What HEKO Chains does

HEKO Ketten GmbH is a German family-owned manufacturer of chains, sprockets, fastening elements, and assemblies for bulk materials conveyor systems, founded in 1917 in Wickede, North Rhine-Westphalia. The company operates three production facilities totaling approximately 45,000 m² across Wickede, Fröndenberg (acquired via Prünte Kettenwerk in 2004), and Wuppertal, and serves the cement, chemical, ferrous/non-ferrous metals, power, food, fertilizer, recycling, and waste incineration industries. Its product portfolio includes round link chains (DIN and works-standard), central chains, double-strand bucket elevator chains, bushed conveyor chains, forged link chains, and heat-resistant kiln chains — where HEKO claims market leadership — plus complementary components such as toothed and toothless chain wheels, chain shackles, plug-in attachments, chain locks, elevator buckets, return/tensioning stations, and the HEKO SmartLock quick-lock device. A core technical differentiator is HEKO's proprietary heat treatment capability: low-pressure carburising with high-pressure gas quenching (a process the company was first to apply in the chain industry), vacuum case hardening with helium quenching (up to 800 kg batch, 1,250°C), induction surface hardening, and advanced nitriding. These capabilities are also marketed as services to external manufacturers of wear-resistant components, supplemented by maintenance/assembly services and product development (vibration analysis, FEM).

The company operates a B2B, quote-based revenue model (pricing not publicly disclosed), selling directly to industrial customers and through an extensive global channel. Distribution combines direct sales from German headquarters, regional sales offices in Germany (Neuler), China (Beijing, opened 2005), and India (HEKO Chains India Pvt. Ltd.), plus authorized sales partners covering 25+ countries across EMEA, LATAM, and Asia-Pacific. Value proposition centers on extended service life (up to 30% longer on the new HEKO UR400 chain), superior wear and heat resistance, and "Made in Germany" quality. HEKO is privately held under third-generation Koch family control (Managing Director Alexander Koch since 1992), with no external equity backing identified; growth has been financed through operational earnings and two material acquisitions (Prünte Kettenwerk 2004, Klein GmbH May 2012). The firm holds ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, and 50001 certifications, German customs authorization, and is recognized as an approved vocational training company.

Name

HEKO Chains

Legal name

HEKO Ketten GmbH

Website

https://heko.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HEKO Ketten GmbH is a German family-owned manufacturer of conveyor chains, sprockets, and components for bulk materials handling, serving cement, chemical, metals, power, food, and recycling industries worldwide with proprietary heat treatment technology and a distribution network spanning 25+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Conveyor Chain Manufacturing

NAICS

Conveyor and Conveying Equipment Manufacturing (333922), Machine Shops (33271)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)

akta.pro primary industry

Bulk Material Handling Systems (Belt Conveyors, Feeders, Stackers, Reclaimers) (IMAHABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conveying, Hoisting & Materials Handling Systems (Conveyors, Stackers/Reclaimers, Winches) (IMAKANAE)

Keywords

• Industrial conveyor chains
• Bulk material handling
• Chain manufacturing
• Rotary kiln chains
• Sprocket components

Headquarters

HQ city

Wickede

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial chain and component sales: HEKO generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of conveyor chains, sprockets, fastening elements, and assemblies for bulk material conveyor technology systems. Products include round link chains, central chains, bushed link chains, forged link chains, and kiln chains along with related wear parts.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HEKO Chains manufactures and supplies conveyor chains, sprockets, fastening elements, and assemblies for bulk material conveyor systems. The product range includes round link chains, steel link chains (central, bushed, forged), and heat-resistant rotary kiln chains, complemented by precision chain wheels, shackles, plug-in attachments, elevator buckets, and tensioning stations. The company also provides in-house heat treatment services, maintenance, and product development for industrial customers worldwide.

