Butting Group
Butting Gruppe is a German family-owned industrial group specializing in longitudinally welded stainless-steel and clad pipes, engineered components, plant engineering, and project services.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Butting Gruppe is a German family-owned industrial group whose roots extend to a coppersmith's workshop established in 1777 in Crossen an der Oder. The business later evolved into a metal-goods manufacturer and, after its postwar re-establishment in Knesebeck, became a specialist in welded stainless-steel pipe technology. Its principal operating company is H. Butting GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Wittingen-Knesebeck in Lower Saxony. The group manufactures longitudinally welded stainless-steel pipes, clad pipes, cryogenic piping systems, pipe assemblies, prefabricated components, and other customized products. It also provides plant engineering, non-destructive testing, engineering, project-management, and technical services. These activities allow Butting to supply both individual components and more integrated solutions for demanding industrial applications. Butting's products serve sectors including chemical and petrochemical processing, energy infrastructure, oil and gas, seawater desalination, cryogenic technology, industrial plant construction, architecture, and aerospace. The company's engineered products are designed for applications where corrosion resistance, material performance, dimensional accuracy, and reliability are important. Its cited aerospace work includes components associated with the European Ariane 6 launch vehicle. The company was rebuilt in Knesebeck in 1945 after the loss of its former eastern German site at the end of the Second World War. Pipe production began there in 1949. Under Dr. Hannshermann Butting, who assumed leadership in 1955, the business expanded from general metalworking into an international stainless-steel pipe manufacturer. A second German site opened in Schwedt/Oder in 1991, and international expansion later added operations in China, Canada, Brazil, Finland, and the United States. The group has broadened its capabilities through subsidiaries and acquisitions. These include Butting Anlagenbau in Schwedt/Oder, Butting China in Tieling, Butting Canada, Butting Tubos de Inox in Brazil, Butting Könnern, Hillger NDT, Textoris, Butting CryoTech, PrePipe Oy in Finland, and Butting Plant Engineering. By 2023, the group was reported to employ approximately 2,500 people and to have generated revenue of about €863 million; these figures are historical and should be read in the context of the cited reporting period. Butting remains organized as a privately held, family-owned industrial group rather than a publicly traded company. Its current strategy combines specialist pipe manufacturing with engineering, prefabrication, testing, cryogenic technology, and geographically distributed production and service capabilities. The group has also pursued a North American expansion, including plans for a headquarters and production facility in Loxley, Alabama.
History
Butting Gruppe traces its origins to 1777, when the Butting family operated a coppersmith's workshop in Crossen an der Oder. Under Hermann Butting, who led the business during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the workshop developed into an industrial enterprise by around 1890. In 1912, responsibility passed to his son Hanns Butting, an engineer. From 1916, the company operated as a metal-goods factory and manufactured copper and brass pipes, rods, wires, and sheets for both civilian and military customers. The company was affected by the political and territorial upheavals associated with the Second World War. After the original site in the former eastern German territories was lost, the business was re-established in Knesebeck in 1945. It entered pipe production in 1949, creating the foundation for the modern group. Dr. Hannshermann Butting took over in 1955 and directed a gradual transformation from a general metalworking operation into an internationally oriented manufacturer of stainless-steel pipes. By 1970, the workforce had grown to more than 300 employees. A major step in the group's development was the opening of a second site in Schwedt/Oder in 1991. This operation later became Butting Anlagenbau GmbH & Co. KG and contributed plant-construction and engineering capabilities to the group. Since 2000, the business has been led by Hermann Butting, representing continued family involvement in the management of the company. The workforce exceeded 1,000 employees by 2003. Internationalization accelerated in the 2000s. Butting established a Chinese operation in Tieling in 2004, followed by a Canadian subsidiary in 2005 and a Brazilian operation in 2009. These facilities and subsidiaries enabled the group to support customers outside Germany and to combine manufacturing with local engineering and commercial services. During the following decade, Butting expanded its technical scope through acquisitions. Sosta in Könnern was acquired in 2017. In 2019, the group added Hillger NDT, a specialist in non-destructive testing. Textoris joined the group in 2020, and Schwanner was acquired in 2021 before being renamed Butting CryoTech. Together, these additions broadened the business beyond pipe production into inspection, specialized engineering, cryogenic technology, and related industrial services. The group's business is organized around pipe technology, plant engineering, engineering and project services, and support and service units. Its products include longitudinally welded stainless-steel and clad pipes, cryogenic systems, prefabricated assemblies, and customized components. Applications range from chemical plants and energy systems to desalination, architecture, and aerospace. The group has identified work connected with the Ariane 6 launch vehicle among its aerospace-related applications. By 2022, Butting was reported to employ roughly 1,980 people, increasing to approximately 2,500 in 2023. Revenue for 2023 was reported at approximately €863 million. In early 2025, the group acquired Finnish prefabrication company PrePipe Oy and established Butting Plant Engineering with an office in Oberursel. It also began developing a North American headquarters and its first United States production facility in Loxley, Alabama. The company remains a privately held, family-owned industrial group with production, engineering, and service activities across Europe, Asia, and North America.
