What Pressmaster does

Pressmaster AB is a Swedish manufacturer of professional hand tools for crimping and cable termination, headquartered in Älvdalen, Dalarna, with manufacturing operations in Sweden and Memphis, USA, and a dedicated development center in Mora, Sweden. Founded in 1970 in Stockholm and manufacturing continuously in Älvdalen since 1976, the company designs and produces ergonomic self-adjusting crimping tools, frame-style crimpers (C-frame, K-frame, D-frame, P-frame, RIGIDUS family), heavy-duty crimpers, wire strip and cut tools, and coaxial cable preparation tools serving electrical, electronic, and optical applications. Its underlying technology rests on decades of patented mechanical innovations, including the 1973 C-frame ratchet mechanism, the 1976 Corex coaxial stripper, the 1993 K-frame ergonomic design, and self-adjusting ferrule crimpers, supported by an explicit ergonomic engineering program covering handle force, grip diameter, balance, and materials.

Pressmaster is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG since 2012, operating within a global network of subsidiary entities (Pressmaster Inc. in the USA, Pressmaster GmbH in Germany) and regional sales offices across Germany, Italy, France, Japan, and the USA. The company does not sell directly to end users; instead it generates revenue from hardware sales through two primary channels: partnerships with the world's leading connector manufacturers (who specify Pressmaster tools for use with their products, often via customized and private-label programs), and premium industrial distributors serving end users. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through regional sales contacts. The group reports sales exceeding 200 million SEK with approximately 150 full-time employees across all locations. Recent product activity includes LATTIS (2024), JANUS and PORTA (2021), and a VIDAR 4 update (2024), alongside continued ISO 9001 quality certification held since 1991/1992 and RoHS compliance.

Name

Pressmaster

Legal name

Pressmaster AB

Website

https://pressmaster.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pressmaster AB is a Swedish manufacturer of professional ergonomic hand tools for crimping and cable termination, selling globally through connector manufacturers and premium distributors, and owned by Phoenix Contact since 2012.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Älvdalen

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hand tool sales: Pressmaster generates revenue through the sale of professional hand tools for crimping and cable termination, including both standard product lines and customized solutions. The company sells through distributors and connector manufacturers rather than directly to end users.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Pressmaster manufactures professional hand tools for crimping and cable termination used in electrical, electronic, optical, and related applications. The product range covers self-adjusting ergonomic ferrule crimpers, frame-style crimping tools (K-Frame, C-Frame, D-Frame, P-Frame, RIGIDUS), heavy-duty ratchet crimpers, and wire strip/cut tools, complemented by customized tool development and private-label services for connector manufacturers and distributors worldwide.

