What igus does

igus is a privately held German industrial manufacturer, founded in 1964 and headquartered in Cologne, that develops polymer-based motion components sold under the umbrella brand "motion plastics." Its portfolio spans eight product categories: energy supply systems (e-chains, chainflex cables, readycable pre-assembled harnesses, readychain systems), plain and ball bearings (iglidur, igubal, xiros), linear and drive technology (drylin, drygear, dryspin), electric motors and controls, low-cost robotics (robolink, ReBeL), gears and slewing rings, smart plastics for Industry 4.0 condition monitoring (i.Sense, i.Cee), and raw/coating materials including 3D-printing filaments and tribo-tape liners. The core technical proposition is self-lubricating, maintenance-free high-performance polymers that replace greased metal components, sold through more than 25 registered brand families.

The business operates across 50+ end-markets — including agriculture, construction, medical, cleanroom, semiconductor, automotive, logistics, energy, maritime, and entertainment — and ships standard catalog products within 24 hours through a direct e-commerce webshop supplemented by WhatsApp and phone support, field-sales project planning, and industry events. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time hardware sales of standard catalog parts, custom-manufactured components (CNC machining, injection molding, 3D printing via the iform process), pre-harnessed cable assemblies, and engineering services. Digital tools — CAD download portal, online configurators, lifetime calculators, and the iguverse ecosystem — underpin the self-serve buying motion, while strategic integration certifications with Siemens, SEW Eurodrive, Bosch Rexroth, Allen Bradley/Rockwell, Beckhoff, FANUC, Mitsubishi, and other automation OEMs embed igus inside machine-builder specifications.

The company employs 5,001–10,000 people, launches roughly 200+ new products per year (227 in the 2024/2025 cycle), and is controlled through the German legal entity igus SE & Co. KG with affiliated subsidiaries including igus B.V. in the Netherlands. It is privately held with no public ticker, no disclosed funding rounds, and no active M&A activity in the dataset; the GO ZERO initiative and chainge recycling program suggest growing emphasis on sustainability positioning alongside continued catalog and automation expansion.

Name

igus

Legal name

igus® SE & Co. KG

Website

https://igus.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

igus is a privately held German industrial manufacturer founded in 1964 that develops self-lubricating polymer-based motion components — bearings, cable carriers, flexible cables, linear and drive systems, low-cost robotics, and smart-plastics monitoring — sold via webshop and field sales to machine builders across 50+ industries worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Motion Plastics / Polymer Motion Components

SIC

Ball & Roller Bearings (3562), Plastics Products, Nec (3089)

akta.pro primary industry

Linear Motion & Mechanical Power Transmission (Ball/roller screws, linear guides, bearings, couplings) (IMAHAGAM)

Keywords

• Polymer motion components
• Self-lubricating bearings
• Energy chain systems
• Flexible industrial cables
• Low-cost automation robotics

Headquarters

HQ city

Amersfoort

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Standard product sales: Catalog of standard motion plastic components including cable chains, bearings, linear guides, cables, motors sold directly via webshop and distributors
2. Custom/prefabricated cables: Readycable pre-assembled cable solutions and readychain energy chain systems with integrated cables
3. Custom manufacturing: CNC machining, injection molding, and 3D printing services for custom polymer components and prototyping via iform process
4. Engineering services: Project planning service, installation service, and technical consulting for customers
5. Digital tools and software: CAD configurators, lifetime calculators, and online design tools provided to support product selection and ordering

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

igus develops and manufactures self-lubricating polymer-based motion components, including bearings (iglidur plain, igubal spherical, xiros ball), energy chain cable carriers (e-chains, triflex, readychain), flexible cables (chainflex, readycable), linear guides and lead screws (drylin, dryspin), electric motors and motor controls, low-cost robotics (robolink, ReBeL), smart plastics condition monitoring (i.Sense, i.Cee), and 3D printing materials. The company sells these products to industrial customers via a global e-commerce webshop, technical sales support, and OEM integration partnerships, with 24-hour shipping on standard catalog items.

