Rafamet

What Rafamet does

Rafamet (Fabryka Obrabiarek RAFAMET S.A.) is a Polish public company, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange under ticker RAF, that designs and manufactures specialized CNC machine tools for two distinct markets: railway wheel set maintenance and heavy industrial machining. The company is headquartered in Kuźnia Raciborska, Poland, traces its industrial origins to 1846 (modern entity formed 1946), employs 101–250 people, and is currently operating under Polish court-supervised restructuring with a controlling ownership stake of 96.37% held by the state development agency Agencja Rozwoju Przemysłu S.A. (ARP).

The core product line consists of CNC-controlled wheel lathes — both above-floor (UBF, UFB, UDA, UFD series) and underfloor (UGE series, including tandem variants for axle loads up to 40 tonnes) — that regenerate wheel profiles and brake discs on rail vehicle wheel sets without requiring disassembly, alongside wheel boring machines, axle lathes, wheel profile optimization software, laser measurement systems, flat spot detection diagnostics, and rail-road shunting vehicles. A secondary line covers heavy-duty double-column vertical turning lathes (KDC/KCI up to 250 tonnes), horizontal lathes under the acquired PORĘBA 1798 brand (TTV, TCF, TCM, TRB, TRP), and gantry/special-purpose milling machines serving energy, shipbuilding, metallurgical, and defense customers. Operations are supported by a captive foundry (Odlewnia RAFAMET) producing castings up to 40 tonnes.

Rafamet monetizes primarily through bespoke capital equipment sales on a quote-based pricing model, supplemented by after-sales services (spare parts, overhauls, CNC modernizations, training), custom engineering and CNC programming services, and contractual large-part machining. The company runs a direct enterprise sales motion, exporting 70–80% of production to nearly 90 countries and participating in major industry trade shows (InnoTrans, TRAKO, EMO). Customers include national railway operators (ONCF Morocco, DB Fernverkehr, CFR Călători, Koleje Mazowieckie, Polregio, PKP Intercity), metro systems (Warsaw Metro, Budapest Metro), rolling stock manufacturers (Siemens Mobility, PESA, CZ-LOKO), and heavy industrial buyers (FLSmidth, ThyssenKrupp Peru).

Name

Rafamet

Legal name

Fabryka Obrabiarek RAFAMET S.A.

Website

https://rafamet.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rafamet is a Polish manufacturer of CNC machine tools specializing in railway wheel set lathes (above- and under-floor) and heavy-duty industrial turning/milling equipment, exporting 70–80% of production to ~90 countries under restructuring with state agency ARP controlling 96.37%.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Machine Tools

NAICS

Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing (3365), Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612), Mechanical Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing (333613)

SIC

Machine Tools, Metal Cutting Types (3541), Railroad Equipment (3743)

akta.pro primary industry

CNC Machine Tools (Turning, Milling, Machining Centers) (IMAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bogie/Truck, Wheelset & Bearing Shop Services (Reprofiling, Overhaul) (TLAKAIAD), Braking Systems Maintenance & Overhaul (Pneumatic/Electro-Pneumatic) (TLAKAIAF)

Keywords

• CNC machine tools
• Railway wheel lathes
• Heavy industrial machining
• Vertical turning lathes
• Wheelset maintenance equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuznia Raciborska

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Heavy Machinery Sales: Sale of CNC machine tools including wheel lathes for railways, vertical turning lathes, and gantry milling machines. Revenue generated from equipment manufacturing and delivery with export representing 70-80% of total sales.
2. After-Sales Services: Technical support, spare parts, machine overhauls and modernizations, and operator/maintenance training services.
3. Design and Engineering Services: Custom design services and CNC programming for client-specific machining applications, including mechanical, hydraulic, and CNC drive/control engineering.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rafamet designs and manufactures CNC-controlled machine tools for processing railway wheelsets and large industrial workpieces. Its core product lines include above-floor and underfloor wheel lathes, axle lathes, double-column vertical turning lathes, gantry milling machines, and rail-road shunting vehicles. The company also provides wheel profile measurement and diagnostic systems, plus related services such as machine overhauls, custom design engineering, and after-sales technical support.

