VDG-Akademie

What VDG-Akademie does

VDG-Akademie is the leading professional training and continuing education institution for the German foundry industry, operated by BDG-Service GmbH from the Haus der Gießerei-Industrie in Düsseldorf. It serves the German Gießerei sector — including foundry companies, their customers, the supplier industry, and individual working professionals — through a portfolio that includes the VDG-Meisterlehrgang (12-month IHK Master Craftsman preparation priced at €7,900), the VDG-Zusatzstudium Gießereitechnik (a five-module university-level supplementary studies program priced at €9,500, delivered through RWTH Aachen, Hochschule Aalen, TU Clausthal-Zellerfeld, and TU Bergakademie Freiberg), more than 50 technical seminars and workshops, large industry conferences (Deutscher Gießereitag, Iron Melting Conference & Exhibition, Eisenguss-Forum, Formstoff-Forum), and customized in-house corporate training. Ralf Stog serves as Geschäftsführer of BDG-Service GmbH, and the operation runs on approximately 7 employees.

The organization is structurally embedded in the industry's institutional architecture: BDG-Service GmbH is a subsidiary vehicle of the Bundesverband der Deutschen Gießerei-Industrie (BDG) and is co-anchored by the VDG Verein Deutscher Giessereifachleute, the professional association of foundry specialists. The Academy holds AZAV certification (re-issued in 2025, valid until 2030), which qualifies its participants for Aufstiegs-BAföG government funding — a 40% non-repayable grant plus a low-interest KfW loan. Online delivery is enabled through partnerships with SBH West GmbH (Meisterlehrgang online modules) and Foundry Skills (webinars, including English-language technical terminology courses).

Revenue mechanics are fee-based across five streams: participant fees for Meisterlehrgang and Zusatzstudium cohorts, per-seminar unit pricing (€945-€2,565), conference registration and exhibition/sponsorship packages (e.g., IMCE 2026 exhibition €3,000, sponsoring €2,000, combo €4,500), and negotiated in-house corporate training contracts. Pricing for most offerings is listed as tax-free under § 4 Ziffer 22 UStG. The customer base is fragmented across many small/medium industry transactions rather than concentrated in a few anchor accounts, and revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

VDG-Akademie

Legal name

BDG-Service GmbH

Website

https://vdg-akademie.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VDG-Akademie is the leading professional training and continuing education provider for the German foundry industry, operated by BDG-Service GmbH from Düsseldorf. It offers Master Craftsman certification, university-level supplementary studies, 50+ technical seminars, industry conferences, and customized corporate training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foundry Industry Professional Training and Continuing Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction, Engineering & Skilled Trades Licensure Prep (EDAAANAL)

Keywords

• Foundry industry training
• Professional development courses
• Master craftsman certification
• Foundry engineering education
• Industrial qualification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Meisterlehrgang (Master Craftsman Training): Comprehensive preparation course for Industriemeister IHK examination in foundry technology. The 12-month hybrid program costs €7,900 and includes online and in-person instruction. Revenue is generated through participant fees paid by individuals or employers.
2. VDG-Zusatzstudium (Supplementary Studies): Part-time supplementary university studies in foundry technology spanning 5 modules over approximately 1 year. Modules 1-5 cost €9,500; the Grundmodul costs €1,900. Delivered in collaboration with RWTH Aachen, Hochschule Aalen, TU Clausthal-Zellerfeld, and TU Bergakademie Freiberg.
3. Seminars and Workshops: Individual seminars and workshops on foundry technical topics. Pricing ranges from €945 to €2,565 per course depending on duration and content. Includes courses on casting defects, material science, die casting, and environmental management.
4. Fachtagungen (Industry Conferences): Large-scale industry conferences including Iron Melting Conference & Exhibition (€790 regular, €690 early bird), Deutscher Gießereitag (€599-699), and specialized forums. Revenue from registration fees, exhibition booths, and sponsorships.
5. Inhouse-Schulungen (Corporate Training): Customized training programs delivered at client companies. Pricing negotiated based on specific company requirements, duration, and participant numbers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VDG-Akademie delivers vocational qualification courses (Meisterlehrgang), university-level supplementary studies (Zusatzstudium), 50+ technical seminars and workshops, and large industry conferences for the German foundry industry. Programs are delivered in a hybrid format combining online instruction with in-person training at the Haus der Gießerei-Industrie in Düsseldorf, in partnership with leading German technical universities and the BDG/VDG industry associations.

Product overview

VDG-Akademie operates as a comprehensive educational center for the foundry industry, offering a portfolio of training products that includes vocational qualification programs (Meisterlehrgang), university-level supplementary studies (Zusatzstudium), seminars and qualification courses, workshops, major industry conferences (Fachtagungen), and in-house training services. The offerings are coordinated across multiple German universities and research institutions and delivered primarily from the Haus der Gießerei-Industrie in Düsseldorf, with online components through partnerships like SBH West GmbH and Foundry Skills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VDG-Meisterlehrgang (Master Craftsman Training) Preparatory course for the IHK (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) examination for Industrial Master in Foundry Technology (Industriemeister Gießerei). The hybrid program combines online learning with in-person training at the Haus der Gießerei-Industrie in Düsseldorf, targeting working professionals in the foundry industry seeking IHK-recognized Master Craftsman certification.
• VDG-Zusatzstudium Gießereitechnik (Supplementary Studies in Foundry Technology) Part-time supplementary university studies in foundry technology leading to certification as Gießerei-Fachingenieur*in VDG. Conducted in cooperation with RWTH Aachen, Hochschule Aalen, TU Clausthal-Zellerfeld, and TU Bergakademie Freiberg, targeting engineers and lateral entrants seeking in-depth foundry technology knowledge.
• Seminare und Qualifizierungslehrgänge (Seminars and Qualification Courses) Over 50 seminars and qualification courses covering foundry technology topics and adjacent areas of management and work organization, including iron and steel casting, non-ferrous metal casting, die casting, mold materials, quality management, and environmental/health & safety.
• Workshops Hands-on workshop formats including practical training sessions such as Carbon Footprint calculation using the FRED tool, in collaboration with BDG and prosimalys GmbH.
• Fachtagungen (Industry Conferences) Large-scale industry conferences including Eisenguss-Forum, Deutscher Gießereitag, Iron Melting Conference & Exhibition (IMCE), and Formstoff-Forum. Generates revenue from registration fees, exhibition booths, and sponsorship packages.
• Inhouse-Schulungen (In-House Corporate Training) Customized training programs delivered at client companies' premises, tailored to specific organizational needs and workforce development requirements.
• Online-Formate mit Foundry Skills (Online Webinars and Courses) Online courses and webinars in foundry technology offered in cooperation with Foundry Skills, including topics for newcomers to the industry and English technical terminology courses. Accessible internationally.

