Manufacturing of pressed parts, body modules and standard parts for the automotive and supplier industry
LÄPPLE AG
Heilbronn (Headquarters) · 11 sites worldwideNew on Amplifa
About LÄPPLE AG
LÄPPLE AG, headquartered in Heilbronn, is a globally active supplier of pressed parts, body-in-white components and standard parts. The group consists of LÄPPLE Automotive (sheet metal forming and body construction for passenger and commercial vehicles), FIBRO Normalien (system partner for forming and stamping tools for tool and machine engineering) and LÄPPLE Expert (training and further education). As a system supplier, LÄPPLE Automotive manufactures blanks, pressed parts and body modules from steel, aluminium and lightweight materials – from prototype development through series production to spare-part production for the aftermarket. The manufacturing spectrum is complemented by technical planning, methods and process development, logistics solutions and quality management with modern metrology. Customers include international premium manufacturers in the automotive industry; the company has been a supplier to Porsche since 1948. Founded in 1919 and 100% family-owned, the group employs around 2,000 people at 11 sites and generated revenue of €535 million in 2025. At the Heilbronn headquarters, manufacturing includes a press shop, body construction with joining systems as well as robots and automated guided vehicles.
- Site
- Heilbronn
- Processes
- Sheet metal forming / pressed parts, Body construction / body-in-white components, Joining processes for body modules/assemblies, Prototype production (samples and small series), Series production of pressed parts and body modules, Spare-part production (aftermarket), Technical planning / methods and process development, Quality management with inspection processes and metrology
- Materials
- Steel, Aluminium, Lightweight materials
- Certificates
- Quality management / metrology
- Founded
- 1919
- Employees
- 2000
- Industries
- Automotive industry (passenger and commercial vehicles), Tool and machine engineering
- 01
Technical planning and methods development
- 02
Sheet metal forming / press shop
- 03
Joining of body modules and assemblies
- 04
Quality management and metrology
- 05
Logistics and delivery
Materials and Processes
Steel
Base material for pressed parts and body structures with high strength.
Aluminium
Lightweight material for stable and light body components.
Lightweight materials
Materials for weight-reduced body components.
Sites
Heilbronn
DEHeadquarters, press shop, body construction and logistics
- Lot size
- Prototypes to high-volume series
- Materials
- Steel, aluminium, lightweight materials
- Press shop
- Body construction with joining systems
- Robots
- Automated guided vehicles
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet metal forming / pressed partsForming | – | – | – | Prototypes/small series – High-volume series | Steel, Aluminium, Lightweight materials |
| Body construction / body-in-white componentsJoining | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminium, Lightweight materials |
| Joining processes for body modules/assembliesJoining | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminium, Lightweight materials |
| Prototype production (samples and small series)Forming | – | – | – | Single parts/samples – Small series | Steel, Aluminium, Lightweight materials |
| Series production of pressed parts and body modulesForming | – | – | – | smaller volumes – large volumes | Steel, Aluminium, Lightweight materials |
| Spare-part production (aftermarket)Forming | – | – | – | – | Steel, Aluminium, Lightweight materials |
| Technical planning / methods and process developmentEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Quality management with inspection processes and metrologyTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Standard parts for tool and machine engineering (FIBRO)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Toolmaking / system partner for forming and stamping tools (FIBRO)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Press shop | – | – | – | – | Heilbronn |
| Body construction (joining systems) | – | – | – | – | Heilbronn |
| Robots and automated guided vehicles | – | – | – | – | Heilbronn |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
LÄPPLE Automotive ensures the quality of body components through precise inspection processes and state-of-the-art metrology. In addition, technical planning, logistics and quality management are offered as dedicated areas of competence.
| Evidence | Heilbronn |
|---|---|
| Quality management / metrology |
History
- 1919
Founded by August Läpple on 1 April as a mechanical workshop in Weinsberg (bicycles, mower bars, repairs)
- 1924
Entry into toolmaking; production of tools for typewriter, household and kitchen appliances as well as the automotive industry
- 1928
First major orders from the automotive industry
- 1930
Relocation to a new building at Schwabstraße 22, Heilbronn; approx. 18 employees
- 1939
Number of employees rises to around 100
- 1940
Management taken over by Erich and Helmut Läpple along with son-in-law Ernst Fleischmann
- 1948
First supplier to Porsche following approval of the automotive industry
- 2026
Change of the Board: Dr. Dirk Täger succeeds Stephan Itter as Spokesman of the Board (01.08.2026); realignment of the group