What Stephan SA does

Stephan SA is a privately held, family-owned Swiss metal construction company founded in 1902 and headquartered on a 120,000 m2 site in Givisiez, Canton Fribourg, with approximately 150 employees. The company operates five integrated departments: Steel Construction (Charpente Métallique) covering load-bearing structures, bridges, pedestrian walkways, canopies and stairs; Facades (Façades) including curtain walls, ventilated facades, and sandwich panels; Lifting Equipment (Engins de Levage) spanning overhead, gantry, jib and process cranes with capacities up to 500 tonnes and spans up to 45 m; Welding Constructions (Mécano-Soudure) certified to EN 15085 CL1 for railway vehicles and components; and After-Sales Service providing 24/7 maintenance and modernization for lifting equipment of all brands, supplemented by locksmithing and painting capabilities. Notable technical assets include EN 1090 EXC4 structural-steel execution, ISO 3834-2 welding quality assurance, and a patented hydraulic transformation mechanism co-developed with Ingeni SA for mobile footbridges, demonstrated by the award-winning Jet d'Eau footbridge in Geneva.

The company serves B2B customers across industry and the tertiary sector, electrical utilities, the railway sector, the Swiss Confederation and cantonal/municipal public sector, plus smaller-volume work for craftspeople and private individuals. Reference clients include Hublot, Crédit Suisse, Bobst, Armasuisse, AMAG, Micarna, ELSA, Sellita Watch, SBB/CFF, and BKW. Revenue is generated primarily through custom-quoted, one-time project contracts (steel structures, facades, welding fabrications) with a recurring after-sales service stream for installed cranes; the go-to-market is direct sales through competitive bidding and negotiation, with project-based marketing via a portfolio-driven website and recognition through the SZS Prix Acier competition (won 2018, mentioned 2021). Operating geographies are limited to Switzerland, and the company is controlled by the founding family with no disclosed external funding, parent entity, or institutional shareholders.

Name

Stephan SA

Legal name

STEPHAN SA

Website

https://stephan.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1902

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Stephan SA is a family-owned Swiss metal construction company founded in 1902, operating from a 120,000 m2 site in Givisiez, Canton Fribourg, with ~150 employees. It designs, fabricates, and installs steel structures, facades, certified railway welding, and lifting equipment up to 500 tonnes for Swiss industrial, public-sector, and enterprise clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Steel Fabrication and Construction

NAICS

Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing (332312), Plate Work and Fabricated Structural Product Manufacturing (33231), Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923), Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing (332322), Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel (3312), Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing (3323), Building Equipment Contractors (2382)

SIC

Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440), Fabricated Plate Work (Boiler Shops) (3443), Railroad Equipment (3743)

akta.pro primary industry

Structural Steel Fabrication (IMADACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Steel Joists, Joist Girders & Decking (IMADACAC), Steelwork & Fabrication Facilities (Plate/Section Processing, Welding Lines) (IMAJALAH), Steel Grating, Catwalks & Safety Platforms (IMADACAI), Sheet Metal & Ductwork Contracting (IMAFALAH), Metals & Steel Mill Facility Construction (IMAFADAF)

Keywords

• Steel construction services
• Metal fabrication
• Crane systems
• Industrial facade systems
• Railway welding

Headquarters

HQ city

Siviriez

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Metal Construction Projects: One-time project-based revenue from custom metal construction including steel structures, bridges, industrial buildings, and special constructions. Revenue recognized upon project completion with typical project durations ranging from months to over a year.
2. Facade Systems: Design, fabrication, and installation of custom facade systems including ventilated facades, curtain walls, sandwich panels, and architectural metalwork. Projects range from small renovations to large-scale commercial buildings.
3. Lifting Equipment Sales and Service: Supply and installation of cranes, hoists, monorails, and lifting equipment along with ongoing maintenance, repairs, modernization, and 24/7 emergency service contracts.
4. Welding Construction: Custom welding construction for rail vehicles, machine chassis, amusement park rides, and general industrial applications. Includes surface treatments such as sandblasting and painting.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Stephan SA designs, manufactures, and installs custom metal structures including steel frameworks for industrial buildings, facades (curtain walls, ventilated, sandwich panels), lifting equipment (overhead, gantry, jib and process cranes from 20 kg to 500 t), and certified welded fabrications for railway vehicles and machinery. Operations are anchored on a 120,000 m2 site in Givisiez with 7,000 m2 of workshops, and supported by a 24/7 after-sales service covering maintenance, repairs, and modernizations.

