Friotherm

What Friotherm does

Friotherm AG is a privately held Swiss industrial engineering company headquartered in Frauenfeld, Switzerland, that designs, manufactures, installs, and services large-scale heat pumps and liquid chillers built around its proprietary Uniturbo® centrifugal compressor platform. The company positions itself as the only European manufacturer of centrifugal compressors dedicated to heat pumps and chillers, with technology lineage tracing to the Sulzer group (1878) and the 1936 installation of the world's first heat pump at Zurich town hall. Its Unitop® product line spans eight models (Unitop 22S through Unitop 50) covering capacities from 300 kW to 20,000 kW per unit, with simultaneous heating and cooling capability, hot water generation up to 80°C, and brine chilling to -12°C. The portfolio also includes liquid chillers integrating Danfoss Turbocor oil-free magnetic-bearing compressors.

Friotherm operates a custom-engineered, project-based business model: each unit is planned and built to customer specifications, with revenue generated from one-time equipment sales complemented by multi-year aftermarket service contracts, original spare parts, and 24/365 emergency support. Distribution is direct enterprise sales delivered through wholly-owned subsidiaries in Switzerland, Germany, France, Sweden, Brazil, and (as of 2025) Finland, targeting energy utilities operating district heating and district cooling networks, nuclear power stations, industrial manufacturers, and large commercial HVAC projects. Disclosed scale metrics include over 2,500 MW of cumulative installed heat pump capacity, 140+ Unitop chillers operating in nuclear power plants worldwide, and integration of more than 20,000 Danfoss Turbocor compressors globally.

The customer base is concentrated in European municipal and national energy utilities (Wien Energie, Fortum, Helsinki Energia, A2A, Climespace Paris, Alva-yhtiöt, Turku Energia), with select industrial customers such as STMicroelectronics. The company holds ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, and 19443 certifications, the last of which is specifically required for nuclear sector supply. Following a 2005 management buyout that separated it from SUEZ (where it had operated as Axima Refrigeration), Friotherm has steadily expanded its international footprint while maintaining Swiss-based manufacturing as a core element of its value proposition.

Name

Friotherm

Legal name

Friotherm AG

Website

https://friotherm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Friotherm AG is a privately held Swiss manufacturer of large-scale heat pumps and liquid chillers built on proprietary Uniturbo® centrifugal compressor technology, serving energy utilities, nuclear power plants, and industrial customers across six countries through direct enterprise sales and aftermarket service contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Heat Pumps and Chillers

NAICS

Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing (333912), Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro primary industry

Chillers & Cooling Plant Equipment (IMAHAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Compressors, Refrigeration Components & Condensing Units (IMADANAG), Process Gas & High-Pressure Compressors (IMAHANAF), Chillers, Boilers & Central Plant Operations (BPABACAG)

Keywords

• Industrial heat pumps
• Centrifugal chillers
• District heating systems
• District cooling solutions
• Waste heat recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Frauenfeld

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of custom-engineered Uniturbo® compressors, Unitop® heat pumps, and liquid chillers. Each product is planned and realized according to specific customer requirements. Equipment is manufactured in Switzerland with options for local fabrication of heat exchangers, pressure vessels, and skids in destination countries.
2. Aftermarket Services and Spare Parts: Comprehensive service portfolio including maintenance, repair, process optimization, and refurbishment. Original spare parts guaranteed throughout the entire lifetime of equipment. Service contracts tailored to customer needs with 24/365 emergency support.
3. Engineering Services: Technical consulting, project management, engineering, erection and commissioning. Friotherm supports customers with technical studies for future-oriented decisions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Friotherm engineers, manufactures, installs and services custom-engineered industrial heat pumps and liquid chillers based on its proprietary Uniturbo® centrifugal compressor technology. The Unitop product line covers capacities from 300 kW to 20,000+ kW, serving district heating, district cooling, industrial process, and HVAC applications. The company also produces liquid chillers integrating Danfoss Turbocor compressors with magnetic bearing technology.

Product overview

Friotherm offers a comprehensive portfolio of heat pumps and liquid chillers built around its proprietary Uniturbo centrifugal compressor technology, manufactured in Switzerland. The Unitop product line spans eight models (Unitop 22S through Unitop 50) covering capacity ranges from 300 kW to 20,000 kW, serving district heating, district cooling, industrial, and HVAC applications. The company also distributes liquid chillers equipped with Danfoss Turbocor compressors featuring oil-free magnetic bearing technology. Services encompass the full lifecycle including engineering, maintenance, 24/365 emergency service, and original spare parts. Friotherm holds ISO certifications (9001, 14001, 45001, 19443) and serves customers globally through subsidiaries in Switzerland, Germany, France, Sweden, Brazil, and Finland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Uniturbo: Turbo compressors for heat pumps and liquid chillers, manufactured in Switzerland. Models include Uniturbo 22S, 22, 23, 28, 33, 34, 43, and 50.
• Unitop

