Mobile Menu

Iron Casting in Germany - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Nina Koefler Nina Koefler Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: November 2025 WZ C24.51DE

Revenue

€7.6bn

2025

€7.6bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€XXX.Xm

Employees

30,693

Businesses

193

Wages

€X.Xbn

Iron Casting in Germany industry analysis

Iron is versatile and is used as a material in numerous industrial sectors. Engine and body parts are cast for the automotive industry, for example. As an upstream industry and supplier of a large number of cast products, iron foundries play a key role in the German economy. This is one of the reasons why turnover has grown at an average annual rate of 4.8% over the past five years.

However, due to its close interdependence with Germany's industrial sectors, the industry is heavily dependent on the economy. This makes the weak industry development since 2023 all the more serious. The recent stagnation of the German economy is due to the particular burden of high energy prices and increased interest rates, combined with restrained global export demand and unresolved structural problems such as excessive bureaucracy and investment backlogs. Production volumes also declined in the years 2022 to 2024, with demand for machinery, motor vehicles and rail vehicles falling in particular. This is having a particularly negative impact on the iron foundry sector. The development of the raw material price for iron ore also has a decisive influence on the manufacturing costs of iron products. Iron prices are expected to fall in 2025, which will increase competitiveness but also reduce turnover. As a result, sales are expected to fall by 2.8% compared to the previous year, with sales totalling €7.6 billion. High energy costs continue to weigh on profit margins.

Increasing competition from Eastern European suppliers and the rising demand for light metals will continue to pose a challenge for iron foundries in the future, which they are meeting by investing in the development of new and more market-orientated products. Over the next five years, industry turnover is expected to increase by an average of 1.2% per year. IBISWorld is forecasting industry turnover of 8 billion euros for 2030. At the same time, the next few years will be characterised by high costs, as has already been the case in the past. In view of the increasing pressure from imports, the number of businesses and companies is likely to decline.

Trends and Insights

  • In the last five years, the iron foundry industry has been confronted with a persistently high cost burden. This is primarily due to rising raw material and energy prices. The manufacture of cast iron products requires a considerable amount of raw materials and is very energy-intensive.
  • The US tariffs are having an indirect negative impact on the German iron foundry industry. Foundries do not have a large direct export share, but supply export-strong sales markets. US tariffs of 25% on cars are leading to a slump in exports in the customer industries and therefore also to a decline in their own order situation.
  • The central region is home to the largest number of iron foundries in Germany. Many companies from heavy industry can be found in this region, for example from the steel-producing industry, but also from many downstream sectors.
  • German iron foundries are exposed to high import pressure. The competition from Eastern Europe and China is particularly strong, as labour costs are lower there and cast iron products can therefore be sold more cheaply than by German manufacturers. To reduce import pressure, tariffs are levied on imported cast iron products throughout the EU.
Show more

Get more expert insights that help you cut through the noise.

Get fast answers to complex questions about your business or your client’s industry. Annual memberships include unlimited access to data and analysis for thousands of industries globally.

Get in Touch

Unlock Expert Insights with Full Platform Access

  • Human Driven & Verified Analysis
  • Structured Database Powering Workflows
  • Intelligent Tools Empowering Confident Decisions
  • Insight where-and how- you need them

How you can access insights on the Iron Casting in Germany industry

The Iron Casting in Germany Industry Report is available in multiple formats to fit seamlessly into your workflow.

IBISWorld Platform

Answer any industry question in minutes with our entire database at your fingertips.

Screen of the IBISWorld platform user interface Book a demo

API Data Delivery

Feed trusted, human-driven industry intelligence straight into your platform.

Code example of using the IBISWorld API API documentation

Integrations

Streamline your workflow with IBISWorld’s intelligence built into your toolkit.

Screen of Client Application integrating with IBISWorld data View integrations

Related Coverage

Understand the landscape with full access to an IBISWorld license

Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 4.8 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €7.6bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Iron products are increasingly being replaced by light metals in lightweight construction

  • Lightweight construction is a key strategy in the manufacturing industry to reduce the weight of products, especially in the mobility and construction sectors. This leads to a massive reduction in energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The stricter environmental regulations, particularly as part of the EU Green Deal, are therefore fuelling the trend towards lightweight construction. Iron products as input materials are increasingly being replaced by lighter substitutes. According to a study conducted by Econmove GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection in 2024, lightweight construction already accounts for 4% of Germany's economic output.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Iron Casting in Germany
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The mobility turnaround is leading to a reorganisation within the industry

  • Cars with electric motors are becoming increasingly important as part of the mobility transition. According to EU Regulation 2023/851, the average CO2 emissions of new cars in the fleet must be reduced by 55% by 2030 compared to the 2021 figure. These ambitious targets can hardly be achieved without switching to electric vehicles and will massively accelerate the production of electric cars in Germany.

