Ferrum
Ferrum AG is a privately held Swiss industrial machinery group (founded 1917, ~890 employees) that manufactures premium can seamers (Ferrum Packaging) and centrifugal separation systems (Ferrum Process Systems) for beverage, food, chemical, pharmaceutical, mining, and environmental customers worldwide through 12 subsidiaries and 100+ country coverage.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1917
- HeadquartersSchafisheim, Switzerland
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ferrum does
Ferrum AG is a privately held Swiss industrial machinery group founded in 1917 and headquartered in Schafisheim, Switzerland, operating through two core divisions: Ferrum Packaging Ltd., which manufactures premium can seamers (can-closing machines) for the beverage, food, and can-making industries, and Ferrum Process Systems Ltd., which produces Swiss-precision centrifugal separation equipment (pusher centrifuges, vertical and horizontal scraper centrifuges, decanters, and test machines) for chemical, pharmaceutical, mining, petrochemical, food, and environmental applications. The group also owns Hiller GmbH (Germany), a decanter specialist acquired and retained as a separate brand, and acquired QualySense in August 2023 to broaden adjacent sensing/measurement capabilities.
Ferrum's product technology centers on mechanically engineered, durable capital equipment with proprietary can-seaming and centrifuge platforms, supplemented by the ZA1 automation system for centrifuge process control and optimization. The business model is industrial capital-equipment sales combined with a multi-decade aftermarket layer: the company sells new machines under quote-based pricing, then monetizes the installed base through spare parts, repair, overhaul, modular conversions, process-media optimization, service contracts, and the ferruPractice training program, plus a secondary stream from refurbished/used equipment. Distribution runs through 12 wholly-owned subsidiaries (Switzerland, Poland, Germany, USA, China, Brazil, Spain, UK, Thailand, Vietnam, Ivory Coast) and independent representatives in over 100 countries, supported by ISO 9001/14001/45001 certifications and a workforce of approximately 890 employees.
Ferrum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ferrum
- Legal name
- Ferrum AG
- Website
- https://ferrum.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1917
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Ferrum AG is a privately held Swiss industrial machinery group (founded 1917, ~890 employees) that manufactures premium can seamers (Ferrum Packaging) and centrifugal separation systems (Ferrum Process Systems) for beverage, food, chemical, pharmaceutical, mining, and environmental customers worldwide through 12 subsidiaries and 100+ country coverage.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Ferrum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Schafisheim
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices11 records
Markets served
Ferrum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Industrial Machinery Sales: Sale of can seamers and centrifuges as capital equipment to industrial customers across beverages, food, chemicals, pharma, mining, and other sectors
- After-Sales Service and Spare Parts: Comprehensive service offerings including repair, overhaul, modular conversions, process media optimization, and spare parts supply extending across the entire product lifecycle
- Consulting Services: Industry-specific consultation services and engineering know-how for optimization or redesign of plants, processes, and control systems
- Training Programs: ferruPractice training programs for customer education on equipment operation and maintenance
- Used Equipment: Sale of refurbished/used centrifuges as part of circular economy approach
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Ferrum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ferrum manufactures and sells industrial can seaming (can closing) machines and industrial centrifuges (pusher, scraper vertical and horizontal, decanter, and test machines) for beverage, food, chemical, pharmaceutical, mining, petrochemical, and environmental industries. The company complements its equipment with a full lifecycle service offering that includes spare parts, repair, overhaul, modular retrofits, process media optimization, service contracts, and the ferruPractice training program, supported by a global network of subsidiaries and representatives in over 100 countries.
Product overview
Ferrum is an industrial machinery company offering two core product lines: can seamers (can closing machines) under the Ferrum Packaging brand, and centrifuges under the Ferrum Process Systems brand. The can seamer portfolio includes machines for beverage and food industries, while the centrifuge portfolio comprises pusher centrifuges, scraper centrifuges (vertical and horizontal), decanters, test machines, and used equipment, complemented by automation solutions. Ferrum also acquired the Hiller brand, which specializes in decanter centrifuges for environmental and industrial applications. The company provides comprehensive services including spare parts, repair, overhaul, modular conversions, process optimization, service contracts, and ferruPractice training programs. Ferrum was founded in 1917 and operates globally with 12 locations and 890 employees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ferruBase: The new headquarters building of the Ferrum Group in Schafisheim, Switzerland, completed in 2025.
- ferruPractice
Products and services
- Can Seamers for Beverages Premium can seaming machines for beverage packaging, covering beer, craft beer, soft drinks, juices, and iced tea. Built on over a century of engineering excellence and sold to industrial beverage canning operations worldwide.
- Can Seamers for Food and Can Making Can seaming solutions for the food industry and can manufacturers, used for pet food, vegetables, fruits, milk powder, and can-making applications where seal integrity and food safety are critical.
- Pusher Centrifuges Pusher-type centrifuges for industrial solid-liquid separation processes across chemicals, food, and related industrial applications.
- Scraper Centrifuges (Vertical) Vertical scraper centrifuges for demanding separation processes in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food industries, delivering high-purity separation under strict quality standards.
