Nippes
Nippes is a 100-year-old, family-owned Solingen manufacturer of premium stainless steel manicure and pedicure instruments, selling directly to consumers through its online shop and to pharmacies via a dedicated B2B portal and POS display program across ~25 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1923
- HeadquartersSolingen, Germany
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Nippes does
Gebrüder Nippes GmbH & Co. KG (operating as Nippes Solingen) is a family-owned German manufacturer of premium manicure and pedicure instruments, founded in 1923 by brothers Ernst and Friedrich Nippes in Solingen — the historic center of German cutlery and steel tool manufacturing. The company produces precision stainless steel tools including nail scissors, nail and skin pliers, nail clippers, tweezers, sapphire/ceramic/glass nail files, callus rasps, hairdressing scissors, and complete manicure sets in leather or vegan EORI Eukalyptus cases. Production is described as a Manufaktur (manufactory) combining traditional hand craftsmanship — hand grinding, hand finishing, hand assembly — with modern precision machining. Specialty features include nail-catcher nail clippers, LED-equipped tweezers, and left-handed scissors. The company offers a 25-year product warranty across its range.
The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model. Direct-to-consumer sales are conducted through the company's e-commerce storefront (shop.nippes-solingen.de) with publicly listed pricing, German VAT-inclusive, and shipping across the EU plus a limited set of additional countries. A dedicated B2B pharmacy portal (Apotheken-Shop) serves registered pharmacies with wholesale pricing and exclusive access, and the company supports this channel with a pre-packaged POS display program (countertop and floor displays ranging from 24 to 151 pieces) for impulse purchase at pharmacy counters. International distribution is handled through partner distributors in approximately 25 countries across Europe, MENA, Asia-Pacific, Oceania, and North America. Customer segments are split between individual end consumers (B2C) and pharmacies/retailers (B2B), with both treated as primary in the company's segmentation approach.
The company is privately held, family-owned, and operates with a stated headcount of 8 employees from its headquarters at Straussplatz 2, Solingen. It is described as one of the last owner-managed traditional Solingen manufacturers. No external investors, M&A activity, funding rounds, or public listing are evidenced. Digital presence is limited to the corporate website, the online shop, the B2B portal, and a Facebook page. Expansion activity in recent years has been incremental: the new B2B pharmacy portal, the Verde vegan product line, POS display program extensions, and Amazon Pay integration. The company does not appear to be hiring aggressively or pursuing technology-driven growth, consistent with a niche, brand-anchored specialty manufacturer.
Nippes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nippes
- Legal name
- Gebrüder Nippes GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://nippes-solingen.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1923
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Nippes is a 100-year-old, family-owned Solingen manufacturer of premium stainless steel manicure and pedicure instruments, selling directly to consumers through its online shop and to pharmacies via a dedicated B2B portal and POS display program across ~25 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nippes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Manicure and Pedicure Instruments
- NAICS
- Cutlery and Handtool Manufacturing (3322), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)
- SIC
- Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420)
- akta.pro industry
- Manicure & Pedicure Tools (Files, Clippers, Cuticle Tools)
Keywords
Where Nippes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Solingen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Nippes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Direct E-Commerce (B2C): Consumer direct purchases via the Nippes online shop (shop.nippes-solingen.de), offering the full product catalog including manicure sets, scissors, tweezers, files, and accessories. Individual consumers purchase at listed retail prices with shipping fees by region.
- B2B Pharmacy Channel: Exclusive online portal for registered pharmacies (Apotheken-Shop) to purchase at commercial terms, browse the full Nippes range, and access wholesale pricing. Pharmacists purchase manicure instruments and retail displays for point-of-sale placement.
- Retail Display Programs: Pre-packaged countertop and floor display units (e.g., Beauty Display, B13-B16 floor displays) sold to pharmacies and retailers as turnkey POS solutions. These contain curated product assortments (e.g., 72 pieces, 82 pieces, 151 pieces) for impulse purchases at the pharmacy counter.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual products — nail clippers, scissors, tweezers, files |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Retail display bundles for pharmacy counters and floor stands |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Nippes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gebrüder Nippes GmbH & Co. KG manufactures and sells premium manicure and pedicure instruments — including nail scissors, nail pliers, nail clippers, tweezers, skin scissors, nail files, hair brushes, and curated manicure sets — produced primarily by hand from stainless Solingen steel. The range is sold direct-to-consumer via the Nippes online shop and wholesale to pharmacies and retail partners through the exclusive Apotheken-Shop B2B portal and pre-packaged point-of-sale displays.
