Wilhelm Schafer Gmbh

What Wilhelm Schafer Gmbh does

Wilhelm Schäfer GmbH is a privately held German GmbH headquartered in Heppenheim (Hesse), founded in 1947 and operating under the trade name Wilhelm Schäfer Baumaschinen GmbH. Since 1985 the company has held exclusive rights to import and distribute Takeuchi construction machinery — primarily excavators and related attachments — across five European markets: Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Bulgaria. The company is a member of the Dutch Verhoeven Group since 2014, which serves as its corporate parent. Distribution is executed through a network of authorized Takeuchi dealers, supported by a dedicated B2B dealer portal (haendler.wschaefer.de), an online spare-parts ordering platform (etshop.wschaefer.de), and a consumer-facing fan shop (shop.wschaefer.de). The current Managing Director is Franz Beckmann.

The company's product and service portfolio centers on the Takeuchi brand and comprises five product families: construction machinery (Baumaschinen), attachments (Anbaugeräte), on-site service (Vor-Ort-Service), spare-parts service (Ersatzteilservice), and operator/technician training (Schulungen), supplemented by the Takeuchi Fleet Management (TFM) telematics system. The core technology is Takeuchi's premium Japanese construction-equipment platform, with Wilhelm Schäfer contributing to development and customization based on dealer and customer feedback. The business operates multilingual digital properties (German, Polish, English) and an active social presence across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, alongside paid acquisition through Google Ads and Meta Ads.

Wilhelm Schäfer generates revenue through a mix of one-time equipment sales to dealers and end customers, recurring spare-parts transactions (including through e-commerce), professional service fees for on-site maintenance and training, and a small merchandise line. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, consistent with dealer-mediated B2B construction-equipment sales. Customer concentration risk is structurally moderate: the downstream dealer base is distributed across five markets, but the business is wholly dependent on a single OEM (Takeuchi) and a single corporate parent (Verhoeven Group).

Name

Wilhelm Schafer Gmbh

Legal name

Wilhelm Schäfer GmbH

Website

https://wschaefer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wilhelm Schäfer GmbH is the exclusive European importer and distributor of Takeuchi construction machinery and spare parts across Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Bulgaria, selling through authorized dealers and digital channels since 1985.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Heppenheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of Takeuchi construction machinery including excavators and attachments to dealers and end customers.
2. Spare Parts Sales: Sale of replacement parts and spare parts service through e-commerce platform (etshop.wschaefer.de) and dealer network.
3. Service and Maintenance: On-site service, repairs, and maintenance services for construction equipment.
4. Training Services: Training services for equipment operators and technicians.
5. Merchandise/Fan Shop: Sale of branded merchandise through shop.wschaefer.de.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Wilhelm Schäfer GmbH imports, customizes, and distributes Takeuchi compact construction machinery and attachments as the exclusive Takeuchi distributor for Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Bulgaria. The company supplements equipment sales with spare parts supply, on-site repair service, dealer and customer training, and the Takeuchi Fleet Management (TFM) telematics platform. It serves construction professionals, rental operators, and an authorized dealer network across the five-country territory.

Product overview

Wilhelm Schäfer GmbH is the exclusive Takeuchi import and distribution partner for Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Bulgaria. The company distributes premium Takeuchi construction machinery (Baumaschinen) and attachments (Anbaugeräte), supported by a network of authorized dealers. The product portfolio centers on Takeuchi excavators and related construction equipment, complemented by an attachments line, all backed by comprehensive after-sales services including on-site service, spare parts, and training. The company also operates online platforms including an e-shop for spare parts ordering and a dealer portal for its partner network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Takeuchi Compact Excavators and Construction Machinery Imported and distributed Takeuchi compact excavators and construction machinery sold to dealers, contractors, and rental companies across Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Bulgaria.
• Takeuchi Construction Attachments Takeuchi-branded attachments for compact excavators distributed alongside the core machinery line to construction equipment buyers in the five-country territory.
• Vor-Ort-Service (On-Site Service) On-site maintenance and repair service delivered to customers operating Takeuchi machines in the field across the five-country distribution territory.
• Ersatzteilservice (Spare Parts Service) Spare parts supply service for Takeuchi machinery, supporting dealers and end customers with replacement components.
• Schulungen (Training Programs) Training programs for dealers and end customers covering Takeuchi equipment operation, maintenance, and service.
• TFM (Takeuchi Fleet Management) Telematics-based fleet management platform offering remote equipment monitoring and utilization tracking for Takeuchi machine owners and operators.
• Spare Parts E-Shop Online ordering platform for Takeuchi spare parts accessible to dealers and customers.
• Händlerportal (Dealer Portal) Online portal supporting authorized Takeuchi dealers with ordering, information, and account management.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TakeuchicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive import and distribution partnership since 1985. Wilhelm Schäfer GmbH serves as the exclusive importer and distributor of Takeuchi construction machinery for Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Bulgaria, including aftersales and spare parts services. The company provides market feedback to Takeuchi for product development.
• Verhoeven GroupcoreOthersWilhelm Schäfer GmbH (operating as Wilhelm Schäfer Baumaschinen GmbH) has been a member of the Dutch Verhoeven Group since 2014, providing corporate affiliation and group synergies.
• Creditreform Mannheim Dangmann KGminorOthersCreditreform Mannheim Dangmann KG provides bonität checks (credit checks) for Wilhelm Schäfer GmbH during contract establishment and in certain cases where legitimate interest exists.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Zeppelin Baumaschinen GmbH: Largest Caterpillar dealer in Europe and the broader Zeppelin Group's construction equipment division, operating across multiple European countries with extensive sales, rental, service, and digital capabilities. Represents a scaled incumbent with overlapping territory and customer base but a much wider brand and service portfolio.

Direct peers

• Nagel Baumaschinen: German construction equipment dealer group operating multi-brand sales, rental, service, and parts operations across Northern Germany. Comparable as a regional construction equipment distributor serving contractors with similar product categories (excavators, attachments) and customer profile.
• Swecon Baumaschinen GmbH & Co. KG: Volvo Construction Equipment's exclusive distribution partner across Germany with a network of branches handling sales, parts, service, and training. Directly comparable as a premium-brand construction equipment distributor operating a similar full-service dealer model in the same German market.
• Holp GmbH: Austrian-based Takeuchi construction machinery distributor covering Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Eastern Europe. Directly comparable as another exclusive Takeuchi distribution partner operating in adjacent Central European territories with similar excavator and attachment product lines.
• Kiesel GmbH: German-headquartered construction equipment distributor representing Komatsu, Hitachi, and other premium Japanese brands across the DACH region. Highly comparable as a multi-brand Japanese construction equipment wholesaler with parts, service, training, and digital dealer infrastructure serving the same customer base.
• Huppenkothen GmbH: Austrian/Swiss/German distributor specializing in compact construction equipment including Kubota and Takeuchi product lines, with sales, parts, and service operations. Directly comparable as another compact-equipment specialist distributor serving overlapping Central European markets.
• Robert Aebi GmbH: German-Swiss construction equipment distributor with deep roots in the Komatsu and Hitachi product lines, providing sales, parts, and service across the DACH region. Comparable as a multi-brand Japanese construction equipment distributor with a similar go-to-market through authorized dealers and aftersales support.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCr2PIPiTyhAABg7xoTX3V2w
• Facebookfacebook.com/TakeuchiDeutschland
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/wilhelm-sch%C3%A4fer-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/wschaefer_gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Wilhelm Schafer Gmbh