HardwareGosheim, GermanyFounded 1938· One of 1740 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse
Develops hybrid 5-axis machines using patented Metal Powder Application (MPA) for high-speed deposition and in-situ machining of large metal components.
CEO / Founder
Franz-Xaver Bernhard (Sales, R&D), Gunther Beck (Finances, IT)
Team Size
1001-5000
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$508.3M (Revenue)
Key Investors
Public shareholders
Technology & Products
Key Products
CNC milling machines, portal mills, special machines, and additive manufacturing services using the patented Metal Powder Application (MPA) process.
Technological Advantage
Enables the combination of dissimilar materials and the creation of internal cooling channels in parts up to 550 mm diameter and 600 kg, avoiding the heat-affected zones of laser-based processes.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Combines supersonic metal deposition with precision 5-axis milling to produce fully dense, multi-material parts (e.g., copper-in-steel) with internal conformal cooling channels, reducing lead times for complex tool and mold making.
How They Differentiate
Utilizes kinetic thermal spray (MPA) rather than laser-based melting, allowing for significantly higher deposition rates and multi-material builds without thermal stress or welding-related issues. They also differentiate through their focus on high-performance, highly innovative 5-axis machining centers, offering precision, performance, and reliable service.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Existing Hermle machining center users and manufacturers requiring complex multi-material metal components with internal cooling.
Industry Verticals
Medical technology; Optics; Aerospace; Automotive; Tool and Mold Making
Competitors
DMG Mori, Doosan, Okuma
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Parent company revenue of €534M; AM R&D active for 10+ years; ~20 dedicated AM engineers.
Major Milestones
1938: Parent company Maschinenfabrik Berthold Hermle AG founded; 1990: Parent company IPO; Pre-2016: AM R&D center established in Ottobrunn; Launch of MPA 40 hybrid machine; Expansion of AM services via international agents like Kingsbury
Notable Customers
M&L Precision Machining Inc. (for Medical Devices, Aerospace, and Defense industries).
Hermle Maschinenbau, a German Mittelstand company founded in 1938, occupies a distinctive position in industrial manufacturing by integrating additive and subtractive processes in a single machine. Its patented Metal Powder Application (MPA) process uses a supersonic jet traveling at three times the speed of sound to deposit metal powder at 10 GPa pressure and temperatures up to 1,000°C. This kinetic compaction method avoids the heat-affected zones and thermal stress common to laser-based powder bed fusion or directed energy deposition, enabling the combination of dissimilar materials such as copper-in-steel in a single build.
The MPA 40 hybrid machine can produce parts up to 550 mm in diameter and 600 kg, with internal conformal cooling channels that are difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional machining or laser AM. After deposition, the machine switches to precision 5-axis milling for final surface finish and tolerances. Hermle targets existing machining center users and manufacturers in medical technology, optics, aerospace, automotive, and tool and mold making. Notable customer M&L Precision Machining Inc. uses the technology for medical devices, aerospace, and defense components.
Hermle's approach competes with laser-based hybrid systems from DMG Mori and others, but its kinetic spray process offers higher deposition rates and the ability to bond dissimilar metals without welding defects. The company has invested in AM R&D for over a decade, maintains roughly 20 dedicated AM engineers, and distributes its additive services through partners like Kingsbury. A key open question is whether the MPA process can scale beyond tooling and mold applications into higher-volume production for aerospace or automotive tier-1s, where laser-based metal AM is already established.