Hermle Maschinenbau

HardwareGosheim, GermanyFounded 1938· One of 1757 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: Public
Total Funding: Publicly Traded
Latest Round: IPO
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).

https://www.hermle.de/en/additive-manufacturing/

Why this company matters

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.