Quantifiable outcome

• AZAV certification confirmed until 2030
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SBH West GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for online delivery of the Meisterlehrgang (Master Craftsman preparation). SBH West GmbH provides online instruction for the Fachübergreifende Basisqualifikation (BQ) and parts of Handlungsspezifische Qualifikation (HQ) in shift-based format. Technical foundry-specific content remains at VDG-Akademie in Düsseldorf.
• Foundry SkillsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollaboration to offer online webinars on foundry technology topics accessible to broader audience. Courses include Gießereitechnik für Neu- und Quereinsteiger, Technische Grundlagen, and English Fachbegriffe der Gießereitechnik.
• RWTH AachencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for VDG-Zusatzstudium Gießereitechnik. Host of Grundmodul and Module 1 for the supplementary studies program in foundry technology.
• Hochschule AalencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for VDG-Zusatzstudium. Host of Module 2 for the supplementary studies program.
• TU Bergakademie FreibergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for VDG-Zusatzstudium. Host of Module 3 and venue for Formstoff-Forum events.
• TU Clausthal-ZellerfeldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for VDG-Zusatzstudium. Host of Module 4 for the supplementary studies program.
• Project Engineering GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for seminars in Nußloch including Aluminium Bauteile gussgerecht konstruieren, Leichtmetall-Druckguss, and Gussfehler analysieren.
• BDG-Service GmbHcoreOthersOperating entity of VDG-Akademie. BDG-Service GmbH operates the training academy under the VDG-Akademie brand, handling administrative and operational functions.
• Bundesverband der Deutschen Gießerei-Industrie e.V. (BDG)coreOthersIndustry association that BDG-Service GmbH belongs to. Provides industry network access, expert committees, and legitimacy for VDG-Akademie programs.
• VDG Verein Deutscher Giessereifachleute e.V.coreOthersProfessional association of foundry specialists. Co-organizer of industry events and provider of expert network for training content.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DEKRA Akademie: Major German provider of vocational qualification courses, certified training and corporate upskilling. Operates a comparable seminar/qualification model but targets a broad cross-industry audience rather than a single vertical like foundry.
• TÜV Rheinland Akademie: Continuing education arm of TÜV Rheinland offering certified industrial training, quality and safety seminars, and qualification programs. Operates at broader industrial scope with similar hybrid delivery format as VDG-Akademie.
• TÜV SÜD Akademie: Large-scale certification, testing and corporate training arm of TÜV SÜD. Comparable in delivering accredited seminars and certification prep across industrial topics, but at significantly broader scope and scale than VDG-Akademie's foundry specialization.

Others

• Handwerkskammer Düsseldorf: Regional craft chamber that runs Meister preparation courses and certifications. Comparable channel/credential infrastructure and overlapping customer base of skilled trades professionals advancing to Master-level qualifications.
• IHK Düsseldorf: Regional Chamber of Industry and Commerce that administers the IHK Industriemeister examinations for which VDG-Akademie prepares candidates. A direct ecosystem partner and the credentialing gatekeeper — and a potential direct competitor if chambers expand in-house exam prep.

Direct peers

• Dr. Eckert Akademie: Private German vocational training provider with technical and commercial course programs delivered at multiple campuses. Closely comparable mid-sized, multi-format vocational training operator with similar course catalog and pricing structure.
• DVS (Deutscher Verband für Schweißen und verwandte Verfahren): Germany's welding and joining industry association with its own DVS Bildungszentrum network offering Meister/IHK-equivalent qualification courses, seminars and conferences for welders and joining specialists — the closest industry-association-owned vocational training analogue to VDG-Akademie's foundry focus.
• SLV Schweißtechnische Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt: Network of welding technology training and research institutes (e.g., SLV Duisburg) delivering Meister-level qualifications, technical seminars and industry-aligned workshops for an adjacent metal-processing trade; directly mirrors VDG-Akademie's structure.
• bbw Bildungswerk der Bayerischen Wirtschaft: Association-affiliated vocational training network offering Meister courses, technical seminars and corporate upskilling across multiple trades. Closely comparable governance model (industry association-owned) and qualification portfolio to VDG-Akademie.
• Haus der Technik (HDT): Germany's largest independent technical continuing education institute for engineers and technical specialists. Highly comparable to VDG-Akademie in operating model — industry-specific seminars, conferences, certificate programs, and partner-university courses — but across a much broader industrial portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vdg-akademie-vdg-e-v
• Instagraminstagram.com/vdgakademie

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 VDG-Akademie