Rk Siebdrucktechnik Gmbh

What Rk Siebdrucktechnik Gmbh does

RK Siebdrucktechnik GmbH (RKS) is a privately-held German industrial manufacturer founded in 1984 and headquartered in Rösrath near Cologne. The company specializes in high-precision screen printing squeegees and related grinding equipment, serving customers in solar/photovoltaic manufacturing, printed electronics and microelectronics (SMT, PCB, hybrid circuits), label and narrow web printing (Gallus, Stork, MPS, Nilpeter platforms), and general industrial screen printing. Its core technology is a stabilized two-component squeegee architecture combining high-performance polyurethane (original Vulkollan, no softener additives) with glass fiber or carbon fiber reinforced plastic carriers, produced via a thermally encapsulated (non-glued) molding process that delivers constant printing angle, plan-parallel edges, solvent resistance, and line fineness below 30 microns. RKS complements this with proprietary grinding machines (Type SM automatic with laser positioning, Type TT manual) and pneumatic squeegee holders, and notably pre-grinds every stabilized squeegee before shipment — a service positioning the company claims is unique worldwide.

RKS generates revenue primarily through one-time sales of catalog and customized squeegee products (sold by the meter, configured by carrier thickness, Shore hardness, length, and profile), capital equipment sales of grinding machines, and aftermarket service/maintenance for screen printing lines. Pricing is quote-based with minimum order quantities for custom specifications (e.g., RS WP Gallus types require minimum 10-piece orders). Go-to-market is B2B enterprise field sales via two dedicated sales representatives, supplemented by trade show participation (LOPEC, Future of Electronics) and downloadable product catalogues. The company maintains DIN ISO 9001:2015 certification (TÜV-verified) and holds a patent on its Carbon S squeegee design. A strategic co-development partnership with Gallus Ferd. Rüsch AG anchors its presence in the high-end label/narrow web segment, while over 600 grinding machines sold worldwide and daily shipments of hundreds of meters of squeegees establish its position as a European market leader in stabilized two-component squeegee systems. The company operates without disclosed external investors or parent company, with ownership resting with Managing Director Stefan Winter and what appears to be a tightly-held management/founder structure.

Name

Rk Siebdrucktechnik Gmbh

Legal name

RK Siebdrucktechnik GmbH

Website

https://rk-siebdruck.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RK Siebdrucktechnik GmbH is a German manufacturer founded in 1984 that produces stabilized two-component screen printing squeegees, grinding machines, and holders, serving solar, printed electronics, and label printing industries globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Screen Printing Equipment

NAICS

Printing and Related Support Activities (3231)

SIC

Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555)

akta.pro primary industry

Printing Operations (Rotary/Flat/Digital/Sublimation) (IMAOACAC)

Keywords

• Screen printing squeegees
• Industrial squeegee blades
• Rotary squeegee systems
• Squeegee grinding machines
• Printed electronics printing

Headquarters

HQ city

Rösrath

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Screen Printing Squeegee Sales: RKS generates revenue primarily through the manufacture and sale of screen printing squeegees and squeegee systems, including stabilized two-component blades, carbon fiber squeegees, rotary squeegees, and conventional squeegees. Products are sold as standard catalog items with customization options for dimensions, Shore hardness, and profiles.
2. Squeegee Grinding Machines: Sale of industrial grinding machines (Type SM and TT) for precision re-grinding and finishing of screen printing squeegees. Machines are available in various grinding lengths (1100-3600mm for SM series; 600mm and 1200mm for TT series).
3. Squeegee Holders and Accessories: Sale of pneumatic squeegee holder systems (Type U, Type S, Type PV/PE/SMT, Type B, Type DK), aluminum spacers, adapter strips, and peripheral equipment for screen printing machines.
4. Service and Maintenance: Full service and maintenance for screen printing lines and finishing equipment, including machinery service, machine maintenance, machine overhaul, repair service, electrical installation, cabinet production, and small batch production of mechanical components.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RKS manufactures and sells stabilized two-component screen printing squeegees combining high-performance polyurethane (Vulkollan) printing edges with fiberglass (GFRP) or carbon fiber (CFRP) carriers, sold in flatbed and rotary variants for industrial screen printing operations. The company also produces fully automatic and manual squeegee grinding machines (Type SM and Type TT) with laser positioning systems for precision post-processing, along with pneumatic squeegee holders and accessories. Products are sold as standard catalog items and custom configurations to manufacturers in solar, microelectronics, label/narrow web, and general industrial screen printing.

