UHLMANN FECHTSPORT

What UHLMANN FECHTSPORT does

Uhlmann Fechtsport is a privately held German fencing equipment manufacturer, organized as a GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Laupheim, Baden-Württemberg since approximately 1975. The company designs and produces competition-grade fencing equipment across all three Olympic disciplines — foil, epee, and sabre — including weapons with replacement blades, protective clothing (fencing suits, plastrons, masks in FIE-certified and standard 350N variants), gloves, footwear (notably the Kempa PRO AGILITY developed with Kempa), and accessories for general, wheelchair, and historical/ HEMA fencing practitioners. Beyond personal equipment, Uhlmann manufactures tournament infrastructure: electronic scoring systems (Melderanlagen, including TBOX Competition and UTMS 02/FMA 001/FMA 03 signaling units), competition-grade fencing pistes (Fechtbahnen), and wireless fencing (Kabelloses Fechten) systems that eliminate body-cord constraints. The company is also positioning itself in digital training via VR Fencing, a virtual reality simulator.

Commercially, Uhlmann operates a hybrid distribution model: direct-to-consumer through its bilingual (DE/EN) e-commerce shop (uhlmann-fechtsport.com), factory pickup at the Laupheim headquarters, and a domestic German dealer locator (Händlersuche); internationally it routes sales through exclusive country distributors in at least 12 markets (Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, Hungary, UK, China, Japan, Switzerland, South Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine), with direct international shipping available to other regions. Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time product sales; pricing is publicly disclosed per item (e.g., €165 gross per pair for the Kempa PRO AGILITY shoe). The company's customer base spans individual competitive fencers, fencing clubs and academies, tournament organizers, and (most strategically) national and international fencing federations. Uhlmann holds official equipment supplier status with FIE (Fédération Internationale d'Escrime) and four national federations — Deutscher Fechter-Bund (DFB), Swiss Fencing, Österreichischer Fechtverband (ÖFV), and the National Fencing Federation of Ukraine (NFFU) — lending FIE-certified brand authority across international competition fencing.

The company is led by three managing directors (Geschäftsführer): Frank Messemer (Dipl.-Kfm.), Uwe Gretzinger, and Valeria Probst, with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or M&A activity. Brand visibility is reinforced through the annual Uhlmann-Cup, an EFC-sanctioned international fencing tournament held at the Rottumhalle in Laupheim for approximately five decades, and through active social engagement on Instagram (uhlmann.fencing) and an online news/magazine presence. No revenue, headcount, or growth figures are disclosed in the source material.

Name

UHLMANN FECHTSPORT

Legal name

Uhlmann-Fechtsport GmbH & Co.KG

Website

https://uhlmann-fechtsport.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Uhlmann Fechtsport is a German fencing equipment manufacturer (GmbH & Co. KG, Laupheim) producing weapons, protective gear, scoring systems, pistes, and VR training technology for competitive fencers, fencing clubs, and national/international federations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fencing Equipment

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Physical Education & Athletics Equipment (Gym, Sports Gear, Scoreboards) (EDAEAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Combat Sports & Boxing Fitness Equipment Retail (Bags, Gloves, Pads, Wraps) (CRAMADAI)

Keywords

• Fencing equipment
• Fencing weapons
• Fencing protective gear
• Sport fencing
• Fencing accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Laupheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (E-commerce & Direct Pickup): Revenue generated from direct sales of fencing equipment and gear through the company's online shop and direct pickup at headquarters. Product categories include weapons (foils, epees, sabers), clothing (fencing suits, plastrons, masks, gloves, shoes, socks), bags, tournament/hall equipment, and VR fencing products.
2. International Distribution Sales: Revenue from international market through exclusive country distributors who purchase and resell Uhlmann fencing equipment in their respective territories.
3. Dealer/Retail Sales: Sales to domestic (German) retail dealers who purchase fencing equipment for resale to end consumers.
4. Custom/Personalized Products: Revenue from custom-made, printed, and personalized fencing products ordered to individual customer specifications. These are excluded from return/exchange policies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Uhlmann Fechtsport manufactures and sells fencing equipment including weapons (foils, epees, sabres and replacement blades), protective clothing (fencing suits, plastrons, masks, gloves, shoes, socks), electronic scoring systems, fencing pistes, and a VR Fencing training simulator. The company sells directly through its online shop and factory pickup in Laupheim, through German retail dealers, and through exclusive international country distributors across more than 50 countries.

