RINGSPANN acquires the companies StS Coupling and Steigerwald CNC

This is a sensation in the market segment of shaft couplings: Shortly before the turn of the year, RINGSPANN took over the two Niedernberg-based manufacturers StS Coupling and Steigerwald CNC-Technik. With this strategic move, the company completes its range of shaft couplings and expands its metalworking capabilities. Further plans also envisage expanding the Niedernberg site into the RINGSPANN Group's centre of competence for precision couplings.

Bad Homburg, January 2026. – „For decades, RINGSPANN has been asserting itself as the world’s leading manufacturer of freewheels. As part of its long-term one-stop-shop strategy, the company is also driving forward the expansion of other important product lines in industrial drive technology with great commitment, dedicating particular attention to the area of shaft couplings. Following the acquisition of the US coupling manufacturer AISCO (2023) and the German drive shaft manufacturer Kempf (2024), it has now landed the next coup: shortly before the turn of the year, the management announced that since 1.12.2025, the coupling manufacturer StS Coupling and its sister company Steigerwald CNC-Technik are now also part of the RINGSPANN Group. As Ernst Fritzemeier, Director Technology, Production and Procurement, reports, RINGSPANN is thus realising three important milestones at once: "On the one hand, in this way we are expanding our range of shaft couplings with numerous other series, with the backlash-free precision couplings in particular being a great enrichment of our portfolio. This will enable us to open up new market segments. On the other hand, we are increasing our competencies and capacities in the field of turning and milling technology. And in addition, we see the newly acquired companies as the nucleus for our international centre of competence for precision couplings, which we will establish at the Niedernberg site."

"Excellent growth opportunities"

With the integration of the coupling series from StS Coupling into its portfolio, RINGSPANN has de facto completed its coupling range. The existing selection of shaft couplings – primarily geared towards applications with high torques – is now joined by a wide range of compact precision couplings for medium and low torque requirements. "These are primarily backlash-free elastomer couplings, metal bellows couplings, intermediate shaft couplings and safety couplings, which perfectly complement our current range. We see excellent growth opportunities for this both nationally and internationally," says Ernst Fritzemeier.

Million-euro programme launched

Once again, this is a friendly takeover. The RINGSPANN Group has acquired all buildings and machinery as well as two plots of land totalling 5.000 m2 and will merge the two acquired companies into one company in the short term and change its name to RINGSPANN StS. All customers of the acquired companies will continue to be served, and the previous managing directors Uwe-Peter Steigerwald (S-CNC-Technik, StS Coupling) and Frank Sam (StS Coupling) will remain in office until the merger and name change. They will then accompany the further integration process in an advisory capacity until the end of 2027. Ernst Fritzemeier will initially take over the management of RINGSPANN StS. RINGSPANN will set in motion a comprehensive modernisation project at the Niedernberg site, raising the production structures as well as the design and sales organisation to the level of the group. "With this move we are laying the foundation for the establishment of the of Precision Couplings Centre of Competence. Investments of around 2.5 million euros are planned in this context by 2030," says Ernst Fritzemeier.

Attractive one-stop provider

With the acquisition of the product and competence portfolio of StS Coupling and Steigerwald CNCTechnik, RINGSPANN is once again taking a big step closer to its goal of establishing itself as a onestop supplier of industrial drive technology components across all industries. At the same time, with its new range of precision couplings, the company is increasing its attractiveness as a premium manufacturer of shaft couplings for users in automation technology, packaging technology, medical and measurement technology as well as for customers in printing technology, the semiconductor industry and the aerospace industry. "After all, these are all markets that benefit greatly from the positive properties of backlash-free precision couplings – such as high torsional stiffness, the compact design and the ability to compensate for axial, radial and angular misalignment" emphasizes Ernst Fritzemeier. ms