Product overview

RKS is a specialized manufacturer of screen printing squeegees and related equipment, founded in 1984. The product portfolio centers on stabilized squeegee systems including: RKS Carbon BW and Carbon S (carbon fiber reinforced squeegees), RKS System Squeegee (fiberglass spine with Vulkollan elastomer), and RKS Rotary Squeegees (RS, RS CC, RS WP variants for narrow web printing). Supporting products include RKS HT1 and HT3 polyurethane squeegees for demanding applications, RKS Printan color-coded universal squeegees, and RKS Grinding Machines (Type SM automatic and Type TT manual) for squeegee reworking. The company also offers a complete range of squeegee holders and specialized holders for solar/printed electronics applications. RKS positions itself as market leader in stabilized two-component squeegee blades made from polyurethane and carbon/glass fiber reinforced plastics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RKS Carbon BW Squeegee Multi-component hybrid squeegee with next-generation carbon fiber, featuring thermally impacted and molded printing edge from RKS HT material for extreme line fineness down to 30 microns. Designed for industrial flatbed screen printing in solar, printed electronics, SMT, and high-precision applications.
• RKS Carbon S Squeegee Patented carbon fiber reinforced squeegee in original Vulkollan quality with excellent chemical resistance and anti-abrasion properties, suitable for flatbed screen printing machines. Offers improved flexibility and static reduction versus conventional squeegees.
• RKS System Squeegee Two-component squeegee consisting of fiberglass (GFK) spine integrally joined to Vulkollan elastomer, providing constant plane-parallel print edge and repeatable screen printing results for industrial flatbed applications.
• RKS Rotary Squeegees RS Rotary screen printing squeegees with glass fiber support and Vulkollan elastomer for narrow web applications, compatible with various machine types including Gallus, Stork, MPS, and Nilpeter.
• RKS Rotary Squeegees RS CC Color-coded rotary squeegees with Shore hardness identification through colored printing edge (White 55°, Red 65°, Green 75°, Blue 85°), multi-component hybrid design with GRP carrier. Enables quick product identification during production changeovers.
• RKS Rotary Squeegees RS WP Carbon fiber reinforced rotary squeegees developed in cooperation with Gallus Ferd. Rüesch AG for Gallus screen printing units. Compatible with Gallus ECS 340, EM 260/280/410, R 160/200/250/300, RCS 330/430, TCS 250, and ICS 670 machine types.
• RKS HT1 Squeegee High-performance polyurethane squeegee with improved solvent resistance for UV and solvent-based inks, available in SOFT (65), MEDIUM (75), and HARD (85) Shore hardness.
• RKS HT3 Squeegee Specialized squeegee for solar and printed electronics industries with high solvent resistance, optimized for hybrid integrated circuit formulations and polymer paste printing.
• RKS Carbon HT PK Squeegee Hybrid squeegee combining high-performance polyurethane with carbon fiber carrier for SMT, head gaskets, and 3D printing applications.
• RKS Printan Squeegees Universal color-coded squeegee strips for all screen printing applications, available in Monoflex, Biflex, and Triflex profiles with various Shore hardnesses.
• RKS Printan Diamond Squeegees Diamond squeegees for solar industry and microelectronics applications, universal color-coded design.
• RKS Grinding Machines Type SM Fully automatic squeegee grinding machines with laser positioning, diamond double grinding wheel, and touch screen control. Models available: SM 1100 AL, SM 1600 AL, SM 2100 AL, SM 2600 AL with grinding lengths from 1100mm to 2600mm.
• RKS Grinding Machines Type TT Standardized manual squeegee grinding machines with double grinding wheel and vacuum extraction. Models: 600 TT (600mm) and 1200 TT (1200mm grinding length) for precision squeegee reworking.
• RKS Squeegee Holders Pneumatic squeegee holders including Type U and Type S with swivel motion for screen printing machines, providing precise squeegee clamping and motion control.
• RKS Squeegee Holder PVT / Microelectronic Specialized squeegee holders for Baccini and DEK printing lines, including Type B12 and Type DK holders with various clamping adaptors for solar and microelectronics production.
