern Lead Screws and Spindle Nuts Lead screws and spindle nuts in steel and stainless steel, with nut variants in POM, brass and polyamide for converting rotary motion into linear movement.
• Kugellager Ball Bearings Ball bearings for supporting rotating shafts in mechanical applications.
• Montageprofile & Befestigungen Mounting Profiles and Fasteners Aluminum mounting profiles and fasteners for machine construction and assembly.
• Schneidgeräte Manual Cutting Devices Manual cutting devices for fleece, felt, cardboard, vinyl and other materials, designed for crafts, construction and industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Standard products delivered directly from stock; non-stock items available within two weeks

Segments3 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

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FAULHABER: German manufacturer of precision miniature motors including DC, BLDC, and gear motors. Comparable product mix to Ketterer's BLDC and DC motors with similar premium precision-engineering positioning across medical, optics, and automation.
• Maxon Motor: Swiss precision drive specialist in DC, BLDC, and gearhead motors for medical, robotics, and industrial automation. Comparable to Ketterer's BLDC motors, DC geared motors, and electromotive spindle drives, with overlap in medical technology and precision applications.
• Baumüller: German specialist in motors and drive systems for industrial automation. Comparable in BLDC motors, gear motors, and drive electronics with a similar B2B industrial customer base across machine builders and OEMs.
• Dunkermotoren (Ametek): German BLDC and gear motor manufacturer focused on industrial automation. Direct overlap with Ketterer's BLDC motors, DC geared motors, and electromotive spindle drives for similar B2B customers.
• Framo Morat: German drive technology manufacturer producing gears, gear components, and motors for industrial applications. Comparable scale, product mix, and customer base to Ketterer's precision bevel and worm gear offerings.
• Nord Drivesystems: German manufacturer of gearmotors, gearboxes, and electronic drives for industrial applications. Provides direct competition to Ketterer's bevel gearboxes, worm gearboxes, and DC geared motors with very similar mid-market industrial positioning and a global sales footprint.
• Bauer Gear Motor (Regal Rexnord): Bauer Gear Motor (now part of Regal Rexnord) manufactures helical, bevel, and worm gear motors plus gear units for industrial applications. Direct competitor in the industrial gear motor segment with overlapping product mechanics and customer profiles.
• Wittenstein: German manufacturer of precision gearboxes, planetary gearheads, and servo motors. Highly comparable to Ketterer's bevel and worm gearboxes plus BLDC motors with similar precision/quality positioning for machine builders and OEMs.

Broad incumbents

• SEW-Eurodrive: Global leader in drive technology offering gear motors, electronic drives, gear units, and mechatronic systems. Directly overlaps with Ketterer's gearbox, gearmotor, and BLDC motor categories but operates at massive scale with a broader industrial customer base.
• Siemens Industrial Drives: Global industrial conglomerate with a substantial drive technology portfolio including SIMOGEAR gearmotors and SIMOTICS motors. Operates as a broad incumbent across motors and drives — overlap with Ketterer's product line is partial but relevant for benchmarking on industrial channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kettererantriebe

Compliance1 record

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 Ketterer Antriebe