Thies

What Thies does

Thies GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned German manufacturer of textile dyeing and finishing machinery, founded in 1892 in Coesfeld, Westphalia, and currently managed by the fifth generation of the Thies family. Its core offering covers the full textile finishing value chain: fabric dyeing machines (iMaster H2O/mini/F family, soft-TRD family, mini-soft, Luft-roto plus SII, Jigger family, and the 2022-launched hybrid Signature Series), yarn dyeing machines (iCone and eco-bloc families, Pressure Dryer, hankMaster), loose-stock finishing and tumbler systems, automated MPS dosing and dispensing equipment for dyes and chemicals, heat recovery systems, and hollow screw heat exchangers. Thies has extended its dyeing expertise into adjacent markets with miniColor and eColor machines for finishing 3D-printed parts (introduced 2018/2021) and offers contract manufacturing for stainless-steel pressure vessels and heat exchangers through its subsidiaries in Poland (Dofama) and Slovenia (Alchrom).

The company runs a hybrid go-to-market combining wholly-owned sales-and-service subsidiaries in China, France, India, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United States with a network of independent sales agencies covering 80+ countries. A July 2021 distribution agreement with Navis TubeTex formalizes its Canada, US, and Honduras channel. More than 90% of production is exported, and customers are primarily textile mills, fabric dyers, and yarn processors served through capital-equipment sales (quote-based, multi-year contracts), recurring spare parts revenue from on-site warehousing at subsidiaries, and professional services including installation, commissioning, modernization, and training. The company operates three production facilities (Coesfeld, Kamienna Góra in Poland, Ruse in Slovenia) and reports 101–250 employees, with no disclosed revenue, no external funding, and continuous family ownership.

Name

Thies

Legal name

Thies GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://thiestextilmaschinen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1892

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Thies GmbH & Co. KG is a fifth-generation, family-owned German manufacturer founded in 1892 that designs and builds textile dyeing and finishing machinery (fabric, yarn, loose stock), automated chemical dosing systems, hollow-screw heat exchangers, and finishing equipment for 3D-printed parts, exporting to 80+ countries through subsidiaries and sales agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Textile Machinery

NAICS

Machinery Manufacturing (333), All Other Miscellaneous General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (333998)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

Testing, Color Management & Quality Control Services (Lab Dips/Fastness/Standards) (IMAOACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Finishing & Dyeing Contract Services (Job Work/Toll Processing) (IMAOACAL)

Keywords

• Textile dyeing machines
• Yarn dyeing equipment
• Fabric finishing machinery
• Industrial dosing systems
• Heat recovery systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Coesfeld

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Textile Machinery Manufacturing and Sales: Thies generates revenue through the design, manufacture, and sale of textile dyeing and finishing machinery. Products include fabric dyeing machines (iMaster, soft-TRD, mini-soft, Jigger, Luft-roto, Beam dyeing), yarn dyeing machines (iCone, eco-bloc), loose stock finishing equipment, tumblers, dosing systems, and heat recovery systems. Revenue is primarily one-time capital equipment sales with associated installation, commissioning, and after-sales service.
2. Technical Service and Support: Ongoing revenue from technical support, maintenance services, assembly and commissioning, modernization and conversion services, and training for operators. Service is provided globally through subsidiaries and agencies.
3. Spare Parts Sales: Original spare parts sales for textile dyeing machines, with rapid availability through on-site warehousing at subsidiaries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Thies designs, manufactures, and sells industrial textile dyeing and finishing machinery, including fabric dyeing machines, yarn dyeing machines, loose-stock finishing equipment, tumblers, automated dosing and dispensing systems, heat recovery units, and hollow screw heat exchangers. The company also produces stainless steel pressure vessels and offers custom contract manufacturing through its Dofama (Poland) and Alchrom (Slovenia) subsidiaries. Revenue is generated primarily through capital equipment sales complemented by spare parts, installation, commissioning, and technical service.

