Kern & Sohn

What Kern & Sohn does

Kern & Sohn GmbH is a Balingen, Germany-based, family-owned manufacturer of precision measurement equipment, operating continuously since 1844. The company designs, produces, and distributes weighing technology (Waagen), microscopes, optical measurement instruments, and test weights under the Kern and SAUTER sub-brands, with a dedicated IoT-Line product family targeting Industry 4.0 integration. Its technology stack combines in-house hardware with proprietary software tools—BalanceConnection for data transfer, EasyTouch, and EasyDisplay for visualization—forming a connected-instrument platform for laboratory, industrial, and medical buyers.

Kern & Sohn holds DAkkS-accredited calibration laboratory status, enabling traceable, accredited calibration services, and secured MDR (EU Medical Device Regulation) certification in September 2025, opening direct access to the regulated medical device market. In December 2024 the company launched an on-site installation and calibration service, extending the business model from equipment supply into recurring field-service revenue. The company is structured as a privately held GmbH, indicating family ownership with no public funding, M&A, or leadership change signals in the available data.

The firm operates a B2B-only direct sales model, with e-commerce storefronts localized in at least seven European languages, serving laboratory, industrial, quality assurance, education, and metrology customer segments. Reported headcount is 51–100 employees, consistent with a specialized Mittelstand manufacturer; revenue mechanics combine instrument sales, accessories, calibration services, and software, but no financial figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

Kern & Sohn

Legal name

KERN & SOHN GmbH

Website

https://kern-sohn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1844

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kern & Sohn GmbH is a Balingen, Germany-based, family-owned manufacturer of precision measurement equipment—scales, microscopes, test weights, and calibration services—serving laboratory, industrial, medical, and educational B2B customers across Europe since 1844.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Measurement Instruments

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards) (HLAGAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Weighing & Force Measurement (Load cells, scales, torque, strain measurement) (IMAGAFAF), Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services) (IMAGAFAH)

Keywords

• Precision weighing scales
• Laboratory balances
• Industrial measurement instruments
• Medical weighing devices
• Calibration weights

Headquarters

HQ city

Balingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Scale and Weighing Equipment Sales: Primary revenue stream from manufacturing and selling a comprehensive range of weighing equipment including laboratory balances (precision, analytical, moisture analyzers, school balances), industrial scales (bench, platform, floor, pallet, crane, hanging, counting, price-computing, explosion-protected), medical scales (baby, person, wheelchair, chair, standing-aid, hand force meters, length/circumference measurement devices), and veterinary scales. Revenue is generated through direct B2B e-commerce sales at listed prices plus VAT.
2. Optical Instruments Sales: Sale of optical instruments including transmitted light microscopes, fluorescence microscopes, inverted microscopes, metallurgical microscopes, polarizing microscopes, stereo microscopes, digital microscope sets, video microscopes, microscope cameras, refractometers, polarimeters, and related accessories.
3. SAUTER Measurement Instruments: Sale of force measurement devices, torque meters, coating/material thickness gauges, hardness testers, infrared thermometers, environmental instruments, colorimeters, and test benches under the SAUTER brand.
4. Test Weights / Calibration Standards: Sale of test weights across all OIML accuracy classes (E1, E2, F1, F2, M1, M2, M3), Newton weights, and associated services. Weights are available with DAkkS-accredited calibration.
5. Software Licenses and Bundles: Revenue from proprietary software including BalanceConnection, EasyTouch, Optics Software, and SAUTER Software, sold as standalone products or bundled with weighing equipment.
6. Accessories and Components: Sale of accessories for scales, measurement instruments, and optical devices including adapters, batteries, anti-vibration plates, protective covers, ramps, displays, Bluetooth sets, printers, filters, cables, cases, interface modules, calibration sets, sensors, software, and spare parts.
7. Calibration and Verification Services: Calibration service (DAkkS-accredited) and legal verification/calibration (Eichservice) for weighing equipment, provided through kern-lab.com subsidiary.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KERN & SOHN manufactures and sells precision weighing scales (laboratory, industrial, and medical), optical instruments (microscopes, refractometers, polarimeters), force and torque measurement instruments, and OIML calibration weights. The company also provides DAkkS-accredited calibration and legal verification services through its kern-lab.com subsidiary, and offers proprietary weighing software (BalanceConnection, EasyTouch, EasyDisplay).

Product overview

KERN & SOHN is a German precision measurement company offering a comprehensive portfolio of weighing, testing, and optical measurement solutions. The product range centers on laboratory and industrial precision balances, medical weighing devices, SAUTER-branded force and material testing instruments, and optical instruments including microscopes, refractometers, and polarimeters. The company also provides connected IoT-Line scales for Industry 4.0 applications, calibration weights in all OIML accuracy classes, and supporting software solutions (BalanceConnection and EasyTouch) for data management. Services include DAkkS-accredited calibration and legal verification. Products are sold exclusively to business customers including laboratories, industrial facilities, healthcare providers, and research institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SAUTER: SAUTER Prüf- und Messgeräte (SAUTER testing and measurement instruments) - sold under the SAUTER brand for force measurement, torque measurement, coating thickness measurement, and material testing equipment.

