Why 1 plus 1 equals 10

IMA Schelling Group: A decade of growth, innovation and cohesion

In 2015, IMA and Schelling merged to form the IMA Schelling Group. But what came next? Begin. Build. Benefit. Today, the IMA Schelling Group is the industry's market leader, innovation driver and game changer. IMA Schelling re-imagines processes, develops technologies and delivers solutions that fit with pinpoint accuracy. The figures speak for themselves – turnover rose from 200 to 395 million euros, employee numbers grew from 1,600 to 1,960.

It all began with two strong brands: IMA in Lübbecke, East Westphalia, founded in 1951 and a specialist in edge banding machines and CNC machining. And Schelling, an expert in cutting boards to size, founded back in 1917 and based in Schwarzach, Austria. "In 2015, we not only merged two companies, but also established a whole new way of thinking," says Maximilian Lehner, managing director and member of the dual leadership team at IMA Schelling. "Our aim back then was to combine the best of both worlds – technologically, structurally and strategically. Today we can clearly see that our decision was the right way to go."

Synergy becomes strength and innovation

The IMA Schelling Group stands for solutions from a single source. Where there used to be individual components, now there are integrated processes. Four business units – Woodworking, Board, Precision and Consulting – cover the entire process chain. The Group's IT structures have been standardised, departments merged and subsidiaries integrated. Internationalisation is taking place at full speed, with new sites in Sweden, India, the Balkans and Turkey bringing IMA Schelling even closer to its customers.

"Our customers now have a partner who delivers the whole package: from the initial idea to the finished solution," explains IMA Schelling managing director Christoph Geiger. “Thanks to shared software, smart automation and a powerful team, numerous interfaces are now superfluous – saving time, reducing costs and delivering the best results.”

Ever since the merger, IMA Schelling has been launching pioneering products on the market: Combi.cut 1, IMAGIC L1 and the high-performance hl 1 cutting machine – with every plant a milestone in its own right. Furthermore, the company has delivered software platforms such as aimi and ZIMBA, as well as the Robot.work automation solution. These developments have been possible because IMA Schelling has allocated more resources to research and development and made optimum use of synergies. "We don't just make technology for technology's sake," explains Maximilian Lehner. “We develop solutions that bring real benefits for our customers. Because they're faster, smarter and more sustainable.”

Thanks to you all! Now let's keep it going. We think big!

Ten years of the IMA Schelling Group is not only a success story, it's also a story of the people behind the success. Employees who pull together. Customers who place their trust in IMA Schelling. Partners who grow together with the group. "Without our team, our customers and our partners, we would not be where we are today," stresses Christoph Geiger. “And that's why we say thank you! Thank you for the confidence, the cooperation and the mutual successes.”

In the future, IMA Schelling will continue to strengthen the common brand, maintain clear differentiation from the competition and expand its customer loyalty internationally. United engineering remains at the core of the company's DNA: technology and people, precisely matched with each other. "Our vision is clear," sums up Maximilian Lehner. "IMA Schelling is not just a name, it's an undertaking: we deliver solutions that work. Today, tomorrow and in the days that follow."

IMA Schelling – the perfect solution for every idea

The IMA Schelling Group develops, designs and manufactures machinery and plants for woodworking, plastics and metalworking companies. Its customers include international furniture manufacturers, aircraft manufacturers and family-run carpentry businesses with exacting requirements. The company draws on over 100 years' experience when developing its innovative processing solutions for the most advanced networked production lines, tailored to individual customer needs – right through to fully automated batch size 1 systems.

The intelligent high-end solutions are designed by employees in four business units: Board, Woodworking, Precision and Consulting. Customers can count on an extensive level of expertise across many areas, such as cutting, drilling, edge processing and material logistics solutions in the woodworking sector, or cutting and handling solutions for metals, plastics and construction materials. Custom strategies to achieve business development based on added value as well as consulting, software and digitalization products complete the portfolio.

IMA Schelling has a global network of 19 subsidiaries and 70 sales partners, plus three production sites in Germany, Austria and Poland. In 2024, IMA Schelling and its 1960 employees around the world generated total sales of 395 million euros.

A decade packed with growth, innovation and cohesion. The IMA Schelling Group is celebrating its 10-year anniversary.

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