Wbt Automation

What Wbt Automation does

Wbt Automation GmbH & Co. KG is a German industrial automation company founded in 2014 and headquartered in Gosheim, Germany. The company designs and manufactures mobile robot cells and flexible automation systems for CNC machine tools and adjacent production processes, with a portfolio built around industrial robots and cobots sourced from third-party manufacturers (FANUC, KUKA, Techman). The product suite includes the patented MRC flextray mobile robot cell with docking station, the entry-level MRC flexworker cobot, the modular RC flextray XL with payloads of 20-35 kg, the space-saving MRC/RC flextower variants, and the RC flexblast for automated surface treatment. Systems are designed to handle batch sizes from 1 to series production, workpiece and pallet weights of 20-35 kg, and 24/7 operation, spanning single workstations to complex linked production lines orchestrated by the SOFLEX master computer system.

The company targets industrial customers across CNC manufacturing and machining, medical technology (for validated surface treatment), aerospace, precision engineering, security technology, electrical industry, and contract manufacturing. Its go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales, supported by a showroom at Gosheim HQ, an annual four-day Technik Tage open-house event with live demonstrations, and a website-driven inquiry process. Pricing is project-specific and configuration-based, with no public price list, and revenue derives primarily from hardware sales of modular robot cell systems. The company employs 20+ people, operates as a privately held GmbH & Co. KG with no disclosed external funding, and is led by Simon Wißmann and Joachim Burkert as primary contacts.

Name

Wbt Automation

Legal name

wbt automation GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://wbt-automation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wbt Automation is a German industrial automation company that designs and builds mobile robot cells and flexible automation systems for CNC machining, medical technology, aerospace, and other industrial customers, selling directly via enterprise field sales with project-based configuration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Equipment

NAICS

Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)

akta.pro primary industry

Factory Automation Cells & Integrated Systems (Assembly, Welding, Painting Lines) (IMAHAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Controllers & Control Systems (PLCs, PACs, CNC Controllers) (IMAHAHAH), Industrial Robots (Articulated, SCARA, Delta, Cartesian) (IMAHAHAA), Motion & Machine Control (CNC, Robotics Controllers, Servo/Motion Controllers) (IMAGABAG)

Keywords

• Industrial robot cells
• CNC automation
• Mobile robot cells
• Workpiece handling automation
• Cobot automation systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Gosheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Automation Systems Sales: Sale of complete mobile robot cells and robot cells including MRC flexworker, MRC flextray, RC flextray XL, MRC flextower, RC flextower, and RC flexblast. Systems are offered as modular, praxiserprobte (field-tested) solutions with configurable options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wbt Automation designs, manufactures, and sells modular mobile robot cells and industrial robot cells (MRC flexworker, MRC flextray, RC flextray XL, RC flexblast, MRC flextower, RC flextower) for CNC machine tending, workpiece handling, and automated surface treatment. Systems are configured per project, integrate cobots or industrial robots from FANUC, KUKA, or Techman, and are sold with optional SOFLEX master computer control for linked production lines.

Product overview

Wbt Automation offers a flexible modular automation system (Baukastensystem) for robot cells and mobile robot cells. The product portfolio centers around several core product lines: the flexworker family (cobot-based mobile robot cells for lighter payloads 5-10 kg), the flextray series (patented mobile robot cells for medium payloads 6-35 kg including the XL variant), the RC flexblast (automated blasting/matte finishing system), and the flextower lines (tower-based solutions for space-constrained applications). All products are designed as practice-tested modular systems that can be adapted to customer requirements, from single-station systems (1 machine + 1 robot cell) to complex linked production lines with integrated SOFLEX master computer system. The systems handle workpiece and pallet weights from 20-35 kg and are suitable for batch sizes from 1 piece up to 24/7 operation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MRC flexworker: Mobile Robot Cell (Cobot) - entry-level flexible solution for different tasks with robot payload capacity of 5-10 kg
• MRC flextray
• RC flextray XL
• MRC flextower
• RC flextower
• RC flexblast
• MRC flextray 4.0
• flexworker family
• SOFLEX
• GRESSEL R-C2 Werkstück-Automation

