About Us
MDS Maschinen- und Werkzeugbau GmbH & Co. KG has now become MDS Germany GmbH and joined the PennEngineering® Group. This acquisition represents a key milestone in our long-term global growth strategy, enabling us to expand our product portfolio and offer an even wider range of tailored solutions and services.
In our hometown, we are represented by more than 50 colleagues. Together with our production site in Pilsen, Czech Republic, we have 140 employees.
We are modern, open-minded and socially committed. We believe in environmental awareness and a fair and constructive way of working together. The happiness of our employees is of great importance to us. We enjoy working as a team and highly appreciate the collegial atmosphere as well as personal motivation, initiative and commitment.
Contact Us
Our customer service will help you with any questions!
Mds at a Glance
- 50 years of experience in automated fastening technology
- Core competences in automation technology as well as in the field of fasteners
- Complete systems with matching fasteners from only one company
- Industries: Automotive, heavy trucks, agricultural machines, HVAC heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, white goods, electronic components and devices etc.
- Main sales markets: Europe, North and Central America
- 140 employees at locations in Regensburg and Pilsen
- Large development capacities and high vertical integration
- Extensive services: Technical support, on-site service, e-learning, online shop for spare parts
- Part of the PennEngineering® Group
Industries and Markets
Our customers are from the sheet metal processing industry, mostly from the automotive sector. We supply automotive manufacturers (OEMs), Tier1, smaller tiers and suppliers.
We are also present with our production automation systems in the industries of trucks, white goods, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC), electronics, and agricultural machinery. Our main markets are Europe, North and Central America.
Our History
Originally, we were an engineering office for construction of stamping and forming tools. In the course of time, we have grown from tool and custom machine construction, through automated assembly of modules, into the engineering of standard automation solutions.
Today, due to our long-term experience within the cold joining technology, we are a system supplier with core competences in the development and manufacturing of automation grade fasteners and systems for automated assembly of fasteners.
At the time the engineering company was founded, modern means of communication did not yet exist and globalization was not a relevant topic. Therefore, local presence to the customer was absolutely necessary.
In Bavaria, there were only a few companies involved in the design of stamping and forming tools. Due to the strong growth of the companies located in Bavaria, such as BMW and Siemens, which were among our main customers, capacities in the mentioned area were needed, and thus our growth was secured.
In the early days, we mainly carried out designs of stamping and forming tools. The engineering office grew continuously and was quickly expanded from initially two to eight employees.
At the beginning of the 1980s, the main focus was on constructions in the field of stamping and forming tools, but the designs of special machines and robot cells for automated assembly increased steadily. The number of employees was 12 at that time.
In the following two years, we developed the first systems for the automatic assembly of knurled screws in a stamping and forming tool. These innovative solutions enabled significant cost savings in the production of sheet metal components with fasteners.
Our customers increasingly wanted turnkey solutions. This was the background for setting up our own production. This gave us the opportunity to manufacture our own tools and special equipment.
After building up the production, we were able to build complete tools. Furthermore, we increased our range of products and now also manufactured special machines for the automated assembly of components.
This relatively rare combination became our unique selling point and ensured solid further development. The production of stamping and forming tools with automated assembly of components, which was only possible with this know-how combination, built our reputation. The tools built at that time still serve as showpieces for our customers. At that time we were 16 employees.
Already one year earlier, we were commissioned by Daimler to develop and manufacture standard automation systems for the assembly of press nuts and studs. The first standard systems were then put into series production.
The strong growth required the expansion of our capacities and more space. We now had 40 employees.
Due to the local proximity to the Czech Republic, we were one of the first German companies to establish a branch in Pilsen. The main business area was machining technology with 10 employees.
Today, the AUTORIV name is used to promote our products, which are dedicated to the automated assembly of fasteners and small parts.
After successfully building up our quality management since the mid-1990s, we have now received our first certification.
Daimler set a new standard in quality management. We have met this with the new certification.
Through solid and sustainable growth, we built our own production building in Borska Pole, Pilsen.
We have been selling our products in the USA since 2000. Through a cooperation with Textron Fastening, at that time the world's largest manufacturer of fasteners, we were able to successfully establish ourselves in the American market. After Textron Fastening was sold, we established our own company in the USA with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan.
We are shareholders in the A-FAS Group, which includes a total of nine companies in Europe, Asia and North America. Each of these independent companies has a very specialized focus. The combination of these specializations results in a globally unique service portfolio with great customer benefits. These include, for example, cold forming in Taiwan, a distribution center in the USA and a subsidiary in Mexico.
Due to a steady further development of our products, the sale of fasteners in combination with standard automation has increasingly become the focus.
We have concentrated more and more on our core competence, which we have built up over decades: The development and manufacturing of automation grade fasteners with the corresponding automation.
We have reduced the general tool and special machine construction since.
As an interactive training portal, we provide our customers with detailed training material with image and video content. Here you can complete e-learning units and access documentation on our products.
In order to offer the best service around the maintenance and servicing of our products, we have provided an online spare parts catalog for our assembly systems with over 35,000 items. With this, orders for spare parts are sent in real time and processed and shipped as quickly as possible.
As of April 1, 2025, our company has been acquired by Penn Engineering & Manufacturing Corp, marking a significant milestone in our international growth and further strengthens our position as a leading system supplier of automated fastening technology and comprehensive fastening solutions.