Product overview

Stephan SA is a Swiss steel construction company founded in 1902, specializing in four interconnected core product areas: Steel Construction (Charpente Métallique) for structural frameworks, bridges and industrial buildings; Facades (Façades) for building exteriors including ventilated, curtain wall, and sandwich panel systems; Lifting Equipment (Engins de Levage) encompassing overhead cranes, gantry cranes, jib cranes, and special lifting systems; and Welding Constructions (Mécano-Soudure) for railway vehicles, machine chassis, and specialized metal fabrications. The company also provides comprehensive After-Sales Service (Service Après-Vente) with 24/7 maintenance capabilities supporting all brands of lifting equipment. The five product lines work together to deliver complete metal construction solutions from design through manufacturing, surface treatment, installation, and ongoing maintenance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Charpente M\u00e9tallique (Steel Construction) Design, development, manufacturing and installation of steel load-bearing structures for industrial buildings, bridges, pedestrian walkways, canopies, galleries, platforms, and stairs. Sold to industrial enterprises, public clients, and infrastructure operators in Switzerland.
• Fa\u00e7ades (Facades) Design, development, manufacturing and installation of facades including curtain walls, ventilated facades, sandwich panels, and custom facade elements for industrial, exhibition, warehouse, administrative, office and commercial buildings. Sold to building owners, general contractors, and public clients.
• Engins de Levage (Lifting Equipment / Crane Systems) Design, realization and installation of cranes and lifting equipment including monorails, standard and special overhead cranes, gantry and semi-gantry cranes, process cranes (automatic), jib and console cranes, spreaders, vacuum lifters, transformations, and special constructions such as fish lifts. Standard and custom crane systems cover load capacity from 20 kg to 500 tonnes with spans up to 45 m and lifting heights up to 80 m.
• M\u00e9cano-Soudure (Welding Constructions) Design and manufacturing of welded constructions for civil engineering, railway, and machinery industries. Products include railway wagons (EN 15085 CL1 certified), machine chassis, roller coaster vehicles, railway products, sheet metal processing, and mechanical manufacturing. Sold to railway operators, rolling stock manufacturers, and industrial machinery customers.
• Service Apr\u00e8s-Vente (After-Sales Service) 24/7 maintenance and control services per Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and SUVA checklists for lifting equipment of all brands. Includes repairs, modernizations, user training, technical assessments, equipment rentals, and free picket service. Sold to existing customers of installed cranes and lifting equipment.
• Serrurerie (Locksmithing / Metalwork) Custom metalwork including railings, architectural metal features, and locksmithing services for private individuals, craftspeople, and smaller-scale clients.
• Peinture (Painting / Surface Treatment) In-house surface treatment service including sandblasting and painting of manufactured metal products as part of project delivery.

Quantifiable outcome

• Established since 1902 - over 120 years of continuous operation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, minor and core.

• SwissmemstrategicOthersSwiss industry association for mechanical engineering, electrical, and metal industries. Stephan SA is a member, contributing to industry standards development and professional training initiatives in Switzerland.
• SZS (Swiss Steel Construction Association)strategicOthersSwiss steel construction industry association. Stephan SA participates in Prix Acier competitions and benefits from industry recognition through SZS membership.
• Metaltec-suisseminorOthersSwiss metal construction industry association. Membership supports professional development and industry representation.
• SSIEF (Swiss Steel Industry Federation)minorOthersSwiss steel industry federation representing steel construction sector interests at national level.
• Ingeni SAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering firm in Carouge responsible for inventing and filing the international patent for the hydraulic transformation mechanism used in the Jet d'Eau mobile footbridge project. Collaborated on unique architectural metal construction combining lifting, hydraulics, and structural engineering.
• MID ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm responsible for the Jet d'Eau footbridge promenade design including Geneva oak wooden esplanade. Co-developed the public walkway project with Stephan SA as fabricator.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Stahlbau Nägele GmbH: Austrian/German steel fabrication company focused on structural steelwork, facades, and special constructions in the DACH region — comparable product mix but serving a different (German/Austrian) geographic territory than Stephan's Swiss base.

Direct peers

• ABUS Kransysteme GmbH: European overhead crane and hoist manufacturer with a similar product range (bridge cranes, jib cranes, hoists) and custom-engineered lifting solutions, making it a direct competitor in Stephan's lifting equipment division.
• Senn AG: Swiss metal and steel construction firm offering structural steelwork, metal facades, and custom fabrication — a direct domestic peer in product mix and Swiss B2B industrial customer base.
• Stalder AG Metallbau: Swiss metal construction firm specializing in steel and metal construction, facades, and welding work — comparable in size, Swiss market focus, and integrated service offering.
• Zwahlen & Mayr SA: Swiss structural steel and metal fabrication company serving construction and industrial clients in the Lake Geneva/Western Switzerland region, directly comparable to Stephan SA in steel construction, facades, and welding capabilities.
• Marti Technik AG: Swiss metal construction subsidiary of the Marti Group performing structural steel, heavy fabrication, and industrial construction projects — overlaps with Stephan on steel construction and welding for industrial and infrastructure clients.
• H. Wetter AG: Swiss steel and metal construction company providing structural steelwork, welding, and custom fabrication to industrial and commercial clients — closely comparable in scale and product portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Demag (Terex Material Handling): Established European overhead crane and hoist brand with a broad industrial product portfolio; competes with Stephan in custom crane systems and service contracts at a larger and more international scale.
• Konecranes Plc: Global leader in overhead cranes, hoists, and service — overlaps with Stephan's lifting equipment and after-sales service lines but operates at vastly larger scale and serves multinational industrial customers.
• Liebherr-International AG: Swiss-headquartered, family-owned manufacturer of cranes, construction machinery, and steel components — adjacent incumbent sharing Swiss roots, family ownership, and lifting-equipment overlap, though much larger in scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Stephan SA