Hettec

What Hettec does

Hettec-components GmbH is an Austrian, family-owned manufacturer of traction enhancement systems for heavy equipment operating in extreme terrain conditions. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Großarl, Salzburg, the company develops and sells a portfolio of physical attachment products — branded GEKKO® for steel crawler tracks, ELASTO® for rubber crawler tracks, SPIDER for wheeled machines, and PADDY for ground protection — under its parent trade name Hettec. The technology centers on two patented mounting systems: the HETTEC DSS Double Safety System, which positively locks track claws onto steel track pads via double-bolt fixation, and the HETTEC CTS Clamping Tension System, which secures traction elements on rubber tracks without requiring machine modifications. The product range covers machines with operating weights from 5 to 90 tons across the standard catalog and up to 100 tons for custom-engineered solutions.

The company serves enterprise and mid-market operators in construction, forestry, quarrying, and drilling across Europe, with named end users including forestry operators in Norway, construction firms in Spain and Austria, and glacier-excavation contractors. Distribution is conducted through direct enterprise sales, an international distributor network spanning DACH, Central Europe, Scandinavia, and Southern Europe, and a Terrain Store e-commerce platform, supported by a multilingual website in six languages. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time hardware sales priced by machine type and weight class via quote-based transactions, supplemented by custom-engineered solutions for specialized machines such as walking excavators and large quarry equipment. The business is operated without external institutional funding by the co-owners Rupert Josef Hettegger and Rupert Christoph Hettegger.

Name

Hettec

Legal name

Hettec-components GmbH

Website

https://www.hettec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hettec-components GmbH is an Austrian family-owned manufacturer of patented traction systems — GEKKO for steel tracks, ELASTO for rubber tracks, and SPIDER for tires — serving enterprise construction, forestry, and quarry operators across Europe with hardware attachments for heavy machinery on extreme terrain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Grossarl

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Product Sales: Sale of physical traction systems including GEKKO steel track systems, ELASTO rubber track systems, and SPIDER tire systems. Revenue generated from one-time hardware sales with pricing based on machine weight class and system type.
2. Custom Solutions and Special Fabrications: Custom-engineered traction solutions developed in-house for specialized machines, quarry excavators, and large equipment up to 100 tons. Pricing based on engineering requirements and customization scope.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hettec designs, develops, and manufactures Track Claws and traction enhancement systems (branded GEKKO for steel tracks, ELASTO for rubber tracks, SPIDER for tires, and PADDY for ground protection) that bolt or clamp onto crawler tracks and tires of heavy machinery. The products are sold to enterprise operators in construction, forestry, drilling, quarrying, and material handling, enabling safer and more productive machine operation on snow, ice, mud, and steep slopes. Pricing is quote-based, configured by machine brand, model, operating weight class, and track profile.

Product overview

Hettec develops and manufactures Track Claws (Steighilfen), traction aid systems for crawler tracks operating on snow, ice, and mud. The product portfolio is organized into three main categories: Steel Tracks (GEKKO® line) for machines with steel crawler tracks ranging from 5-90t operating weight; Rubber Tracks (ELASTO® line) for machines with rubber crawler tracks from 5-10t; and Tire solutions (SPIDER) for wheeled machines. The GEKKO® line includes Compact models (Compact Pro and Compact) for machines ≤10t and Extreme/Supreme/Forest variants for machines ≥11t, with both single and Double versions available. Blade variants (Supreme and Extreme) target curved Blade Runner track pads. The ELASTO® line includes Apex (top model with extra claws), Prime (versatile), Carrier Apex (for crawler carriers), and Grip (budget option) for rubber track machines. PADDY Clip-On provides ground protection that can be combined with GEKKO traction systems. The patented HETTEC DSS (Double Safety System) and HETTEC CTS (Clamping Tension System) are key proprietary mounting technologies across the product lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GEKKO: Premium traction systems for steel track crawlers, including Compact Pro, Compact, Extreme, Supreme, Forest, and Blade variants for machines from 5-90t operating weight
• ELASTO
• PADDY
• SPIDER
• Track Claws

