The BDSV is the official representative body of the German security and defence industry to politics, administration, and society. It connects companies along the entire value chain, introduces industry interests into political decision-making processes, and is also active at the European level as the national point of contact for the NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG).

For us, this membership is a logical step. With SCHMEES defence, we have been active for several years as a supplier in the field of defence technology, producing under our own brand seculloy® in Langenfeld. The exchange with other companies in the sector, access to security policy developments, and helping shape industry-relevant topics provide real added value for us as a growing player in the defence sector.

Screenshot: Courtesy of WDR – Westpol

The security policy situation has changed fundamentally, and with it, the demands on industry in Germany. As a medium-sized family business, we reacted early, took responsibility, and systematically expanded our expertise in the defense industry with a focus on protection and defense.

With our department, SCHMEES defence, we are today the only privately managed German foundry with approval for Bundeswehr armor steel. This has been a demanding path that involved high requirements and lengthy testing procedures. Simply securing appointments for ballistic tests at the Bundeswehr’s Technical Center for Weapons and Ammunition (WTD) sometimes took more than six months.

We want to contribute to the security architecture, secure existing jobs, and create new ones. Because even though no one can approve of war, a strong defense industry is unfortunately a necessary contribution to peace today.

The WDR report („Zeitenwende as an Opportunity – How Industry in NRW is Switching to Armament“) shows how we set our course early and what contribution small and medium-sized enterprises in North Rhine-Westphalia can make. We pursue our path with this commitment: responsibly, long-term, and with a view toward the future of our employees.

Screenshot: Courtesy of WDR – Westpol

How does a stainless steel foundry become a sought-after partner for armor steel? In the IHK live podcast „Wirtschaft unplugged,“ our Managing Director, Clemens Schmees, spoke openly about the challenges and experiences that Schmees cast mastered on the path to building the Schmees defence business unit. Three years of hard work and setbacks, but ultimately the qualification for high-strength components that are in demand worldwide today. Together with representatives from administration and the financial world, they discussed what security means for companies, locations, and investments today, and why military resilience has long since become an economic necessity.

Photos / Text excerpt: Screenshots / IHK Magazine

The foundry behind SCHMEES defence

Production is carried out by SCHMEES cast GmbH at the Langenfeld and Pirna locations. The family-owned company looks back on more than 60 successful years. A family-oriented approach is a vital part of the corporate philosophy. More than 260 employees and 17 apprentices at both plants ensure precision and quality in steel and stainless steel—from a single source.

Casting as a core competence

In combination with modern, additive technologies, precision cast parts are created for national and international customers. Through our continuous further development, we are able to react to changing requirement profiles.

Qualified for components made of armor steel casting

The high material expertise of the foundry group is a key highlight. The portfolio currently includes approximately 300 different cast steel grades. These include high-strength, quenched and tempered steel grades with extreme strength profiles. The armor steel casting grades according to TL 2350-0002, under the brand seculloy®, form the basis for the high requirements of defense technology casting users.

The image shows a cast grating made of armor steel for the ballistic protection of a ventilation system. This is an ideal example of the practical application of the methods described above.

SCHMEES defence Competencies

The specialists at SCHMEES defence, in collaboration with partners, produce new products that offer higher performance, greater durability, or the integration of entirely new functions. This also includes the development of new materials in combination with other substances to achieve a higher protection class while maintaining the same weight.

Strategic Innovation Partner

Unavailable spare parts are a major issue in the field of defense applications. The causes for this are extremely diverse and, of course, rooted in the long service lives of the systems. As part of digitalization, we transfer existing components and designs from the analog to the digital world.

The generated digital data forms the basis for applying various methods:

• Retrofitting (Upgrades)
• Reverse Engineering
• Process Substitution

In this way, new components are created that can be reproduced quickly and efficiently, thereby facilitating the procurement process.

SCHMEES References and Partners

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