W+R Group

What W+R Group does

W+R Group is a third-generation family-owned German glove manufacturer founded in 1928 in Metzingen, operating through three wholly-owned subsidiaries: W+R INDUSTRY GmbH (protective and work gloves for industry, automotive, construction and trade), W+R PRO GmbH (tactical gloves for German federal/state police, European special forces and military), and the consumer brand KinetiXx (sports, cycling, winter-sport and tactical gloves sold direct-to-consumer and via retail). The group also runs W+R GLOVE CARE, an industrial glove-cleaning and recycling service that extends product life and reduces customer cost.

The technical core is proprietary coating and grip engineering. W+R has registered five branded technology platforms — ECOMASTER (water-based DMF-free eco-polymer with Direct Skin Technology), Sharktec (biomimetic shark-skin-inspired Dynamic Skin Armour grip), ECOTAC (breathable nitrile microfoam), ECOGRIP (sanded nitrile for wet/oily conditions) and BLUETEC (allergen-removing PU wash process) — supported by material partnerships with DuPont (Kevlar, Nomex), DSM (Dyneema), Gore and PrimaLoft. Production, R&D and quality testing are vertically integrated at the Carl-Zeiss-Straße headquarters under ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications.

Revenue is generated almost entirely from hardware sales: B2B contracts with industrial and government buyers via direct sales, D2C e-commerce through kinetixx.de at unit prices of €15.99–€49.99, retail partnerships for winter sports, and recurring service revenue from industrial glove cleaning. Go-to-market is sales-led, segmented by subsidiary and supported by trade-show presence (A+A Düsseldorf), winter-sports sponsorships of 40+ teams, and an owned content/blog property. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed and the firm has not raised external capital or pursued material M&A.

Name

W+R Group

Legal name

W+R GmbH

Website

https://wr24.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

W+R Group is a third-generation, family-owned German glove manufacturer founded in 1928, producing protective work gloves for industry and automotive, tactical gloves for European police and military, and consumer sports gloves under the KinetiXx brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Protective Work Gloves / Personal Protective Equipment

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Gloves & Mittens Manufacturing (IMAOAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports & Outdoor Accessories Manufacturing (Performance Gloves/Headwear) (IMAOAFAI), Gloves & Mittens (CRAAAJAG)

Keywords

• Protective gloves
• Industrial safety equipment
• Work gloves manufacturing
• Tactical gloves
• Glove coating technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Metzingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Protective Gloves Sales: Sale of protective and work gloves to industrial customers, trade professionals, and government/law enforcement agencies through direct sales and distribution channels. Revenue generated from one-time product purchases across various glove categories.
2. Consumer Gloves (KinetiXx): Direct-to-consumer sales of sports, tactical, and work gloves through own e-commerce platform (kinetixx.de) and retail partnerships for winter sports and outdoor activities.
3. Glove Care & Cleaning Services: Industrial cleaning service for dirty gloves that extends product lifespan, reduces costs for customers, and supports environmental sustainability. Part of W+R GLOVE CARE business unit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

W+R Group develops and manufactures protective gloves for industrial, tactical, and consumer applications, sold through its wholly-owned subsidiaries W+R INDUSTRY GmbH (work and safety gloves for industry and crafts) and W+R PRO GmbH (tactical gloves for military, police, and special forces), plus the KinetiXx consumer brand for sports, work and tactical end users. The group also operates the W+R GLOVE CARE industrial glove cleaning and recycling service that extends product life. Core differentiation comes from proprietary in-house coating technologies (ECOMASTER, Sharktec, ECOTAC, ECOGRIP, BLUETEC) and 90+ years of vertically integrated glove-making expertise at the Metzingen, Germany headquarters.

Product overview

W+R Group is a family-owned German glove manufacturer founded in 1928, operating as a holding company with three main subsidiaries: W+R INDUSTRY GmbH (premium protective gloves for industry and trade), W+R PRO GmbH (tactical gloves for military, police, and special forces), and KinetiXx (consumer brand for sports, work, and tactical gloves). The group also offers glove cleaning/recycling services through W+R GLOVE CARE. Core proprietary technologies include Sharktec (shark-skin-inspired grip), ECOMASTER (Eco-Polymer coating with Direct Skin Technology), ECOTAC (Nitrile-Microfoam), ECOGRIP (sanded nitrile), and BLUETEC (allergen-free PU processing). Products serve industries including automotive, construction, manufacturing, law enforcement, military, and winter sports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• W+R INDUSTRY: Premium manufacturer of protective and work gloves for industry and crafts
• W+R GLOVE CARE
• W+R PRO
• KinetiXx
• ECOMASTER
• Sharktec
• ECOTAC
• ECOGRIP
• BLUETEC

