fct ingenieurkeramik
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersErfurt, Germany
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What fct ingenieurkeramik does
STEREON Materials SE (formerly QSIL Gruppe; the entity formerly known as FCT Ingenieurkeramik / QSIL Ingenieurkeramik GmbH now operates as STEREON Ceramics Frankenblick GmbH) is a privately held German specialty materials manufacturer producing high-performance technical ceramics, refractory metals and sintered glass filter elements for industrial customers. Following the January 2025 divestiture of the quartz glass melting business (QSIL GmbH Quarzschmelze Ilmenau) to SCHOTT AG, the group operates six production sites in Germany and the United Kingdom with approximately 600 employees, supplying customized components to five end-markets — Diagnostics & Analytics, Semiconductors, Aerospace/Defence/Government, Industrial Solutions, and Automotive — and serving customers in over 50 countries through sales offices in the USA, Taiwan, India and China.
The portfolio is organized into three business units: STEREON Ceramics (oxide ceramics at Auma-Weidatal, and non-oxide technical ceramics including silicon nitride and silicon carbide at Frankenblick/Sonneberg), STEREON Metals (refractory metals molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum and niobium at Hermsdorf and Calne, UK), and STEREON Glassfilters (sintered borosilicate/quartz glass filters under the ROBU and VitraPOR brands at Hattert). Core process technologies include a proprietary electron beam melting (EBM) route for high-purity molybdenum, in-house metallization and active brazing for ceramic-metal assemblies, additive 3D screen printing of ceramic functional components, dissipative high-resistance coatings for high-voltage insulators, precision CNC machining at micron-level tolerances, and CO2-reduced sintering with thermal afterburning. EN 9100 aerospace certification at Hermsdorf and Calne, combined with ISO 9001/14001/50001/45001, qualifies the group for safety-critical applications.
Revenue is generated through direct B2B sales of customized, quote-based high-performance components on multi-year contracts with industrial OEMs — no standardized pricing tiers exist. Go-to-market is sales-led enterprise field engagement, with sales engineers working with customers from early project stages through series production. The group is wholly owned by the Stephan-Hein Heinrich-Behr Familienstiftung (a family foundation established by Stephan Behr) since June 2025 and is led by CEO Chris Förster (appointed February 2025, previously CFO of X-FAB Silicon Foundries for 17+ years). Strategic acquisitions include the 2022 purchase of H.C. Starck's non-North-American refractory metals operations and the 2023 acquisition of ROBU Glasfilter-Geräte GmbH.
fct ingenieurkeramik firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- fct ingenieurkeramik
- Legal name
- STEREON Materials SE
- Website
- https://fcti.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
fct ingenieurkeramik industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Technical Ceramics
- NAICS
- Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3329), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Hardware Manufacturing (332510)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490), Electronic Components, Nec (3679)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ceramic & Glass 3D Printing Services (IMAAADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Electronics & Enclosure Prototyping (Additive) (IMAAAFAH)
Keywords
Where fct ingenieurkeramik is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Erfurt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices10 records
Markets served
fct ingenieurkeramik business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- High-performance Materials Product Sales: Sale of technical ceramics, refractory metals, and technical glass products. Products range from semi-finished goods (plates, sheets, rods) to finished precision components and additively manufactured components. Revenue is generated through direct sales to industrial customers requiring customized solutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Customized B2B solutions - no standardized pricing tiers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
fct ingenieurkeramik product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FCT Ingenieurkeramik (now STEREON Ceramics Frankenblick GmbH) develops and manufactures high-performance non-oxide technical ceramics, primarily silicon nitride (Si3N4) and silicon carbide (SiC), along with oxide ceramics and precision components for demanding industrial applications. Products range from semi-finished goods to additively manufactured finished parts used in medical diagnostics, semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace, defence, automotive and mechanical engineering. The company delivers customized solutions from prototype to series production, leveraging proprietary electron beam melting, 3D screen printing, advanced sintering, metallization, and precision machining technologies.
Product overview
STEREON Materials (formerly QSIL Group) operates as a global materials specialist offering high-performance technical ceramics, refractory metals, and precision glass filter solutions. The product portfolio is organized into three main business units: STEREON Ceramics (oxide ceramics from Auma-Weidatal and non-oxide technical ceramics from Frankenblick including silicon nitride and silicon carbide), STEREON Metals (refractory metals including Molybdenum, Tungsten, Tantalum, and Niob at Hermsdorf and Calne facilities), and STEREON Glassfilters (sintered glass filter products under the ROBU®/VitraPOR® brands at Hattert). The company serves five business fields: Diagnostics & Analytics, Semiconductors, Aerospace/Defence/Government, Industrial Solutions, and Automotive, providing both standard and customer-specific components from prototype to series production using advanced manufacturing technologies including precision machining, electron beam melting, metallization and joining technologies, 3D screen printing, and sintering.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ROBU: Leading manufacturer of sintered glass filter elements and glass filter devices from borosilicate and quartz glass, headquartered in Hattert, Germany. Product range includes filter crucibles, funnels, candles, and specialty OEM products for pharmacy, sensor technology, chromatography, and nuclear medicine.
- VitraPOR
Products and services
- Non-Oxide Technical Ceramics (Silicon Nitride and Silicon Carbide) High-performance non-oxide ceramic components made of silicon nitride (Si3N4) and silicon carbide (SiC) for extreme industrial applications in high-temperature technology, electric mobility, semiconductor manufacturing, and analysis technology. Produced at the Frankenblick facility (formerly FCT Ingenieurkeramik).
- Oxide Ceramics Components High-performance oxide ceramic components manufactured at the Auma-Weidatal facility, including parts for valves, insulators, sensor elements, metallized ceramic assemblies, and precision components for medical, electronics, and industrial applications.
