Matzen & Timm

What Matzen & Timm does

Matzen & Timm GmbH is a Norderstedt-based, 100-year-old German manufacturer of custom elastomer connection solutions — specialty hoses, bellows, molded parts, and sleeves — serving aviation, automotive, rail vehicles, defense technology, and industrial customers. The company, founded in 1925 by Oscar Matzen and Otto Timm, transitioned from salt trading to hose manufacturing in the 1970s via licensing deals with Flexfab Inc. and Flexible Tubing, and since 2003 has operated as the aviation and lightweight-construction specialist within the publicly listed Masterflex Group. Nearly all products are customer-specific special designs, manufactured from high-quality synthetic rubbers (neoprene, silicone, Hypolon, Viton, Nitril, butyl) combined with high-performance fibers (glass, polyamide, polyester, Nomex, Kevlar, ceramic), using a hand-crafted mandrel-wrapping process with high-temperature vulcanization and optional steel-wire reinforcement.

The company runs a full design-to-series value chain in-house: CAD design, FEM simulation, precision toolmaking, prototyping, and a comprehensive test bench suite covering climate, pressure (over/under), leakage, tensile, fire, and movement testing. It holds DIN EN 9100:2018 aviation certification (TÜV Rheinland, valid through June 11, 2027) — equivalent to AS 9100D and JISQ 9100:2016 — and is REACH compliant. Airbus is a named customer; a 2019 Airbus SQIP 'Best Improver' award recognizes delivery reliability improvements.

Commercial operations span three sites: Norderstedt (HQ, engineering, QA), Planá in the Czech Republic (production since 2007, sales for CZ/SK), and a new ~€3M plant in the MIDPARC free-trade zone near Casablanca, Morocco (Masterduct Morocco SARL AU, operational 2026, ~4,000 m², 65+ new jobs). Revenue is generated through one-time custom engineering orders under multi-year contracts; pricing is quote-based and undisclosed. The company markets through enterprise direct sales, major industry trade shows (Aircraft Interiors Expo, Aeromart, Marrakech Airshow, ADM Chennai, Innotrans), and a multi-language website. Recent strategic moves include the launch of a Cradle-to-Cradle recyclable industrial hose (April 2026) and the parent's largest engineering framework contract in its history, ramping from late 2026 into 2027.

Name

Matzen & Timm

Legal name

Matzen & Timm GmbH

Website

https://matzen-timm.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Matzen & Timm is a 100-year-old German manufacturer of custom elastomer hoses, bellows, molded parts, and sleeves for aviation, automotive, rail, defense, and industrial clients, operating as the aviation specialist within the publicly listed Masterflex Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Norderstedt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom elastomer components: Nearly all products are customized special designs manufactured to customer specifications. The value chain covers all stages from design and prototyping through to series production. Revenue is generated through one-time custom manufacturing orders rather than standardized product lines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Matzen & Timm manufactures custom-engineered flexible connection solutions, including special hoses, bellows, molded parts, and sleeves made from synthetic rubber materials such as neoprene and silicone. Almost all products are customer-specific special designs, with the value chain covering all stages from design and prototyping through to series production. The company serves aviation, automotive, rail vehicles, defense technology, and industrial applications.

Product overview

Matzen & Timm is a manufacturer of high-quality flexible connection solutions specializing in technical hoses, bellows, molded parts, and sleeves made from synthetic rubber materials (primarily neoprene and silicone). The product portfolio centers on custom-designed special products rather than standard offerings. The company operates as the aviation and lightweight construction specialist within the Masterflex Group, serving the aerospace, automotive, rail vehicle, defense technology, and industrial sectors. Almost all products are customer-specific special designs, with the value chain covering all stages from design and prototyping through to series production. The company also offers sustainable product solutions including recyclable Cradle to Cradle certified industrial hoses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Special Hoses (Spezialschläuche) High-quality hoses made from synthetic rubber materials such as neoprene or silicone, customized for demanding applications in aviation, automotive, rail vehicles, defense technology, and industrial sectors.
• Bellows (Faltenbälge) Flexible bellows components for connection tasks requiring movement compensation and thermal expansion accommodation in aircraft, trains, and industrial machinery.
• Molded Parts (Formteile) Custom-manufactured molded parts for specialized applications, developed from design through prototype to series production.
• Sleeves (Manschetten) Flexible sleeve components for protective and connection applications in demanding industrial environments.
• Recyclable Cradle to Cradle Industrial Hose Eco-effective hose made of biodegradable polymer designed for full recyclability, developed according to Cradle to Cradle principles.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 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.

• Elbe-WerkstättenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Cooperation with Elbe-Werkstätten in Hamburg for inclusive employment. Eight Elbe employees are employed at Matzen & Timm in Norderstedt carrying out lightly skilled work. The collaboration, now in its 14th year, is described as a successful model for both sides with Managing Director Peter Bremer stating 'Inclusion is lived here.'

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Flexa GmbH: German manufacturer of cable protection systems, hoses, and flexible conduit/tubing for industrial and automation customers. A regional peer with overlapping industrial hose/tubing manufacturing footprint in the DACH market, though narrower in aerospace specialization.

Broad incumbents

• Parker Hannifin: Motion-and-control technologies leader with industrial hose, tubing, and fluid-conveyance product lines serving aerospace, automotive, and industrial OEMs. Comparable as an incumbent with deeper resources and broader portfolio but with overlapping aerospace and industrial hose applications.
• Trelleborg AB: Swedish polymer-engineering group with engineered components and hoses for aerospace, automotive, and industrial customers. Comparable as a broad incumbent supplying custom elastomer/rubber solutions into the same demanding end-markets as Matzen & Timm, with deeper scale and broader product breadth.
• Continental AG (ContiTech): Diversified industrial rubber-products business under ContiTech, producing hoses, bellows, and molded elastomer parts for automotive, rail, and industrial customers. A broad incumbent with the same component categories as Matzen & Timm but operating at much greater scale across many end-markets.

Others

• Masterflex SE: Publicly listed parent company (Frankfurt Prime Standard) of Matzen & Timm, producing hose and connection systems under multiple group brands including Masterduct, Novoplast, Fleima-Plastic, and APT. Included as the corporate parent context for benchmarking rather than a competitive peer.

Direct peers

• Gates Industrial: Global manufacturer of industrial and automotive hoses and belts. Directly comparable product portfolio (industrial hose and belting), overlapping automotive and industrial customers, and similar engineered-custom motion-transfer solutions for OEM accounts.
• Kuriyama of America: Manufacturer and distributor of industrial hoses, tubing, and couplings for material handling, chemical, and OEM customers. Directly comparable as an industrial hose maker serving custom-engineered applications, though with less concentration in aerospace cabin systems.
• Venair Group: Specialist manufacturer of silicone and elastomer hoses, bellows, and flexible connection components used in aerospace, medical, food, and industrial applications. A direct competitor in custom-molded silicone/elastomer components for the same demanding end-markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/masterflex-group
• Facebookfacebook.com/MasterflexGroup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/MasterflexGroup

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Matzen & Timm