From 1989 to the present: How HGV Vosseler became NEWSTON
Anyone familiar with us today thinks of inline measurement technology, robotic cells, and AICell.
Those who have known us longer know what lies behind it: A history spanning over three decades, during which a measurement technology workshop in Hohenlohe evolved into a developer of measurement and testing systems for direct use on the production line. Once local, now operating globally and independently.
How it all began
Öhringen, Hohenlohe. A young company named HGV Vosseler GmbH was founded – as a measurement technology generalist in the best sense of the word. We measured whatever needed measuring: From small parts to entire car bodies. Our focus has shifted since then, but our passion for achieving the best possible results remains.
From Generalist to Specialist
By the early 2000s, things became more specific. HGV Vosseler began developing its own sensor technology – first for geometric measurement, then for distances and key dimensions. The broad modular system evolved into a specialized discipline: Metrology that measures precisely what determines quality on the production line.
Part of the ZEISS-Group
In 2012, Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH acquired the company. What followed was scaling in the best sense of the word: Dedicated teams in the U.S. and China, a global service network – and a significant technological leap from analog to digital sensor technology. The specialized workshop becomes a player that supports OEMs directly on their production lines. In high-volume production and always in sync with the production cycle.
The ABIS Moment
The product launch of ABIS marks the next leap forward: A fully automated system for surface inspection during body-in-white production that detects scratches, dents and the finest deviations in fractions of a second. In 2023, ABIS is presented to industry professionals for the first time at automatica in Munich, while the launch in China begins simultaneously.
NEWSTON
How does the project business actually fit into the product business? ZEISS and the team from Neuenstein find the answer together: As of March 1, 2025, the division is spun off and has since been named NEWSTON Automated Solutions GmbH. Inline measurement technology thrives on proximity to the customer’s process, on systems tailored precisely to that specific line. On teams that work directly with quality departments right at the component to resolve issues. This requires a separate organization and a distinct identity.
Inline Excellence - worldwide
NEWSTON goes global. With 120 specialists in Neuenstein, Detroit, Shanghai, and Pune. A portfolio ranging from AICell trace through AICell scan, flush & gap, and surface to the mobile AICell MMC – in use in automotive body-in-white production and increasingly also in aerospace, among suppliers, in commercial vehicle manufacturing, and in the SME sector.
What defines us today is precisely this blend: Over three decades of measurement technology experience, the tools of the trade honed during our years at ZEISS, and a start-up spirit that feels almost unfamiliar after so long in a large corporation. We call this Inline Excellence. And we’d rather show it than just talk about it. Best of all, live, at the Demo Center in Neuenstein, right next to the system.
There, in a matter of milliseconds, you can see what has happened over the years.