- 2025
PrePipe acquisition and U.S. expansion
[1]Butting acquired PrePipe Oy in Finland, established Butting Plant Engineering, and began developing a U.S. headquarters and production facility in Alabama.
- 2021
Schwanner acquisition and CryoTech expansion
[1]Butting acquired Schwanner GmbH and later renamed it Butting CryoTech.
- 2020
Textoris acquisition
[1]Textoris GmbH became part of the Butting Group.
- 2019
Hillger NDT acquisition
[1]The group acquired non-destructive testing specialist Hillger NDT.
- 2017
Sosta acquisition
[1]Butting acquired Sosta in Könnern, Germany.
- 2009
Brazilian operation established
[1]Butting expanded into Brazil through Butting Tubos de Inox in Blumenau.
- 2005
Canadian subsidiary established
[1]The group expanded into Canada through Butting Canada.
- 2004
Expansion into China
[1]Butting established an operation in Tieling, China.
- 2000
Hermann Butting begins leading the group
[1]Hermann Butting assumed leadership of the family-owned group.
- 1991
Schwedt/Oder site opens
[1]A second site opened in Schwedt/Oder and later became Butting Anlagenbau.
Products and positioning
A family-owned specialist engineering and manufacturing group positioned around high-performance welded pipe technology, corrosion-resistant materials, customized industrial components, and integrated engineering services for demanding global applications.
Industrial piping · 1949
Longitudinally welded stainless-steel pipes
Longitudinally welded stainless-steel pipes are the group's core product category. They are manufactured for industrial systems that require corrosion resistance, controlled material properties, dimensional precision, and dependable service under demanding process conditions. Typical application areas include chemical processing, energy, industrial plant construction, desalination, and other infrastructure projects.
Industrial piping
Clad pipes
Clad pipes combine different metallic materials to provide a balance of structural strength and resistance to corrosion or aggressive media. Butting supplies clad pipe solutions for demanding process and energy applications where a single material may not provide the required combination of performance and cost characteristics.
Cryogenic technology · 2021
Cryogenic piping systems
Cryogenic piping systems and related engineered equipment are supplied for applications involving very low temperatures. The group strengthened this business through the integration of Schwanner under the Butting CryoTech name. Products and services cover specialized piping and assemblies used in industrial and energy-related cryogenic systems.
Industrial assemblies
Prefabricated pipe assemblies
Butting produces prefabricated pipe assemblies and customized components for industrial plants and infrastructure projects. Prefabrication can shift fabrication, fitting, and quality-control work into controlled production environments, helping customers simplify site installation and project execution.
Engineering services · 1991
Plant engineering and project services
Through Butting Anlagenbau, Butting Plant Engineering, and related group companies, the business provides plant engineering, project services, technical design, and industrial implementation support. These activities complement pipe manufacturing and allow the group to participate in broader system and plant-construction assignments.
Brand decisions
2025
Acquisition of PrePipe OyM&ABackground
The group continued to expand its prefabrication and engineered pipe-assembly capabilities.
Action taken
Butting acquired Finnish prefabrication company PrePipe Oy.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened the group's Nordic presence and prefabrication offering.
2025
North American manufacturing expansionStrategyBackground
Butting pursued additional production and market access in North America.
Action taken
The group began establishing a North American headquarters and its first U.S. production facility in Loxley, Alabama.
Aftermath
The project represented a planned increase in Butting's local manufacturing and service presence in the United States.
2021
Acquisition and renaming of SchwannerM&ABackground
Butting expanded into specialized cryogenic technology and related industrial systems.
Action taken
The group acquired Schwanner GmbH in Burgkirchen an der Alz and later renamed it Butting CryoTech GmbH.
Aftermath
Cryogenic technology became a clearer component of the group's branded business portfolio.
2019
Acquisition of Hillger NDTM&ABackground
Inspection and quality-assurance capabilities were strategically relevant to a manufacturer of safety-critical industrial piping and components.
Action taken
Butting acquired Hillger NDT, a non-destructive testing specialist.
Aftermath
The acquisition added inspection expertise to the group's manufacturing and engineering portfolio.
2017
Acquisition of SostaM&ABackground
Butting sought to broaden its German manufacturing and industrial capabilities.
Action taken
The group acquired Sosta in Könnern.
Aftermath
Sosta became part of the group's expanded production network.
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