Products and services

• GEKKO® Compact Pro Ultimate traction solution for compact crawler machines up to 10t operating weight, featuring maximum traction and lateral stability with aggressive claw geometry and integrated ice claws (35mm + 10mm).
• GEKKO® Compact Reliable traction solution for compact excavators up to 10t operating weight with 35mm claw height for dependable grip on various surfaces.
• GEKKO® Extreme Ultimate traction system for machines 11-40t operating weight, designed for extreme terrain conditions with aggressive claw geometry and additional claws for maximum power transmission.
• GEKKO® Supreme All-terrain traction system for machines 11-40t operating weight, delivering maximum power transmission, outstanding lateral stability, and reliable grip on any terrain.
• GEKKO® Forest Traction solution for machines 11-40t with optimized claw height for maximum ground protection, ideal for sensitive forest soils and icy forest roads.
• GEKKO® Extreme - Double Comprehensive traction solution for machines 11-40t with maximum lateral stability for ice applications, featuring the patented HETTEC DSS Double Safety System.
• GEKKO® Supreme - Double Comprehensive traction system for machines 11-40t with reliable grip on nearly any surface, featuring the patented HETTEC DSS Double Safety System for maximum safety.
• GEKKO® Blade - Supreme All-terrain traction system for crawler machines with curved Blade Runner track pads in the 11-40 ton weight class, delivering maximum power transmission and reliable grip.
• GEKKO® Blade - Extreme Ultimate traction solution for machines with curved Blade Runner pads in the 11-40 ton range, featuring 50mm claw height plus 20mm aggressive claws for maximum grip in extreme terrain.
• ELASTO® Apex Premium traction model for rubber tracks designed for extreme terrain, featuring the patented HETTEC CTS Clamping Tension System with additional 10mm claws for maximum lateral stability.
• ELASTO® Prime Versatile traction solution for machines with rubber tracks, combining reliable traction with robust design and ease of use for professional daily use.
• ELASTO® Carrier Apex Extreme traction solution for crawler carriers with rubber tracks, providing supreme grip on challenging terrain using the patented HETTEC CTS system.
• ELASTO® Grip Traction solution for rubber track machines that installs directly into profile grooves, providing immediate traction with approximately 50 minutes installation time.
• PADDY Clip-On Ground protection and flexibility system allowing quick change between ground protection and maximum traction, designed for sensitive surfaces such as asphalt and finished pavements.
• SPIDER Traction solution for wheeled machines in steep terrain, specially developed for extreme slope conditions as found on walking excavators, with exchangeable traction inlays (FOREST, SUPREME, EXTREME variants).
• Custom-engineered traction solutions In-house custom-engineered traction solutions developed for specialized machines, quarry excavators, and large equipment up to 100 tons, priced per engineering scope and customization requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Track Claws provide 100% safety feeling according to customer testimonial from Norwegian forestry operator
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caterpillar: World's largest construction and mining equipment OEM, with its own extensive undercarriage and Cat-branded wear-parts business serving crawler excavator and bulldozer fleets. Comparable to Hettec as a dominant player in the same crawler-equipment ecosystem, though at vastly greater scale.
• Hitachi Construction Machinery: Major Japanese construction equipment OEM producing hydraulic excavators and crawler machines (referenced directly in Hettec customer testimonials). Comparable as the underlying OEM whose machines Hettec equips, and a potential partner or competitor for traction-related offerings.
• Camso (Michelin): Global leader in rubber tracks and track systems for construction, agriculture, and material handling — now part of Michelin. Comparable to Hettec as a major incumbent serving the same crawler-machine customer base, though at much broader scale and without Hettec's niche traction-aid specialization.
• Komatsu: Global construction and mining equipment OEM with its own KOMTRAX-connected undercarriage and wear-part programs for crawler excavators. Comparable to Hettec as a major player addressing the same crawler-machine customer base, though through OEM-integrated rather than aftermarket channels.
• Continental (ContiTech): Industrial rubber products manufacturer including rubber tracks for compact construction equipment under the ContiTech brand. Comparable to Hettec as a large diversified supplier of track-related products serving the same compact excavator customer base.

Others

• ESCO Group (Weir): Manufacturer of ground engaging tools (GET), wear parts, and attachments for mining, construction, and infrastructure markets, owned by Weir Group. Comparable to Hettec as an adjacent supplier of fitment components that improve heavy-equipment performance in demanding environments.

Emerging players

• VemaTrack (Vematex): Manufacturer of rubber tracks and undercarriage components for compact tracked machines and excavators. Comparable to Hettec as a focused supplier of track-related solutions to construction and landscaping equipment operators in the European market.

Direct peers

• ITR (USCO Group): Global manufacturer of undercarriage components (track shoes, links, rollers, idlers) for crawler excavators and bulldozers. Directly comparable to Hettec as a supplier of wear/replacement components to the same crawler-track customer base in construction and mining.
• Berco (BPE Group): Leading manufacturer of undercarriage and ground-engagement components for tracked heavy machinery including excavators and crawler cranes. Closely comparable to Hettec in serving crawler-track operators with both OEM and aftermarket parts in construction, mining, and forestry.
• Soucy International: Canadian manufacturer of rubber tracks, track systems, and traction components for off-road vehicles including construction, agricultural, and powersports equipment. Comparable to Hettec in developing traction solutions that mount to tracked vehicles for challenging surface conditions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClFBWyMYKBVdqZH4jKi4kZA
• Facebookfacebook.com/hettec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hettectrackclaws
• Instagraminstagram.com/hettec.traction

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Hettec