What QATM does

QATM (legal entity: ATM Qness GmbH) is a German-based manufacturer of materialography and hardness testing equipment, founded in 1980 and operating from Mammelzen, Germany, with a secondary manufacturing and development site in Golling, Austria. The company designs, assembles, and sells precision cut-off machines, hot and UV mounting presses, manual and automated grinding/polishing systems, electrolytic polishers/etchers, micro/Rockwell/macro hardness testers supporting Vickers, Brinell, Rockwell, and Knoop methods, an inverse macroscope (Qeye 200/800), and a consumables line covering cutting, mounting, grinding, polishing, etching, and hardness test consumables. The 2020 merger of the Qness and ATM brands under the QATM identity unified the offering into an integrated portfolio for surface preparation and structural/defect analysis across all material classes.

QATM earns revenue through capital equipment sales, recurring consumables, software and plug-in licenses (including the 2025-launched QAI computer-vision image evaluation), and technical service contracts. Go-to-market is technical and sales-led: a 40+ country distributor network, regional application laboratories for in-person demonstrations, online product demos, webinars, and trade exhibitions, with enterprise customers in manufacturing, aerospace, defense, energy, research, heat treatment, geology, and battery technology. The proprietary Qpix Control2 software integrates with QDAS statistics, ttc AMS order management, barcode/QR readers, and 3D CAD systems, with approximately 1-in-4 data-connected hardness testers in German-speaking markets being Qness units. QATM is part of the Verder Scientific division of the German-Dutch Verder Group (2,000+ employees globally) and has installed over 55,000 products worldwide.

Name

QATM

Legal name

ATM Qness GmbH

Website

https://qatm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Materialography and Hardness Testing Equipment

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Cutting Tool and Machine Tool Accessory Manufacturing (333515)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Machine Tools, Metal Cutting Types (3541), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Metrology & Dimensional Measurement (CMMs, laser trackers, gauges, surface/roughness) (IMAGAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metrology, Inspection & Machine Tool Accessories (CMMs, Probing, Gauging) (IMAHADAK), Materials R&D & Characterization (Powder/Resin Development, Testing) (IMAAAJAG), Calibration, Traceability & Quality Standards (ISO/ASTM) (IMAAAHAI)

Keywords

• Materialography equipment
• Hardness testing machines
• Metallographic preparation
• Cut-off machines
• Grinding polishing equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Mammelzen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

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. Equipment Sales: Sale of materialography and hardness testing machines including cut-off machines, mounting presses, grinders/polishers, and hardness testers. One-time capital equipment purchases with varying price points based on automation level and configuration.
2. Consumables: High-quality consumables for metallographic sample preparation including cutting discs, mounting resins, grinding papers/discs, diamond suspensions, polishing cloths, etchants, and hardness test blocks. Recurring revenue stream from ongoing laboratory operations.
3. Software Licenses and Upgrades: Software options including Qpix T2, Qpix Control2, QAI image evaluation, and various plug-ins for data connectivity and export functionality.
4. Technical Service and Maintenance: Comprehensive technical service including annual maintenance, extended warranty, repairs, calibration, and qualification services. Service contracts available for ongoing support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

QATM manufactures materialography (metallography) and hardness testing equipment for surface preparation and structure/defect analysis of materials. The product portfolio includes precision cut-off machines, hot and cold mounting presses, manual and automatic grinders/polishers, electrolytic polishers/etchers, hardness testers supporting Vickers, Brinell, Rockwell, and Knoop methods, optical analyzers, AI-based image evaluation software, consumables, and turnkey laboratory solutions. Products are complemented by connectivity options integrating with QDAS statistical software, AMS order management systems, and CAD environments.

