Manufacturer of carbide tools for turning, milling, drilling and thread machining since 1926.
Kennametal Widia Produktions GmbH & Co. KG
Essen · Fürth · Lichtenau · Neunkirchen · Pittsburgh (parent company Kennametal Inc.)New on Amplifa
About WIDIA
WIDIA is a brand of the US-based Kennametal Inc. and produces carbide metalworking tools: indexable inserts, solid carbide end mills, holemaking tools, taps as well as tooling systems such as holders, clamping units and collets. The name goes back to the trademark “Wie Diamant” (Like Diamond) registered by Krupp in 1925 for the sintered composite material of tungsten carbide and cobalt, whose industrial use was developed in Essen in 1926. Production includes milling of powder, pressing into green compacts, sintering, grinding with diamond-impregnated wheels and coating, including plasma-CVD zirconium coatings for long tool life. Core products are coated and uncoated inserts together with the corresponding holders; in addition, carbide structural components for rock drilling and grinding technology as well as cutting and forming technology. Customers come from aerospace, transportation/automotive, machine tool manufacturing and general mechanical engineering. The main production and logistics site is Essen; the headquarters is located in Fürth. Sales are handled worldwide through an authorized dealer network, supplemented by services such as reconditioning, carbide recycling and tool management (ToolBOSS).
- Site
- Essen
- Processes
- Turning (indexable inserts, Victory, -MU Geometry), Indexable Milling (shoulder milling, face milling, inserts), Solid End Milling (solid carbide end mills), Holemaking (drilling, reaming, indexable tools, modular systems), Thread Cutting (Tapping), Tooling Systems (shank tools, holders, clamping units, collets), Tool Reconditioning, Carbide Recycling
- Materials
- Cemented carbide (tungsten carbide-cobalt), Stainless steel, High-temperature alloys (High-temp alloys), Aluminium, WIDIA Grade WP15CT, WIDIA Grade WP25CT, WIDIA Grade WP35CT, WIDIA Grade WS10PT
- Founded
- 1926
- Industries
- Aerospace, Transportation/Automotive, Machine tool industry, Mechanical engineering
- 01
Milling of tungsten carbide/cobalt powder
- 02
Pressing into green compacts
- 03
Sintering
- 04
Grinding (diamond-impregnated wheels)
- 05
Coating (including plasma-CVD)
- 06
Assembly/Tooling Systems
- 07
Logistics and sales via dealer network
Materials & Processes
Cemented carbide (tungsten carbide-cobalt)
Sintered material of tungsten carbide with cobalt as binder; base material for inserts and tools.
WIDIA Victory Grade WP15CT
Grade for steels, among other uses in the automotive sector for engine blocks and brake/steering components.
WIDIA Victory Grade WP25CT
Victory grade for turning operations in steel with graduated wear resistance/toughness.
WIDIA Victory Grade WP35CT
Tough Victory grade for demanding turning operations in steel.
WIDIA Victory Grade WS10PT
Victory grade for turning applications, complementing the steel grade portfolio.
WIDIA Grade WM35PH (Hi-PIMS)
With Hi-PIMS coating for stainless steels and high-temperature alloys, e.g. in the Top Cut 4 platform.
WIDIA Grade WK15CT
Grade among others for automotive applications with long tool life per cutting edge.
Multilayer coating (MT-CVD/CVD, Plasma-CVD)
TiN-TiCN-Al2O3-ZrCN multilayer coatings and zirconium plasma-CVD coatings increase tool life and wear resistance.
Sites
Essen
DEMain production and logistics site (retained in 2020 through negotiations)
- Materials
- Cemented carbide (WC-Co)
- Presses
- Sintering furnaces
- Diamond-impregnated grinding wheels/systems
- Plasma-CVD coating systems
Fürth
DEHeadquarters
Lichtenau
DEProduction (formerly Sitzmann and Heinlein; closure announced in 2019)
Neunkirchen
DELogistics center (closure announced in 2019)
Pittsburgh
USParent company Kennametal Inc.
Components & Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turning (indexable inserts, Victory, -MU Geometry)Machining | – | – | – | – | Steel, Stainless steel, Cast iron, Aluminium, High-temperature alloys |
| Indexable Milling (shoulder milling, face milling, inserts)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Solid End Milling (solid carbide end mills)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Holemaking (drilling, reaming, indexable tools, modular systems)Machining | – | – | – | – | Stainless steel, High-temperature alloys |
| Thread Cutting (Tapping)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tooling Systems (shank tools, holders, clamping units, collets)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tool ReconditioningSurface | – | – | – | – | Cemented carbide |
| Carbide RecyclingOther | – | – | – | – | Cemented carbide (tungsten carbide-cobalt) |
| Carbide production: pressing, sintering, grinding, coating (plasma-CVD)Other | – | – | – | – | Tungsten carbide-cobalt cemented carbide |
Additional services
History
- 1925
Brand name “Widia” (Wie Diamant / Like Diamond) is registered by Krupp on December 25.
- 1926
Development of sintered carbide in Essen; first presentation in 1927 at the Leipzig Spring Fair.
- 1994
After 65 years of Krupp ownership, Widia GmbH is sold to Milacron.
- 2002
Acquisition by Kennametal Inc. (end of 2002/beginning of 2003); integration into Kennametal Hertel AG.
- 2019
Kennametal announces closure of the Essen, Lichtenau, Irwin sites and the Neunkirchen logistics center.
- 2020
Negotiated retention of the Essen production and logistics site.
- 2026
100th anniversary of the WIDIA brand.