Fribel

What Fribel does

Fribel NV is a Belgian private company headquartered in Schelle (Antwerp) that operates commercially as Airpress België, the Belgian arm of the Airpress compressed air brand. The company sells screw and piston compressors, air treatment equipment (dryers, filters, separators), pressure vessels, pneumatic tools, piping, and spare parts, with a catalog of 4,500+ products orderable online. Its primary stated customers are industrial professionals in manufacturing and trade applications (tire inflation, painting, sandblasting, plastering, cleaning, grinding, drilling, metal cutting, upholstery), with secondary segments in DIY consumers and specialized oil-free use cases such as laboratory, healthcare, and food processing.

The product line is organized around seven screw compressor series (MiniPower Compact, MiniPower, PremiumPower, SoloPower, TwinPower, APS X, APS Basic/i-Combi Dry, EcoPower, EcoPower Premium) plus piston lines (Blauwe Basic, Blauwe Plus, Black Pro, Professional HL/HK/G/VK, K, APZ silenced, petrol, diesel) spanning 5.5 kW to over 175 kW and flow rates from sub-1,000 l/min to over 17,500 l/min. Technology positioning emphasizes IE5 energy-efficient motors and variable-speed (IVR) drives, claimed to be designed and produced in Europe, with the company citing that compressed air represents up to 20% of industrial electricity consumption as a value proposition.

Revenue is generated through four streams: hardware sales (units and spare parts), service contracts (preventive maintenance and repairs), compressor rentals under the AirRental brand, and dealer-led channel sales. The go-to-market is a hybrid model — e-commerce direct for SMB and DIY segments with free shipping above €395 and a 5% newsletter welcome discount, and a European dealer network for enterprise buyers. Distribution is supported by 13+ country-specific Airpress websites (Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, UK, Spain, Poland, Romania, Portugal, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Austria, Switzerland) and physical offices in Schelle and Leeuwarden. The 70-year Airpress brand heritage is the principal marketing asset. The ownership structure of NV Fribel is not disclosed, and the company is best understood as a small Belgian distribution and customer-facing entity within a wider Airpress European network rather than the manufacturer of record.

Name

Fribel

Legal name

NV Fribel

Website

https://fribel.be

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fribel NV, operating as Airpress België, is a Belgian distributor of screw and piston compressors, air treatment equipment, and spare parts serving industrial professionals, DIY consumers, and specialized oil-free applications across Europe via e-commerce and a dealer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Compressed Air Equipment

NAICS

Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing (333912), Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391)

SIC

Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561), Steam & Air-Conditioning Supply (4961)

akta.pro primary industry

Air & Gas Compressors (General Purpose) (IMAHANAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pump & Compressor Packages (Skids, Booster Sets) (IMAHANAG)

Keywords

• Industrial compressors
• Compressed air equipment
• Screw compressors
• Piston compressors
• Pneumatic tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Schelle (Antwerp)

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Compressor Sales: Sale of screw compressors and piston compressors across various power ranges and configurations, including models with tanks and dryers.
2. Spare Parts: Extensive inventory of replacement parts including filters, oils, valves, motors, and service kits for both screw and piston compressors.
3. Service Contracts: Preventive maintenance services, repairs, and service contracts for ongoing compressor maintenance.
4. Compressor Rental: Rental services under the AirRental brand for temporary compressed air solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fribel operates as Airpress Belgium, selling screw compressors and piston compressors for industrial compressed air applications, along with complementary equipment including pressure vessels, compressed air dryers and filters, pneumatic tools, air hoses and couplings, compressed air piping, and a full spare parts inventory. The offering spans entry-level DIY units up to industrial-scale systems exceeding 175 kW / 17,500 l/min, supported by preventive maintenance service contracts and a compressor rental service (AirRental).

Product overview

Fribel (operating as Airpress Belgium) is a Belgian company specializing in compressed air solutions with 70 years of experience. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio centered around screw compressors (PremiumPower, MiniPower Compact, MiniPower, SoloPower, TwinPower, APS X, APS Basic, APS Basic i-Combi Dry, EcoPower, EcoPower Premium series) and piston compressors (Blauwe Basic, Blauwe Plus, Black Pro, Professionele HL/HK/G/VK, K, APZ geluidgedempte, Benzine, Diesel series). They provide complete compressed air systems complemented by air treatment equipment (dryers, filters, separators), installation components (pressure vessels, piping, couplings), pneumatic tools, and extensive spare parts. The products serve industrial applications across Europe with technical support and service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Screw Compressors (Schroefcompressoren)

Quantifiable outcome

• Energy savings through IE5 motors in PremiumPower series compressors
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ingersoll Rand: Global industrial compressor and blower manufacturer with screw, reciprocating, and oil-free compressor lines sold through European channels. Overlaps directly with Airpress on product type but at significantly greater scale and with broader industrial service capabilities.
• Atlas Copco: Global leader in industrial compressors with a broad portfolio of screw and piston machines plus full-service support. Directly competes with Airpress in the European industrial compressed air market but operates at much larger scale with full in-house R&D and manufacturing.
• Gardner Denver: Industrial compressor and blower manufacturer with screw and reciprocating compressor lines serving industrial customers globally. Comparable product categories and customer use cases, though much larger and broader portfolio than Airpress.

Direct peers

• Chicago Pneumatic: Brand within the Atlas Copco group offering screw and piston compressors targeted at workshops, automotive, and light industrial customers. Overlaps with Airpress's prosumer/SMB piston and entry-level screw ranges.
• Kaeser Kompressoren: German-headquartered manufacturer of screw and rotary lobe compressors, dryers, and compressed air systems with a strong European industrial dealer network. Highly comparable product portfolio, target customers, and energy-efficiency positioning to Airpress.
• ALMIG Kompressoren: European compressor specialist offering screw, piston, and oil-free compressors plus service, focused on SMB and industrial customers across Europe. Closely comparable mid-tier positioning, product breadth, and target segments to Airpress.
• FINI Compressors: Italian manufacturer of piston and screw compressors plus air treatment, serving professional and small industrial customers across Europe. Comparable in scale, product mix (piston/screw, oil-lubricated and oil-free), and go-to-market via distributors.
• BOGE Kompressoren: German manufacturer of screw, piston, and oil-free compressors with strong European industrial distribution and a focus on energy-efficient systems. Highly comparable in product scope, energy-efficiency messaging, and customer base.

Emerging players

• ELGi Compressors: India-based compressor manufacturer expanding in Europe with screw and reciprocating compressor ranges targeted at SMB and industrial customers. Comparable mid-tier product positioning and increasing direct competition in European markets.

Regional players

• Aerzener Maschinenfabrik: German specialist in blowers, rotary lobe, and screw compressors serving industrial customers across Europe. Comparable in European industrial focus and engineering-driven product positioning, though stronger in process gas applications than general-purpose compressed air.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3FjuAO_UgVKVFDqixsr6oQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/AirpressBelgium
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fribel
• Instagraminstagram.com/airpress.be

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fribel