Winoa and Toyo Seiko to launch a fully integrated heat treatment line for high durability cut wire in Altena, Germany

Winoa and Toyo Seiko today announce the commissioning of a new fully integrated heat treatment (HD) line at its Center of Competence for Cut Wire in Altena, Germany.

Read the full press release here

Developed thanks to long-term strategic and exclusive partnership with Toyo Seiko and supported by the integration of Frohn since 2024, this milestone marks a decisive step in Winoa’s renewed approach to Specialty Abrasives and Peening Media.

This enhanced capability enables the production of high-performance and durable cut wire in Europe, combining proven technical excellence with closer proximity to customers in the automotive, energy and defense industries. It aims to support their future growth while strengthening supply security and service quality from the heart of Europe.

A project serving Winoa strategy

For Falko Schmidt, CEO of the Specialties Business Unit, “Through our partnership with Toyo Seiko, we have established a strong foundation in high-performance cut wire. Today, we are taking this one step further by bringing this expertise to Altena, cradle of wire in Germany, to boast European industrial presence and responsiveness. This is what our customers expect today.”

For Altena’s Economic Development Officer, Jens Hiller : “This investment confirms Altena’s importance as an industrial location and highlights Frohn GmbH’s long-standing relationship with our region, South Westphalia. Today, I’m happy to welcome this new step, which reinforces local expertise, supports employment, and demonstrates confidence in the future of manufacturing in Altena.”

Toyo Seiko’s expertise and standards, now produced in Europe

The Altena facility now delivers full process integration, including:

Wire sourcing and precision cutting
Heat treatment (HD process)
Conditioning (G1, G2, G3 rounding grades)
Laboratory testing and hardness control supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Final inspection and packaging

The new heat treatment line combines advanced furnace technology strictly following Japanese processes, quality parameters, and technical support, ensuring consistent and reliable performance for demanding shot peening applications. A strong foundation from which Winoa will continue to develop and adapt solutions to meet evolving customer demands.

Supporting the transformation of key industries

AUTOMOTIVE, ENERGY & DEFENSE

Cut wire is primarily used in shot peening applications, which represent 70% of the demand in automotive, and also significant stake in energy and defense sectors.

As these industries evolve toward lighter materials and more demanding performance requirements, peening & surface treatment play a critical role in ensuring durability and fatigue resistance.

By producing HD cut wire locally, Winoa strengthens its ability to support:

Increasing technical requirements
Shorter lead times and greater flexibility
Reduced transport and environmental footprint
More predictable and efficient supply

One integrated European platform

ONE STOP SHOP

The Altena site, supported by the expert team at Frohn now acts as Winoa’s European Center of Competence for cut wire. And together with the Tech Centers in France and Prague, the latter site co-located with the newly established Peening Center, will provide full service along the value chain of our customers

Through its Specialties Business Unit, Winoa offers customers: