For 99 years now, Woelm GmbH stands for tradition, innovation and quality and has been setting standards in the hardware and conveyor technology industry sectors since day one. Evolved from the two companies HELM and KWS, the medium-sized family company based in Heiligenhaus in North Rhine-Westphalia employs around 280 people today under the leadership of Managing Director Karl Kristian Woelm.
Under the brands HELM Sliding hardware, KWS Architectural hardware and HELM Conveyor technology, we develop and manufacture innovative products and product systems:
With the brand, HELM Sliding hardware, we offer well thought out solutions for modern residential and public buildings. These include sliding systems for doors made of timber and glass, heavy sliding gates, sliding shutters, cantilever gates, curtain tracks for industrial use, cinemas or theatres, furniture doors and special applications such as harness tracks for fall protection.
The brand, KWS Architectural hardware, stands for intelligent, functionally high-quality applications for all aspects of doors. The broad range of hardware extends from door handles and flush handles to door holders and door buffers to handrails and systems for partition walls and coat racks.
As a conveyor specialist, we offer a diverse product portfolio with HELM Conveyor technology and, as a full-service provider, supply everything from a single source – from planning to steel construction, automation to assembly and commissioning. We even provide the maintenance service for the conveyor system. All systems designed by us are individually tailored solutions for specific application.
Our history begins on the 1st of April 1925 with the ground-breaking ceremony and the establishment of the company Karl Woelm + Sohn KWS Baubeschläge by Karl Woelm Sr. and his son Karl Jr. at the Hasselbeck site in Heiligenhaus. Seven years later, in 1932, the company Hespe und Woelm, HELM for short, was founded by Wilhelm Hespe and Ernst Woelm.
While KWS has made its mark in the field of architectural hardware with door handles and door holders, HELM became renowned as a pioneer in the field of sliding technology. The companies are not only connected by their shared location in Heiligenhaus but also by family ties: Ernst Woelm is the brother of Karl Woelm Jr. With time, the both of the companies prosper, the manufacturing plants expanded, more and more employees are recruited and loyal clientele are formed.
In 2005 the companies KWS and HELM merged to become Woelm GmbH. With this, two companies which had long been close to each other merge. The two established brands are preserved under the umbrella of Woelm GmbH.
In order to be able to offer high quality and innovative system solutions today and in the future, we are continuously expanding and optimising our product range. As a family-owned company, we have made our goal to be a reliable and sustainable business partner. Therefore, the satisfaction of our customers and partners takes precedence above all else, which is guaranteed by our outstanding quality, continuous improvement and excellent service.
We know – whether architectural hardware or conveyor technology: every building project is unique. For this reason, in addition to the tried and tested applications and expert advice, we also offer individually customised solutions that are designed and produced in tandem with the customer. In the process, our customers benefit from our many years of experience and the know-how acquired from numerous national and international projects during consultation, planning and implementation.
At our headquarters in Heiligenhaus, we bring together all production steps: from pressing, casting, machining and welding all the way to surface technology, final assembly and logistics, hence, taking control of every aspect of the processes. With this, our products bear the "Made in Germany" seal of quality. In order to maintain our high quality standards, we work with reliable and long-standing partners across our entire supply chain, many of whom come from our regional network known as the Schlüsselregion (Key Region).
Our products meet the highest standards: We not only test this regularly in our own test laboratories, but also at reputable institutes such as ift Rosenheim, TÜV or DEKRA.
Since 1996, Woelm GmbH has been certified according to the international standard DIN EN ISO 9001 (quality management) as well as DIN EN 1090 (execution of steel structures) from 2015 onwards.
Sustainability is an integral part of our corporate strategy: The treatment of waste water and exhaust air, the economical and efficient management of resources, and the construction of durable quality products have always been paramount for us. We are committed to environmentally friendly production throughout our supply chain and always keeping our ecological, economic and social responsibility with future generations in mind.
Since 2016, our energy management system has been certified according to DIN EN ISO 50001. In the same year, we participated in the consulting and qualification program, ÖKOPROFIT, which guides companies towards a practical and at the same time, highly efficient environmental management system. In 2017, we were awarded the title ÖKOPROFIT Company in the district of Mettmann.
