Höfler GmbH

What Höfler GmbH does

Höfler GmbH is a German manufacturer of high-precision cylindrical gear grinding machines and cylindrical gear roll testing machines, headquartered in Putzbrunn, Miesbach, and operating as the HÖFLER Cylindrical Gear Technology business division within the Klingelnberg Group. The company supplies capital equipment and software to industrial gear manufacturers in automotive, wind power, maritime propulsion, rail, and general industrial machinery, where the precision, surface finish, and dimensional accuracy of cylindrical gears are critical to drivetrain performance and durability. Its technology stack centers on high-precision grinding platforms, integrated roll testing for quality assurance, and proprietary software for process programming, simulation, and control.

Höfler generates revenue primarily through one-time capital equipment sales executed via direct enterprise field sales, with a published website-driven request/quote model and no publicly disclosed pricing. The company serves multiple end-markets including industrial manufacturing (primary), automotive, wind power, maritime propulsion, and rail. After-sales services — including commissioning, maintenance, calibration, spare parts, retrofitting, and training — provide a recurring revenue tail and customer lock-in, complemented by structured trade fair presence (AMB, Japan Days) and thought-leadership content such as white papers and the "Gears for Ears" podcast.

Within the Klingelnberg Group, Höfler is integrated with three sibling divisions: Oerlikon Bevel Gear Technology (cutting, grinding, lapping, testing for bevel gears), KLINGELNBERG Precision Measuring Centers (including Hybrid Metrology), and Aiktec Digital Solutions (DDQM, Smart Factory, Smart Tracing, Smart Tooling, Smart Process Control, OPC UA/Umati connectivity). The combined offering enables a full cylindrical-and-bevel gear production workflow from rough cutting through precision grinding, metrology, and digital process optimization, backed by the Group's portfolio of over 200 registered patents.

Name

Höfler GmbH

Legal name

Höfler GmbH

Website

https://hofler.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Höfler GmbH manufactures high-precision cylindrical gear grinding and roll testing machines for industrial customers in automotive, wind, maritime, rail, and general industrial markets. It operates as the HÖFLER Cylindrical Gear Technology division within the publicly-traded Klingelnberg Group, distributing through direct enterprise field sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Gear Manufacturing Equipment

NAICS

Rolling Mill and Other Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (333519)

SIC

Machine Tools, Metal Cutting Types (3541)

akta.pro primary industry

Grinding, Honing & Superfinishing Equipment (IMAHADAE)

Keywords

• Gear grinding machines
• Cylindrical gear manufacturing
• Gear testing equipment
• Precision metrology systems
• Industrial machine tools

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Machine Tool Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of cylindrical gear grinding machines and roll testing machines to industrial customers. These are high-value capital equipment purchases typically involving direct sales engagement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Höfler GmbH designs, manufactures, and sells high-precision cylindrical gear grinding machines and cylindrical gear roll testing machines for industrial gear manufacturing applications. The offering is complemented by specialized software for programming, simulation, and process control of cylindrical gear production, plus comprehensive after-sales services including commissioning, maintenance, calibration, spare parts, and retrofitting.

Product overview

Höfler GmbH operates as a business division (HÖFLER Cylindrical Gear Technology) within the Klingelnberg Group, a world leader in gear machine development and manufacturing. The company's product portfolio centers on cylindrical gear manufacturing technology including grinding machines and roll testing machines, complemented by specialized software and after-sales support. Under the broader Klingelnberg Group umbrella, the offering spans four integrated business divisions: Oerlikon Bevel Gear Technology (cutting, grinding, lapping, and testing machines for bevel gears), Höfler Cylindrical Gear Technology (grinding and testing for cylindrical gears), Klingelnberg Precision Measuring Centers (high-precision inspection systems including Hybrid Metrology), and Aiktec Digital Solutions (software platforms for smart manufacturing including DDQM, Smart Factory, Smart Tracing, Smart Tooling, and Smart Process Control). This architecture enables integrated gear production workflows from manufacturing through precision measurement and digital process optimization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cylindrical Gear Grinding Machines

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Klingelnberg GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHöfler operates as a business division (HÖFLER Cylindrical Gear Technology) within the Klingelnberg Group. The company benefits from integration with other divisions including Oerlikon Bevel Gear Technology, Klingelnberg Precision Measuring Centers, and Aiktec Digital Solutions, enabling comprehensive gear manufacturing solutions.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gleason Corporation: Global market leader in gear manufacturing machinery (cutting, grinding, honing, and metrology) for cylindrical and bevel gears. Directly competes with Höfler in cylindrical gear grinding and roll testing, with overlapping automotive, wind, and industrial customers.
• KAPP Werkzeugmaschinen: Specialist German builder of gear profile grinding and finishing machines for cylindrical gears. Closely comparable to Höfler in product category, customer base (automotive, wind, industrial gearboxes), and precision-grinding value proposition.
• Samputensili: Italian manufacturer of gear cutting, grinding, and finishing machines plus tools, serving automotive, aerospace, and industrial gearbox makers. Directly comparable in cylindrical-gear manufacturing equipment and complementary tooling.
• Niles-Simmons Industrieanlagen: German machine tool builder specializing in gear cutting, turnkey gear manufacturing systems, and large cylindrical gear machining. Competes with Höfler in high-precision cylindrical gear production equipment.
• EMAG Group: German precision machine tool maker covering turning, grinding, gear cutting, and metrology for automotive and industrial drivetrain components. Overlaps with Höfler in cylindrical gear machining and precision grinding for power-transmission customers.

Broad incumbents

• Liebherr: Large diversified machinery group with a gear-cutting and automation solutions division serving aerospace, wind, mining, and construction equipment. A broader incumbent offering overlapping cylindrical-gear manufacturing capabilities as part of a much larger portfolio.
• DMG Mori: Global leader in CNC machine tools (turning, milling, grinding, additive). Competes broadly in metalworking machinery for precision drivetrain and gear-related components; serves similar automotive and industrial customers as Höfler.
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Machine Tool Division): Industrial conglomerate with a machine tool business that includes gear cutting equipment for automotive and industrial applications. Broad incumbent comparable on customer base and metalworking precision capabilities.
• Mazak Corporation: Global CNC machine tool maker (turning, milling, gear-cutting) with strong presence in automotive and industrial drivetrain supply chains. A broader incumbent competing for the same manufacturing-capex budgets as Höfler.
• Okuma Corporation: Major Japanese CNC machine tool manufacturer serving aerospace, automotive, and industrial drivetrain markets. Adjacent competitor in precision metal-cutting machinery used by Höfler's customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/h%C3%B6fler-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Höfler GmbH