Product overview

RAFAMET is a leading global manufacturer of specialized machine tools for railway applications and heavy industry. The product portfolio centers on two main categories: (1) Railway Equipment - including above-floor wheel lathes (UBF, UFB, UDA, UFD series), underfloor wheel lathes (UGE series with tandem variants), wheel boring machines (KCM), axle lathes (TOK), wheel & axle lathes (TCG), supporting software for wheel profile optimization, laser measuring systems, diagnostic systems, and rail-road shunting vehicles (3RS); and (2) Heavy Machine Tools - encompassing double-column vertical turning lathes (KDC/KCI series up to 350 tonnes), horizontal lathes (TTV, TCF, TCM, TRB, TRP under PORĘBA brand), gantry and special-purpose milling machines (FBA/FBC/GMC/GMM series), and shipbuilding machines (FS/PT). Services include large part machining, machine overhauls, design/software engineering, and technical support. The company operates as part of the ARP Group with ~180 years of tradition and exports 70-80% of production to nearly 90 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RAFAMET Railways: Machine tools for railway wheelset processing (wheel and axle lathes), rail vehicle bogies, railway switches, rail-road shunting vehicles, and specialized measurement systems for the railway industry.
• RAFAMET Machine Tools
• PORĘBA Machine Tools
• Odlewnia RAFAMET
• RAFAMET Service & Trade
• RAFAMET Large Part Machining

Products and services

• UBF 112 N – Above Floor Wheel Lathe CNC-controlled two-support special lathe for regenerating wheel profiles and brake discs of wheel sets used in rail vehicles. Works in non-throughput (roll-in roll-out) system with chuck-type clamping for railway maintenance depots.
• UGE 180 N – Underfloor Wheel Lathe CNC-controlled two-support underfloor lathe for regenerating wheel profiles and brake disc surfaces without removing wheel sets. Installed in pit foundation below rails with axle load capacity up to 18/30 tonnes, enabling rapid vehicle return to service.
• UGE 300/400 N – Heavy-Duty Underfloor Wheel Lathe CNC-controlled two-support underfloor lathe for heavy rail vehicles. Enables in-situ wheel profile regeneration with axle load capacity up to 30/40 tonnes for high-speed and freight rail applications.
• KCM 150 N – Wheel Boring Machine Single-column CNC vertical turning lathe for machining railway wheels with operations including hub face turning, hub bore boring, and wheel profile machining. Max turning diameter 1,500 mm.
• TOK 80 N – Axle Lathe CNC horizontal lathe for machining railway axle wheel sets. Features 8-position turret, CNC control, and turning and rolling operations for railway axle manufacturing and refurbishment.
• TCG 135 N – Wheel & Axle Lathe CNC horizontal lathe combining wheel profile machining, brake disc planning, and axle turning operations in a single machine for railway maintenance facilities.
• KDC Series – Double Column Vertical Turning Lathes (up to 250 tonnes) Double column vertical turning lathes for heavy-duty machining of large workpieces up to 250 tonnes with optional milling and drilling capabilities via rotary spindle attachment. For power generation, shipbuilding, metallurgical, and defense industries.
• KCI Series – Double Column Vertical Turning Lathes (up to 150 tonnes) Double column vertical turning lathes for heavy-duty machining up to 150 tonnes. High rigidity and accuracy with optional grinding attachment for large industrial components.
• FBA/FBC/GMC/GMM Series – Gantry Milling Machines High-tech gantry and special-purpose milling machines for large-scale industrial workpieces. Includes movable table, fixed cross-rail, movable gantry and fixed cross-rail configurations.
• POREBA Horizontal Lathes (TTV, TCF, TCM, TRB, TRP Series) Heavy-duty horizontal lathes under the POREBA Machine Tools brand with capacities ranging from 6 tonnes to 45 tonnes for general industrial turning applications.
• 3RS – Rail-Road Shunting Vehicle Rail-road shunting vehicle for maneuvering rail vehicles up to 350 or 800 tonnes. Travels on both rails and flat surfaces with four independently driven wheels.
• Large Part Machining Services Contract machining services on CNC gantry milling machines and vertical turning centers for large industrial components, including turning, milling, drilling, boring, and grinding operations.
• Machine Overhauls and Modernizations Capital repairs, modernizations, and relocation services for RAFAMET, POREBA, and other manufacturers' machine tools. Includes mechanical regeneration, hydraulic/electrical system upgrades, and CNC control modernizations.
• Design & Software Services Engineering services including mechanical/hydraulic design using SolidWorks, CNC programming for Sinumerik 840D/ONE systems, and PLC software development. Includes static calculations and technical documentation.
• Technical Support Services Installation, commissioning, technical inspections, maintenance, and warranty/post-warranty repairs for delivered equipment. Includes operator and maintenance training, spare parts supply, and ongoing customer support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70-80% export share of total sales
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• TBI TechnologyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTBI Technology represented PORĘBA Machine Tools brand at STOM-TOOL fair in Kielce.
• Polska Agencja Inwestycji i Handlu (PAIH)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPAIH organized Poland-Kazakhstan Business Forum in Astana where RAFAMET participated alongside ARP Group companies.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction: Korean industrial group with a rail vehicle and maintenance equipment portfolio. Overlaps with RAFAMET through rail depot equipment supply, particularly in Asian and Middle Eastern rail markets.
• Mazak: Japanese multi-axis CNC turning and machining center maker whose heavy-duty turning platforms serve large workpieces overlapping with RAFAMET's heavy industrial lathes, particularly for customers seeking single-supplier solutions.
• DMG MORI: Global broad-line CNC machine tool leader offering turning, milling, and additive machines. A larger incumbent whose general-purpose lathes and millturn centers can overlap with parts of RAFAMET's heavy industrial product range, though without rail-specific depth.