- Refractory Metals (Molybdenum, Tungsten, Tantalum, Niobium)
Quantifiable outcome
- CO2 emissions reduced by approximately 1,450 tonnes per year at Auma location through new sintering technology, photovoltaic system, and heat recovery
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use fct ingenieurkeramik
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
fct ingenieurkeramik technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
fct ingenieurkeramik partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MGRAYcoreStrategic partnership between STEREON Metals and MGRAY for joint development of high-performance emitters for imaging X-ray procedures. The collaboration aims to push the physical and mechanical limits of medical imaging technology. STEREON Metals contributes materials and manufacturing expertise while MGRAY brings innovation capabilities.
- SCHOTT AGcoreSCHOTT AG acquired QSIL GmbH Quarzschmelze Ilmenau from QSIL SE. SCHOTT, a foundation company with over 140 years of expertise in specialty glass and glass-ceramics, focuses on semiconductor industry as important growth market. Transaction completed early 2025, SCHOTT took over all employees and business activities.
- Ernst-Abbe Hochschule JenaminorCollaborative research project KeraAdd focused on developing an innovative process chain for resource-saving manufacturing of complex ceramic functional components. Project runs from July 2024 to June 2027, funded by European Union under EFRE program.
- Tridelta Weichferrite GmbHminorCollaborative research project KeraAdd focused on developing an innovative process chain for resource-saving manufacturing of complex ceramic functional components. Project runs from July 2024 to June 2027.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
fct ingenieurkeramik competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CeramTec GmbH: One of the world's largest manufacturers of advanced technical ceramics, headquartered in Germany. Competes directly with STEREON Ceramics in oxide and non-oxide ceramic components for medical, automotive, electronics, and industrial applications.
- CoorsTek Inc. Global leader in technical ceramics manufacturing with broad portfolio of engineered ceramic components. Directly comparable to STEREON in serving semiconductor, medical, aerospace, and industrial customers with custom ceramic solutions.
- Plansee SE: Austrian-based global leader in refractory metals including molybdenum and tungsten products. Directly comparable to STEREON Metals Hermsdorf and Calne in refractory metal components for medical, semiconductor, and high-temperature applications.
- Morgan Advanced Materials plc: UK-headquartered global manufacturer of advanced ceramics, carbon, and composite materials serving similar end markets including medical, semiconductor, and industrial. Comparable scale and product breadth to STEREON Materials.
- Masan High-Tech Materials: Vietnamese-headquartered company that acquired H.C. Starck's tungsten business. Directly comparable to STEREON Metals in refractory metals processing and is the natural counterpart for the H.C. Starck assets STEREON acquired.
- Momentive Performance Materials: Global specialty materials company producing silicones, ceramics, and specialty additives. Comparable to STEREON in advanced ceramic components and high-temperature materials for industrial and electronic applications.
Broad incumbents
- Kyocera Corporation: Japanese multinational with a large technical ceramics division offering fine ceramic components, electronic devices, and semiconductor packages. A much larger incumbent with overlapping capabilities in ceramic substrates, insulators, and semiconductor components.
- Saint-Gobain (Performance Ceramics): French multinational with a Performance Ceramics division producing refractory and technical ceramic products. A broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities in ceramic components for industrial, aerospace, and electronics applications.
- SCHOTT AG: German specialty glass and glass-ceramics manufacturer that acquired STEREON's former quartz division in January 2025. An incumbent in technical glass and adjacent advanced materials serving semiconductor and medical markets.
Emerging players
- Materion Corporation: US-based supplier of advanced materials including beryllium, precious metals, and specialty alloys. Comparable in serving aerospace, semiconductor, and industrial markets with high-performance material components.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
fct ingenieurkeramik social profiles
Digital presencefct ingenieurkeramik compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
fct ingenieurkeramik financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
fct ingenieurkeramik leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
fct ingenieurkeramik subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
fct ingenieurkeramik funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
fct ingenieurkeramik M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about fct ingenieurkeramik
What does fct ingenieurkeramik do?
FCT Ingenieurkeramik (now STEREON Ceramics Frankenblick GmbH) develops and manufactures high-performance non-oxide technical ceramics, primarily silicon nitride (Si3N4) and silicon carbide (SiC), along with oxide ceramics and precision components for demanding industrial applications. Products range from semi-finished goods to additively manufactured finished parts used in medical diagnostics, semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace, defence, automotive and mechanical engineering. The company delivers customized solutions from prototype to series production, leveraging proprietary electron beam melting, 3D screen printing, advanced sintering, metallization, and precision machining technologies.
Is fct ingenieurkeramik a public or private company?
fct ingenieurkeramik is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was fct ingenieurkeramik founded?
fct ingenieurkeramik was founded in 2001.
Where is fct ingenieurkeramik based?
fct ingenieurkeramik is headquartered in Erfurt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does fct ingenieurkeramik make money?
One revenue line is on record: high-performance Materials Product Sales.
Who are fct ingenieurkeramik's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CeramTec GmbH, CoorsTek Inc., Plansee SE, Morgan Advanced Materials plc, Masan High-Tech Materials and Momentive Performance Materials. Broad incumbents are Kyocera Corporation, Saint-Gobain (Performance Ceramics) and SCHOTT AG. Materion Corporation is listed as an emerging player.
Does fct ingenieurkeramik have an API?
No public API is recorded for fct ingenieurkeramik.
What industry is fct ingenieurkeramik in?
fct ingenieurkeramik's product category is Technical Ceramics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAAADAC, Ceramic & Glass 3D Printing Services, with a secondary code of IMAAAFAH, Electronics & Enclosure Prototyping (Additive). Its NAICS code is 3329 and its SIC code is 3490.