What Aquatec does

AQUAtec Master in Metal GmbH is a German owner-managed contract manufacturer of large-format, high-precision metal components, headquartered in Emmerich am Rhein with 6,000 sqm of production space and approximately 70 employees. Founded in 1999 by Lucia Esposito (CEO) and Martin Meenen (Technical Director), the company has positioned around 'XXL' metalworking, deploying two of Europe's largest waterjet cutting systems (16,000 x 4,000 mm travel) and twelve medium-to-large 5-axis CNC machining centers, the largest being a Fooke Endura 908 linear gantry with 12,500 x 4,000 x 2,500 mm workspace and guaranteed accuracy better than 0.01 mm. Quality assurance uses a Wenzel LH 1210 3D coordinate measuring machine capable of handling workpieces up to 3.25 tons.

The service portfolio covers eight vertically integrated capabilities: 2D/3D waterjet cutting, CNC machining, forming, welding (certified to EN 1090 EXC2 and EN ISO 3834-2), blasting, surface treatment (including 12-metre wet grinding and mirror polishing), heat treatment (via certified partners), and a craftsmanship workshop for one-offs and small batches. Project management runs from feasibility analysis and 3D design through manufacturing, quality control, delivery monitoring, and on-site assembly supervision. Pricing is custom and project-quoted, with no published list and multi-year contract structures typical for landmark project delivery.

AQUAtec serves enterprise customers across architecture and facade construction, railway and transportation (e.g., Bombardier AVENTRA, Amsterdam tram rails), premium automotive (Aston Martin Vantage V8 and DB11 via ThyssenKrupp System Engineering), machine tools, and bespoke art commissions. Marquee references include the Makkah Clock Tower Jewel facade, the Movable Skylight of the Holy Mosque of Mecca, the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, 60 London Wall, and the Grand Tower FFM parking garage facade. Customers span Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, with claimed global project delivery capability. Five successive certifications — ISO 9001 (2007), EN 1090 EXC2 (2014), ISO 14001 (2017), EN ISO 3834-2 (2018), and EN 10204 (2020) — underpin eligibility for regulated structural and pressure-equipment work.

Name

Aquatec

Legal name

AQUAtec Master in Metal GmbH

Website

https://aquatec-group.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

German owner-managed contract manufacturer specializing in XXL-format, high-precision metal components — waterjet cutting, 5-axis CNC machining, welding, and surface treatment — for enterprise clients in architecture, railway, and premium automotive.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Metal Manufacturing Services

NAICS

Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers (332812)

SIC

Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490), Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Sheet Metal Machinery (Laser/Plasma/Waterjet Cutting, Punching) (IMAHADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Surface Preparation & Coating Facilities (Blasting, Paint Shops, Environmental Containment) (IMAJALAI)

Keywords

• Precision metal machining
• Contract metal manufacturing
• Waterjet cutting services
• CNC machining services
• Metal fabrication services

Headquarters

HQ city

Emmerich am Rhein

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Contract Manufacturing Services: AQUAtec generates revenue through providing contract manufacturing services for metal components. Services include waterjet cutting, CNC machining, forming, welding, blasting, surface treatment, and heat treatment. They operate on a project-based, make-to-order model with no standard product catalog - each project is customized.
2. Project Management & Support: Comprehensive project support services from initial concept through final customer acceptance, including feasibility analysis, material selection, manufacturing strategy development, 3D design, quality control, delivery monitoring, and on-site assembly supervision.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AQUAtec Master in Metal GmbH is a contract metal manufacturer providing 2D & 3D waterjet cutting, 5-axis CNC machining, welding, forming, blasting, surface treatment, heat treatment, and craftsmanship workshop/manufacturing services for large-format and complex metal components. Each customer project is custom-engineered, with the company delivering full project support spanning feasibility, material selection, 3D design, manufacturing, quality control, delivery, and on-site assembly supervision. It primarily serves architects, facade construction firms, train manufacturers, premium automotive suppliers, machine tool builders, artists, and government/royal-commissioned projects worldwide.

