Wittenstein

Wittenstein Group is a privately owned German industrial technology company headquartered in Igersheim-Harthausen, Baden-Württemberg. Its core business is the development and manufacture of precision planetary gearheads, gearing systems, servo motors, actuators, electromechanical drive systems, and related motion-control technologies. The group serves applications in robotics, machine tools, packaging, materials handling, process technology, aerospace, defence, medical technology, printing, stage and lifting equipment, offshore energy, nanotechnology, and motorsport. The company originated in 1949 as Dewitta, founded by Walter Wittenstein and Bruno Dähn in Steinheim near Heidenheim. The early business made double-chainstitch machines for glove manufacturing. As the glove industry declined during the 1970s, the company diversified into contract manufacturing and equipment for sectors such as tube filling and sealing, bread packaging, and industrial fastening. This transition created the basis for the company’s later move into highly engineered drive technology. Walter Wittenstein’s son, Manfred Wittenstein, joined the family business in 1979 and led a modernization of both manufacturing and product strategy. The company identified low-backlash planetary gearheads as a promising growth area, and the SP series, introduced at the Hanover Fair in 1983, became a major turning point. Alpha Getriebebau was established in 1984 as a joint venture and later became a central Wittenstein business. The group subsequently expanded from gearheads into complete servo and actuator systems, motors, control technologies, and specialized solutions for demanding environments. Internationalization began in the early 1990s with subsidiaries in France, Japan, and North America. Over time, Wittenstein built a global network of technology and sales operations, including manufacturing and service activities in Germany, the United States, Romania, and Switzerland. Its North American headquarters are in Bartlett, Illinois. The group’s business portfolio has also broadened through the creation or acquisition of specialist companies, including Wittenstein Cyber Motor, Wittenstein Galaxie, Attocube Systems, baramundi software, and Wittenstein High Integrity Systems. Wittenstein reorganized its corporate structure in 2001, converting the former Wittenstein GmbH & Co. KG into a family-owned, non-listed public limited company. Subsequent reorganizations consolidated business activities around strategic divisions for gearheads, gearing, servo motors, mechatronic systems, extreme-environment drive technology, and associated technologies. The group sold its medical division to Orthofix in 2020, while establishing Wittenstein Galaxie GmbH to develop and commercialize its Galaxie drive technology more directly. Innovation remains central to the brand. The company operates research and development activities, technical training programs, and the Wittenstein Academy. Its product positioning emphasizes precision, compactness, low backlash, high power density, reliability, and application-specific engineering. Wittenstein also supports education and science through the Wittenstein Foundation, scholarships, and regional initiatives for young inventors. The group is active across major industrial and technology markets and remains controlled as a family-owned enterprise.