• RKS Squeegee Finishing Trolley Equipment for transporting squeegees, facilitating handling of squeegees during finishing and production operations.
• RKS Rolls Transportation Trolley Equipment for transporting rolls, facilitating material handling within squeegee and screen printing operations.
• RKS Service and Maintenance Full service and maintenance offering for screen printing lines and finishing equipment, including machinery service, machine maintenance, machine overhaul, repair service, electrical installation, cabinet production, and small batch production of mechanical components.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 15% higher print speeds achievable without compromising print quality when using RS/RS WP rotary blades compared to standard blades
• +5 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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Gallus Ferd. Rüesch AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRKS developed RS WP rotary squeegees in close cooperation with Gallus Ferd. Rüesch AG to complement specific parameters and high-end quality requirements for Gallus screen printing units. RKS produces OEM-quality rotary squeegees compatible with various Gallus machine types (ECS 340, EM 260/280/410, R 160/200/250/300, RCS 330/430, TCS 250, ICS 670) and the RS WP CC color-coded variants.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• EKRA: EKRA is a German-based manufacturer of screen printers for SMT and solar applications, directly comparable to RKS's microelectronics and PV customer segments and overlapping in screen printing consumables and squeegee-related accessories.
• Koenig & Bauer: Koenig & Bauer is a major global printing press manufacturer whose industrial and packaging printing machinery portfolio broadly encompasses screen and specialty printing, positioning it as a wider-industry incumbent adjacent to RKS's customer base.
• Gallus Ferd. Rüsch AG: Gallus is the OEM press manufacturer that RKS co-developed the RS WP rotary squeegee line with; while a partner rather than a squeegee maker, Gallus represents the broader narrow-web/label printing machinery market that RKS serves and competes around.
• Stork Prints: Stork Prints is a long-established manufacturer of rotary screen printing machines for textiles and technical applications; it is both a potential OEM platform (referenced in RKS's compatible machine list) and a broader incumbent in industrial screen printing.
• DEK (ASM Assembly Systems): DEK is a long-established SMT screen printer manufacturer whose Baccini/DEK printing lines are explicitly referenced in RKS's specialty holder product line, positioning DEK as an OEM-platform incumbent whose installed base anchors RKS's microelectronics squeegee revenue.

Regional players

• Ungricht: Ungricht is a European (Germany-based) manufacturer of precision screen printing and coating machines, comparable to RKS in serving European industrial screen printing customers with overlapping product categories including precision squeegee applications.

Direct peers

• ATMA: ATMA is a Taiwanese manufacturer of precision screen printing equipment and related consumables, including squeegee systems, directly competing with RKS for high-precision electronics, solar, and industrial screen printing customers.
• Sefar Group: Sefar is a global manufacturer of precision woven screen printing fabrics and related screen printing consumables; its squeegee and screen product portfolio overlaps with RKS's squeegee systems for industrial and electronics screen printing.
• FIMOR: FIMOR is a French-headquartered manufacturer of polyurethane squeegees and screen printing consumables, directly competing with RKS in stabilized polyurethane and specialty squeegees for industrial screen printing, solar, and printed electronics applications.
• SPS (Screen Print Solutions): SPS is referenced in RKS's own SEO metadata as a competing squeegee brand ('SPS squeegees, SPS'), operating in the same screen printing squeegee category and competing head-to-head for OEM and end-customer accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rk-siebdrucktechnik-gmbh

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 Rk Siebdrucktechnik Gmbh