Product overview

Pressmaster is a hand tool manufacturer specializing in crimping and cable termination tools for electrical, electronic, optical, and other applications. The product portfolio includes self-adjusting ergonomic crimping tools (LATTIS, JANUS, PORTA, Proteus 10S/H), frame-style tools (K-FRAME, C-FRAME, D-FRAME, P-FRAME, RIGIDUS), heavy-duty tools (T2258, T3165A), and wire strip/cut tools (Embla, Embla RA, TOR, ODEN, COREX, MAXI COREX). The company also offers customized tool development services in partnership with customers. Products are manufactured in Älvdalen, Sweden and Memphis, USA since 1976.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LATTIS Lightweight and most compact crimp tool of its type with a rotatable die set that allows ferrule insertion into the front or side of the tool for cabinet and bench working respectively. Wire size 0.14-16 mm²/AWG 26-AWG 6.
• JANUS Self-adjusting crimping tool that is the lightest and most compact of its type, with a rotatable die set for ferrule insertion. Wire size 0.14-10 mm²/AWG 26-AWG 8.
• PORTA Unique tool for crimping wire ferrules up to 18 mm long in one stroke without adjustment. Lightweight and compact, with ferrules inserted into the front of the tool for accessibility in confined spaces.
• VIDAR 4 Self-adjusting crimping tool with dies for producing square crimp profile on wire ferrules 0.25-4.0 mm²/AWG 24-12 (produced to DIN 46228 parts 1 and 4 or UL 486F).
• Proteus 10S Lightweight, compact, comfortable, and self-adjusting tool for crimping ferrules/wire end sleeves 0.14-10.0 mm²/AWG 26-8 with a square crimp profile suitable for terminal blocks with a rectangular wire entry.
• Proteus 10H Lightweight, compact, comfortable, and self-adjusting tool for crimping ferrules/wire end sleeves 0.14-10.0 mm²/AWG 26-8 with a hexagonal crimp profile suitable for terminal blocks with a round wire entry.
• C-FRAME (C-Frame) World-renowned crimping tool with ratchet mechanism, described by the company as the design that has been copied but not its quality and value. World-class hand tool for crimping applications.
• K-FRAME (K-Frame) Ergonomic line of crimping tools with scissor action and wide jaw opening for easy connector access, offering perfect form, weight, balance, and mechanical performance with award-winning design. Available in S (short) and L (long) versions.
• D-FRAME (D-Frame) Scissor-action crimping tool with very small handle spread, ideal for smaller hands and confined workspaces. Compact frame for comfortable, easy use with consistent quality crimp performance.
• P-FRAME (P-Frame) Precision parallel-action crimping frame ensuring uniform pressure during the crimping cycle for high-precision requirements. Versatile right-angle pistol grip can be equipped with a wide range of standard and custom tool heads, excellent for customized tools.
• RIGIDUS Closed-head parallel-action frame for precise and reliable crimping. Lightweight and compact design meeting specific technical needs of miniaturized electronics professionals.
• RIGIDUS L Larger version of the Rigidus closed-head parallel-action frame for demanding applications. Maximum crimp force of 10,000 N / 2,250 lbf.
• RIGIDUS 1.5 CH Closed-head parallel-action frame offering 15 kN / 3,300 lbf crimp force at the tool head while requiring only 333 N / 75 lbf actual manual handle force. Ergonomic, robust, and reliable.
• T2258 Heavy-duty ergonomic crimping tool for non-insulated tubular connectors 4-16 mm² / 11-5 AWG. Ratchet mechanism ensures reliable and solid crimp connections with copper tube ferrules.
• T3165A Heavy-duty reliable ratchet crimping tool for copper tube ferrules on cables 10.0-70.0 mm² / 7-2/0 AWG.
• MOBILE FRAME (MCT) Lightweight and compact tool designed for field service use. Versatile ratchet crimping tool for most types of mechanical, electrical, and electronic connectors. A wide range of crimp dies enables coverage of all connector types with one tool frame.
• Embla Self-adjusting automatic wire strip and cut tool for conductors in modern electrical equipment and installations. Easily interchangeable stripping cassettes enable precision stripping of a wide range of insulations from PVC to PTFE with a single tool.
• Embla RA Self-adjusting automatic wire strip and cut tool with right-angle ergonomic grip, evolution of the popular Embla tool featuring an ergonomic right-angle handle ideal for installation work and greater flexibility on workbenches.
• TOR Professional heavy-duty cable strip tool for all types of cable insulation. Blade can be fixed in three positions by rotating the tool body for circular, longitudinal, or spiral cuts around the cable.
• ODEN Precision wire strip tool for removing jackets from signal, telephone, audio-video, instrumentation, and data transmission cables in copper and fiber optic. Features 9-position indexed blade height adjustment wheel for precise and repeatable stripping.
• COREX Coaxial cable strip tool that performs 2 or 3 level stripping in under 20 seconds. Extremely versatile, strips more types, qualities, sizes, and stripping lengths than any other stripper of its kind.
• MAXI COREX

Quantifiable outcome

• Tools require less handle force than any other tool currently available on the market

Named customers2 records

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 moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pressmaster-ab

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 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 Pressmaster