Products and services

• MRC flexworker Mobile Robot Cell (Cobot) and entry-level flexible automation solution built on a stable mobile platform, allowing easy movement between tasks without lengthy reconfiguration. Available with robot payload of 5–10 kg and suitable for small and medium order quantities. Customers can choose robots from FANUC, KUKA, or Techman. Optionally available with AI support.
• MRC flextray Patented mobile robot cell (Mobile Robot Cell, Industrie-Roboter) with innovative docking station technology for position-precise placement, professional cell control (Siemens PLC) with integrated machine interface and HMI interface, and ample room for project-specific adaptations and extensions. Available with robot payload of 6–10 kg for small, medium, and medium-large batch sizes; adaptable from side or front to machining centers, turning/milling centers, or labeling lasers.
• RC flextray XL Robot Cell (Industrie-Roboter) with extensive modular kit (Modulbaukasten) offering a large range of applications. Base version allows choice between fixed or mobile workpiece storage; alternatives include band system with camera detection or vice handling (suitable for existing machines without rotary feed-through). Robot payload 20–35 kg for small, medium, and series production. Available with GRESSEL R-C2 workpiece automation for batch sizes 3–500 parts enabling fully automatic 6-sided processing.
• RC flexblast Smart, practice-tested turnkey solution for automated and flexible blasting/matte finishing of workpieces (e.g., in medical technology). Features a compact integrated blast cabin with a simply teachable industrial robot and a vertical workpiece storage tower accessible from the side or front, providing high autonomy and constant verifiable, validatable results. Robot payload 6–10 kg.
• MRC flextower Space-saving and compact mobile robot cell (Mobile Robot Cell, Industrie-Roboter) for lateral automation of one or two machines/applications. Vertical storage concept enables compact deployment; mobile docking allows unrestricted machine access. Robot payload 10 kg for small, medium, and medium-large batch sizes.
• RC flextower Robot Cell (Industrie-Roboter) with minimal footprint and high autonomy. Freely placeable system with integrated setup access and a vertical storage unit providing ample space upward. Robot payload 10–35 kg for medium and larger batch sizes.
• SOFLEX Leitrechnersystem (master computer system) Master computer system integrated into complex linked production lines to manage and coordinate multiple automated systems and machines. Used as the orchestration layer that enables scaling from single workstation setups to complex verkettete Fertigungslinien (linked production lines).
• flexworker Family (S/M/L) Expanded cobot family comprising flexworker S, flexworker M, and flexworker L models with robots from FANUC, KUKA, or Techman, optionally available with AI support, covering a wider payload/use-case range than the original MRC flexworker.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GRESSELcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration of GRESSEL R-C2 workpiece automation into RC flextray XL. This system solution is designed for batch sizes of 3 to 500 parts and enables full 6-sided automatic processing of various workpieces, particularly suitable for existing machines without clamping interface.
• FANUCcoreTechnology or IntegrationRobot manufacturer partner providing industrial robot arms for flexworker cobot family. Customers can choose FANUC robots as part of their flexible automation solution.
• KUKAcoreTechnology or IntegrationRobot manufacturer partner providing industrial robot arms for flexworker cobot family. Customers can choose KUKA robots as part of their flexible automation solution.
• TechmancoreTechnology or IntegrationRobot manufacturer partner providing industrial robot arms for flexworker cobot family. Customers can choose Techman robots as part of their flexible automation solution.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BMO Automation: German automation integrator specializing in robot cells for CNC machine tools and workpiece handling. Directly comparable German Mittelstand-focused competitor with overlapping customer verticals (medical, aerospace).
• Robojob: Belgian/Dutch CNC automation specialist offering modular robot cells (Radar, Tower) for machine tending. Highly comparable in modularity, batch-size flexibility, and European Mittelstand customer overlap.
• HALTER CNC Automation: Dutch provider of modular robot cell solutions for CNC loading/unloading with similar batch-size flexibility and Mittelstand focus. Direct competitor to Wbt's RC flextray XL and MRC flexworker lines in European CNC automation.
• EasyRobotics: Danish manufacturer of mobile robot cells (ProFeeder, ProFeeder X) for CNC machine tending, closely mirroring Wbt's flextray/flexworker proposition in payload range and customer segment. Directly comparable on product, customer base (European machine shops), and go-to-market.
• Cellro: Dutch manufacturer of mobile and modular robot cells (Stocker, BVC) for CNC and production automation. Comparable on product architecture, customer base, and European Mittelstand focus.

Broad incumbents

• FANUC: Global industrial robot manufacturer that is also a robot supplier to Wbt and a broad automation system provider with its own CNC automation products. Larger, more diversified player overlapping in target verticals.
• Universal Robots: Danish cobot manufacturer with broad ecosystem of certified integrators building CNC tending and machine-tending cells similar to Wbt's MRC flexworker. Larger incumbent shaping the cobot-based automation category in which Wbt competes.
• KUKA: Large German industrial robot manufacturer and automation system integrator that also supplies robot arms to Wbt's flexworker family. Operates a broad automation portfolio across industries and geographies, including its own CNC cell solutions that compete with Wbt.

Others

• GRESSEL: Swiss workpiece automation specialist (R-C2 vises/clamping systems) integrated into Wbt's RC flextray XL. Adjacent ecosystem partner whose automation modules complement or compete with Wbt's cell offerings depending on go-to-market.

Regional players

• systec GmbH Automation & Sensors: German automation and sensor systems provider offering integrated machine tending and robotic solutions for the DACH manufacturing market. Comparable regional competitor focused on Mittelstand customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wbt-automation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Wbt Automation