Auto cutting machines are used everywhere—from car seats to fashion. Everyone is asking the same thing: who’s really the best?
After acquiring Gerber, Lectra became the leading brand in both technology and reputation, dominating the auto cutter industry.
But while Lectra holds the brand crown, Bullmer leads in sales. What’s behind this surprising shift? Let’s dig into the story.
Who Are the Top 3 Auto Cutter Brands?
So many brands exist, but which ones truly lead the pack?
The top three global auto cutter companies are: Lectra, Gerber, and Bullmer.
This is a highly technical industry with stable market leaders. Lectra and Gerber are veteran players, especially strong in automotive and apparel. Bullmer, from Germany, is known for precision and engineering.
Here’s a quick comparison of the three:
Brand | Country | Core Industry | Yearly Sales | Technical Strength | Current Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lectra | France | Automotive, Apparel | 500+ units | Own software and hardware | Merged with Gerber |
Gerber | USA | Apparel, Industrial | Merged | Legacy CAD/CAM systems | Now part of Lectra |
Bullmer | Germany | Sofa, Apparel | 800+ units | German engineering + China | Acquired by Jack |
Lectra leads with technology and brand power in high-end markets. Bullmer took the sales lead by optimizing cost and increasing accessibility.
Did Lectra Become the Industry Leader After Acquiring Gerber?
Brand consolidation can create a superpower—but sales are another story.
After acquiring Gerber, Lectra merged technologies, brands, and customer bases to become the “number one brand” in the industry.
Lectra moved quickly after acquiring Gerber. They integrated Gerber’s strengths—especially in the U.S. market and CAD software—into their own system and upgraded both hardware and software.
This made Lectra nearly irreplaceable in automotive and high-end fashion manufacturing. Major car brands like Mercedes and BMW rely on their systems because of their reliability and strong support.
But the price tag is just as high-end. For many mid-sized or small factories, Lectra is simply out of reach. That gap opened the door for Bullmer to come in.
Why Did Bullmer's Sales Surge After Being Acquired by Jack?
Same brand, lower cost—what does that mean for customers?
After being acquired by Jack, Bullmer cut costs, lowered prices, and used Jack’s massive sales network to break past 800 units a year.
Jack is a giant in the sewing machine world with a vast global sales and support network. After acquiring Bullmer, they kept the German brand identity and engineering, but moved much of the production and supply chain to China. This cut costs significantly.
Jack then used its network to push Bullmer into new markets—especially developing regions and cost-sensitive factories. For factories that couldn’t afford Lectra but didn’t want unknown local brands, Bullmer became the perfect choice.
I’ve seen this shift myself. Many of our customers used to dream of Lectra but ended up choosing Bullmer because it’s reliable, affordable, and well supported.
Here’s how Bullmer changed after the acquisition:
Key Factor | Before Acquisition | After Acquisition |
---|---|---|
Annual Sales | Around 300 units | 800+ units |
Target Market | High-end Europe | Global mid-high |
Cost Structure | Made in Germany | China + Germany |
Pricing Strategy | Premium only | Competitive mid-high |
Support System | Europe-based | Global via Jack |
Thanks to Jack, Bullmer became the “affordable German brand” that factories around the world now trust.
Lectra owns the top-tier brand and tech reputation, but Bullmer leads in sales and market expansion. The battle for No.1 isn’t over yet.
My Role
My company is STAK, based in the auto cutting industry. We focus on high-quality spare parts for auto cutters—such as bristle blocks, blades, grinding components, and other essentials.
Our customers include cutter manufacturers, automotive seat and sofa factories, and apparel producers. We serve global markets and provide parts compatible with Lectra, Gerber, Bullmer, Eastman, Kuris, Morgan, Pathfinder, FK Group, Oshima, Takatori, and more.
No matter which cutter you use, we’ve got the right parts to keep your machines running smoothly and efficiently.