Karl Eugen Fischer – The world market leader you have never heard of

Karl Eugen Fischer manufactures and develops cutting machines for the global tyre industry, and is the world leader in cutting technology for the sector. Never one to rest on its laurels, the company continues to pursue organic and inorganic growth. With the transport and logistics industry booming and a general increase in demand for mobility, Karl Eugen Fischer is serving a market with a strong interest in its products and services – and expected growth rates of four to five per cent per annum. Tyre manufacturers rely on Karl Eugen Fischer machinery in the production of rubber-coated tyre cord fabric and steel cords for tyre belts and carcasses. These are the layers that support a tyre’s structure, providing shape and stability: they are paramount for both performance and safety.

Karl Eugen Fischer’s products are renowned for their availability and precision, to the extent that they constitute an essential part of every tyre manufacturing process. Produced at the company’s headquarters in the small town of Burgkunstadt, Germany, where most of its 400 employees live, the world-class machinery is sold across the globe through a strong network of partner firms as well as distribution and service companies in the US and China.

To better serve the needs of its broad client base, Karl Eugen Fischer acquired Slovakia’s Konstrukta-Tire Tech (“KTT”) in December 2022. KTT is a specialist for extrusion and cutting machines, and makes a strong addition to Karl Eugen Fischer’s service portfolio. New solutions for clients are under continuous development. Among recent innovations is an application which laminates RFID chips embedded in tyres.

But the traditional machinery business is by no means all there is to the company. Karl Eugen Fischer sees great potential in what has become known as “servitisation”, a business model based on services. One example of this can be found in remote service and maintenance: using “smart glasses”, service engineers can be anywhere in the world while working on a machine. They can provide immediate service in real time, and the machine’s data is logged and documented. This creates additional synergies between remote support and remote service.

“The mobility and transport sector’s high growth potential and Karl Eugen Fischer’s already strong position in the market were the main reasons behind our decision to invest. We will join forces with the company’s management to create an even stronger champion, building a platform that will result in an even broader product range and client base”, says Thilo-Anyas König, a Managing Director at Deutsche Beteiligungs AG.

“Our motif is, quite simply, ‘the highest quality’. Machinery made by Karl Eugen Fischer is tailored to each client’s individual demands. But we don’t just make machines, we also develop innovative equipment for tyre manufacturers. It is in this spirit that we acquired KTT, adding another product line that will support further growth in our portfolio. Our extended group has enormous potential, and we will continue to expand our position in the market”, says Dr Jörn Seevers, CEO of Karl Eugen Fischer.