Biggest companies in the Iron Casting in Germany

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue (€m)
2025
Fondium B. V. & Co. KG
385.3
Fritz Winter Eisengießerei GmbH & Co. KG
342.3
Eisenwerk Brühl GmbH
246.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Iron Casting in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Cast iron parts with nodular graphite, Parts made of grey cast iron and Other cast iron products. Cast iron parts with nodular graphite is the largest segment of the Iron Casting in Germany.

Trends and Insights

Grey cast iron is characterised by its low melting temperatures

  • The term grey cast iron is derived from the carbon present in the iron as graphite, whose fracture filaments appear grey. This product category primarily includes cast iron with lamellar graphite, in which the carbon particles form irregularly shaped lamellae that branch out from one another.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Iron foundries produce cast iron products. The molten iron is poured into refractory moulds for this purpose. The most important alloying element of cast iron is carbon. Silicon, manganese, chromium and nickel are contained as additional accompanying elements. The carbon content of cast iron is at least 2% and the silicon content at least 1.5%.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Iron Casting industry in Germany include Cast iron parts with nodular graphite, Parts made of grey cast iron and Grey cast iron parts for road vehicles.

Companies

Companies covered in the Iron Casting industry in Germany include Fondium B. V. & Co. KG, Fritz Winter Eisengießerei GmbH & Co. KG and Eisenwerk Brühl GmbH.

Purchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Iron Casting industry in Germany include 3-d printing, zementit and grafit.

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 24.51 - Iron Casting in Germany

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

In the last five years, the iron foundry industry has been confronted with a persistently high cost burden. This is primarily due to rising raw material and energy prices. Th...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The US tariffs are having an indirect negative impact on the German iron foundry industry. Foundries do not have a large direct export share, but supply export-strong sales m...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The central region is home to the largest number of iron foundries in Germany. Many companies from heavy industry can be found in this region, for example from the steel-prod...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

German iron foundries are exposed to high import pressure. The competition from Eastern Europe and China is particularly strong, as labour costs are lower there and cast iron...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Fondium has developed the highly resilient ductile cast iron material SiboDur for lightweight construction. SiboDur is stronger and more resilient than conventional cast iron...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of Fondium B. V. & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Fritz Winter Eisengießerei GmbH & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Eisenwerk Brühl GmbH's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Fondium B. V. & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Fritz Winter Eisengießerei GmbH & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Eisenwerk Brühl GmbH, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Rising sales in the automotive industry represent growth potential for the sector. The automotive industry is the most important customer sector for iron foundries. It requir...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The iron foundry industry only has a low profit margin. This is due to the currently very high material, labour and energy costs as well as strong external competition.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Iron Casting industry in Germany in 2025?

The market size of the Iron Casting industry in Germany is €7.6bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Iron Casting industry in Germany in 2025?

There are 193 businesses in the Iron Casting industry in Germany, which has declined at a CAGR of 3.4 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Iron Casting industry in Germany?

The Iron Casting industry in Germany is likely to be significantly impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Iron Casting industry in Germany?

The Iron Casting industry in Germany is likely to be significantly impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.

Has the Iron Casting industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Iron Casting industry in Germany has been growing at a CAGR of 4.8 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Iron Casting industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Iron Casting industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Iron Casting industry in Germany?

The biggest companies operating in the Iron Casting industry in Germany are Fondium B. V. & Co. KG, Fritz Winter Eisengießerei GmbH & Co. KG and Eisenwerk Brühl GmbH

What does the Iron Casting industry in Germany include?

Cast iron parts with nodular graphite and Parts made of grey cast iron are part of the Iron Casting industry in Germany.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Iron Casting industry in Germany?

The company holding the most market share in the Iron Casting industry in Germany is Fondium B. V. & Co. KG.

How competitive is the Iron Casting industry in Germany?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Iron Casting industry in Germany.

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

feedback