Product overview

igus offers a comprehensive portfolio of motion plastics products organized around eight core product categories: (1) Energy supply systems (e-chains, chainflex cables, readycable, readychain) for protecting and managing cables in dynamic motion; (2) Bearing and sliding components (iglidur plain bearings, igubal spherical bearings, xiros ball bearings) for maintenance-free rotational and linear motion; (3) Linear technology and drive systems (drylin linear guides, drygear spindles and modules) for precision linear positioning; (4) Electric motors and controls (e-motors, dryve control systems) for automated actuation; (5) Robotics and automation (robolink cobots and robots, drygear gearboxes) for low-cost automation; (6) Gears and power transmission (iglidur gears, PRT slewing rings, rollers); (7) Smart plastics (i.Sense condition monitoring, i.Cee predictive maintenance) for Industry 4.0 monitoring; and (8) Materials and processes (iglidur bar stock, 3D printing materials, tribo-tape coatings, CNC machining). The portfolio is complemented by digital services including online configurators, CAD download portal, lifetime calculators, and project planning support. All products share the common theme of self-lubricating, maintenance-free polymer compounds that replace traditional metal components requiring external lubrication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• drylin: Linear guide technology and lead screw technology for linear motion applications.
• iglidur
• chainflex
• e-chain
• igubal
• xiros
• robolink
• drygear
• readycable
• readychain
• triflex
• chainge
• smart plastics
• ReBeL

Products and services

• drylin Linear Technology Self-lubricating linear guide systems and components made from high-performance polymers for smooth, maintenance-free linear motion, including profile rail guides, round shaft guides, T-slides, flat guides and telescopic rails for industrial machinery.
• drylin E Drive Technology (linear modules with lead screw/toothed belt/rack) Linear modules and actuators using spindle, toothed belt or rack-and-pinion drives, including motorized spindles, XY tables and linear modules for precision positioning applications.
• iglidur Plain Bearings Self-lubricating polymer plain bearings in flanged, sleeve, thrust washer, clip and guide ring configurations for maintenance-free rotating and oscillating applications.
• e-chains Energy Chain Systems Cable carriers and energy chain systems for protecting and managing cables and hoses in dynamic motion, from low-load to heavy-duty applications, including linear, rotary and 3D movement variants and ESD systems.
• triflex 3D Energy Chains Three-dimensional cable carrier systems specifically engineered for robot applications with multi-axis movement, providing flexible cable management on articulated and collaborative robots.
• chainflex Flexible Cables Specialized flexible cables designed for continuous motion in energy chains, including control, motor, data, bus, servo, robot, fibre-optic, coaxial, measuring system and hybrid cables.
• readycable Pre-harnessed Cables Factory-assembled cable assemblies with pre-mounted connectors, compatible with major drive and automation manufacturers including Siemens, SEW, Bosch Rexroth, Allen Bradley, Beckhoff, B&R, Heidenhain, FANUC, Mitsubishi, Omron and Festo.
• readychain Assembled Energy Supply Systems Complete, ready-to-install energy chain systems with pre-assembled cables and connectors for immediate deployment in industrial machinery.
• igubal Spherical Bearings Polymer spherical and rod end bearings for misalignment compensation and articulation, including pillow block, flange and double spherical bearings and coupling joints.
• xiros Polymer Ball Bearings Polymer ball bearings for low-friction rotation, including deep groove, flange, axial, pillow block ball bearings, conveyor rollers and ball transfer units with corrosion resistance.
• Electric Motors (e-motors) Electric motors including stepper motors, EC/BLDC motors, DC motors, motor gearboxes, linear actuators, motor connecting cables and couplings for automated motion applications.
• robolink Robotics Low-cost robotics and cobot solutions including articulated arm robots, delta robots, SCARA robots, linear robots, modular robots, mobile robots and 7th axis extensions, including the ReBeL collaborative robot platform.
• drygear Gearbox Technology Plastic gear systems and gearboxes including Apiro modular gear systems, planetary gears, worm gearboxes, strain wave gears and turntables with motors for power transmission.
• PRT Slewing Ring Bearings Plastic slewing ring bearings for rotational motion, available with gear teeth options for direct drive integration.
• iglidur Gears Plastic gears including straight spur gears, bevel gears, angular gears and gear racks made from iglidur high-performance polymers for power transmission.
• 3D Printing Materials Additive manufacturing materials including filaments, laser sintering powders and resins based on igus tribological polymers for 3D-printed custom plastic components.
• CNC Machining and Custom Manufacturing Service (iform) Custom CNC machining, injection molding and 3D printing services for producing custom polymer components and prototypes from igus bar stock and 3D printing materials.
• Project Planning, Installation and Engineering Services Engineering, project planning, installation and warranty services for energy chain systems and other motion plastics deployments in customer machinery and projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 million euros potential savings by 2034 in agriculture sector through lubrication-free motion plastics (GO ZERO initiative)

