Paul Horn GmbH: High-precision tools from Tübingen for the whole world

In 70 countries on every continent, companies in the automotive, chemical, aerospace, mechanical engineering, medical, jewelry and watch, defense, tool and mould-making industries as well as the energy sector work with tools from Paul Horn GmbH. In addition to 25,000 standard tools, the family-owned company has to date also supplied more than 200,000 special solutions to its customers. Founded in 1969 in Gomaringen, a town close to the German city of Tübingen, this manufacturer of solid carbide tools is now a technology leader in the production of precision tools for challenging machining tasks. Horn has production sites at its company headquarters in Tübingen as well as in Italy, Thailand, the Czech Republic and the USA. In 2024, it achieved sales of 200 million euros in Germany and approximately 305 million euros worldwide. About 900 employees work for the company in Germany, 1.500 worldwide. Paul Horn is Tübingen’s largest industrial employer and offers 70 apprenticeships.

The company’s core expertise focuses on four pillars: in-house research and development, in-house coating technology, in-house carbide production and in-house manufacturing technologies. It also launched its additive manufacturing project with two 3D selective laser melting printing processes in spring 2018. Over a production area of 30,000 square metres (including Horn Hartstoffe GmbH), Horn manufactures high-precision tools and accessories for radial grooving, face grooving, profile grooving, parting off, slot broaching, gear skiving, gear cutting, high-polish turning, threading, machining of pipes and sleeves, groove milling, slot milling, cut-off milling, thread milling, polygon turning, thread whirling, high-polish milling, finish boring, face milling, shoulder milling, profile milling, rotary milling, reaming and drilling. Our tool production processes are optimised and take place primarily in newly built factories. Annually, Horn produces several millions of inserts in batches of 100 pieces on average with a degree of automation of up to 97 per cent.

Horn needs qualified, skilled workers, so trains them itself

Apprentices train for a career in mechanical engineering in a 1,200 square metre facility equipped with state-of-the-art CNC machines. Apprentices learn the professions of industrial mechanic (m/f/d), machine tool operator (m/f/d), mechatronics technician (m/f/d), production engineer (m/f/d), industrial sales (m/f/d), technical product designer (m/f/d), IT specialist for system integration and machine and plant operator (m/f/d).  Dual study programs in mechanical engineering with a focus on design, development and production engineering as well as Business Information Technology in cooperation with DHBW Stuttgart Campus Horb are also included in the Horn training portfolio.

In addition, the Tübingen-based Horn Academy provides training, further education and qualification services for customers and employees. Also customer events (e. g. HORN Technology Days) are organised at the Horn Academy.

In recent years, Managing Director Lothar Horn has invested in new, state-of-the-art production facilities. In 2011, a new plant covering an area of around 5,000 square metres was built, enabling all shaping processes for carbide tools to be carried out in-house. The new plant has also been producing carbide blanks and wear parts for external companies since 2013. In 2016, the company acquired another 20,000 square metre building, 12,000 of which were earmarked for production. Administration moved into a new block next to the existing building. In 2018, Lothar Horn appointed his son, Markus, as a Managing Director – the third generation of the family to run the company. Matthias Rommel has been the Technical Managing Director since November 2018.