Products and services

• W+R INDUSTRY Protective and Work Gloves Comprehensive portfolio of protective and work gloves for industrial and trade customers, covering assembly gloves, cut protection, welding gloves, heat/cold protection, ESD gloves, painter gloves and liquid nitrogen gloves, sold via W+R INDUSTRY GmbH.
• W+R PRO Tactical Gloves Tactical gloves for military, police, special forces and security institutions across Europe, including deployment gloves, shooting gloves, anti-riot gloves, combat gloves, fast-roping/rappelling gloves and pilot gloves, sold via W+R PRO GmbH.
• KinetiXx Consumer Gloves High-quality, fashionable functional gloves for WORK, SPORT and TACTICAL end consumers, including winter sports, cycling, MTB, ski, biathlon and outdoor gloves, sold via the KinetiXx own e-commerce shop and retail partners.
• W+R GLOVE CARE Industrial Glove Cleaning Service Industrial cleaning and recycling service for soiled protective gloves that extends product lifespan, reduces total cost of ownership for industrial customers, and supports environmental sustainability, operated by W+R INDUSTRY GmbH.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Winter Sports Teams (40+)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Since winter 2018/19 season, W+R supports over 40 teams in cross-country skiing, biathlon, Nordic combined, and ski jumping with KinetiXx Sports gloves. Partnership provides product exposure and athlete feedback for product development.
• Mediagraphik GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Digital agency partnership for website development and brand relaunch. Mediagraphik developed the new digital presence for all W+R Group companies and KinetiXx online shop, implementing unified brand design across all web properties.
• BiathlonschmiedeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Sponsorship partnership since 2017 supporting biathlon athletes with KinetiXx biathlon gloves and team bus for the Verein zur Förderung des Biathlonsports.
• DuPont (Kevlar)coreTechnology or IntegrationMaterial partnership for cut-resistant aramid fiber used in W+R protective gloves. Kevlar provides high cut and heat resistance for industrial safety applications.
• DuPont (Nomex)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for flame-resistant aramid material used in heat protection gloves. Nomex provides thermal protection for welding and fire safety applications.
• DSM (Dyneema)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber providing cut resistance with flexibility and breathability for high-performance gloves.
• GorecoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for waterproof and breathable membrane technology used in gloves requiring climate control and weather protection.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Uvex: German-based PPE manufacturer (uvex safety group) producing protective gloves, eyewear, and helmets. Comparable as a premium German-brand industrial safety specialist with overlapping end customers and channel structure.
• Hestra: Swedish family-owned glove maker specializing in ski, outdoor, and work gloves with three generations of heritage. Comparable to W+R on legacy, premium positioning, and overlap in winter sports/work glove SKUs.
• Showa Group: Japanese-headquartered manufacturer of single-use and reusable protective gloves with proprietary coating technologies. Closely comparable to W+R's nitrile, PU, and eco-coating portfolio across industrial and consumer channels.
• Roeckl Sports: German manufacturer of high-performance cycling, equestrian, and outdoor gloves. Directly comparable to KinetiXx's cycling and winter-sports consumer portfolio, with similar premium German-brand positioning.
• Ejendals (Tegera): Swedish manufacturer of Tegera-brand work and protective gloves with strong European presence. Comparable to W+R INDUSTRY in target customers (industrial, construction, trade) and direct sales model.
• Mechanix Wear: US-based specialist in tactical and work gloves serving military, law enforcement, motorsports, and industrial users. Closely comparable to W+R PRO's tactical and KinetiXx's consumer positioning.
• Ansell: Global leader in protective gloves and PPE with deep coverage of industrial, healthcare, and life sciences end markets. Directly comparable to W+R in industrial and specialty protective gloves, but at materially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• ATG (Aurelia Gloves / Hand Care): Specialist in coated work gloves with proprietary technologies (e.g., AIRtech, DURAtech). Directly comparable to W+R's nitrile/microfoam coatings and industry/crafts focus.

Broad incumbents

• 3M Personal Safety Division: Diversified conglomerate whose Personal Safety Division sells protective gloves alongside respirators, hearing, and eye protection. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing in many of W+R INDUSTRY's tenders.
• Honeywell Safety (now Protective Solutions): Broad-line industrial safety conglomerate including protective gloves (North/Honeywell). Overlaps with W+R in industrial hand protection but competes across a much wider PPE portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WRGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wr-gloves
• Instagraminstagram.com/kinetixx

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 W+R Group