Dürr Group
A German mechanical and plant-engineering group specializing in production technology, automation, woodworking machinery, and environmental systems.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Dürr Group is a German mechanical and plant-engineering company whose origins lie in a metalworking shop established by Paul Dürr in Bad Cannstatt in 1896. The business began with roofing and sheet-metal work before gradually developing engineering capabilities and moving into industrial plant construction. Its early industrial expansion included sheet-metal processing, internal design work, and the construction of production equipment. After the Second World War, Dürr increasingly focused on systems for industrial customers, beginning with chemical surface-treatment equipment in 1950 and later becoming a major supplier of automotive paint-shop technology. The company’s automotive activities are centered on painting and final-assembly systems, application technology, testing and filling equipment, and selected production systems for electric-vehicle components such as battery-electrode coating. Dürr supplies equipment and integrated production solutions to vehicle manufacturers and automotive suppliers, but its customer base also extends into mechanical engineering, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, medical technology, and other industrial sectors. Its systems can cover individual machines, process technology, automation, material handling, and complete production lines. Dürr broadened its capabilities through a series of acquisitions and business expansions. Automation and conveyor technology became important areas during the late 1970s. The company later acquired the Behr Group, Alstom Automation in 1999, and Carl Schenck AG’s measuring-systems activities in 2000. These transactions strengthened its position in automation, measurement, balancing, and industrial production technology. In 2014, Dürr acquired a majority interest in HOMAG Group AG, a leading supplier of machinery and systems for woodworking. HOMAG added a substantial woodworking business to the group and expanded Dürr beyond its traditional automotive concentration. Environmental and energy-related technology is another major part of the group’s portfolio. Dürr provides exhaust-air purification, energy-efficiency, industrial waste-heat recovery, and related clean-technology systems. These products support customers seeking to reduce emissions, energy consumption, and operating costs in manufacturing processes. The group’s industrial automation activities also serve manufacturers of automotive components, medical devices, and consumer products, while balancing and testing systems address precision production requirements. Dürr AG has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 4 January 1990. Its shares have also been included in German and European stock-market indexes, including the MDAX and STOXX Europe 600 at relevant points in the company’s history. The company is legally registered in Stuttgart, while several central functions and business operations are based in Bietigheim-Bissingen, following the relocation of business units in 2009. Dürr has operated through a broad international network, with the company reporting representation in dozens of countries and more than one hundred business locations. The group’s positioning is that of a technology and systems partner for industrial production rather than a consumer-facing product brand. Its value proposition combines process expertise, engineering, automation, plant integration, lifecycle support, and environmental performance. Automotive remains a defining market, especially through paint-shop and final-assembly technology, but the HOMAG business, industrial automation, and clean-technology activities give Dürr a diversified industrial footprint. The company remains active as a listed German engineering group serving global manufacturing customers.
History
Dürr’s origins date to a metal shop for roof flashing established by Paul Dürr in Bad Cannstatt in 1896. The company expanded into sheet-metal processing in 1917. In 1932, Paul Dürr transferred operational responsibility to his son Otto Dürr, who established a construction office and helped move the company toward engineering-led industrial work. During the 1930s, Dürr expanded production capacity, created an apprentice workshop, and began employing engineers to undertake design work internally. The company operated within the German wartime economy during the Nazi period and supplied sheet-metal components for military vehicles. Historical accounts also state that forced laborers were used during the Second World War. This aspect forms part of the company’s wartime history and should be considered separately from its post-war industrial development. After the war, Dürr entered plant construction and industrial process technology. In 1950 it delivered its first system for chemical surface treatment. A significant automotive milestone followed in 1963, when Dürr installed electrophoretic dip-painting equipment at Ford’s plant in Genk, Belgium. The company expanded internationally with subsidiaries in Brazil in 1964 and Mexico in 1966. During the late 1970s, it added automation and conveyor technology, strengthening its ability to supply integrated manufacturing systems rather than isolated equipment. Dürr continued to consolidate automotive production technology through acquisitions. The takeover of the Behr Group helped bring key paint-shop capabilities together within the company. Dürr acquired the French automation competitor Alstom Automation in 1999 and added Carl Schenck AG’s measuring-systems activities in 2000. In 2003, General Motors placed an order for three paint shops in North America, described in the company’s history as Dürr’s largest order at that time. The company moved various central business units to Bietigheim-Bissingen in 2009, although its legal seat remained Stuttgart. During the 2010s, Dürr expanded its energy-efficiency and environmental-technology activities. These included exhaust-air purification and systems for recovering energy from industrial waste heat. The strategy linked production engineering with customers’ efforts to lower emissions and improve energy performance. In 2013, long-serving supervisory-board chairman Heinz Dürr retired after 23 years in the role, and Klaus Eberhardt became chairman. The acquisition of a majority stake in HOMAG Group AG in 2014 was a major diversification step. HOMAG brought machinery and production systems for the woodworking industry, making woodworking a distinct business area alongside automotive systems, industrial automation, and clean technology. Dürr subsequently operated through an international network serving automotive manufacturers and suppliers as well as customers in mechanical engineering, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, and other industrial markets. Dürr AG became a publicly traded company on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on 4 January 1990. Its shares have been included in major German and European indexes, including the MDAX and STOXX Europe 600 at relevant times. The group’s modern identity is built around engineering, automation, production-line integration, environmental systems, and sector diversification. Automotive paint shops remain central to its reputation, while woodworking, industrial automation, measurement, balancing, and clean technology broaden the company’s addressable markets.