Product overview
Nippes Solingen (Gebrüder Nippes GmbH & Co. KG) is a traditional Solingen-based manufacturer of premium manicure and pedicure instruments established in 1923, operating as a family-owned company with a 100-year heritage. The product portfolio centers on handcrafted stainless steel instruments including nail scissors, nail pliers, nail clippers, tweezers, skin scissors, and nail files, organized across core products and multiple sub-brands. Manicure sets form a significant product category, offered in various configurations (3-piece, 5-piece, 7-piece) housed in leather etuis (classic Rindleder or innovative vegan EORI Eukalyptus leather for the Verde line). Specialized offerings include baby nail clippers with safety features, tick removal tweezers, cosmetic tweezers in decorative designs (Zitrus, Retro, Love), and B2B point-of-sale displays for pharmacies. The company maintains both B2C (online shop) and B2B (pharmacy/ex reseller) sales channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nippes Solingen: Primary brand for manicure and pediküre instruments made in Solingen, Germany
- Nippes Online-Shop
- Apotheken-Shop
Products and services
- Nagelscheren (Nail Scissors)
Quantifiable outcome
- Products designed to last a lifetime — 'Nippes Qualität hält ein Leben lang' (Nippes quality lasts a lifetime)
Companies that use Nippes
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Nippes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature5 records
Nippes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- AmazonminorAmazon Pay is accepted as a payment method on shop.nippes-solingen.de, allowing Amazon customers to use their existing Amazon account for faster checkout. This provides a streamlined purchasing option leveraging Amazon's authentication and payment infrastructure.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Nippes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Zwilling J.A. Henckels: Historic Solingen-based cutlery and kitchen tools manufacturer with a broader manicure and grooming instruments line. Shares the Solingen heritage, premium positioning, and product categories with Nippes, but operates at much greater scale across kitchen and grooming.
- Wüsthof: Solingen-based premium knife and cutlery manufacturer with broader product portfolio. While primarily known for kitchen knives, Wüsthof shares the Solingen manufacturing heritage and premium steel craftsmanship positioning with Nippes.
- Beurer: German personal care devices and beauty tools manufacturer with broader electric and electronic product portfolio. Competes in the same consumer channel (pharmacies, drugstores) for nail and grooming care, though more focused on electronic devices.
Direct peers
- DOVO Solingen: Solingen-based manufacturer of premium grooming instruments including straight razors, manicure tools, and tweezers. Most directly comparable to Nippes in craft heritage, geographic origin, and product category specialization in personal grooming steel instruments.
- Böker: Solingen-based knife and tool maker with a dedicated manicure and grooming instruments line. Shares the Solingen craftsmanship tradition, hand-finishing techniques, and B2B retail distribution through pharmacies and specialty stores with Nippes.
- Erbe Solingen: Solingen-based manufacturer specializing in manicure, pedicure, and cosmetic instruments for retail and pharmacy channels. Directly comparable product portfolio, target customer (German pharmacies), and Solingen heritage to Nippes.
- Tweezerman: US-based premium beauty tools brand specializing in tweezers, manicure, and pedicure instruments. Comparable as a premium-positioned, specialty beauty tools brand with strong retail presence, but with broader consumer-market reach than Nippes.
- Vitry: French manufacturer of manicure, pedicure, and beauty instruments sold through pharmacies and specialty retail. Comparable in product category, pharmacy channel distribution, and premium positioning, though without Solingen heritage.
- Rubis Switzerland: Swiss manufacturer of premium precision tweezers and beauty instruments with strong heritage positioning. Comparable as a small, premium, heritage-branded beauty tools specialist competing for similar high-end consumer and professional segments.
BROAD_INCINCUMBENT_BROAD_INCUMBENTs
- Zwilling Beauty (TWEEZERMAN / ZWILLING Beauty Group): Beauty tools division of Zwilling Group encompassing Tweezerman and acquired premium tool brands. Comparable as a broader portfolio player in beauty instruments leveraging scale and channel depth beyond what Nippes can access independently.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Nippes social profiles
Digital presenceNippes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nippes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Nippes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nippes M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nippes
What does Nippes do?
Gebrüder Nippes GmbH & Co. KG manufactures and sells premium manicure and pedicure instruments — including nail scissors, nail pliers, nail clippers, tweezers, skin scissors, nail files, hair brushes, and curated manicure sets — produced primarily by hand from stainless Solingen steel. The range is sold direct-to-consumer via the Nippes online shop and wholesale to pharmacies and retail partners through the exclusive Apotheken-Shop B2B portal and pre-packaged point-of-sale displays.
Is Nippes a public or private company?
Nippes is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Nippes founded?
Nippes was founded in 1923.
Where is Nippes based?
Nippes is headquartered in Solingen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Nippes make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct E-Commerce (B2C) is the primary driver. The others are B2B Pharmacy Channel and retail Display Programs.
Who are Nippes's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Zwilling J.A. Henckels, Wüsthof and Beurer. Direct peers are DOVO Solingen, Böker, Erbe Solingen, Tweezerman, Vitry and Rubis Switzerland. Zwilling Beauty (TWEEZERMAN / ZWILLING Beauty Group) is listed as a BROAD_INCINCUMBENT_BROAD_INCUMBENT.
Does Nippes have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nippes.
What industry is Nippes in?
Nippes's product category is Manicure and Pedicure Instruments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRABAKAE, Manicure & Pedicure Tools (Files, Clippers, Cuticle Tools). Its NAICS code is 3322 and its SIC code is 2844.