Product overview

HEKO Chains is a worldwide supplier and one of the leading manufacturers of chains and wear parts for bulk material conveyor technology. The product portfolio is organized around several core chain families: round link chains (for bucket elevators and chain conveyors, available in DIN and WS variants), steel link chains including central chains and double-strand bucket elevator chains (for high-capacity elevators), bushed conveyor chains (for pan conveyors, scraper conveyors, reclaimers, apron conveyors, and drag chain conveyors), forged link chains (for coal feeders, apron conveyors, and scraper conveyors), and kiln chains (heat-resistant chains for rotary kilns, where HEKO is the market leader). These chain products are complemented by a full range of precision-engineered components — toothed and toothless chain wheels/sprockets, chain shackles, plug-in attachments, chain locks, elevator buckets, and return/tensioning stations — all manufactured in-house at HEKO's three German production facilities. The offering is rounded out by advanced heat treatment services (vacuum hardening, low-pressure carburising, nitriding, induction hardening) that HEKO provides both internally and to external manufacturers, plus maintenance, assembly, and product development services. HEKO operates three production facilities in North Rhine-Westphalia with approximately 45,000 m² of production area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HEKO Round Link Chains Steel conveyor chains used in bucket elevators and chain conveyors for bulk material handling, available in DIN standard and works-standard (WS) variants with matching sprockets and accessories.
• HEKO Central Chains Steel link chains designed for bucket elevator applications with high strength and wear resistance, offered in types HBE, HK, and HR with compatible chain wheels and elevator buckets.
• HEKO Double Strand Bucket Elevator Chains Heavy-duty chains for bucket elevator applications requiring dual-strand chain configurations, offered as complete assemblies including matching chain wheels and buckets.
• HEKO Bushed Conveyor Chains Steel link chains used in pan conveyors, scraper conveyors, reclaimers, apron conveyors, pivoting pan conveyors, and drag chain conveyors for bulk material handling.
• HEKO Forged Link Chains Heavy-duty chains manufactured through forging, used in apron conveyors, coal feeders, scraper conveyors, and drag chain conveyors, available in single-strand and double-strand configurations.
• HEKO Kiln Chains Heat-resistant chains specifically designed for rotary kilns in cement, lime, and gypsum industries, including kiln chains, hangers, and shackles, where HEKO is the market leader.
• HEKO UR400 Ultra Resistance Chain Newly developed round steel chain with optimized heat treatment and targeted material adjustments, confirmed by field tests to provide up to 30% longer service life under extreme operating conditions.
• Heat Treatment Services Comprehensive heat treatment services including low-pressure carburising, vacuum heat treatment (case hardening, hardening, tempering, annealing), induction hardening, nitriding, and carbonitriding, using state-of-the-art vacuum chamber furnaces, also offered to other manufacturers.
• Maintenance and Assembly Services On-site maintenance, assembly, inspection, and installation support for conveyor chain systems worldwide, including inspection of conveyor systems and support in developing inspection and maintenance plans.
• Product Optimisation and Development Service leveraging over 100 years of conveyor chain expertise to develop new products and optimize existing ones in cooperation with universities and technical institutes, using vibration analysis, finite element analysis, and other engineering tools.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 30% longer service life under extreme operating conditions with newly developed round steel chains featuring optimized heat treatment and targeted material adjustments.

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and standard.

• Klein GmbH SpezialkettencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Acquired in May 2012, adding steel link chain manufacturing capability with 25 employees, enabling entry into new market segment.
• Prünte Kettenwerk GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Acquired in 2004, adding 9,000 m² production area and expanding rotary kiln chain manufacturing capabilities for cement and paper industry.
• Bogaert Transmission (GEHA Industrie)standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBelgian sales partner for HEKO products in the industrial transmission sector.
• SADIMEX S.A.standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArgentina-based sales partner representing HEKO chains in the Argentine market.
• Seil Trading Co. Ltd.standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKorean sales partner for HEKO conveyor chain products.
• Imandar Enterprise SDN BHDstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMalaysian sales partner representing HEKO products in Southeast Asia.
• Kremos-Ketten AGstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss sales partner for HEKO chain products.
• Belting & Sprockets S.A.standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouth African sales partner for conveyor components and HEKO chains.
• Geha Laverman B.V.standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch partner with Hardox Wearparts Center certification, distributing HEKO products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sedis Group: French manufacturer of industrial transmission and conveyor chains, including leaf chains for forklift masts and chains for cement, steel, and power industries. Direct peer in rotary kiln and bucket elevator chains with comparable European customer base.
• Pewag Group: Austrian family-owned industrial chain manufacturer with strong conveyor and industrial chain offerings alongside lifting and traction chains. Overlaps with HEKO on bulk material handling conveyor chains and shares European Mittelstand DNA.
• Webster Industries: US manufacturer of engineered conveyor chains, sprockets, and attachments serving cement, mining, and grain handling. Comparable rotary kiln chain and bucket elevator chain offering with geographic complementarity to HEKO.
• Thiele GmbH & Co. KG: German family-owned manufacturer of industrial and conveyor chains, including round link and steel link chains for bulk material handling, mining, and cement. Closest direct competitor to HEKO in Europe with overlapping product portfolio and customer base.
• Wältermann & Partner (Ketten- und Spezialmaschinenbau): German specialist in heavy-duty conveyor chains and chain wheels/sprockets for bucket elevators and bulk handling. Directly comparable mid-market niche manufacturer serving cement, power, and recycling end-markets with HEKO.
• Renold plc: British manufacturer of industrial chains and power transmission products, including conveyor chains for bulk material handling. Comparable engineered chain producer with similar European industrial end-market exposure.
• John King Chains: UK designer and manufacturer of engineered conveyor chains for the cement, steel, and bulk handling industries. Comparable niche specialist offering drop-forged, welded, and cast conveyor chain families similar to HEKO's portfolio.
• RUD Group (RUD Ketten Rieger & Dietz): German manufacturer of high-performance chains, lifting and securing systems, and conveyor chains for industrial applications. Larger German specialty chain peer serving similar bulk-handling and mining segments.

Broad incumbents

• Tsubaki Group: Large Japanese industrial chain manufacturer offering a broad portfolio including conveyor chains and chain drives globally. Far larger and more diversified than HEKO but competes in overlapping bucket elevator and bulk material chain categories.
• Donghua (Hangzhou Donghua Chain Group): China's largest industrial chain manufacturer producing conveyor, transmission, and specialty chains at scale. Competes with HEKO primarily on price in commodity chain categories and increasingly in selected kiln and bucket elevator applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heko-ketten-gmbh-germany

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 HEKO Chains