- 2014
Majority acquisition of HOMAG
[1]Dürr acquired a majority stake in HOMAG Group AG, adding woodworking machinery and production systems to the group.
- 2013
Change in supervisory-board leadership
[1]Heinz Dürr retired as supervisory-board chairman and Klaus Eberhardt succeeded him.
- 2011
Expansion of energy-efficiency activities
[1]Dürr broadened its energy-efficiency business to include exhaust-air purification and industrial waste-heat recovery.
- 2009
Relocation to Bietigheim-Bissingen
[1]Various business units moved to Bietigheim-Bissingen, which became the group’s principal operational location.
- 2003
Major General Motors paint-shop order
[1]General Motors ordered three paint shops in North America, then described as Dürr’s largest order.
- 2000
Acquisition of Carl Schenck measuring systems
[1]Dürr added Carl Schenck AG’s measuring-systems activities to its portfolio.
- 1999
Acquisition of Alstom Automation
[1]Dürr acquired French automation competitor Alstom Automation, strengthening its industrial automation capabilities.
- 1990
Frankfurt Stock Exchange listing
[1]Dürr AG was listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on 4 January 1990.
- 1978
Entry into automation and conveyor technology
[1]Dürr expanded into automation and conveyor systems, supporting more integrated industrial production lines.
- 1966
Mexican subsidiary founded
[1]Dürr expanded its international presence with a subsidiary in Mexico.
Products and positioning
A global engineering and plant-construction partner for efficient, automated, and environmentally responsible industrial production.
Automotive production technology
Automotive paint and final-assembly systems
Dürr designs and supplies integrated paint-shop and final-assembly systems for vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. The offering can include surface treatment, painting, drying, material handling, process control, testing, and line integration. These systems are intended for high-throughput industrial production and can be configured for conventional vehicles as well as changing electric-vehicle manufacturing requirements.
Industrial application systems
Application technology
The application-technology portfolio covers equipment used to apply paint, coatings, adhesives, and other process materials. Such systems support controlled dosing, atomization, robotic application, and process consistency in automotive and broader industrial manufacturing. Dürr’s application equipment is commonly integrated with paint-shop automation and production-line controls.
Automation
Industrial automation and testing systems
Dürr provides assembly, testing, filling, balancing, and automation solutions for automotive components and other manufactured products. The group identifies applications in sectors including medical devices and consumer goods. The systems combine production equipment with controls and inspection capabilities to support repeatable, traceable manufacturing.
Woodworking machinery · 2014
HOMAG woodworking machinery
Through its majority-owned HOMAG business, Dürr supplies machinery and production systems for woodworking. The portfolio serves manufacturers processing wood-based panels and related materials, and extends the group into a specialized industrial market outside automotive production. HOMAG contributes equipment, line solutions, and factory-automation capabilities for woodworking operations.
Environmental and energy technology
Clean-technology systems
Dürr’s clean-technology activities include exhaust-air purification and systems designed to improve industrial energy efficiency. The group also develops solutions for recovering energy from industrial waste heat. These products help manufacturing customers manage emissions and energy use while integrating environmental controls into production facilities.
Electric-vehicle production technology
Battery-electrode coating systems
Dürr includes coating systems for battery electrodes among its automotive and production-technology activities. These systems address the coating stage of battery manufacturing and reflect the group’s effort to adapt established application and process-engineering expertise to electric-vehicle supply chains.
Controversies
1939
Wartime production and forced labor
During the Nazi period and the Second World War, Dürr became part of Germany’s wartime industrial economy and supplied sheet-metal components for military vehicles. Historical accounts also report the use of forced laborers. This is a documented historical issue concerning the company’s wartime operations.
Brand decisions
2014
Acquire a majority stake in HOMAGM&ABackground
Dürr aimed to diversify beyond automotive production technology and enter a strong adjacent industrial market.
Action taken
Dürr acquired majority ownership of HOMAG Group AG, a leading woodworking-machinery company.
Aftermath
Woodworking became a distinct business area within Dürr Group and expanded the company’s exposure to global manufacturing markets.
2011
Expand energy-efficiency and clean-technology activitiesStrategyBackground
Industrial customers were facing increasing pressure to reduce emissions and improve the energy performance of production processes.
Action taken
Dürr expanded activities covering exhaust-air purification and recovery of energy from industrial waste heat.
Aftermath
Environmental and energy systems became a more visible part of the group’s industrial-technology portfolio.
1999
Acquire Alstom AutomationM&ABackground
Dürr sought to expand its industrial automation capabilities and strengthen its ability to deliver integrated production systems.
Action taken
The group acquired French automation company Alstom Automation.
Aftermath
The transaction broadened Dürr’s automation portfolio and supported its development as a systems supplier.
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