Company profile

When it comes to building technology, cast products and rolled products, Gebr. Kemper GmbH + Co. KG really is flying the flag for progress. 

KEMPER is an industrial company based in the South Westphalia region of Germany, manufacturing products for use worldwide. Of around 900 employees, some 800 work at our Group head office and production site in Olpe, with a further 100 in subsidiaries and international branches. According to Rupprecht Kemper, Managing Director of Gebr. Kemper GmbH + Co. KG, the company is in an excellent position: “We are experiencing consistently high demand across all business units. We anticipate that we will be able to continue along this path of healthy growth going forward, which is why we are not only investing heavily in research and development, but also expanding our production capacity.” 

The company has been family-run for five generations and was established in 1864 by Johann-Anton Kemper. His great-great-grandson, Rupprecht Kemper, ensures precisely the right balance between the past and the future: “Our history has always been about keeping a constant eye on market requirements and making the necessary changes to develop products that will enhance our customers’ quality of life. Whilst the products themselves have changed over the years, our philosophy remains the same: we are pioneers and understand that, in order to meet this challenge, we must constantly move forward.” 

According to a study by the German Chamber of Commerce (IHK) on the “hidden champions” of the region, KEMPER is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of valve and system technology for technical building equipment. What’s more, the company is also a global leader when it comes to rolled strips made of copper alloys. 

Business units

KEMPER is perhaps best known in the building technology sector. The KHS potable water hygiene system is one of many prime examples: this is the answer to insidious pathogens such as legionella, which multiply rapidly if water is left in pipelines for too long. The system has established itself with planners and operators. The pipes are rinsed automatically to keep the required level of consumption to a minimum. This saves drinking water and staff resources, is safer than manual rinsing and can be documented to the health authorities. 

In the cast product and rolled product sectors, the components produced in South Westphalia are not normally visible to the end consumer. However, these product sectors play an important economic role, since they showcase the company's expertise in materials and processes. 

As a specialist in weight-optimised precision cast products, the development of innovative materials and environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes, KEMPER processes 3,300 tonnes of bronze alloys a year to make cast products and valves for its customers. Specific orders for made-to-measure gunmetal components are placed by the manufacturers of water treatment plants and components. 3D CAD design tools and computer simulations of the casting process ensure high-quality, pressure-sealed products. 

KEMPER’s rolled products place the company amongst the industry leaders for the production of copper and alloy belts for automotive and electrical applications. The high quality of the strips, which only a few companies worldwide are able to produce to this standard, is crucial when it comes to miniaturising electronic components. This ensures that these products contribute towards reducing the weight of vehicles and ultimately towards achieving CO2 climate targets. KEMPER’s high-performance materials are also used in consumer products: material qualities such as conductivity, resistance and formability are what set these products apart and ensure their suitability for demanding applications in electrical engineering, electronics, information and computer technology. 

Digitalisation, a hot topic for the future, is reflected in all the production processes and activities of the KEMPER Group. Its subsidiary Dendrit Haustechnik-Software GmbH has developed pipe network analysis software for building technology planners. Another subsidiary of the KEMPER Group is Profiltech Stufenbandprofile GmbH, which refines rolled strips by profiling them according to the customer’s requirements

Research and development

Research and development are given a high priority at KEMPER. We have partnerships with universities such as FH Münster, involving well-known experts in the fields of energy, building and the environment. KEMPER organises over 130 seminars each year at its own training centre and at external conference facilities for a wide range of experts including planners and designers, installation companies, operators of large buildings such as hospitals and housing construction companies. This exchange with all the relevant target groups ensures that we can continue to develop innovative approaches to our own product development process.