Wolf Heilmann Gmbh

What Wolf Heilmann Gmbh does

Wolf Heilmann GmbH is a privately held German consulting and reseller firm serving the paper and cardboard manufacturing industry. Founded in 1984 by Wolf Heilmann and restructured in 2024 (merging operations with Dr. Arne Krolle and rebranding from 'wolf heilmann produkte für die papiererzeugung'), the company is headquartered in the Augsburg region of Germany and operates primarily in Europe with select exposure in Asia and North America. It serves paper mills, cardboard manufacturers, and suppliers, providing solutions in energy efficiency, decarbonization, runnability, and production quality. Named reference customers include Smurfit Townsend Hook (whose steam-reduction project was selected as most valuable publication by Dutch VNP in 2023) and Papier- und Kartonfabrik Varel (a Klass Filter installation).

The firm does not manufacture its own products. Instead, it operates a curated partner-network model that resells and implements third-party technologies: Compact Engineering eNIR infrared dryers, NCR Biochemical process chemicals (coating, felt cleaning, defoamers, enzymes), Klass Filter fine-filtration systems (Jet Wing Liquid down to 25 μm), Oguma Iron Works Ogumazer reject extruders (converting rejects into 18–24 MJ/kg pellets), CF ProcSim and AutomationX digital twins with local AI for predictive control, WIPA fiber-recovery systems (20–40% fiber recovery from rejects), BM Green Cooling waste-to-heat/steam/cool solutions, Aquatan bentonite, Steiner dyes, Spooner conditioning, and ProJet screen cleaning. Quantified outcomes claimed include up to 10% steam reduction, 8% via digital twins, Klass Filter payback in 3–9 months, and eNIR dryers evaporating twice as much water per kWh as other electric IR dryers.

The business model combines professional consulting services with hardware/equipment resale through partner channels. Go-to-market is sales-led, with direct consulting relationships to paper mills supported by an extensive partner network and a sales footprint that was extended to western and northwestern regions in July 2025 with the addition of Hans-Peter Neffgen. Marketing is concentrated in industry conferences (IMPS, Zellcheming Expo, PTS Coating Symposium, VNP Technology Kring, International Paper Technology Conference) and technical publications in trade journals (Wochenblatt für Papierfabrikation, Professional Papermaking). The company also holds a granted German patent (DE 4439889) on belt-tension control and is part of the Fiber Nexus strategic alliance with KPNB and Petax.

Name

Wolf Heilmann Gmbh

Legal name

wolf heilmann GmbH

Website

https://wolfheilmann.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wolf Heilmann GmbH is a German consulting and reseller firm serving paper and cardboard manufacturers with energy efficiency, decarbonization, and process-optimization solutions delivered through a curated network of technology partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Augsburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Technical consulting for paper factories and suppliers, including process optimization, energy efficiency improvements, and decarbonization strategies.
2. Partner Products Sales: Resale and implementation of partner technologies including Compact Engineering dryers, Klass filters, Oguma equipment, NCR chemicals, and other specialized paper industry solutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Wolf Heilmann GmbH is a German technical consulting and sales company serving the paper and cardboard manufacturing industry. The company provides process optimization consulting focused on energy efficiency, decarbonization, runnability, and quality improvement for paper mills. It also acts as a sales and integration channel for a curated network of partner technologies including eNIR infrared dryers, digital twin process simulation, filtration systems, reject processing extruders, and process chemicals.

Product overview

Wolf Heilmann GmbH is a consulting and sales company for the paper and cellulose industry, offering a portfolio of specialized partner products and consulting services. The portfolio includes NCR Biochemical process chemicals (coating, felt cleaning, deaerators, enzymes), Compact Engineering eNIR infrared dryers (Apollo, Titan, Corona models), CF ProcSim digital twins for process simulation, AutomationX process control systems, Klass Filter filtration equipment (Jet Wing Liquid, Wendelfilter), Oguma Iron Works reject extruders (Ogumazer), WIPA fiber recovery systems, BM Green Cooling energy solutions, Aquatan bentonite products, Steiner dyes, Spooner conditioning products, and ProJet screen cleaning systems. The company provides consulting services focused on energy efficiency, decarburization, runnability, and quality optimization for paper mills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paper Mill Process Optimization Consulting

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 10% less steam consumption at same production and quality
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

