Groz-Beckert looks back on a long tradition as a manufacturer of needles in Albstadt, Southwest Germany. Over its eventful history, it has witnessed upheaval in both the political and the social sphere. Still today, this internationally operating enterprise remains under family ownership. It is to this continuity that Groz-Beckert owes a success story that has progressed unabated to the present day.

Work Force

Today, the Company has about 7500 employees, of which some 2000 work at the company headquarters in Germany. Continuous vocational training is also provided in Albstadt for around 30 commercial trainees and 150 engineering apprentices.

Employees (at year`s end)

Turnover (million Euro)

Up until 1980, the company produced exclusively knitting machine needles and warp knitting machine needles. Today, Groz-Beckert produces needles across the complete spectrum

• Knitting machine parts (knitting machine needles and hosiery machine needles, system parts and cylinders, dials and knitting heads for circular knitting machines)
• Weaving machine parts (healds, heald frames, warp stop motions, drop wires, shedding systems and machines for weaving preparation)
• Systems for the manufacture of nonwovens (felting and structuring needles, jet-strips for hydroentanglement, card clothing, board master system)
• Gauge Parts Tufting (carpet machine needles, modules, loopers, tufting knives, reed fingers)
• Sewing machine parts (sewing machine needles, shoe machine needles, needle holder system)

These products are sold in over 150 markets, over 80% of production being exported. The machines used in the manufacture of these products are built in Groz-Beckert's own machine construction shop.Textile accessories manufactured by third parties are also sold to a lesser degree.

Both the company headquarters and the Groz-Beckert production plants around the world are certified to ISO 9001, in some cases since 1995. Since 2008, an integrated management system (quality, environment, occupational health and safety) has been introduced and certified groupwide in compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and BS OHSAS 18001.

Since the beginning of 2000, the Company has also become an important supplier to the weaving industry through its acquisition of GROB HORGEN AG, Switzerland.The company moved from Horgen to Lachen in the Schwyz Canton at the end of 2007. With relocation of the company headquarters, the change of company name from GROB Horgen AG to GROB Textile AG was completed. The world’s leading manufacturer of weaving accessories makes healds, heald shafts, warp stoppers and drop wires at different production sites. Expansion and strengthening of the Weaving Division began in 2001 with the takeover of Schmeing GmbH & Co. KG in Raesfeld, which produces technology for weaving.

The company SMC GmbH, 73092 Heiningen, was taken over with effect from 01/10/2006. As of January 1st 2009, SMC products and services will be sold by Groz-Beckert.

With effect from January 2008, Groz-Beckert took over Oskar Fischer GmbH based in Rottenburg and Knotex Machinenbau GmbH based in Augsburg. Both companies are active in the field of tying machines and drawing-in systems for the weaving industry. By acquiring these companies, the Group has extended its existing production range in the weaving machine component sector.

Groz-Beckert has maintained its own medical insurance fund since 1888 and pension scheme since 1929. A partnership contract was signed between the owners of the Company and the employees in 1952.