Wittenstein began in 1949 as Dewitta, a small machinery company founded by Walter Wittenstein and Bruno Dähn in Steinheim near Heidenheim, Germany. Its original products were double-chainstitch machines used in glove manufacturing. The business moved to Bad Mergentheim in 1952 and later relocated to Igersheim in 1963 as its facilities became inadequate. The decline of glove use in the 1970s undermined the original market. Wittenstein responded with contract manufacturing and diversification, producing equipment for industrial fastening, tube filling and sealing, sliced-bread packaging, and other applications. This period helped the company maintain manufacturing capabilities while it searched for a more defensible technology position. Manfred Wittenstein, son of the founder, joined the business in 1979 and gradually assumed leadership as Walter Wittenstein retired. Manfred pursued modernization and identified precision planetary gearheads as a strategic opportunity. The SP series, presented in 1983, became a landmark product and established the company in precision drive technology. Alpha Getriebebau was created in 1984 as a joint venture involving Wittenstein and Bastian, later becoming an important group company. During the late 1980s and 1990s, Wittenstein invested in additional production capacity in Igersheim and Weikersheim and recruited engineers and technicians to support the transition from general machinery to precision systems. The former sewing-machine business was ultimately sold, and the last such machines were assembled in the mid-1990s. International expansion began with subsidiaries in France and Japan, followed by North American manufacturing and sales operations. Wittenstein Motion Control, founded in 1992, extended the group into servo actuators and complete electromechanical systems. Wittenstein intens and Wittenstein cyber motor were added in 1999. The group developed its Igersheim-Harthausen headquarters into a combined administrative, production, development, training, and logistics campus. It also maintained production in nearby Igersheim and expanded gearing production in Fellbach. In 2001, the corporate structure changed from Wittenstein GmbH & Co. KG to a family-owned, non-listed public limited company. New specialist businesses followed, including aerospace and simulation activities in 2003 and electronics in 2007. Wittenstein acquired a majority interest in Munich-based attocube systems in 2008 and completed the acquisition in 2011. In 2013–2014, leadership responsibilities shifted from Manfred Wittenstein to Dieter Spath, with Manfred becoming chairman of the supervisory board. In 2017, Wittenstein acquired all shares of baramundi software AG, broadening the group’s activities into industrial and enterprise software. A subsequent restructuring integrated electronics and reorganized industrial systems and gearing activities among the alpha and Cyber Motor businesses. In 2019, Bertram Hoffmann became chief executive officer and chairman of the management board. In 2020, the group sold its medical division to Orthofix, established Wittenstein Galaxie GmbH, and legally merged aerospace and simulation activities into Wittenstein Motion Control. Attocube and Neaspec were also combined under Attocube Systems. The group continued to operate as a family-owned industrial technology enterprise with a global sales and production network, while investing in precision drives, mechatronics, cybertronic systems, nano-positioning, and software.

1. 2020Portfolio and organizational restructuring

   The medical business is sold, Wittenstein Galaxie GmbH is founded, and aerospace and simulation operations are integrated into Wittenstein Motion Control.

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2. 2019Bertram Hoffmann becomes CEO

   Bertram Hoffmann takes over as chairman of the management board and chief executive officer.

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3. 2017baramundi becomes a Wittenstein subsidiary

   Wittenstein acquires the entire share capital of baramundi software AG.

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4. 2008Investment in attocube systems

   Wittenstein acquires a majority stake in the Munich-based nanotechnology company.

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5. 2001Corporate conversion

   The original partnership structure is converted into a family-owned, non-listed public limited company.

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6. 1992Motion-control and North American expansion

   Wittenstein Motion Control is established and the group develops North American manufacturing and market operations.

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7. 1984Alpha Getriebebau established

   Wittenstein and Bastian create a joint venture focused on precision gearheads.

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8. 1983SP planetary gearhead introduced

   The SP series is presented at the Hanover Fair and becomes a key product in the company’s transformation.

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9. 1979Manfred Wittenstein joins the family company

   Manfred Wittenstein begins the modernization that later shifts the business toward precision drive technology.

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10. 1963Relocation to Igersheim

    Dewitta moves to Herrenwiesenstrasse in Igersheim, which becomes the long-term center of the business.

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11. 1952Move to Bad Mergentheim

    The company relocates as its first premises become too small.

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12. 1949Dewitta is founded

    Walter Wittenstein and Bruno Dähn establish the company in Steinheim to manufacture machinery for glove production.

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High-end precision motion control and drive technology for demanding industrial, scientific, aerospace, and specialized applications.

• SP planetary gearhead seriesPrecision planetary gearheads1983

  Introduced in 1983, the SP series helped establish Wittenstein as a precision-drive specialist. Planetary gearheads are used to adapt motor speed, torque, and inertia characteristics in applications requiring compact construction, controlled backlash, and repeatable positioning. The series represents the product family that underpinned the company’s transition away from glove-machinery manufacturing.

• Alpha precision gearheadsIndustrial gearing

  The alpha business supplies precision gearheads, gearing components, and application-specific transmission solutions for automation, machine tools, robotics, packaging, and other industrial equipment. Its products are designed for high positioning accuracy, low backlash, efficiency, and long service life, with configurations matched to different motor and installation requirements.

• Galaxie drive technologyPrecision drive systems2020

  Galaxie is Wittenstein’s specialized drive technology platform, developed around a distinctive transmission concept intended to combine high torque density, precision, stiffness, and dynamic performance. A dedicated subsidiary was created in 2020 to focus on market development and expansion of the technology.