Product overview

Thies is a family-owned German textile machinery manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of dyeing and finishing equipment. The product portfolio is organized into four main categories: (1) Fabric Dyeing including the Signature Series, iMaster family (H2O, mini, F, mini F), soft-TRD family (SII, SIII), mini-soft family (E, TRD), Jigger family (HT, NT), Luft-roto plus SII, and Beam Dyeing Machines with HP-Batcher; (2) Yarn Dyeing including iCone family (standard, mini, quattro), eco-bloc family (X, HV, quattro), Pressure Dryer, hankMaster, and Material Carriers; (3) Loose Stock Finishing including Press for loose fibers and Siebtrommeltrockner; (4) Tumbler systems (T150, T310). Supporting equipment includes the MPS family of dosing and dispensing systems (L, D, Colourmatic, S, G) for automated supply of chemicals, dyes and auxiliaries, Heat Recovery Systems, Hollow Screw heat exchangers (Holoflite, Selfcleaner, Variocleaner), and finishing solutions for 3D printed parts (miniColor). The company also offers custom-made manufacturing services for industrial applications using stainless steel processing expertise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iMaster Family: Short liquor ratio dyeing machines for fabric
• soft-TRD Family
• mini-soft Family
• Jigger Family
• Luft-roto plus SII Family
• iCone Family
• eco-bloc Family
• Signature Series
• MPS (Modular Processing System)
• Hollow Screw Heat Exchangers

Products and services

• Signature Series Hybrid ultra short liquor ratio dyeing machine for fabric, available as single- or multiple-chamber configurations (250 kg / 1-6 chambers), targeting applications requiring minimal water and energy consumption.
• iMaster H2O Short liquor ratio dyeing machine for fabric with multiple chamber configurations (100-300 kg per chamber, 1-8 chambers), reducing water and energy consumption in fabric dyeing processes.
• iMaster mini Short liquor ratio dyeing machine for small fabric runs (80 kg / 1 chamber).
• iMaster F Short liquor ratio dyeing machine specifically designed for terry products (100-400 kg, 1-6 chambers).
• iMaster mini F Short liquor ratio dyeing machine for terry products and small runs (60 kg / 1 chamber).
• soft-TRD SII Long liquor ratio dyeing machine for fabric (100-200 kg per chamber, 1-4 chambers).
• soft-TRD SIII Low-resource, long liquor ratio dyeing machine for fabric with optimized consumption patterns.
• mini-soft E Short liquor ratio dyeing machine for very small fabric runs (10-80 kg, 1-2 chambers).
• mini-soft TRD Long liquor ratio dyeing machine for small fabric runs (3-25 kg / 1 chamber).
• HT-Jigger Discontinuous dyeing machine for wide fabrics at high temperature (400-1450 mm width).
• NT-Jigger Discontinuous dyeing machine for wide fabrics at normal temperature.
• Luft-roto plus SII Short liquor ratio dyeing machine with air supply, available as single- or multiple-chamber machines (100-250 kg per chamber, 1-6 chambers).
• HT Fabric Beam Dyeing Machine Fabric beam dyeing machine for exhaust dyeing (winding diameters 230-1570 mm).
• iCone Vertical yarn dyeing machine (15-2500 kg capacity).
• iCone mini Compact yarn dyeing machine for small runs (15-25 kg).
• iCone quattro Yarn dyeing machine for very small runs, available as single- or multiple-vessel system (1-15 kg, 1-6 vessels).
• eco-bloc X Vertical yarn dyeing machine (25-2500 kg capacity).
• eco-bloc HV Horizontal yarn dyeing machine (25-1200 kg capacity).
• eco-bloc quattro Yarn dyeing machine for very small runs as single- or multiple-vessel system (1-15 kg, 1-6 vessels).
• Pressure Dryer High-temperature air dryer for yarn (60-1500 kg capacity).
• hankMaster Dyeing machine for hanks at normal temperatures (20-100 kg batch sizes).
• Press for loose fibers Press for loose fibers finishing, available in sizes from 5 kN (single-spindle) to 170 kN (packing press).
• Siebtrommeltrockner (Cylinder Drying Machine) High-temperature air dryer for loose fibers (225-525 kg/h process sizes).
• Tumbler T150 Discontinuous open-width tumbler for fabric (1500-2400 mm fabric widths).
• Tumbler T310 Continuous open-width tumbler for fabric (1800-2400 mm fabric widths).
• MPS-L Supply system for liquid chemicals with flow rates of 12-80 l/min.
• MPS-D Supply system for dyes with dissolving tanks (40-800 l).
• MPS-Colourmatic Fully or partially automated supply and storage system for dyes with dissolving tanks (40-400 l).
• MPS-S Supply system for solids with dissolving tanks (180-1400 l).
• MPS-G Gravimetric supply system for liquid chemicals, dyes and solids with 250 l mixing tank.
• Heat Recovery System Heat recovery system for textile finishing plants with flow rates of 8-65 m³/h per unit for thermal energy optimization.
• miniColor Dyeing machine for finishing 3D printed parts with excellent dyeing results and maximum productivity, suitable for additively manufactured parts, series components, spare parts, and functional prototypes.
• Holoflite Hollow screw heat exchanger for granular, pasty to medium liquid products (up to 105 m² heat exchanger surface).
• Selfcleaner Hollow screw heat exchanger with self-cleaning capability (up to 32 m² heat exchanger surface).
• Variocleaner Rotating hollow screw heat exchanger for heating, cooling, drying and mixing (up to 50 m² heat exchanger surface).
• Custom-made manufacturing Contract manufacturing services for vessels, pressure vessels, heat exchangers and hollow screws using stainless steel processing expertise.