Product overview

UHLMANN FECHTSPORT is a fencing equipment manufacturer offering a comprehensive product portfolio centered on protective gear (fencing suits, plastrons, masks, gloves), weapons (foils, epees, sabres with replacement blades), and specialized footwear (Kempa PRO AGILITY). The company also provides tournament infrastructure solutions including scoring equipment (Melderanlagen), fencing pistes, and wireless fencing systems. A notable addition is the VR Fencing virtual reality simulator for digital training. The product range includes FIE-certified equipment, standard 350N compliant gear, wheelchair fencing accessories, and testing/repair materials, positioning the company as a full-service provider for fencing clubs, competitions, and individual fencers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fencing Suits (Fechtanzüge) Protective fencing uniforms worn during competition and training by fencers.
• Plastrons and Protective Equipment Underarm protectors and additional protective gear for fencers competing or training in all three weapon disciplines.
• Fencing Masks (Masken) Protective head masks including FIE-certified and standard 350N-compliant versions for fencers.
• Foil, Epee, Sabre and Accessories Complete weapons and replacement blades for all three fencing disciplines (foil, epee, sabre) plus related accessories for fencers.
• Electronic Scoring Systems (Melderanlagen) and Accessories Electronic scoring devices for fencing pistes, including TBOX Competition and UTMS 02/FMA 001/FMA 03 signaling units used at tournaments, for tournament organizers and fencing halls.
• Fencing Pistes (Fechtbahnen) Competition-grade fencing strips and pistes manufactured for tournament and hall use by tournament organizers and fencing clubs.
• Fechtschuh Kempa PRO AGILITY High-performance fencing shoe developed in collaboration with Kempa, featuring neoprene sock construction, torsion system for midfoot stability, PU cushioning pads, and specialized sole for optimal grip on fencing strips.
• VR Fencing (Virtual Reality Fencing) Virtual reality fencing simulator that unifies human and virtual fencing, offered as a digital training tool for fencers, clubs, and training academies.
• Wireless Fencing (Kabelloses Fechten) Wireless fencing equipment category that enables cable-free competition without wired body cord connections.
• Testing and Repair Materials (Prüf- und Reparaturmaterial) Testing equipment, repair materials, and replacement parts (including Ersatzteile für Kabelrolle) for fencing equipment maintenance by fencers, clubs, and federations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Uhlmann Cup — a premier international fencing event held annually in Laupheim for five decades, demonstrating brand prominence and community impact in fencing

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FIE (Fédération Internationale d'Escrime)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUhlmann Fechtsport is an official equipment supplier/provider for FIE (Fédération Internationale d'Escrime), the international fencing federation. This partnership involves the supply of competition-grade fencing equipment that meets FIE certification standards for use in international fencing competitions.
• Deutscher Fechter-Bund (DFB) — German Fencing FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUhlmann Fechtsport is the official equipment provider for the German Fencing Federation (Deutscher Fechter-Bund). This partnership involves supplying competition-grade fencing equipment meeting DFB standards for German national competitions and training.
• Swiss Fencing (Schweizerischer Fechtverband)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial equipment supplier for Swiss Fencing, the national fencing federation of Switzerland.
• Österreichischer Fechtverband (ÖFV) — Austrian Fencing FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial equipment supplier for the Austrian Fencing Federation (ÖFV).
• National Fencing Federation of Ukraine (NFFU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial equipment provider for the Ukrainian National Fencing Federation (NFFU).
• TSV LaupheimminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal sports club and kind supporter of the Uhlmann-Cup annual fencing tournament. Listed as a supporting organization for the 2025 Uhlmann-Cup event.
• Fechten LaupheimminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal fencing organization in Laupheim and kind supporter of the Uhlmann-Cup annual fencing tournament.
• Kreissparkasse BiberachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional savings bank (Kreissparkasse Biberach) listed as a kind supporter of the Uhlmann-Cup annual fencing tournament.
• Volksbank Allgäu-OberschwabenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional cooperative bank (Volksbank Allgäu-Oberschwaben) listed as a kind supporter of the Uhlmann-Cup annual fencing tournament.
• Internationale Bodensee Fechterschaft (IBF)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerUhlmann Fechtsport supported the IBF's 100th anniversary special tournament with technical equipment and service, and had a sales booth on board a ferry on Lake Constance. This was a joint event involving fencers from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• German Blade: German manufacturer specializing in fencing blades for foil, epee, and sabre. While narrower in scope than Uhlmann's full ecosystem, German Blade competes directly in the replacement-blade and weapon-component category that Uhlmann also offers.
• Absolute Fencing Gear: US-based fencing equipment retailer and brand distributing weapons, masks, and protective gear to North American fencers. Competes with Uhlmann in the US market where Uhlmann's Zone 4 shipping is notably expensive (€114/10kg), creating a domestic-cost advantage for Absolute.
• Leon Paul: UK-based fencing equipment manufacturer producing weapons, protective clothing, masks, and scoring systems. Leon Paul is one of Uhlmann's principal global competitors in FIE-grade fencing gear and holds comparable federation-level supply relationships.
• Blue Gauntlet Fencing: US fencing equipment company manufacturing and distributing weapons, masks, and uniforms, including FIE-certified products. Directly comparable to Uhlmann in the North American market and serves competitive club, collegiate, and individual fencers.
• Prieur Sports: French fencing equipment manufacturer producing foils, epees, sabres, masks, and accessories. Prieur is another established European fencing supplier with comparable FIE-grade product lines and federation relationships, particularly in France and francophone markets.
• PBT Fencing: Hungarian manufacturer of fencing weapons and equipment, well known in Eastern European fencing markets. PBT competes with Uhlmann in fencing weapons and accessories and is also listed as an exclusive Uhlmann distribution territory (Hungary), making it both competitor and channel relationship.
• Allstar Fechtsport (AF): Germany-based fencing equipment brand manufacturing weapons, masks, and clothing for all three disciplines. As a direct domestic competitor, AF competes head-to-head with Uhlmann in the DACH market and internationally through fencing wholesalers.

Broad incumbents

• Kempa (Adidas Handball): German handball-focused sports brand under the Adidas Group. Kempa co-developed the Fechtschuh Kempa PRO AGILITY with Uhlmann, making it an adjacent footwear partner rather than a fencing competitor, but illustrative of broader sports-goods incumbents that fencing brands partner with for product extensions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/uhlmann.fencing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 UHLMANN FECHTSPORT