• Cyber Motor servo motorsServo motors1999

  Wittenstein Cyber Motor develops compact, high-performance servo motors and integrated motor solutions for demanding motion-control applications. The products are used where dynamic response, thermal performance, compact dimensions, and integration with precision gearing or control systems are important.

• CynapActuator and drive technology

  Cynap refers to Wittenstein’s integrated actuator and drive technology offering. It combines mechanical transmission with motor and control-related functions to support compact, coordinated motion systems in automation and specialized machinery.

• Attocube nano-positioning systemsNanotechnology equipment

  Through Attocube Systems, the group supplies nano-positioning equipment and related technologies for scientific and industrial research. The business also covers cryogenic nanoscopy and nano-spectroscopy, serving applications that require extremely fine positioning and measurement in demanding laboratory environments.

• 2002Debut international classical singing competition

  International · Germany

  Manfred Wittenstein initiated the Debut competition to support emerging classical singers and young opera performers.

  Outcome. Wittenstein SE became the competition’s principal sponsor.

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• 1995Wittenstein Foundation scholarship program

  Germany

  Manfred Wittenstein and school headmaster Ullrich Lempp established a foundation supporting education and science, including an annual natural-science scholarship for a student at Deutschorden-Gymnasium in Bad Mergentheim.

  Outcome. The initiative became part of the company’s regional education and science engagement.

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• Creative Young Minds

  Germany · Regional

  Wittenstein supported a regional competition encouraging young inventors to develop and present original technical ideas.

  Outcome. The program reinforced the group’s education, engineering, and youth-innovation profile.

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• 2020Sale of medical division to OrthofixM&A

  The group adjusted its portfolio and concentrated more strongly on its core drive and motion-control activities.

  What changed. Wittenstein sold its medical division to medical-technology company Orthofix.

  Aftermath. The divestment removed the medical unit from the Wittenstein portfolio while the group continued investing in precision drives and related technologies.

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• 2020Creation of Wittenstein Galaxie GmbHStrategy

  Galaxie drive technology was considered sufficiently distinctive to warrant a dedicated commercial and organizational focus.

  What changed. Wittenstein established Wittenstein Galaxie GmbH to develop and position the technology independently within the group.

  Aftermath. The new subsidiary became a dedicated platform for expanding Galaxie applications and market adoption.

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• 2020Integration of aerospace and simulation activitiesStrategy

  Wittenstein aimed to consolidate expertise in mechatronic and cybertronic drive systems for extreme environments.

  What changed. Wittenstein Aerospace and Simulation GmbH was legally merged with Wittenstein Motion Control GmbH.

  Aftermath. The restructuring combined capabilities and supported a more integrated extreme-environment drive business.

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• 2017Acquisition of baramundi softwareM&A

  Wittenstein sought to broaden its technology portfolio beyond mechanical and electromechanical drive systems.

  What changed. The group acquired all shares in baramundi software AG.

  Aftermath. baramundi became part of the Wittenstein Group and expanded its presence in software and digital workplace management.

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• 2022Steffen Schwerd appointed Chief Sales Officer

  Steffen Schwerd joined the management board as Chief Sales Officer.

  Leadership change
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• 2022baramundi Software Factory opens in Augsburg

  The software production and development facility of the Wittenstein subsidiary baramundi was officially opened in Augsburg.

  Other
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• 2020Wittenstein establishes Galaxie subsidiary

  Wittenstein Galaxie GmbH was established to commercialize and expand the group’s Galaxie drive technology as a dedicated business.

  Product launch
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• 2020Wittenstein sells medical division to Orthofix

  The group divested its medical division to Orthofix as part of a portfolio change.

  M&A
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• 2020Attocube and Neaspec combine under Attocube Systems

  Attocube Systems AG and Neaspec GmbH were brought together under the Attocube Systems name, creating aligned activities in nano-positioning, cryogenic nanoscopy, and nano-spectroscopy.

  M&A
  Source

1. Wittenstein
2. Wittenstein official website