As part of the integration of Kind & Co. and Buderus Edelstahl into the GMH Group, the company is now merging both companies with Schmiedewerke Gröditz to form a single GMH Open-Die Forging Group. This step is a central component of the Group's transformation strategy and is intended to strengthen its position in the European markets for tool steel and open-die forging. To support the integration and further expand its expertise, the GMH Group will invest around £27 million in the GMH Open-Die Forging Group.
The integration will focus on coordinated production planning, metallurgy, logistics, and sales for the three companies. The GMH Group expects efficiency gains through joint capacity management, coordinated processes, and the consolidation of interfaces.
Clear Positioning of the Three Brands Within the GMH Group
The Open-Die Forging Group assigns a defined industrial focus to each company:
- Kind & Co. – hot forming, premium and remelted tool steels for technically demanding applications, with a strong focus on the end-user business, including technical application support and vacuum hardening services
• Schmiedewerke Gröditz – complex open-die forgings, rolled rings, structural steel, and technical forgings for plastic-molded parts, as well as stainless steel and remelted steel (ESR)
• Buderus Edelstahl – full-range supplier of tool steel for large components, plastic-molded parts, tool holders, and mold frames with a high degree of vertical integration, as well as high-grade structural steels
This clear differentiation enables the GMH Group to meet different customer requirements across a wide range of applications. By offering standard, performance-optimized, and premium solutions within the Open-Die Forging Group, the GMH Group gives its customers the opportunity to select the solution that best meets their technical requirements and expected service life, thereby supporting operational efficiency and reducing total cost of ownership.
Together, the three companies cover the entire value chain for tool steel and open-die forging – from scrap and melting to remelting, forging, machining, heat treatment, and distribution.
Broad Portfolio: From Standard Grades to High-Quality Remelted Steels
Within the new group, more than 400 steel grades and over 2,500 analysis modifications are available – from standard tool steels to high-quality remelted grades.
Production also includes small quantities and small-format components, which are supplied directly from a single source. This flexibility is relevant for industries that require small series, prototypes, or special geometries.
"With the merger of Kind & Co., Schmiedewerke Gröditz, and Buderus Edelstahl to form the GMH Open-Die Forging Group, we are combining three strong companies into one organization with a unique product and service portfolio. As a full-service provider of highly complex open-die forgings, tool steel, special structural steel, and seamless rolled rings, we offer our customers fully integrated solutions from a single source—from technological consulting for demanding applications to our own steel production and finishing, forging, heat treatment, and complex machining. This depth of value creation enables efficient, well-coordinated processes and ensures the highest quality and reliable delivery for our valued customers," explains Dr. Alexander Becker, CEO of the GMH Group.
Contribution to Security of Supply for Industry
The merger is geared toward the growing demand for reliable European sources of supply in industries such as automotive, mechanical engineering, and die casting. The combined inventories in Germany, Italy, China, and the USA are intended to improve material availability and mitigate fluctuations in international supply chains. The annual production of the integrated portfolio totals more than 100,000 tonnes.
The collaboration between Kind & Co., Schmiedewerke Gröditz, and Buderus Edelstahl combines complementary expertise along the entire value chain. Deliberate overlaps in critical process steps increase resilience for customers, strengthen the GMH Group's position in Europe, and improve security of supply, enabling the Group to serve its markets more reliably and efficiently.
Targeted Investments to Support Integration
The €30 million investment program includes:
- A new casting car at Schmiedewerke Gröditz (higher production output and higher purity)
• A new hardening furnace for large structural and gigacasting parts in Bielstein (increased capacity and vacuum hardening capabilities for larger components, opening up new market opportunities)
• Relocation of energy-efficient forging furnaces from Wetzlar to Gröditz (lower gas consumption and reduced CO₂ emissions)
• Further modernization measures throughout the Open-Die Forging Group
These investments serve to expand capacity, increase energy efficiency, and modernize production technology.
CO₂ Balance and Process Route
The GMH Group continues to rely exclusively on production in electric furnaces using recycled scrap, achieving CO₂ savings of up to 80% compared to conventional blast furnace processes.
About the GMH Group
The GMH Group is a full-range supplier of steel as a raw material, smelted from scrap, through to ready-to-assemble components. It is one of the largest privately owned steel manufacturing and processing companies in Europe. The Group comprises more than 20 medium-sized sites in the steel, forging, and casting industries, serving customers in over 50 countries. With around 6,000 employees, the GMH Group generates annual sales of over €2 billion.
The GMH Group is a pioneer in sustainable steel production and a member of the ‘Association of Climate Protection Companies.’ Based on the recycling of scrap metal, the company produces green steel exclusively through the circular economy. The use of electric arc furnaces at four locations reduces CO₂ emissions by 80% compared to the conventional blast furnace and converter route. This also reduces the carbon footprint of the customers supplied by GMH. These include companies from the automotive industry, mechanical and plant engineering, railway technology, energy production, transport logistics, aerospace, agriculture, and construction machinery worldwide.
The GMH Group has set itself the goal of becoming completely climate-neutral by 2039.