Named customers2 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SiemenscoreTechnology or IntegrationCompatibility certification for readycable pre-assembled cables suitable for Siemens drive and control systems; cables tested and ready for Siemens applications
• SEW EurodrivecoreTechnology or IntegrationReadycable product line certified suitable for SEW motors and drives; plug-and-play cable solutions for SEW equipment
• Bosch RexrothcoreTechnology or IntegrationCable solutions compatible with Bosch Rexroth industrial automation and motion control systems
• Allen Bradley (Rockwell Automation)coreTechnology or IntegrationReadycable cables with Allen Bradley industrial connectors for automation systems
• BeckhoffcoreTechnology or IntegrationCable solutions suitable for Beckhoff PC-based automation and EtherCAT systems
• FANUCcoreTechnology or IntegrationTorsion cables and readycable solutions designed for FANUC industrial robots and CNC systems

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights9 records

Direct peers

• NSK Ltd. Major Japanese manufacturer of ball and roller bearings, linear motion, and steering systems. Competes with igus in ball bearings and linear guides for industrial machinery and automotive applications globally.
• RBC Bearings: US-based manufacturer of engineered bearings including plain bearings, ball bearings, and roller bearings for industrial and aerospace applications. Overlaps with igus's iglidur and xiros bearing product families for industrial OEM customers.
• NTN Corporation: Japanese bearing and constant-velocity joint manufacturer with broad industrial bearing portfolio. Competes with igus in polymer and metal plain bearings, ball bearings, and linear motion for industrial automation.
• Schaeffler Group: German industrial group behind INA and FAG brands, manufacturing plain bearings, rolling bearings, and linear guides. Closest like-for-like competitor to igus in self-lubricating and linear motion components, with much larger scale and automotive OEM penetration.
• SKF: Global leader in rolling bearings, linear motion, and lubrication solutions. Directly competes with igus in plain bearings and linear guides, and serves overlapping industrial customers across heavy machinery, automotive, and industrial automation.
• Timken Company: US-based engineered bearings and power transmission manufacturer serving industrial, automotive, and heavy-equipment markets. Comparable to igus in plain bearings and mechanical power transmission components for industrial OEM customers.
• Misumi Group: Japanese industrial component manufacturer with a strong catalog/e-commerce model for linear motion, bearings, and automation components. Closest peer to igus in combining self-lubricating polymer components with a global, digital-first specification and ordering platform.
• Thomson Industries: US manufacturer of linear motion components including linear bearings, actuators, and lead screws. Direct competitor to igus's drylin linear technology, serving similar industrial automation and machinery customers.

Broad incumbents

• Bosch Rexroth: German manufacturer of drive and control technology including linear motion, assembly, and automation components. Overlaps with igus in linear guides, lead screws, and energy chains, but operates as a much broader industrial automation incumbent rather than a polymer specialist.

Others

• Kaman Industrial Technologies: Industrial distribution platform for bearings, power transmission, and motion control components. Comparable to igus not as a manufacturer but as a competing route-to-market for polymer and metal bearings, with overlapping end customers across industrial automation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/igus-bv

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 igus