Others

• Loram Maintenance of Way: US-based rail maintenance service provider operating rail-mounted grinding and inspection equipment. Customers overlap with RAFAMET's wheel reprofiling clientele; not a machine tool peer but a strategic counterpart in rail MRO delivery.

Regional players

• Plasser & Theurer: Austrian manufacturer of railway track maintenance and overhead line equipment. Adjacent peer addressing rail maintenance workflows; complementary rather than directly competitive with RAFAMET's depot-based wheel lathes, but shares the same rail operator customer base.
• Skoda Transportation (Skoda Group): Czech manufacturer of locomotives, rail vehicles, and related equipment including wheel turning machinery for its own and adjacent maintenance depots in Central and Eastern Europe. Regional peer overlapping with RAFAMET's home-market customers.

Direct peers

• WFL Millturn Technologies (Hegenscheidt): Austrian machine tool maker that acquired Hegenscheidt, historically the other leading European rail wheel lathe specialist. Direct overlap with RAFAMET's UGE underfloor and U-series above-floor wheel lathes for railway wheelset maintenance.
• Schaudt (Fritz Studer Group): German manufacturer of precision cylindrical grinding machines, including rail wheel and axle profile grinding solutions. Competes with RAFAMET in rail wheel maintenance, particularly on grinding-based alternatives to lathe reprofiling.
• EMAG Group: German machine tool group producing vertical turning lathes and gear machining systems that overlap with RAFAMET's KDC/KCI vertical turning and PORĘBA horizontal lathe lines used in heavy industrial applications.

Emerging players

• Niles-Simmons Industrieanlagen: German manufacturer of heavy-duty turning, milling, and complete machining systems targeting rail, energy, and aerospace. Comparable portfolio overlap with RAFAMET's heavy industrial lathes and gantry milling machines for large workpieces.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/RafametVideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Rafamet-SA/111162608973935
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fabryka-obrabiarek-rafamet-sa

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Rafamet