A holistic view

Dirk Ritter, STOPA’s head of sales and service, outlined the company’s closer alignment with TRUMPF to ISMR at Blechexpo/Schweisstec. He also discussed global market movements, trends, tariffs, challenges and new technologies.

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STOPA was founded in Achern, Germany, in 1963 and employs more than 300 people. The family company specialises in automated storage systems for sheet metal and long goods. Storage systems from STOPA can be adapted to the growing challenges of modern smart factory production or integrated into existing factories. Its products range from stand-alone applications to integrated automation modules. The independent company has installed over 2,500 systems worldwide.

High-tech sheet metal, laser and software specialist TRUMPF and STOPA have now further expanded their successful 40-year partnership. TRUMPF has now increased its stake in STOPA Anlagenbau GmbH from the current 25.1 per cent share to 74.9 per cent. Both companies publicly announced this in October 2025.

Among other things, STOPA supplies automated storage systems for TRUMPF’s smart factory solutions. Customers can use these to automatically load and unload their machines and link them together logistically. Productivity in manufacturing increases as unproductive downtime is greatly reduced. STOPA’s storage systems feature automation and benefit from TRUMPF’s Oseon software, which further simplifies production planning and control right through to fully automated sheet metal production.

ISMR caught up with Dirk Ritter, STOPA’s head of sales, at the Blechexpo/Schweisstec trade show in Stuttgart this October where STOPA recently launched a new flexible STOPA Flex 25 storage system. He outlined to ISMR what this closer alignment with TRUMPF will mean for STOPA, as well as his views on global market movements, trends, tariffs, challenges and new technologies.

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ISMR: Please outline your latest product and technology innovations at Blechexpo/Schweisstec 2025 in Stuttgart.

DR: At Blechexpo, we are promoting the new STOPA Flex 25 which is a small, flexible storage system in the mid-range performance segment. It is a fully automated double-tower storage system that was launched recently. The storage system is connected to all TRUMPF machines to relay production status and will be the future of STOPA in the small storage business segment.

The biggest benefit for our customers is that the new system will use the same spare parts as our Compact 2 (CPII) huge storage systems. So, there will be no issues on proven technology, technical service, spare parts availability or technician expertise. Different heights and configurations are available.

For the first time at Blechexpo, TRUMPF is presenting a fully automated, interlinked system from its next generation of TruBend Center 7030 panel bending machines, TruMatic 5000 punching and laser machines and our STOPA flex automated storage system. Compared to conventional interlinked production lines, this solution is particularly flexible. This is because of the STOPA storage system, which stores the parts between the individual production steps. In this way, TRUMPF combines the flexibility of individual machines with the efficiency of production lines. The networked system manufactures both individual parts and high-volume batches economically and efficiently.

Our extensive product range offers future-proof solutions with intelligent warehouse management software and simple control. STOPA storage systems are designed for maximum efficiency in warehouse and production logistics. The space-saving solutions are designed to optimise material flow and revolutionise the management of sheet metal inventory.

ISMR: Please tell us more about this closer alignment with the TRUMPF Group and what this will mean for STOPA.

DR: STOPA is now part of the TRUMPF Group, which I am very happy about. TRUMPF is the biggest provider of flexible sheet metal processing machinery worldwide. STOPA is 60 years old and has been a partner to TRUMPF for the last 40 years, so we share a strong history together. TRUMPF now owns 74.9% of STOPA and the remaining 25.1% of the company is still owned by Michael Stolzer.

Our STOPA Compact 2 storage system is the “spine” of TRUMPF’s smart factory of connected machines. TRUMPF is a key proponent of the Smart Factory and digitisation principles. Now that we are part of TRUMPF, this will bring us massive benefits such as worldwide network, specialised knowledge, the resources and expertise of a major international group and many more business opportunities for STOPA.

ISMR: What is your vision for the company? How do you aim to achieve this?

To read the rest of this interview in the November 2025 issue of ISMR, please see https://joom.ag/efDd/p50