GROB is further expanding its international sales and service organisation, focusing on strengthening its presence in the South African market. The machine manufacturer is entering into a strategic partnership with South African company Lead Machine Tools to provide even more targeted support to local customers and tap into new market potential.
The collaboration builds on a long-standing connection to the region: GROB delivered its first machines to South Africa more than 20 years ago. Since then, the company has consistently established itself as a reliable partner for sophisticated manufacturing solutions. With Lead, this development is now being systematically continued.
Focus on customer proximity and sustainable growth
As part of the partnership, Lead will handle both the sales of new machines and the support of the existing machine fleet. The goal is to accompany customers throughout the entire lifecycle of their systems – from the investment decision through to service and maintenance. In this way, GROB ensures that users in South Africa will continue to have access to high-performance technologies in the fields of machining, automation, and assembly technology.
GROB G150 Universal Machining Center
“Together with Lead, we will fully leverage our potential in the South African market,” explains Carsten König, Head of the Machining Technology and Digital Products Department at GROB. “In addition to our traditionally strong focus on the automotive industry, we see attractive growth opportunities in the aviation and mining sectors in particular. At the same time, our solutions can be used across various industries. Our goal is to achieve sustainable success together with our customers.”
The partnership enables GROB to significantly strengthen its local presence and respond more quickly to specific on-site requirements. Especially in a market environment increasingly characterised by customised manufacturing solutions and short response times, proximity to the customer is becoming crucial.
Long-term prospects in the South African market
For GROB, South Africa is one of the markets with promising future prospects. Industrial development, particularly in technology-driven sectors, opens up a wide range of opportunities for innovative production solutions. With Lead as a locally established partner, GROB is laying the groundwork to sustainably tap into this potential. The strategic partnership thus represents another step in GROB’s consistent internationalisation. At the same time, it underscores the company’s commitment to combining globally uniform quality standards with regional expertise – to the benefit of local customers and partners.
Machining a single blade on a GROB universal machine
“I want to echo what Carsten has stated about the future potential for GROB’s growth in South Africa and elsewhere across the continent of Africa,” said Mark Burn, Lead Machine Tools’ General Manager. “This is exactly why we are proud to be representing this brand as the potential for growth in the industries that Carsten has mentioned looks bright for South Africa.”
“There is furthermore a lot happening in the power skiving and gear manufacturing industries taking place in South Africa and GROB’s offerings in this regard when it comes to the technology available is something that Lead wants to be able to offer to the market. We are very optimistic about the growth in advanced manufacturing in South Africa.”
“We have the people to be able to make these machines do what they need to do for customers and GROB’s turnkey offerings finish off our product portfolio with industry-leading technology.”
100 Years of GROB
In March 2026, under the motto of “100 Years of GROB”, tradition met technological progress, and more than 4 000 visitors helped set a new record for GROB’s celebratory in-house exhibition. The 6 000m² exhibition space offered them plenty of room to experience the full range of the GROB world. Trade visitors, customers, and partners gained exclusive insights into machines, processes, and digital solutions – live in action and accompanied by GROB experts who shared their know-how in a personal and practical manner.
The in-house exhibition featured over 40 machines, whose diversity reflected GROB’s technological advancements over the past decades: More than 30 universal machining centers demonstrated their capabilities, including in conjunction with modern automation systems such as robotic cells and rotary and linear pallet storage systems. In the field of machining technology, the 5-axis machining center G920F5 for mega-castings demonstrated the precise task of machining large-format components. In addition, a hairpin bending station showcased GROB’s expertise in electromobility, and the GROB Metal Printing machine GMP300 demonstrated what additive manufacturing of the future looks like.
In March 2026, under the motto of “100 Years of GROB”, tradition met technological progress, and more than 4 000 visitors helped set a new record for GROB’s celebratory in-house exhibition
Four selected special areas also showcased future markets that are currently gaining importance worldwide: Semiconductor, aerospace and defence, energy technology, and die and mould. In addition, GROB offered insights into business areas such as humanoid robotics and drone technology for the first time at its in-house exhibition.
More than 70 plant tours through 14 production halls gave the numerous participants a first-hand look at the depth of vertical integration and precision with which GROB operates in Mindelheim.
A highlight of the anniversary trade show was the premiere of the new GP1350 5-axis portal milling machining center, with which GROB is opening a new chapter. “With the GP1350, we are launching our first portal machine and thereby entering a new era. The GP1350 is designed to meet the manufacturing demands of tomorrow: Maximum flexibility, high precision, and uncompromising performance,” explained GROB CSO Christian Müller during the machine’s presentation.
About GROB
For over a century, GROB has been operating globally as a family business developing and manufacturing systems and machine tools. Customers include the most renowned automotive manufacturers, their suppliers, and companies from a wide range of industries. With production facilities in Mindelheim (Germany), Bluffton, Ohio (USA), São Paulo (Brazil), Dalian (China), Pianezza (Italy), and Bangalore (India), as well as service and sales offices worldwide, GROB have a strong international presence.
GROB’s portfolio ranges from universal machining centers and highly complex manufacturing systems with integrated automation to manual assembly stations and fully automated assembly lines. Production systems for electric motors and assembly systems for battery and fuel cell technology are also part of the product range. For machining turbine housings and processing structural and chassis components, GROB develops its own solutions. GROB’s proprietary software for digitising and networking production processes, GROB-NET4Industry, allows for a digital and transparent representation of these processes.
About Lead Machine Tools
Established in 2011, Lead Machine Tools has been recognised as one of South Africa’s fastest growing machine tools and related equipment suppliers. Not only does 2026 see the company proudly celebrate 15 years in business, but it has also purchased and moved into a new premises in Epping, Cape Town.
For further information contact Lead Machine Tools on TEL: +27 21 301 2159 or visit https://www.leadmachinetools.co.za