- Scraper Centrifuges (Horizontal) Horizontal scraper centrifuges for continuous separation processes in industrial applications, designed for reliable operation in demanding environments.
- Decanter Centrifuges Decanter centrifuges for solid-liquid separation, supplied under Ferrum Process Systems and the Hiller brand for environmental technology, industrial, and process applications.
- Test Centrifuges Test centrifuges for laboratory testing and process development, used by customers to validate separation processes before full-scale production deployment.
- Used Centrifuges Pre-owned Ferrum centrifuges offered to customers seeking cost-effective, refurbished separation equipment as an alternative to new machines.
- Hiller Decanter and Centrifuge Systems Precision decanter and centrifuge systems developed and manufactured by Hiller GmbH, a wholly-owned Ferrum Group subsidiary specializing in environmental technology and demanding industrial separation processes.
- After-Sales Service and Spare Parts Lifecycle service for can seamers and centrifuges including spare parts supply, repair, overhaul, modular retrofits, process media optimization, and service contracts delivered through a global service and spare parts network.
- Consulting and Engineering Services Industry-specific consultation and engineering know-how provided to industrial customers for the optimization or redesign of plants, processes, and control systems across the can seaming and centrifuge product lines.
- ferruPractice Training Programs Structured training programs under the ferruPractice brand that educate customers on the operation and maintenance of Ferrum can seamers and related equipment.
Companies that use Ferrum
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ferrum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Ferrum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ferrum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- GEA Group: GEA is a global leader in centrifugal separation technology for food, dairy, chemicals, and pharma — directly comparable to Ferrum Process Systems' centrifuge portfolio while operating at much larger scale across many industrial verticals.
- SPX FLOW: SPX FLOW provides industrial separation, mixing, and fluid handling technologies including centrifugal separators for food, beverage, chemical, and dairy markets — comparable to Ferrum's centrifuge offering.
- Alfa Laval: Alfa Laval is a Swedish multinational specializing in heat transfer, separation, and fluid handling — a direct competitor in industrial centrifuges and decanters, with similar end markets in chemicals, pharma, food, and wastewater.
- Andritz AG: Andritz is an Austrian industrial group with a separation division (Andritz Separation) producing centrifuges and filtration equipment for mining, chemical, food, and environmental industries — competing head-to-head with Ferrum Process Systems.
- Krones AG: Krones is a global leader in packaging and bottling machinery for the beverage industry, including can seaming solutions — overlapping with Ferrum Packaging's beverage can closing business while operating across the full packaging line.
Direct peers
- KHS GmbH: KHS is a leading German manufacturer of packaging machinery for the beverage and food industries, including can seamers and filling systems — directly competing with Ferrum Packaging in beverage can seaming for beer, soft drinks, and juices.
- Flottweg SE: Flottweg is a German specialist in decanter centrifuges, pusher centrifuges, and separation technology serving food, chemicals, pharma, and environmental markets — closely overlapping with Ferrum Process Systems and Hiller's product range.
Emerging players
- Tomra Sorting Solutions: Tomra (which acquired QualySense, also now under Ferrum) provides sensor-based sorting for food and recycling; both firms share a connection via the QualySense acquisition and adjacent separation/sorting technologies.
- Hosokawa Alpine AG: Hosokawa Alpine manufactures process and separation equipment for chemical, pharmaceutical, mineral, and food applications — partial overlap with Ferrum's pusher and scraper centrifuge lines.
Regional players
- Sidel Group: Sidel is a global provider of packaging equipment for beverage, food, and home/personal care — competing with Ferrum Packaging primarily in beverage and food container sealing, with strong presence in PET and adjacent formats.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ferrum social profiles
Digital presenceFerrum compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Ferrum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ferrum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Ferrum subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries14 records
Ferrum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ferrum M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ferrum
What does Ferrum do?
Ferrum manufactures and sells industrial can seaming (can closing) machines and industrial centrifuges (pusher, scraper vertical and horizontal, decanter, and test machines) for beverage, food, chemical, pharmaceutical, mining, petrochemical, and environmental industries. The company complements its equipment with a full lifecycle service offering that includes spare parts, repair, overhaul, modular retrofits, process media optimization, service contracts, and the ferruPractice training program, supported by a global network of subsidiaries and representatives in over 100 countries.
Is Ferrum a public or private company?
Ferrum is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Ferrum founded?
Ferrum was founded in 1917. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Ferrum based?
Ferrum is headquartered in Schafisheim, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Ferrum make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Industrial Machinery Sales are the primary driver. The others are after-Sales Service and Spare Parts, consulting Services, training Programs and used Equipment.
Who are Ferrum's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are GEA Group, SPX FLOW, Alfa Laval, Andritz AG and Krones AG. Direct peers are KHS GmbH and Flottweg SE. Emerging players are Tomra Sorting Solutions and Hosokawa Alpine AG. Sidel Group is listed as a regional player.
Does Ferrum have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ferrum.