Quantifiable outcome

• Short liquor ratio technology significantly reduces water and energy consumption compared to conventional dyeing methods
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Navis TubeTexcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 July 2021Sales Distribution Agreement covering Canada, US and Honduras markets. With a combined history over two hundred years, both companies share the tradition of serving customers while looking to the future. Navis TubeTex distributes Thies textile dyeing equipment in these North and Central American markets.
• TCN Techniques Chimiques NouvellesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCN is a potential supplier of liquid dyes for easy start to professional coloring of 3D-printed parts without the need for in-house formulation. Supports Thies miniColor and eColor product lines for additive manufacturing finishing.
• Society of Dyers and ColouristsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThies technical solutions featured in Society of Dyers white paper on 'Destination low carbon: Global technology and innovation reducing the environmental footprint of textile coloration' published March 2022.
• VDMA Textile Machinery AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerActive member of the Textile Machinery Association of the Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA). Access to industry-specific information, networking, and joint marketing through VDMA platforms.
• Recycling Atelier AugsburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation project announced June 2022 focusing on industrial use of recycling concepts. Thies participates in the 'Recycling Atelier' initiative in Augsburg, Germany.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Itema: Italian/Swiss manufacturer of weaving machinery with global service footprint. Operates broadly across the same textile-mill customer base as Thies, with spare-parts and field-service networks that mirror Thies' subsidiary-driven model.
• Lindauer Dornier: German textile machinery manufacturer specializing in weaving, technical textiles, and finishing equipment. Long-established broader incumbent that competes for capital budgets at the same global textile mills as Thies.
• Picanol: Belgian manufacturer of weaving machines and a major global textile-machinery incumbent. Operates broadly in the same textile-mill customer base as Thies and is publicly listed, providing scale and capital access that Thies (private) lacks.
• Karl Mayer: Germany-headquartered global leader in textile machinery focused on warp knitting, technical textiles, and composite machinery. Larger incumbent serving overlapping textile-mill customers in similar geographies, though product category is warp knitting rather than wet finishing.

Direct peers

• Then Maschinen: Austrian manufacturer of textile finishing machinery (washing, drying, shrinking, dyeing), serving similar European textile mills with technology comparable to Thies' soft-TRD and iMaster lines.
• ATYC: Spanish manufacturer of textile dyeing and finishing machinery with global reach across fabric and yarn dyeing. Product portfolio directly overlaps Thies' iMaster and iCone families for textile mills in Latin America and Europe.
• Fong's Industries: Hong Kong/China-based global manufacturer of textile dyeing and finishing machinery with broad portfolio spanning yarn, fabric, and garment dyeing. Major Chinese competitor operating in many of the same Asian textile mill accounts as Thies.
• Brückner Trockentechnik: German manufacturer of textile finishing machinery, especially drying, heat-setting, and stentering equipment for fabric finishing. Geographic and product overlap with Thies in finishing lines sold to textile mills.
• Benninger Zell: Swiss manufacturer of textile finishing equipment including continuous and discontinuous washing, bleaching, mercerizing, and dyeing machines. Most direct head-to-head competitor with Thies in fabric dyeing and finishing machinery, serving overlapping textile-mill customers across Asia and Europe.
• Navis TubeTex: American textile finishing machinery specialist and Thies' own North American distribution partner (covering Canada/US/Honduras since 2021). Builds competing knit-finishing and dye ranges targeting similar US/Mexico/Central America textile-mill accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thies-corp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries9 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 Thies