What TRO does

TRO d.o.o. is a Slovenian manufacturer of industrial knives and cutting tools founded in 1926, headquartered in Prevalje, with 101-250 employees and a 100-year operating history. The company produces a comprehensive portfolio of industrial knives, blades, cutters, and milling tools organized into six product lines: knives for recycling (circular shredding knives up to 800 mm diameter, single-axis shredder knives, slow-speed granulator knives, plastic grinding and pelletizing knives), knives for wood processing (cutters, circular saws, knives for MDF/OSB/particleboard, veneer and plywood, finger joint cutters, chipper knives), knives for paper and cardboard, knives for rubber, and knives for metal (scrap shears, sheet metal, tube/profile production, rolling mills). The technical foundation rests on computer-controlled hardening furnaces for heat treatment, robotic production automation, and use of specialty steels including Hardox, Creusabro, and Dillidur. The company complements its hardware products with six service offerings: heat treatment, soldering, maintenance, mechanical treatment, hard coatings, and hard surfacing.

The business model is enterprise B2B hardware sales with a quote-based pricing system and multi-year contracts, supplemented by ancillary services. TRO reaches customers through three primary channels: direct sales via multilingual website inquiry forms (9 languages deployed), international trade show presence (IFAT Munich, FIP France, CIRPLEX Klagenfurt, E-WASTE Frankfurt, PRS Amsterdam, KOMOT Celje, formnext Düsseldorf, Plastic Recycling ME&A Dubai), and OEM supply to machine manufacturers who install TRO knives as original parts of their equipment. Named OEM/customer relationships include BOMAG (Fayat Group), Dover Group, Untha, Weima, Mewa, Erdwich, Artech, and Geaplast. The company serves five primary verticals — recycling, wood, paper and cardboard, rubber, and metal — with the recycling and wood segments designated as primary. Customer recognition includes Supplier of the Year 2021 from Dover Group, a Best Supplier Award from BOMAG/Fayat, and a Platinum Dun & Bradstreet Certificate of Excellence 2022. Recent strategic activity is anchored by EU co-financed modernization projects (cumulative eligible costs above EUR 2M from 2022 to 2026), ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications, an in-progress R&D project for circular recycling of metallic grinding sludge, and a 2026 brand refresh.

Name

TRO

Legal name

Tro d.o.o.

Website

https://tro.si

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

TRO is a Slovenian manufacturer of industrial knives, blades, cutters, and wear parts for the recycling, wood, paper, rubber, and metal industries, supplying OEM machine builders and end users globally via direct sales, trade shows, and a 100-year operating history.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Prevalje

HQ country

Slovenia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Knives and Blades Sales: Sale of industrial knives and blades for recycling, wood processing, paper/cardboard, rubber, and metal industries. This includes circular shredding knives, circular blades, knives for single-axis shredders, slow-speed granulators, and specialized cutting tools.
2. Machine Parts and Wear Components: Sale of wear parts including blade holders, screens, distance rings, wear plates, and corresponding bolts and nuts.
3. Services (Heat Treatment, Soldering, Maintenance): Additional services including thermal treatment of steels, soldering, maintenance, mechanical treatment, hard coatings, and hard surfacing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TRO manufactures industrial knives, blades, cutters, and milling tools for recycling, wood processing, paper/cardboard, rubber, and metal industries, with diameters up to 800 mm. The company also offers supporting services such as heat treatment, soldering, mechanical treatment, hard coatings, hardfacing, and maintenance, complemented by an in-house development department for custom solutions.

