Somatec Sondermaschinen Gmbh

What Somatec Sondermaschinen Gmbh does

SOMATEC Sondermaschinen GmbH, founded in 1996 in Hameln, Germany by Dipl.Ing. Günther Kuhlmann and currently led by managing director Thorsten Kuhlmann, designs and manufactures custom special machines (Sondermaschinen) for the winding, unwinding, slitting, and converting of web-shaped materials including paper, plastic films, nonwovens, and aluminum. Its core technology stack centers on proprietary mechanical and automation systems, including TAC and NTC automatic roll-change systems capable of in-production roll changes at up to 600 m/min, integrated winding-shaft extraction for ATW turret winders, ballistic air-threading for tension-sensitive materials, cleanroom-compatible inline winding, and high-speed winders in the HAW series up to 1500 m/min. The product range spans unwind and rewind stations, turret and surface winders, web storage systems, slitting and converting machines, and cutting/blade-holder solutions integrated via the 2026 acquisitions of ATH Automatisierung, LSF, and ENGEL Schneidsysteme.

The company's revenue model blends project-based, one-time sales of custom engineered machinery with a growing aftermarket and service stream: preventive maintenance, on-site and remote (VPN) diagnostics, modernization and retrofit of existing machines, and spare parts supply (including for third-party winding equipment), some of which is offered under recurring service contracts with guaranteed response times. Go-to-market is direct-to-customer enterprise field sales from Hameln, supplemented by own-branded or agency representation in Italy (SOMATEC Italia), China (SOMATEC China), USA/Canada (WMR Agencies), Scandinavia (CoPriTech), and Turkey/Middle East/Central Asia (BGM Makina), with marketing driven by industry trade fairs (PLAST, K Messe, Chinaplas, ICE), technical publishing, and a winding-technology glossary. Customers are predominantly large industrial manufacturers in paper (Voith Paper, Felix Schoeller, Glatfelter, DS-Smith), plastic films (RKW, Renolit, Covestro), nonwovens (Glatfelter, Oerlikon Neumag), automotive/industrial materials (Coroplast, Benecke-Kaliko, Continental Contitech), industrial tapes (tesa), and printing systems (Kodak, manroland Goss), as well as emerging applications in battery electrode foil winding for electromobility.