AI capability1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• BM Green CoolingsupportingTechnology or Integration · 12 January 2025Develops and delivers energy-efficient cooling and heating solutions for paper factories: Waste to Heat, Waste to Steam, Waste to Cool. Complements drying solutions for complete decarbonization.
• SpoonersupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Partner for felt conditioning and drying solutions, added to network in 2024.
• PROPAKMAsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Strategic cooperation for reject treatment evaluation and business case development. Provides excellent knowledge in reject stream valuation and is integrated in a large network.
• Compact EngineeringcoreTechnology or IntegrationKey partner for eNIR dryers, infrared drying technology, profile control, edge drying, coating drying, and preheating solutions. Their technology enables significant energy savings in paper drying.
• NCR BiochemicalcoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading manufacturer of chemicals for tissue, paper, and cardboard production. Technology leader for coating in tissue production, market leader in Italian tissue market. Products include felt cleaning, deaerators, defoamers, enzymes, and coating solutions.
• Klass FiltercoreTechnology or IntegrationKlass Filter GmbH provides innovative filtration technology including Jet Wing Liquid for fine filtration, removing particles down to 25μm without backflushing. Ideal as police filter for spray pipes.
• Oguma Iron WorkscoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the Ogumazer reject extruder that converts rejects and sludge into valuable pellets with high calorific value (18-24 MJ/kg). First European installation in 2025.
• AutomationXcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides digital twin technology combined with CF ProcSim for process monitoring and optimization, enabling up to 8% steam consumption reduction.
• CF ProcSimcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides physics and thermodynamics-based digital twin algorithms combined with AutomationX for process optimization and energy savings.
• AquatansupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides bentonite products for sticky control, retention improvement, smoothness improvement, and fiber bonding. Helps reduce production disturbances and increase dry content after press.
• SteinersupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides paper dyes and colors for paper coloring applications, particularly for corrugated medium.
• WIPA Werkzeug & MaschinenbausupportingTechnology or IntegrationFiber recovery systems for separating plastics from rejects, with 30 years of experience. Enables 20-40% fiber recovery from dry reject matter.
• ProJetsupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides dry sieve cleaning and former sieve cleaning solutions.
• Fiber Nexus (with KPNB and Petax)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance making it easier for paper factories to find solutions for difficult challenges. With fewer resources, more can be achieved.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PROPAKMA GmbH: European consulting and engineering firm specializing in reject stream valuation and paper-mill process optimization; comparable as a small specialized consultancy, and notably an actual partner of Wolf Heilmann via Dr. Arne Krolle.
• Paperchine / Kadant Johnson (legacy): Specialty paper-industry equipment maker for drying and stock preparation; directly comparable niche product overlap with Wolf Heilmann's Compact Engineering drying solutions and partner-product model.
• Kadant Inc. Supplier of process equipment and consumables for the paper industry including stock-preparation, drying, and fiber recovery; closely comparable to Wolf Heilmann's partner-product resale model for filtration, drying, and fiber recovery.

Emerging players

• Cellwood Machinery: Supplies reject handling, fiber recovery, and pulping equipment to paper mills; closely comparable to Wolf Heilmann's WIPA fiber recovery and Ogumazer reject-to-fuel offerings, though it operates as an OEM rather than a consulting reseller.

Broad incumbents

• Siemens Process Industries: Provides automation and digitalization solutions (e.g., SIMATIC PCS 7) for paper mills including process optimization and energy management; a broad incumbent alternative to Wolf Heilmann's digital-twin consulting stack.
• ABB Process Industries (Paper): Provides automation, digital, and process-control solutions for paper mills globally; overlaps with Wolf Heilmann's AutomationX/CF ProcSim digital-twin offering but is a much larger incumbent with direct sales.
• Valmet: Global leader in pulp and paper process technologies, offering machinery, automation, and services that overlap with Wolf Heilmann's consulting, drying, and process-optimization offerings, but at far greater scale and with proprietary equipment.
• Voith Paper: Provider of paper machinery, services, and digital solutions to the paper industry; competes with Wolf Heilmann in process optimization and energy efficiency but at much larger scale and as an OEM.
• ANDRITZ: Major supplier of pulp and paper machinery and services, including drying, fiber processing, and digitalization; comparable to Wolf Heilmann's portfolio but operates as a large incumbent with direct sales rather than partner-led consulting.

Others

• PTS (Papiertechnische Stiftung): German research and service institute for the paper industry offering coatings, materials testing, and industry events; an adjacent ecosystem participant that collaborates with Wolf Heilmann on customer-facing projects rather than competing directly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wolf-heilmann-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Wolf Heilmann Gmbh