From chicken coop to
Global plastics processor.
Global plastics processor.
What began as an idea in a chicken shed as a cork factory is now a real success story: Today, we are a leading family business in plastics processing, with over 2,500 creators at six locations worldwide.

A profile of our company:
General information & corporate structure
- Founded: 1949 by Hubert and Josef Pöppelmann – from 1953 Josef Pöppelmann as sole owner.
- Premises: Lohne, Lower Saxony, Germany
- Employees: 2,500 worldwide (including 2,300 in Lohne)
- Apprentices: More than 150 in technical and commercial professions
- Production sites: 6 worldwide (three in Germany, one each in France, the USA and China)
- Sales companies: Spain, Denmark, Czech Republic, England
- Ownership: 100% family-owned (Pöppelmann Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
- Subsidiaries: Pöppelmann GmbH & Co. KG Kunststoffwerk-Werkzeugbau, Pöppelmann Kunststoff-Technik GmbH & Co. KG
- Managing directors of the holding company and subsidiaries: Norbert Nobbe, Matthias Lesch, Christian Schwarck
- Third-generation shareholders: Catherin Vitale (Chairwoman of the Advisory Board), Maximilian Forst (member of the Advisory Board), Felicitas Pöppelmann, Vincent Otto
Products & Markets
- Industries: Mechanical and equipment engineering, automotive, electrical, solar, food, chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and medical industries as well as companies in the surface technology and fittings industry
- Divisions: KAPSTO® (protective solutions), K-TECH® (technical plastic parts), FAMAC® (food & medical packaging), TEKU® (horticultural products)
- Product diversity: Around 12,000 products - from thin-walled items to complex functional parts
- Customers: In over 90 countries worldwide
Production & Technologies
- Production sites: Six worldwide (three in Germany, one plant each in France, USA and China)
- Tool Technology Center: Development and production of precision tools by around 100 experienced specialists for in-house plastics processing (tools with up to 48+48 cavities, up to 8 t total weight)
- Development: Article and tool design, filling and warpage simulation, FEM simulation, topology optimization
- Laboratory:
- LIPS = laser-induced plasma spectroscopy and microscopy
- HKV = high-pressure capillary rheometer
- DSC = differential scanning calorimeter
- TGA = Thermogravimetric analysis
- MVR = Melt Volume-flow Rate
- FT-IR = Fourier transform infrared spectrometer
- Mechanical material testing
- Technical Training: Consolidation of company-wide knowledge for use in technological development
- Machinery: 700 plastics processing machines with clamping forces from 100 kN to 27000 kN (injection molding, thermoforming, extrusion)
- Technologies:
- 3D printing
- Rapid Tooling
- Compounding
- Extrusion
- Inline thermoforming
- Thermoform-In-Mold-Labelling (T-IML)
- Plastic injection molding
- Multi-component injection molding
- Two-component liquid silicone rubber (LSR)
- Polyurethane gaskets (PUR)
- Physical foaming of thermoplastics TSG (MuCell®, ProFoam)
- Chemical foaming of thermoplastics
- Organo sheet processing
- Internal high pressure forming process (IHU)
- Metal-plastic connections
- In-mold labeling (IML)
- Technical cleanliness
- Cleanroom production
- Welding processes (laser, ultrasonic, hot gas, vibration welding)
- Assembly technology
- Dry offset printing
Initiatives & Places
Initiatives:
- PÖPPELMANN blue®: A company-wide initiative that develops resource- and climate-friendly product concepts to promote sustainability in all areas.
- PÖPPELMANN digital: A company-wide initiative that develops and drives forward projects, measures and ideas for digital transformation.
- Future Mobile: A trainee initiative that contributes to the sustainable use of plastics with school workshops. With a mobile and interactive stations on the topics of waste separation, recycling, extrusion and injection molding, the life cycle of plastics is taught in a practical way and complements school lessons on sustainability.
Locations:
Our ZUKUNFTSWERKSTATT includes our technical center and the permanent exhibition of the Zukunftsmobil:
- Training center: Central point of contact for interdisciplinary fundamentals in plastics technology, metal technology, technical communication and electrical engineering as well as technical instruction, exam preparation and uniform basic training.
- DigitalLab: A freely accessible place for everyone to understand and experience how digital transformation has changed and will continue to change the way we work at Pöppelmann, including cobots, 3D printing, artificial intelligence and extended reality
Our
Business areas.
Business areas.
Our expert teams for innovative plastics concepts are active in the global markets of the automotive, medical technology, food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries as well as in horticulture.

KAPSTO®
Plastic protective elements for all cases.

K-TECH®
High-precision plastic injection molded parts.

FAMAC®
Functional parts and state-of-the-art packaging.
TEKU®
Products for commercial horticulture.
At home anywhere in the world,
always a team.
always a team.
With three production sites in Germany and one each in France, the USA and China, we are globally positioned and at the same time firmly anchored as one team. Whether just around the corner or on the other side of the world, together we ensure that our products are of the highest quality.
Shaping the future,
since 1949.
since 1949.
THE FAMILY PÖPPELMANN
With drive, enthusiasm and a flair for new opportunities, Josef Püppelmann founded the company in 1949, which was continued by his wife Gertrud after his death. She significantly shaped the corporate culture through her humanity and respectful treatment of the women and men employees. These values created an atmosphere in which innovation could flourish. Today, the third generation is continuing the family tradition. Curiosity and innovation are still our key to growth. At the same time, we know that Sustainable success only comes from working together.

Josef Pöppelmann
At the age of 21, Josef Pöppelmann (1928 - 1983) founded a cork factory together with his brother in a chicken shed. He was an entrepreneurial personality who steered the company on the road to success with energy, a flair for change and courage. His enthusiasm set a unique company history in motion in 1949 and remained a driving force even after his early death. A doer who shaped the future.

Gertrud Pöppelmann
She was a modern woman, deeply rooted in faith and nature. As an adolescent, Gertrud Pöppelmann (1924 – 2009) completed her commercial apprenticeship with flying colors, unaware that she would one day be at the helm of one of the largest companies in the region. She treated her much-loved female and male employees with modesty, gratitude and respect. Her humanity and kindness perfectly complemented the skills of the managers next to her, shaped the workforce and continue to have an impact on the corporate culture to this day.

The third generation
As shareholders, Maximilian Forst ("Member of the Advisory Board"), Felicitas Pöppelmann, Catherin Vitale ("Chairwoman of the Advisory Board") and Vincent Otto are currently in charge (from left to right). Their ambition: to actively shape the future with dedication and creativity. Their goal: to inspire the world of tomorrow with future-proof, innovative and sustainable products. To achieve this, they rely on motivation, team spirit and an honest and open corporate culture.
Making 75 years possible
convincing our customers:
convincing our customers:
We like to work
with Pöppelmann,
because ...
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