Manufacturer of cardan, precision, cross and ball joint shafts as well as flanges for automotive and mechanical engineering

Elbe Holding GmbH & Co. KG

Bietigheim-Bissingen (DE) · Hofheim/Lower Franconia (DE) · Abbadia Lariana (IT) · Grumento Nova (IT) · Eger (HU) · South Haven, MI (US) · Passo do Sobrado-RS (BR)New on Amplifa

1919Founded

around 1,100Employees (group)

7 production sites in DE, IT, HU,Sites

35 sales partners in 40 countriesSales

System partner for power transmission

The Elbe Group, headquartered in Bietigheim-Bissingen, is a family-owned company founded in 1919 that manufactures joint shafts and drive components for automotive and mechanical engineering. The product range includes cardan shafts, centred and double joint shafts for driven steering axles, wing-style joint shafts, plug-in shafts, precision joint shafts according to DIN 808, cross and ball joint shafts as well as gearbox and axle flanges. Production is predominantly from heat-treatable steel with hardened and ground joint parts; every joint shaft is dynamically balanced, usually at n = 2000 rpm. The group produces with around 1,100 employees at seven production sites in Germany, Italy, Hungary, the USA and Brazil and sells via more than 35 sales partners in 40 countries. Services include technical design, B10 service life calculation, test bench trials, prototype production, express repair (MRO) as well as the sensor joint shaft Elbe Sensing Technology (EST) with wireless live transmission of measured values from the shaft. Customers come from automotive, agriculture, construction machinery, rail, military, mechanical and plant engineering, conveying technology and mining.

Site: Bietigheim-Bissingen
Processes: Manufacture of cardan joint shafts, centred cardan joint shafts and double cardan joint shafts, Manufacture of wing-style joint shafts and plug-in shafts, Manufacture of ball and cross joints as well as gearbox and axle flanges, Dynamic balancing of joint shafts (usually at n = 2000 rpm), Hardening and grinding of joint parts, Prototype production of custom flange connections and sensor mounts, Test bench and series inspections (dynamic and static loads, wear test benches,, Service life calculation (B10) for cardan and precision joint shafts
Materials: Heat-treatable steels, Cardan tubes, Heat-treatable steel, Hardening and grinding, Dynamic balancing
Certificates: ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, TISAX Assessment, ISO 50001:2018, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018, EN 15085-2, EN ISO 3834-2, AEO-F, EN 15085-2 / EN ISO 3834-2, TISAX
Founded: 1919
Employees: around 1,100 (group)
Industries: Automotive engineering, Commercial vehicles, Agriculture, Construction and construction machinery, Military, Rail/rail vehicles

01
Technical design and service life calculation (B10)
02
Prototype production / customizing
03
Manufacturing from heat-treatable steel (hardening, grinding, welding)
04
Dynamic balancing (usually at n = 2000 rpm)
05
Test bench and series inspections
06
Delivery ready for installation
07
MRO: express repair, overhaul and new production

Materials and manufacturing processes

Heat-treatable steel

Main material for joint shafts, joint parts and flanges, designed for dynamic high-load and impact stress.

Hardening and grinding

Joint parts of the precision joint shafts are hardened and ground and run in sealed needle bearings.

WCH

Dynamic balancing

Cardan shafts are dynamically balanced in the rotating state on a special machine, usually at n = 2000 rpm.

Production sites

Bietigheim-Bissingen

Holding, development, production, sales (G. Elbe & Sohn GmbH & Co. KG)

Lot size: Prototype to large series
Materials: Heat-treatable steel

Test benches (development & testing)

Hofheim/Lower Franconia

Production (ELSO Elbe GmbH & Co. KG)

Materials: Heat-treatable steel

Abbadia Lariana (LC)

Production and sales (ELBE Italia s.r.l.)

Materials: Heat-treatable steel

Grumento Nova (PZ)

Production and sales (ELBE Italia Sud s.r.l.)

Materials: Heat-treatable steel

Eger

Production (ELSO Elbe Hungária Bt.)

Materials: Heat-treatable steel

South Haven, MI

Production and sales (Elbe & Sohn, Inc.)

Materials: Heat-treatable steel

Passo do Sobrado-RS

Production and sales (Elbe do Brasil LTDA)

Materials: Heat-treatable steel

Products

**Cardan joint shaft**Manufactured from heat-treatable steel · automotive and mechanical engineering

**Precision joint shaft with length compensation (DIN 808)**Hardened, ground joint parts · mechanical and plant engineering

**Cross joint with quick-change coupling**Joint component · mechanical and plant engineering

**Ball joint shaft**Joint shaft · mechanical and plant engineering

Inside the production

Sensor joint shaft with Elbe Sensing Technology (EST)

MRO and service directly from the manufacturer

Use in heavy machinery (steel and rolling mills)

Industries

Automotive engineeringCommercial vehiclesAgricultureConstruction and construction machineryMilitaryRail/rail vehiclesSpecial vehiclesMechanical and plant engineeringHeavy machinery (steel and rolling mills)Conveying technology and crane systemsSpecial machinery constructionTest benchesMiningMROConstruction/construction machinery

Processes & technical limits

Processes	Tolerance	Max. part	Weight	Lot size	Materials
Manufacture of cardan joint shafts, centred cardan joint shafts and double cardan joint shaftsAssembly	–	–	–	–	Heat-treatable steel
Manufacture of wing-style joint shafts and plug-in shaftsAssembly	–	–	–	–	Heat-treatable steel
Manufacture of ball and cross joints as well as gearbox and axle flangesAssembly	–	–	–	–	Heat-treatable steel
Dynamic balancing of joint shafts (usually at n = 2000 rpm)Testing	–	–	–	–	Heat-treatable steel
Hardening and grinding of joint partsHeat treatment	–	–	–	–	Heat-treatable steel, Heat-treatable steel
Prototype production of custom flange connections and sensor mountsAssembly	–	–	–	–	Heat-treatable steel
Test bench and series inspections (dynamic and static loads, wear test benches,Testing	–	–	–	–	–
Service life calculation (B10) for cardan and precision joint shaftsEngineering	–	–	–	–	Heat-treatable steel
MRO / express repair and new production of joint shafts, scheduled overhaul, logisticsAssembly	–	–	–	–	–
Technical design of cardan joint shafts and double joint shaftsEngineering	–	–	–	–	–

2 Anlagen & Maschinen

Machine	Manufacturer / model	Quantity	Working area	Year built	Site
Test bench	Elbe (Development & Testing department)	–	Simulation of dynamic/static loads, wear test benches	–	–
Special machine for dynamic balancing	–	–	–	–	–

Additional services

Technical designService life calculation (B10)Customizing/individual productionDevelopment & testing (test benches)MRO/service with express repair and new productionSensor technology (Elbe Sensing Technology EST)Field testsApplication and design guidelinesLogistics handling

Quality and certifications

Incoming goods inspections and series tests on dynamic, static and wear test benches of the Development & Testing department ensure consistent quality standards. All sites of the group are certified according to ISO 9001 or IATF 16949.

Evidence	Bietigheim-Bissingen	Hofheim/Lower Franconia	Abbadia Lariana	Grumento Nova	Eger	South Haven, MI	Passo do Sobrado-RS
ISO 9001:2015
IATF 16949:2016
ISO 14001:2015
ISO 50001:2018
ISO/IEC 27001:2022
ISO 45001:2018
EN 15085-2 / EN ISO 3834-2
TISAX

History

1919
Company founded by Gottlob Elbe.
2026
Market launch of sensor joint shafts with Elbe Sensing Technology (EST).