MAPAL Dr. Kress SE & Co. KG

MAPAL Dr. Kress SE & Co. KG, commonly known as MAPAL, is a German family-owned company and internationally leading supplier of precision tools for metal machining, headquartered in Aalen. The company was founded in 1950 by Georg Kress through the takeover of another business, initially producing taps and woodworking machines. In 1954 the foundation for MAPAL's development was laid with the introduction of the single-blade reamer, a technology that established the company's reputation in fine machining. Today MAPAL describes itself as a technology partner for machining, supporting customers with standard tools, individual tool concepts and the optimisation of tool details. Its product programme covers precision tools, peripheral devices and services around the machining process, with a focus on tools for reaming, fine boring, boring, drilling, milling, turning, actuating and clamping devices. The company is a global technology leader in fine machining with cutting tools and a technology leader for the machining of cubic parts. The MAPAL Group employs more than 4,850 people worldwide, of which more than 2,800 work in Germany. It has subsidiaries in 25 countries with production, sales and service, and is additionally represented in 15 countries through agents. In Germany, besides the Aalen headquarters, the company has six further sites: Pforzheim, Eppingen, Altenstadt, Winterlingen, Ehrenfriedersdorf and Meiningen. In the United States, MAPAL operates two manufacturing plants in Port Huron, Michigan and Fountain Inn, South Carolina, producing and repairing precision solid carbide and PCD tools to uniform global standards. MAPAL invests around 6 percent of turnover in research and development annually and employs over 450 technical consultants worldwide. The company positions itself as a partner from dialogue to partnership, offering tailored services from planning to series production, including turnkey solutions for machining processes. Its customer base spans industries such as automotive, aerospace, aluminium machining and general metalworking. The managing partner is Jochen Kress, representing the third generation of the founding family. The management team includes René Güntner (CFO), Roger Steiner (COO), Claudio Gabos (CSO), Jacek Kruszynski (CTO), Michael Fried (CHRO) and Alexander Koschewski (Executive Vice President Strategy & Business Development). In 2026 MAPAL continued its realignment in Germany: on 1 May 2026 the German MAPAL companies were merged into MAPAL Dr. Kress SE & Co. KG, bundling structures in Germany and laying the foundations for standardised processes, clear lines of responsibility and more efficient operations. The company also reported growth in aerospace and presented innovations for 2026/27, including the OptiMill®-HPC-Pocket family for precise and efficient pocket milling.

MAPAL was founded in 1950 by Georg Kress through the takeover of another company. The original business purpose of MAPAL was taps and woodworking machines. In 1954 the foundation stone for MAPAL's development was laid with the introduction of the single-blade reamer (Einmesser-Reibahle), a precision tool that established the company's direction in fine machining. Over the following decades MAPAL grew from a small tool manufacturer into an innovative company, as the company itself describes its 75-year history. The product programme expanded to cover precision tools, peripheral devices and services around the machining process, with a focus on tools for reaming, fine boring, boring, drilling, milling, turning, actuating and clamping devices. The company became internationally leading in precision tools for metal machining and a global technology leader in fine machining with cutting tools. International expansion followed, and today the MAPAL Group has subsidiaries in 25 countries with production, sales and service, and is additionally represented in 15 countries through agents. In Germany, besides the Aalen headquarters, the company operates six further sites: Pforzheim, Eppingen, Altenstadt, Winterlingen, Ehrenfriedersdorf and Meiningen. In the United States, MAPAL has two manufacturing plants in Port Huron, Michigan and Fountain Inn, South Carolina, manufacturing and repairing precision solid carbide and PCD tools to uniform global standards. The company remains a family-owned business. Jochen Kress, the third generation of the founding family, is the managing partner. The management team includes René Güntner (CFO), Roger Steiner (COO), Claudio Gabos (CSO), Jacek Kruszynski (CTO), Michael Fried (CHRO) and Alexander Koschewski (Executive Vice President Strategy & Business Development). In 2026 MAPAL continued its realignment in Germany. On 1 May 2026, the German MAPAL companies were merged into MAPAL Dr. Kress SE & Co. KG, bundling structures in Germany and laying the foundations for standardised processes, clear lines of responsibility and more efficient operations. The company reported growth in aerospace and presented innovations for 2026/27, including the OptiMill®-HPC-Pocket family for precise and efficient pocket milling. MAPAL invests around 6 percent of turnover in research and development annually and employs over 450 technical consultants worldwide.

• 2026

  On 1 May 2026, the German MAPAL companies were merged into MAPAL Dr. Kress SE & Co. KG.

• 2026

  MAPAL presents innovations for 2026/27, including the OptiMill®-HPC-Pocket family for pocket milling.

• 1954

  Introduction of the single-blade reamer (Einmesser-Reibahle), laying the foundation for MAPAL's development in fine machining.

• 1950

  MAPAL founded by Georg Kress through the takeover of another company; original business was taps and woodworking machines.

Technology partner for machining and global technology leader in fine machining with cutting tools and in the machining of cubic parts.

• OptiMill®-HPC-Pocket family

  Precise and efficient pocket milling tools with integrated drill tip, large chip spaces and innovative geometry for steel, cast iron and aluminium.

• Single-blade reamer

  Introduced in 1954, the technology that established MAPAL's reputation in fine machining.

• Precision tools for reaming, fine boring, boring, drilling, milling, turning, actuating

  Core product programme covering the machining process.

• Clamping devices

  Peripheral devices for machining processes.

• Solid carbide and PCD tools

  Manufactured and repaired at MAPAL's US plants in Port Huron, MI and Fountain Inn, SC.

1. 1MAPAL | Your technology partner for machiningmapal.com
2. 2The MAPAL Group | MAPALmapal.com
3. 3Companymapal.com
4. 4Tailored services | MAPALmapal.com
5. 5Mapal Aalenwikidata.org
6. 6MAPAL Dr. Kressde.wikipedia.org