Products and services

• Unitop 50 Heat Pump and Liquid Chiller Large-capacity heat pump and liquid chiller for district heating/cooling systems, dual energy generation, and industrial applications. Capacity range: 9,000-20,000 kW per unit with hot water generation up to +80°C and brine chilling to -12°C.
• Unitop 43 Heat Pump and Liquid Chiller Heat pump and liquid chiller with hot water generation up to +50°C (single stage) or >+80°C (double stage). Capacity range: 3,000-13,000 kW per unit. Supports series or parallel operation.
• Unitop 34 Heat Pump and Liquid Chiller Heat pump and liquid chiller with capacity range of 6,500-9,500 kW per unit for medium-to-large district heating and cooling applications.
• Unitop 33 Heat Pump and Liquid Chiller Heat pump and liquid chiller with brine cooling to -12°C. Capacity range: 2,150-9,200 kW. Available in standard and high-temperature versions with series or parallel operation capability.
• Unitop 28 Heat Pump and Liquid Chiller Heat pump and liquid chiller with hot water generation up to +50°C (single stage) or >+80°C (double stage). Capacity range: 1,350-6,800 kW.
• Unitop 23 Heat Pump and Liquid Chiller Heat pump and liquid chiller with capacity range of 1,300-6,400 kW for medium-scale district heating and cooling applications.
• Unitop 22 Heat Pump and Liquid Chiller Heat pump and liquid chiller with capacity range of 600-3,600 kW for small-to-medium district heating, industrial, and HVAC applications.
• Unitop 22S Heat Pump and Liquid Chiller Compact heat pump and liquid chiller with capacity range of 300-800 kW. Suitable for nuclear power stations and specialized industrial cooling applications.
• Uniturbo Centrifugal Compressors Open-type, oil-free centrifugal compressors engineered and manufactured in Switzerland with external gears or integrated planetary gears. Available in single and two-stage configurations. Models include Uniturbo 22S, 22, 23, 28, 33, 34, 43, and 50.
• Liquid Chillers with Danfoss Turbocor Compressors Liquid chillers equipped with two-stage Danfoss Turbocor compressors featuring frictionless magnetic bearings, variable frequency drive, and oil-free operation. Available in water-cooled and air-cooled configurations for HVAC applications. Retrofit solutions for existing installations also available.
• Engineering Services Comprehensive engineering services including planning, design, erection, commissioning, process optimization, and refurbishment of heat pumps and liquid chillers. Technical studies and consulting for district heating, district cooling, and industrial applications.
• 24/365 Service and Maintenance Contracts Round-the-clock emergency service, breakdown service, preventive maintenance, inspections, repairs, and tailor-made service contracts. Regular plant inspections and optimization services available globally.
• Original Spare Parts Original spare parts for all Uniturbo compressors and Unitop heat pumps and chillers. Guaranteed availability throughout the entire lifetime of equipment with delivery from stock or optimized production processes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,500 MW total installed heat pump capacity
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Danfoss (Turbocor)coreTechnology or IntegrationDanfoss Turbocor compressors are integrated into Friotherm's liquid chiller products. Turbocor compressors feature two-stage design with frictionless magnetic bearings, variable frequency drive, and onboard digital electronics. Over 20,000 units supplied worldwide. Friotherm operates as a service partner for Danfoss Turbocor products.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Alfa Laval: Alfa Laval manufactures heat exchangers, brazed plate heat exchangers, and components critical to large-scale heat pumps and chillers. While not a direct competitor, Alfa Laval supplies complementary thermal-transfer technology to many of the same OEMs, utilities, and industrial customers that Friotherm serves.

Direct peers

• MAN Energy Solutions: MAN Energy Solutions (formerly MAN Diesel & Turbo) manufactures industrial-scale centrifugal and turbocompressors used in district heating heat pumps, refrigeration, and process applications. The company's turbomachinery heritage and project-driven business in Europe overlap directly with Friotherm's Uniturbo compressor business and customer types.
• GEA Group: GEA is a large industrial equipment manufacturer with deep expertise in industrial refrigeration, heat pumps, and compressors (including heat pump solutions like GEA RedGenium for district heating). GEA serves industrial and utility customers with engineered thermal solutions directly comparable to Friotherm's offering.
• Trane Technologies: Trane's CenTraVac and Sintesis lines are leading centrifugal chillers for commercial HVAC, district cooling, and industrial applications — directly overlapping with Friotherm's Unitop chiller and heat pump portfolio in capacity range, customer type, and project profile.
• Carrier Global Corporation: Carrier is one of the world's largest manufacturers of commercial and industrial centrifugal chillers (AquaEdge series) and HVAC equipment, serving the same district cooling, industrial, and HVAC customers as Friotherm. Both compete in high-capacity (>1 MW) custom-engineered chiller projects for utilities and large buildings.
• Bitzer Group: Bitzer is a leading European manufacturer of refrigeration and air-conditioning compressors (primarily positive displacement types) supplying chillers and heat pumps for industrial and HVAC applications. While primarily screw/reciprocating rather than centrifugal, Bitzer is a comparable European compressor OEM serving similar industrial and HVAC customers.
• Howden (Chart Industries): Howden (acquired by Chart Industries in 2023) is a major manufacturer of centrifugal and screw compressors used in refrigeration, industrial heat pumps, and process gas applications. The compressor overlap with Friotherm's Uniturbo centrifugal technology is direct, particularly in district heating and industrial heat pump projects.

Broad incumbents

• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries manufactures large centrifugal compressors, chillers, and turbomachinery for HVAC, district cooling, and industrial use. Its ETI and related product lines directly overlap with Friotherm's Uniturbo compressors and Unitop chillers on capacity range and end-customer profile.
• Daikin Industries: Daikin is a global HVAC leader with growing presence in large-scale heat pumps and chillers for district heating/cooling and industrial applications. While Daikin's strength is mass-produced VRF/split systems, its expansion into high-capacity commercial heat pumps and chillers directly competes with Friotherm in mid- to large-capacity projects.
• Johnson Controls (York): Johnson Controls owns the York brand, a long-established manufacturer of large centrifugal chillers (e.g., YORK YK-Max) for commercial buildings, district cooling, and industrial cooling — direct competition for Friotherm in the chiller segment, though York is part of a much broader HVAC portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friotherm-ag

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Friotherm