Product overview

QATM is a leading manufacturer of materialography and hardness testing equipment for metallographic sample preparation and analysis. The product portfolio centers on a comprehensive ecosystem of precision equipment organized into five core categories: (1) Cutting machines including the Qcut series for precision sectioning up to 600mm; (2) Mounting presses including Qpress hot mounting presses and Qmount UV-curing systems; (3) Grinding, polishing, and etching equipment under the Qpol series plus Qetch electrolytic polishers; (4) Hardness testing systems under the Qness brand covering micro, Rockwell, macro, and universal testers plus custom QSOLUTION systems; and (5) The Qeye optical analyzer for high-resolution imaging. The offering is complemented by specialized AI-powered QAI image evaluation software, QPIX software platforms for test management, an extensive consumables line, and turnkey System Laboratory solutions. QATM operates as part of Verder Scientific, with manufacturing in Mammelzen, Germany (cutting, mounting, grinding/polishing, lab furniture) and Golling, Austria (hardness testing, analysis).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Qcut Series Cut-off Machines Precision, standard, and large cut-off machines for sectioning metallographic and materialographic samples in industrial and research laboratories, handling diameters up to 600mm.
• Qpress Hot Mounting Presses Hot mounting presses for embedding materialographic specimens, including the Qpress 40 speed-optimized press with fine dust extraction, Qpress 50 with simultaneous independent mounting, and Opal 410 hydraulic water-cooled mounting press.
• Qmount UV Mounting Devices Light-curing UV mounting devices for fast, high-efficiency mounting of materialographic samples.
• Qpol Series Grinding and Polishing Equipment Grinding and polishing equipment spanning pre-grinding, manual, automatic, vibratory, and fully automated systems for metallographic sample preparation.
• Qetch Electrolytic Polisher and Etcher Electrolytic polishers and etchers delivering polishing results without structural changes, including a portable battery-supplied model and a fully automatic touch-screen-controlled unit.
• Qness Micro Hardness Testers Micro hardness testers for Vickers, Knoop, and Brinell methods covering loads up to 62.5 kg, with models offering manual and automated testing plus integrated microscopy.
• Qness Rockwell Hardness Testers Rockwell hardness testers ranging from entry-level to fully automated models, with selected models also supporting Brinell, Vickers, and Knoop methods.
• Qness Macro Hardness Testers Universal macro hardness testers supporting Brinell, Knoop, Rockwell, and Vickers methods with test forces up to 3000 kg.
• QSOLUTION Customized Hardness Testing Systems Custom-engineered hardness testing systems and production-line hardness testing plants, including portal systems, crank shaft testing, and ring testing solutions.
• QAI AI Image Evaluation Software AI-based image evaluation software providing fully automatic detection and evaluation of hardness indentations on difficult or low-contrast surfaces for QATM hardness testing systems.
• Qpix Hardness Testing Software Platform Hardness testing software platforms (Qpix T2, Qpix CONTROL2, Qpix CONTROL2 M/R) with 3D interface, professional data management, multi-format export, and open data interfaces.
• Qeye 200/800 Optical Analyzer Inverse macroscope providing fast, high-resolution optical analysis of materialographic samples, including standardized weld seam measurement.
• System Laboratory Turnkey Solutions Custom-designed fully equipped materialographic system laboratories delivered with lab furniture using flexible modular configurations.
• Materialography and Hardness Testing Consumables Consumables for materialographic sample preparation and hardness testing, including cut-off wheels, mounting resins, grinding stones and papers, diamond suspensions, polishing cloths, etchants, hardness test blocks and indenters, and solution boxes.
• QATM Service Plans Annual service contracts covering maintenance, extended warranty, repairs, calibration, qualification, and consumable and parts discounts for QATM laboratory equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55,000+ QATM products installed worldwide
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered parent, core and regional.

• Verder GroupparentOthersQATM is part of the Verder Group's Scientific Division. The Verder Scientific companies serve research institutions, analytical laboratories, and manufacturing companies with equipment for quality control and process applications. Sister companies include Carbolite (Heat Treatment), ELTRA (Elemental Analysis), Retsch (Milling & Sieving), and Microtrac (Particle Characterization).
• QDAScoreTechnology or IntegrationQDAS statistical software integration through Qpix Control2 QDAS Plug-In+. The QDAS Plug-In+ enables linking to QDAS/qs-stat for statistical analysis and data field communication. Represents over 40% of Qpix Control Plug-In solutions deployed. QDAS Plug-In+ configuration and installation can be performed directly by customers.
• ttc Informatik GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationAMS (Order Management System) integration developed jointly with ttc Informatik GmbH. The Qpix Control2 AMS Plug-In enables test program templates and guidelines to be predefined, with test results sent back to the AMS system. Nearly 75% of Qness hardness testers at partnered Central European heat treatment plants are equipped with this plug-in. Approximately 75% of Qness hardness testers at partnered Central European heat treatment plants use AMS.
• Mager ScientificregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMager Scientific is part of Verder Scientific with its own QATM product line for high-quality metallography and hardness testing equipment in North America. Mager Scientific represents QATM products in the US market.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Shimadzu: Japanese broad incumbent in scientific instrumentation offering micro-hardness testers, optical analyzers and materials testing systems; competes with QATM in Asian industrial and academic QA accounts alongside a much larger analytical instrument portfolio.
• LECO: U.S. broad incumbent in materials and analytical instrumentation offering metallographic equipment alongside elemental analyzers, spectrometers and gas analysis; competes with QATM where QA labs buy across multiple Verder-equivalent instrument categories.

Direct peers

• Struers: Copenhagen-based direct peer in metallographic sample preparation equipment (cutting, mounting, grinding/polishing) and hardness testing; competes with QATM across the same end-to-end materialography workflow for industrial QA and research customers globally.
• Metkon: Turkish-based direct peer in metallographic equipment and consumables with growing distribution in Europe, the Middle East and Asia; competes with QATM in mid-market industrial QA and academic labs.
• Zwick/Roell: German hardness testing and materials testing direct peer; competes head-to-head with QATM's Qness-branded macro, micro and Rockwell hardness testers in industrial QA applications.
• INNOVATEST: Dutch hardness tester manufacturer offering Vickers, Knoop, Rockwell and Brinell systems with comparable automation and software options; overlaps with QATM's hardness testing range, particularly in European metalworking accounts.
• EMCO-TEST (KLA): Austrian hardness testing equipment specialist (now part of KLA) competing with Qness in automated Vickers and Rockwell systems; benefits from KLA's industrial metrology R&D scale.
• Allied High Tech Products: U.S. direct peer focused on metallographic consumables and precision sectioning/polishing equipment; competes most directly with QATM's consumables catalog and mid-range preparation line.
• Buehler: U.S.-based direct peer (part of Illinois Tool Works) offering the full suite of metallographic equipment, hardness testers (Wilson) and consumables; overlaps almost category-for-category with QATM and is the established leader in North American QA labs.
• Presi: French direct peer specializing in metallographic cutting, mounting, polishing and hardness testing equipment with a comparable consumables catalog; targets the same European industrial and research QA market as QATM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzY5yeh0DsPaFsPt_ji8g7Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qatm
• Facebookfacebook.com/QATM.official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 QATM