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Steel Casting in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Nina Koefler Nina Koefler Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: June 2024 WZ C24.52DE

Revenue

€1.8bn

2024

€1.8bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€XX.Xm

Employees

7,449

Businesses

35

Wages

€XXX.Xm

Steel Casting in Germany industry analysis

As an intermediate sector, steel foundries are an important and indispensable part of the value chain in German industrial sectors. Due to a variety of properties such as good weldability, cast steel products are ideal as a construction material for vehicle construction as well as mechanical engineering and steel construction. Compared to other metal industries, the steel foundry sector is quite small. In view of the volatile development of steel prices, trade tensions, economic difficulties in some customer industries and the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the turnover of steel foundries has fallen by an average of 2.8% per year over the past five years. In addition to increasing protectionism, which had a negative impact on foreign trade, the steel foundry industry has been characterised by consolidation measures over the past five years.In the current year, industry turnover is likely to fall by 2.5% to 1.8 billion euros due to the decline in demand in key customer markets. The current decline in production volumes and falling demand for cast steel products from the automotive and rail vehicle construction sectors are likely to have a negative impact on industry turnover for steel foundries this year. A decline in turnover is also expected in mechanical engineering.In the next five years, turnover in the industry is expected to increase by an average of 2.6% per year and the industry is expected to generate turnover of 2.1 billion euros in 2029. This is primarily due to the industry's transformation towards climate-neutral production processes and increasing digitalisation and automation. This results in optimisation potential that can lead to a reduction in the use of raw materials and energy and an increase in profit margins. Despite this significant improvement, it can be assumed that the shortage of skilled labour faced by the players will continue to worsen.

Trends and Insights

  • Steel foundries are suffering from the trend towards lightweight construction in key customer industries. Stricter environmental regulations and technological progress are forcing many branches of industry to use light metals such as aluminium, titanium and magnesium.
  • The industry players generate the majority of their sales with products for rail vehicles. In the coming years, this segment's share of sales is likely to increase further, as urbanisation will also lead to increased demand for local and long-distance public transport in the future.
  • The steel foundries are primarily concentrated in the central and southern regions. Both regions have rich deposits of raw materials and a high density of companies in important customer industries.
  • Iron foundries are in direct competition with steel foundries Cast iron products have the advantage over cast steel products that the manufacturing process is less complex and requires far less energy.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.8 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €1.8bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Sector consolidation remains the top priority

  • In recent years, the economic activity of steel foundries has centred on industry consolidation. A clear sign of this is the trend in the number of companies, which has been declining in recent years.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Steel Casting in Germany
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The consumer markets favour the cheaper cast iron substitutes

  • The production process for cast steel products is complex and involves high manufacturing costs, as steel has a high melting point and must also undergo further heat treatment after casting.

Biggest companies in the Steel Casting in Germany

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
Zollern GmbH & Co. KG
56.3
Schmees Holding GmbH
37.5
GussStahl Lienen GmbH & Co. KG
19.3

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Steel Casting in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Steel castings for railway vehicles, Steel castings for mechanical engineering and Steel castings for road vehicles. Steel castings for railway vehicles is the largest segment of the Steel Casting in Germany.

Trends and Insights

The urbanisation trend is increasing demand for steel castings for rail vehicles

  • The industry players manufacture motors for rail vehicles, cast parts for wagons, bearing housings, plain bearings, gear ratios, pulleys and couplings, among other things.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The players in this industry manufacture cast products by casting liquid steel into refractory moulds. Cast steel is an iron alloy whose most important alloying element is carbon. It also contains silicon, manganese, phosphorus and sulphur. The carbon content is up to 2 %. The industry does not include iron, light and non-ferrous metal alloys.

What's included in this industry?

Steel castings for rail vehiclesSteel castings for mechanical engineeringSteel castings for road vehiclesCast steel pipes and pipe fittings

Companies

Zollern GmbH & Co. KGSchmees Holding GmbHGussStahl Lienen GmbH & Co. KG

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

SANDCASTINGFURAN RESIN PROCESSSPHÄROGUSS

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 24.52 - Steel Casting in Germany

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Steel foundries are suffering from the trend towards lightweight construction in key customer industries. Stricter environmental regulations and technological progress are fo...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The industry players generate the majority of their sales with products for rail vehicles. In the coming years, this segment's share of sales is likely to increase further, a...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The steel foundries are primarily concentrated in the central and southern regions. Both regions have rich deposits of raw materials and a high density of companies in import...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Iron foundries are in direct competition with steel foundries Cast iron products have the advantage over cast steel products that the manufacturing process is less complex and...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

There are no major players in the industry. The steel foundries are predominantly small and medium-sized companies that only have one or a few main customers.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Zollern GmbH & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Schmees Holding GmbH's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of GussStahl Lienen GmbH & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Zollern GmbH & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Schmees Holding GmbH, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for GussStahl Lienen GmbH & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The current fall in the price of steel should have a positive effect on demand for cast steel products. Steel is an important raw material for the manufacture of industry pro...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The steel foundry industry has a low profit margin. Increasing energy and raw material costs are difficult to pass on to customers due to external competition, particularly f...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Steel Casting industry in Germany in 2024?

The market size of the Steel Casting industry in Germany is €1.8bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Steel Casting in Germany industry in 2024?

There are 35 businesses in the Steel Casting industry in Germany, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Steel Casting industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Steel Casting industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 2.8 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Steel Casting industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Steel Casting industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Steel Casting market in Germany?

The biggest companies operating in the Steel Casting market in Germany are Zollern GmbH & Co. KG, Schmees Holding GmbH and GussStahl Lienen GmbH & Co. KG

What does the Steel Casting in Germany include?

Steel castings for rail vehicles and Steel castings for mechanical engineering are part of the Steel Casting industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Steel Casting in Germany?

The company holding the most market share in Germany is Zollern GmbH & Co. KG.

How competitive is the Steel Casting industry in Germany?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Steel Casting industry in Germany.

Related Industries

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Complementors

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.