Product overview

TRO is a manufacturer and developer of industrial knives and cutting tools established in 1926, offering a comprehensive portfolio organized into six product lines — Knives for Recycling, Knives for Wood, Knives for Paper and Cardboard, Knives for Rubber, Knives for Metal, and Other Products/Wear and Spare Parts — complemented by six service offerings covering the full product lifecycle: Heat Treatment, Soldering, Maintenance, Mechanical Treatment, Hard Coatings, and Hard Surfacing. The product range spans circular shredding knives, circular blades, single-axis shredder knives, granulator knives, plastic grinding knives, pelletizing knives, cutters, circular saws, knives for MDF/OSB/particle board, veneer knives, finger joint cutters, chipper knives, rubber knives, metal knives for scrap shears, tube/production knives, rolling mill knives, cleaning knives, spacer rings, knife holders, and wear plates. The six services (Heat Treatment, Soldering, Maintenance, Mechanical Treatment, Hard Coatings, Hard Surfacing) support the core product lines by providing post-manufacture value-adding processes and ongoing product care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Knives for Recycling (Noži za recikliranje) Circular shredding knives, circular blades, knives for single-axis shredders, knives for slow-speed granulators, plastic grinding knives, and pelletizing knives used for shredding tires, textiles, paper, metal parts, electronics, cables, and other solid materials. Manufactured up to 800 mm diameter with thermal treatment.
• Knives for Wood (Noži za les) Cutters, circular saws, knives for MDF/OSB/particleboard, knives for veneer and plywood production, finger joint cutters, and chipper knives for wood chip production. Designed for precise wood processing across various applications.
• Knives for Paper and Cardboard (Noži za papir in karton) Straight and circular industrial knives for processing and production of paper and cardboard, designed for high wear resistance and consistent cutting quality.
• Knives for Rubber (Noži za gumo) Circular knives for rubber, knives for rubber cutting and trimming, and knives for rubber recycling, designed for efficient cutting and shredding of rubber materials.
• Knives for Metal (Noži za kovine) Knives for scrap shears and sheet metal, knives for recycling scrap metal, knives for tube and profile production, and knives for rolling mills for hot or cold cutting. Designed for production, processing, and recycling of various metals.
• Wear and Spare Parts (Ostali proizvodi / Obrabni in rezervni deli) Cleaning knives, spacer rings, knife holders, wear plates, and corresponding bolts and nuts. Wear components that complement the industrial knife product line.
• Heat Treatment (Toplotna obdelava) Thermal treatment of steels using computer-controlled hardening furnaces, ensuring appropriate quality of heat treatment for optimal performance and durability of knives.
• Soldering (Lotanje) Professional soldering services for industrial knives and cutting tools, supporting product assembly and repair.
• Maintenance (Servis) Maintenance services for industrial knives and cutting equipment, ensuring continued optimal performance.
• Mechanical Treatment (Mehanska obdelava) Mechanical processing services supporting the production and customization of industrial knives.
• Hard Coatings (Trde prevleke) Application of hard coatings to enhance wear resistance and extend the service life of industrial knives.
• Hard Surfacing / Hardfacing (Trdo navarjanje) Hard surfacing services (hardfacing/weld overlay) to rebuild and protect knife edges and wear surfaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• Knives available in dimensions up to 800 mm diameter
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• GeaplastminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 April 2022Business partner with whom TRO exhibited together at the FIP France Innovation Plasturgie trade show in Lyon from April 5-8, 2022. Geaplast is a French plastics processing company.
• BOMAG (Fayat Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational construction equipment manufacturer that awarded TRO as best supplier in the category of exceptional product quality. TRO supplies industrial knives for BOMAG equipment.
• Dover GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial equipment manufacturer that awarded TRO as Supplier of the Year 2021, recognizing quality products and fast deliveries.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Simonds International: US-based manufacturer of industrial cutting tools and saw blades for wood, metal, and food processing. Comparable in product portfolio breadth and OEM/aftermarket dual-channel model.
• ZELTWANGER Holding GmbH & Co. KG: German industrial knife and cutting tool manufacturer serving automotive, packaging, and recycling industries. Directly comparable SME-scale competitor with similar custom engineering capability.
• Ledermann Werkzeug- und Maschinenbau GmbH: Germany-based manufacturer of industrial cutting tools and saw blades for wood processing. Closely comparable to TRO in product category (cutters, saws, knives) and customer base (woodworking OEMs).
• Leuco: German manufacturer of precision cutting tools for wood, plastic, and metal processing. Directly comparable to TRO's wood processing and industrial knife product lines, serving similar OEM and aftermarket customers.
• IKS Klingelnberg GmbH: German manufacturer of industrial knives and cutting tools for wood, plastics, paper, and metal. Direct overlap with TRO's six product lines and similar European industrial customer base.
• Marbach Die-cutting Systems: German manufacturer of precision cutting dies and tools for packaging and paper processing. Comparable cutting-tool craftsmanship, custom engineering, and European industrial B2B model.
• Landgraf Werkzeugtechnik GmbH: German maker of industrial knives, blades, and cutting tools for recycling, wood, and metal. Comparable in product mix, SME scale, and European OEM distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Vecoplan AG: German manufacturer of shredding and size-reduction machines for recycling and wood. Comparable to TRO's shredder-OEM customers (Untha, Weima, Erdwich) and competes at the equipment-system level.
• Metso Corporation: Finnish industrial incumbent making shredding and recycling equipment that consumes industrial knives. Adjacent to TRO's customer base and competes indirectly through bundled equipment-and-wear-parts offerings.
• Andritz AG: Austrian industrial group with shredding and cutting solutions for recycling and wood. A larger incumbent that overlaps with TRO's recycling end-market but operates at equipment-system level rather than knife component level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/trorezalnaorodja
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trocuttingtools

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 TRO