BÖHLER AMPO
Premium metal powders for additive manufacturing (BÖHLER AMPO brand) including steel, titanium, nickel-based, and cobalt alloys; supports LPBF, EBM, and binder jetting processes for aerospace, automotive, and tooling applications.
- CEO / Founder
- DI Dr. Gerhard Lichtenegger
- Team Size
- 501-1000
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $3.9M
- Latest Round
- Grant
- Key Investors
- voestalpine AG (parent company, publicly listed Vienna Stock Exchange since 1995)
Technology & Products
Key Products
BÖHLER AMPO metal powders (9 standard grades + 250+ custom variants); High-speed steels; Tool steels; Special alloys (titanium, nickel-based, cobalt-chrome, stainless steel); Maraging steels (e.g., BÖHLER V250); Case-hardening steels (e.g., BÖHLER E185 AMPO)
Technological Advantage
Vacuum-melted powders achieve highest quality standards and minimize impurities vs. standard industrial powders; integrated metallurgical expertise enables rapid customization of alloys; 250-grade portfolio provides flexibility for diverse applications; vertical integration of melting and atomization reduces supply chain risk; accredited testing facilities reduce customer validation cycles.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Vacuum-melted, inert-gas atomized powders with 250+ customizable steel grades and 9 standard BÖHLER AMPO brands; 25+ years powder metallurgy expertise; accredited testing laboratory; integrated steelmaking enables raw material control; global distribution network with short lead times and high delivery reliability.
How They Differentiate
BÖHLER differentiates via (1) integrated steelmaking control enabling higher purity and custom alloys; (2) 250-grade legacy portfolio vs. competitors' 30-75 grades; (3) 25+ years powder metallurgy vs. newer entrants; (4) accredited testing reduces customer validation; (5) global distribution with locations in 50+ countries ensures supply security.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Aerospace OEMs; automotive manufacturers; tooling & engineering firms; medical device makers
Industry Verticals
Aerospace & Defense; Automotive; Tooling & Dies; Medical Devices; Energy & Power Generation; Oil & Gas
Competitors
EOS GmbH (Germany) - 75+ qualified processes, 30+ alloys for DMLS; GE Additive / AP&C (Canada) - Osprey powder technology, major player in metal AM powders; Sandvik AM (Sweden) - Major powder supplier, binder jet beta partner with GE; Carpenter Technologies (US) - Leading metal powder supplier, multiple alloy systems; Höganäs AB (Sweden) - Large powder producer transitioning to AM; ATI (US) - Specialty metals for aerospace, metal powder capability
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
voestalpine invested €20M (2017) in expanding metal powder production at BÖHLER Edelstahl for AM; by 2021, total voestalpine technology investment planned at €500M; company operates state-of-the-art special steel plant in Kapfenberg producing 250 steel grades; 25+ years in powder metallurgy before entering AM segment.
Major Milestones
1870 - BÖHLER founded by Albert and Emile Böhler in Austria; 1991 - BÖHLER-UDDEHOLM AG formed via merger of BÖHLER Group and Swedish Uddeholm Group; 2007 - voestalpine acquired BÖHLER-UDDEHOLM (completed squeeze-out September 2008); 2016 - voestalpine opened AM research center; began building powder atomization for additive manufacturing; 2017 - €20M investment announced in metal powder production expansion for AM at BÖHLER Edelstahl and Uddeholms; 2020 - Gerhard Lichtenegger appointed to management board with focus on powder metallurgy and AM; 2021 - Preliminary phases completed for new metal powder production facility for 3D printing
Notable Customers
Aerospace OEMs (general engineering/tooling partnerships via voestalpine); Automotive tier-1 suppliers; Medical device manufacturers; Industrial tooling firms