Product overview

AQUAtec is a Master in Metal company offering precision contract manufacturing services for large-format metalworking. The portfolio centers on a vertically integrated suite of eight core manufacturing services: 2D & 3D Waterjet Cutting, CNC Machining, Forming, Welding, Blasting, Surface Treatment, Heat Treatment, and Workshop/Manufaktur. These services are complemented by comprehensive Project Support and management capabilities, enabling customers to access everything from a single source—from planning and design through manufacturing and on-site assembly. The company specializes in XXL-format components and complex challenges across architecture, automotive, railway technology, aerospace, facade construction, art, and machine tools industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 2D & 3D Waterjet Cutting Cold 2D and 3D waterjet cutting services using two of Europe's largest waterjet cutting systems (workspace 16,000 x 4,000 mm) for stainless steel, aluminium, glass, ceramics, composites, and titanium, preserving material properties.
• CNC Machining
• Forming Straightening and forming of sheets and semi-finished or finished products using straightening presses, profile bending machines, or press brakes depending on requirements.
• Welding Certified specialist welding per EN 1090 EXC2 assessment and EN ISO 3834-2, offering manual metal arc (111), MAG (135/136), TIG (141), and drawn-arc stud (783) welding for steel structures and pressure equipment components.
• Blasting
• Surface Treatment
• Heat Treatment
• Workshop / Manufaktur
• Project Support

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• RIVA EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for landmark architecture projects including Makkah Clock Tower Jewel facade and Movable Skylight for Holy Mosque of Mecca. RIVA Engineering serves as client representative for Saudi royal family projects.
• Kersten EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 2D and 3D forming of components, particularly for tram rail projects. Combined waterjet cutting and forming capabilities for complete solutions.
• STEP G (ST Extruded Products Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Bombardier AVENTRA train family projects. STEP G supplies welded aluminium profiles that AQUAtec machines to achieve required tolerances.
• Lindner Steel and GlassmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Museum of Islamic Art Doha project. Lindner serves as client representative for Emir of Qatar with AQUAtec providing door systems and structural glazing.
• Max BöglmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Amsterdam tram rail renewal project. Max Bögl serves as prime contractor for City of Amsterdam with AQUAtec providing waterjet cutting and machining of Dillidur steel rails.
• Josef Gartner Permasteelisa GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 60 London Wall facade renovation project in London. Permasteelisa Group serves as client with AQUAtec supplying stainless duplex steel facade sections.
• ThyssenKrupp System EngineeringmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Aston Martin automotive projects. AQUAtec machines aluminium frames for Vantage V8 and DB11 models under direct audit from Aston Martin Lagonda.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FATHOM: FATHOM provides on-demand CNC machining, sheet-metal fabrication and additive-manufacturing services through a managed production network. It is comparable to AQUAtec's custom, make-to-order model and industrial customer base, although FATHOM is less concentrated on very large-format metalwork.
• Proto Labs: Proto Labs provides rapid CNC machining, sheet-metal fabrication and related manufacturing services for production components. Its digital quote-to-production workflow serves similar industrial customers, though its core offering is broader and more distributed than AQUAtec's single specialist operation.
• Quickparts: Quickparts offers custom CNC machining, sheet-metal production and additive-manufacturing services. It competes for similar on-demand component programs, but AQUAtec differentiates through much larger work envelopes and more project-intensive engineering support.

Emerging players

• Xometry: Xometry operates an on-demand manufacturing marketplace spanning CNC machining, sheet metal, 3D printing and finishing. It overlaps with AQUAtec in custom industrial components and customer acquisition, but its marketplace model and service mix are broader.

Broad incumbents

• KUKA Industries: KUKA Industries provides manufacturing systems, automation, process integration and complex production solutions. It is relevant to AQUAtec's engineering-led delivery and industrial customer base, but operates at a much broader automation and systems-integration level.
• Bystronic: Bystronic provides sheet-metal processing equipment, software and automation for cutting and forming applications. It addresses similar industrial metalworking workflows and quality-sensitive customers, but supplies production systems rather than operating a specialist job shop.

Others

• Danobatgroup: Danobatgroup supplies machine tools, automation and turnkey industrial manufacturing solutions, including precision machining technologies. It is comparable through the same metalworking processes and high-spec industrial customers, although it is primarily a machinery and systems provider.
• Resato: Resato develops high-pressure and waterjet cutting systems for industrial applications. Its technology is directly relevant to AQUAtec's core waterjet process, but Resato is an equipment and systems provider rather than a contract manufacturer.
• OMAX: OMAX manufactures abrasive waterjet machining systems, software and accessories. It is an enabling technology peer to AQUAtec because waterjet cutting is a central production process, although OMAX does not provide the same project-based manufacturing service.
• Rösler: Rösler provides surface-finishing and shot-blasting equipment, consumables and process support. It is comparable to AQUAtec's blasting, grinding and finishing capabilities, but primarily serves manufacturers with enabling equipment and process technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

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 Aquatec