Name

Somatec Sondermaschinen Gmbh

Legal name

SOMATEC Sondermaschinen GmbH

Website

https://somatec-hameln.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SOMATEC Sondermaschinen GmbH, founded 1996 in Hameln, Germany, designs and manufactures custom special machines for winding, unwinding, slitting, and converting web-shaped materials such as paper, plastic films, nonwovens, and aluminum, serving large industrial manufacturers globally via direct enterprise sales and an aftermarket service network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hameln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Winding Machine Sales: Design, manufacturing, and sale of custom special machines for web material processing. Machines include unwinders, winders, turret winders, surface winders, slitting machines, and material storage systems. Revenue generated from new machine sales with project-based pricing.
2. Service and Maintenance: Preventive maintenance services, on-site service, remote diagnostics and troubleshooting, process optimization. Service contracts with guaranteed response times, regular maintenance intervals, spare parts management, and software updates.
3. Remote Services: Remote diagnostics, error resolution, process parameter adjustments, and optimization via encrypted VPN connections. Also available as contractual service with guaranteed response times.
4. Modernization and Retrofit: Modernization of existing machines including mechanical and electrical integration, reconstruction solutions, and recommissioning. Extends machine lifespan with current technology.
5. Spare Parts Supply: Supply of original spare parts for SOMATEC machines and other manufacturers' winding equipment. Includes critical spare parts stocking for contracted customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SOMATEC designs, manufactures, and services custom special machinery for the winding, unwinding, slitting, and converting of web-shaped materials such as paper, plastic films, nonwovens, and aluminum. The portfolio covers unwinders, winders, turret winders, surface winders, re-reeling machines, material storage systems, and standalone winding components, complemented by lifecycle services including preventive maintenance, remote diagnostics, modernization/retrofit, and original spare parts supply.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Abwickelmaschinen (Unwinding Machines) Custom unwinders that feed web-shaped materials (tension-sensitive nonwovens, sensitive plastic films, fast-running paper webs) into downstream processing or finishing lines, designed for the requirements of the customer's material and process.
• Aufwickelmaschinen (Rewinding Machines) Custom winders that roll up web-shaped products after production or finishing processes, including turret (Wende-Aufwickler) and surface (Umfangswickler) designs such as SW-E, SW-S and SW-R, plus Sonder-Aufwickler for special requirements.
• Umrollmaschinen (Re-reeling Machines) Custom re-reeling machines that unwind and rewind web-shaped materials, including winding stations (Wickelstellen) and web converting (Bahnkonfektionierung) configurations, tailored to the customer's converting task.
• Warenspeicher (Material Storage Systems) Custom web storage systems that enable continuous web transport to or from the production line when roll changes need to be performed at standstill; available in various designs and sizes.
• Wickelkomponenten (Standalone Winding Components) Independent subassemblies that can be installed and operated largely independently of the main machine or retrofitted to it later.
• ENGEL Schneidsysteme Blade Holders and Cutting Systems Individual blade cutting systems featuring long blade lifetimes, easy handling, and process-reliable safe blade changes, marketed through a dedicated ENGEL brand website under the SOMATEC Group.
• Modernization and Retrofit Services Modernization of existing SOMATEC and other manufacturers' machines, including mechanical and electrical integration, reconstruction, recommissioning, and extension of machine lifespan with current technology.
• Service & Maintenance Contracts Preventive maintenance services, on-site service, remote diagnostics and troubleshooting, and process optimization delivered under service contracts with guaranteed response times, regular maintenance intervals, spare parts management, and software updates.
• Remote Services Remote diagnostics, error resolution, process parameter adjustment, and optimization delivered via encrypted VPN connections, available as a contractual service with guaranteed response times.
• Original Spare Parts Supply Supply of original spare parts for SOMATEC machines and other manufacturers' winding equipment, including critical spare parts stocking for contracted customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Automatic roll changes at speeds up to 600 m/min (TAC system) without production stop
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ATH Automatisierung und Anlagentechnik Hameln GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026ATH Automatisierung und Anlagentechnik joined the SOMATEC Group in March 2026, complementing the portfolio with electrical documentation, switchgear construction, and control and regulation technology. Both companies remain active in the market at their shared location in Hameln, benefiting from closer collaboration.
• LSF (Laußig)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026SOMATEC acquired the service, spare parts business, and parts of the machine program from LSF in Laußig at the beginning of 2026. LSF has been established for decades as a special machine builder for finishing and processing web-shaped materials. LSF customers receive continued reliable support, secured spare parts supply, and technical support from SOMATEC.
• ENGEL SchneidsystemecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENGEL Schneidsysteme blade holder product line and accessories have been integrated into SOMATEC's portfolio. Blade holder solutions are now presented on a dedicated website with focus on process reliability, safe blade changes, and practical design for industrial use.
• VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau)minorOthersSOMATEC is listed as a member of VDMA, the German Mechanical and Plant Engineering Association, based in Frankfurt.
• Cybox GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCybox GmbH from Hameln provides technical implementation and content management system (CyRes CMS) for SOMATEC's website and digital presence.
• Good Harvest Machinery Industrial (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner in China, Schanghai, providing local support and collaboration for Chinese market activities.
• Metrik Gestaltung und WerbungminorOthersDesign and advertising agency in Hannover providing marketing and design services.
• Gördes, Rhöse & Collegen UnternehmensberatungminorOthersManagement consulting firm in Hannover providing business advisory services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Andritz AG: Austrian industrial group serving pulp & paper, metals processing, and separation with a dedicated nonwovens and textile machinery division. Competes with SOMATEC in nonwoven and paper winding but offers full-line solutions at a far larger scale.
• Valmet Oyj: Finnish global leader in paper, pulp, and energy technologies with broad converting machinery portfolio. Overlaps with SOMATEC's paper and nonwovens winding scope but at much larger scale, supplying complete mills rather than specialty custom lines.

Direct peers

• Pasaban: Spanish manufacturer of slitting and winding machines for paper, film, and board. Comparable to SOMATEC in custom-engineered sheeting and rewinding lines for industrial converters, with similar focus on quality and automation.
• Bimec S.r.l. Italian manufacturer of slitting, rewinding, and web-handling machinery based in Gallarate. Direct peer to SOMATEC with overlapping customer base in plastic film and nonwoven converting, similar scale as a specialized European Mittelstand machine builder.
• Atlas Converting Equipment: UK-based specialist in slitting and rewinding machinery for film, paper, and nonwovens, part of the Atlas group. Closely comparable to SOMATEC in turret winder and high-speed slitting technology serving packaging and converting end markets.
• New Era Converting Machinery: US-based custom manufacturer of winding, slitting, and unwinding equipment for nonwovens, films, and paper products. Direct competitor in tension-sensitive winding and custom-engineered web handling for converters.
• Parkinson Technologies: US-based manufacturer of web handling, winding, and unwinding equipment including Dusenbery and Parkinson brands. Comparable to SOMATEC in custom-engineered winding solutions for paper, film, and specialty webs, with shared expertise in tension control and automation.
• GOEBEL IMS (Goebel Schneidmaschinen): German manufacturer of slitting and winding machines headquartered in Darmstadt. Direct competitor in precision web slitting/rewinding for paper, film, and aluminum, with similar focus on high-speed custom solutions and aftermarket service.
• Kampf Schneid- und Wickeltechnik: German manufacturer of slitting and winding machines for film, paper, and foil, headquartered near Cologne. Direct competitor to SOMATEC in custom web-handling machinery for converting industries with similar project-based, customized engineering model.
• Deacro Industries: Canadian manufacturer of slitting, rewinding, and converting equipment for paper, film, foil, and nonwovens. Highly comparable to SOMATEC in custom-engineered converting machinery with similar project-based delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/somatec-sondermaschinen-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Somatec Sondermaschinen Gmbh