Products and services

• Laboratory Balances Precision weighing equipment for laboratory and research applications including pocket scales, school scales, analytical balances, precision balances, and moisture analyzers for laboratories, pharmaceutical quality control, chemical analysis, and educational use.
• Industrial Scales Heavy-duty weighing solutions for industrial environments including bench scales, explosion-protected scales, pallet scales, floor scales, counting scales, crane scales, platform scales, and weighing pallet trucks for manufacturing, logistics, and process control.
• Medical Scales MDR-certified medical-grade weighing and measurement devices for healthcare settings including baby scales, personal scales, wheelchair scales, chair scales, hand dynamometers, height measurement devices, and veterinary scales.
• IoT-Line Connected Scales Connected weighing scales with network connectivity for real-time data transmission and Industry 4.0 integration, available across laboratory, industrial, and medical product categories. Compatible with EasyDisplay for real-time display on large screens.
• Calibration Weights (Test Weights) Test and calibration weights available across OIML accuracy classes E1 through M3, along with Newton weights, cases, weight baskets, and safety sets for metrological calibration.
• SAUTER Measurement Instruments Force measurement devices, torque meters, coating thickness gauges, material thickness meters, hardness testers for plastics and metals, infrared thermometers, environmental and workplace safety instruments, and colorimeters sold under the SAUTER brand.
• Optical Instruments Microscopes and optical analysis equipment including transmitted light, fluorescence, inverted, metallurgical, polarizing, stereo, video, and digital microscope sets, microscope cameras, refractometers, and polarimeters.
• Measurement Technology Components Core components for scale and measurement system construction including platforms, measurement cells, torque sensors, junction boxes, scale assembly kits, and display/evaluation units.
• BalanceConnection Software Weighing software for connecting and managing weighing operations, enabling data transfer and process optimization. Available with a free trial version for B2B customers.
• EasyTouch Software Advanced weighing software with functions including export, recipe management, verification of pre-packaged goods, sensitive data protection, sampling, differential weighing, piece counting, and animal weighing.
• DAkkS-Accredited Calibration Service DAkkS-accredited calibration services for test weights and measuring equipment, ensuring metrological traceability and compliance with quality standards. Provided through kern-lab.com subsidiary.
• Legal Verification and Conformity Assessment Service Initial verification (Eichservice) and conformity assessment services for measuring instruments to meet legal metrology requirements.
• On-Site Installation and Calibration Service (OnSite-Prüfdienst) On-site installation, calibration, and verification services where KERN technicians travel to customer premises to install and calibrate weighing equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Full DAkkS-accredited calibration coverage for test weights across all OIML classes E1 through M3, enabling legally traceable metrological verification.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sartorius AG: German-listed bioprocessing and lab products company with a strong precision-balance and weighing portfolio (Sartorius Lab Instruments). Direct overlap with Kern's laboratory balances and calibration weights, but with a much larger bioprocessing franchise.
• Mettler-Toledo International: Global leader in precision instruments including laboratory balances, industrial scales, pipettes, and analytical instruments. Directly comparable product categories to Kern across lab and industrial weighing, but at vastly larger scale and with broader automation and software offerings.
• Shimadzu Corporation: Global Japanese analytical and measurement instrument company with optical/electron microscopes, analytical balances, and material testing equipment. Overlaps with Kern's optical instruments and SAUTER measurement portfolio as a much larger, broader incumbent.

Direct peers

• Adam Equipment: UK-headquartered scale and balance manufacturer selling laboratory, industrial, medical, and retail weighing solutions globally. Closely comparable mid-sized competitor to Kern with similar product breadth and B2B distribution model.
• Minebea Intec: German-based industrial weighing and inspection specialist (formerly Sartorius Industrial). Direct overlap with Kern's industrial scales, platform scales, and process-weighing portfolio in the European manufacturing market.
• A&D Company: Japanese manufacturer of weighing equipment, balances, and force/measurement instruments. Overlaps with Kern across laboratory balances, industrial scales, and SAUTER-style force measurement, serving similar B2B lab and industrial customers.
• Precisa Gravimetrics: Swiss balance and weighing-technology manufacturer offering analytical, precision, and moisture balances plus certified test weights. Direct competitor to Kern in the European laboratory and industrial weighing market at a similar mid-market scale.
• OHAUS Corporation: US-based weighing and laboratory equipment manufacturer (historically part of Mettler-Toledo). Direct competitor across lab balances, industrial scales, and education market — a like-for-like comparison for Kern's product portfolio and channel.
• CAS Corporation: Korean manufacturer of industrial, retail, and laboratory scales plus load cells. Direct competitor to Kern in bench, platform, and counting scales, with similar mid-market positioning in B2B weighing.
• Radwag: Polish manufacturer of laboratory balances, industrial scales, and calibration weights. Closest size-and-scope comparable to Kern — same product categories (analytical balances, moisture analyzers, mass standards), direct European competitor, and similar specialty positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kern_waagen
• Facebookfacebook.com/KernSohnGmbH

Compliance2 records

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 Kern & Sohn