What GTT Technologies does

GTT Technologies (legal name: GTT Gesellschaft für Technische Thermochemie und -physik mbH) is a privately held German software company founded in 1983 and headquartered in Herzogenrath (Aachen region). It develops and licenses thermochemical simulation software built on the CALPHAD (Computer Coupling of Phase Diagrams and Thermochemistry) methodology, serving metallurgical and materials-science organizations, process industries (cement, lime, minerals, energy conversion), and academic institutions worldwide.

Its core product family is anchored by FactSage, a thermochemical equilibrium and phase-diagram simulation platform, supported by the Calphad Optimizer for database development, ChemApp as an embeddable programmer's library (with variants for Python, SysCAD, COMSOL, and Excel via ChemSheet), and KilnSimu for rotary-kiln simulation. The proprietary FactSage database suite (FactPS, FToxid, FSstel, FTmisc, FThelg, FTlite, GTOx, aiMP) is described by the company as the world's largest set of evaluated and optimized thermodynamic databases for inorganic systems; these are distributed as time-bound CST/DAT files that create recurring renewal cycles.

GTT generates revenue primarily through multi-year software licenses (standalone or network, with dongle or cloud-based Sentinel ACC licensing), recurring database subscriptions, and professional services including FactSage training courses, thermodynamic consulting, process-model development, and database-development engagements. Distribution is direct via website downloads and a long-standing partnership with Thermfact/CRCT (Montreal) for North American operations, with academic outreach through FactSage Educational and discounted university training to seed the enterprise pipeline. The company employs 11–50 people, is managed by Moritz to Baben (CEO) and Stephan Petersen, and has received public R&D funding from the European Union and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia for a 2024 decarbonization-focused process-simulation project.

Name

GTT Technologies

Legal name

GTT Gesellschaft für Technische Thermochemie und -physik mbH

Website

https://gtt-technologies.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GTT Technologies develops FactSage and related thermochemical simulation software (CALPHAD-based) and provides consulting for metallurgy, materials science, cement/lime, and energy industries, plus academic users, distributing via multi-year licenses and recurring database subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Thermochemical Simulation Software

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Thermochemical CO₂ Conversion Systems (RWGS, Fischer‑Tropsch integration, catalytic hydrogenation) (EUABAIAL)

Keywords

• Thermochemical simulation software
• CALPHAD databases
• Process simulation tools
• Metallurgical software
• Thermodynamic calculations

Headquarters

HQ city

Herzogenrath

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses: GTT-Technologies generates revenue primarily through licensing of its FactSage, ChemApp, ChemSheet, and KilnSimu software products. Licensing options include standalone single-user licenses, network (multi-seat) licenses, and educational/free versions. Licenses are managed via USB dongles or cloud-based Sentinel ACC license manager.
2. Database Subscriptions: Ongoing access to thermochemical databases (FactSage databases) is provided through maintenance and service agreements, with license updates delivered via the software's built-in update mechanism.
3. Training and Consulting Services: GTT offers FactSage online training courses, Calphad Optimizer courses, and self-study ChemApp for Python online courses. Training fees are discounted for university participants. The company also provides thermodynamic consulting, process model development, and database development services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GTT Technologies (GTT Gesellschaft für Technische Thermochemie und -physik mbH) develops and sells thermochemical simulation software and thermodynamic databases used to model chemical reactions, phase equilibria, and thermodynamic properties in pyrometallurgical, materials processing, and inorganic chemistry applications. The company's flagship product FactSage and complementary tools (ChemApp, ChemSheet, KilnSimu) serve industrial process engineers and academic researchers performing thermodynamic equilibrium and process simulations.

Product overview

GTT Technologies offers a comprehensive thermochemical simulation software portfolio centered on the FactSage platform, a modular system with specialized calculation modules (Equilib, Phase Diagram, Figure) and extensive thermodynamic databases covering inorganic systems, oxides, slags, steels, and aqueous solutions. The product family includes ChemApp as a programmer's library variant, ChemSheet for Excel-based calculations, and KilnSimu for rotary kiln simulation. The Calphad Optimizer module enables thermodynamic database development using Calphad methodology. Additional offerings include FactSage Educational (free teaching version), specialized databases (GTOx, aiMP), and professional consulting services for thermodynamic modeling and process simulation. ChemApp for Python provides Python-based access to thermodynamic calculations with parallel processing support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FactSage: Main thermochemical simulation software tool for equilibrium calculations, phase diagrams, and thermodynamic assessments
• ChemApp
• ChemApp for Python
• ChemSheet
• KilnSimu
• Calphad Optimizer

Products and services

• FactSage FactSage is an integrated thermochemical database computing system used by metallurgists, chemists, and process engineers to calculate phase equilibria, thermodynamic properties, and simulate high-temperature industrial processes.
• ChemApp ChemApp is a thermochemistry library (subroutine library) for software developers that enables thermochemical equilibrium and phase calculation routines to be embedded into custom process simulation applications.
• ChemSheet ChemSheet is a Microsoft Excel add-in that brings FactSage thermochemical calculation capability into spreadsheets, allowing process engineers to perform thermochemical calculations within Excel-based process models.
• KilnSimu KilnSimu is a standalone simulation program for modelling rotary kilns and related high-temperature processes, used by cement, lime, and minerals process engineers.
• FactSage Databases FactSage is shipped with comprehensive evaluated thermodynamic databases containing assessed data for inorganic compounds, oxides, salts, alloys, and other substances used in thermochemical modelling.
• ChemApp for Python ChemApp for Python is a version of the ChemApp thermochemistry library that exposes thermochemical equilibrium routines as a Python module, enabling Python-based process modelling and integration with data science workflows.
• Thermochemical Consulting Services GTT provides thermochemical consulting services including custom simulations, feasibility studies, and application support for clients in metallurgy, materials, and process industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 765,000 alloy compositions assessed based on materials and process criteria, resulting in 168 promising hardfacing alloy compositions after high-throughput screening. Predicted liquidus temperature within 14°C of experimental value.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability4 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• European Union and State of NRWminorOthers · 1 June 2024GTT-Technologies received funding from the European Union and the state of NRW (North Rhine-Westphalia) for the 'Process Simulation for Decarbonization' project. The project aims to enhance capabilities in modeling mass transport, heat transfer, and reaction kinetics for complex chemical processes.
• German Aerospace Center (DLR)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024GTT collaborated with DLR Cologne on a poster contribution at CALPHAD 2024 regarding the 'Assessment of the Gibbs energies of Perovskites in the system Ca-Mn-Sr-O using the Calphad Optimizer'. Authors from both organizations were listed.
• RWTH Aachen UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGTT-Technologies collaborates with RWTH Aachen University (specifically Bengt Hallstedt from the university) on CALPHAD methodology and assessment quality. They co-organized the pre-conference workshop 'Software tools to ensure CALPHAD assessment quality' at CALPHAD 2024.
• Thermfact/CRCT (Canada)coreTechnology or IntegrationThermfact/CRCT (Computational Thermochemistry Research Team, Montreal, Canada) is GTT's Canadian partner responsible for publishing official FactSage patches and the factsage.com website. They jointly manage the CST file distribution and licensing infrastructure.
• The Royal SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGTT-Technologies data engineering expert Ömer Büyükuslu presented at the Royal Society scientific discussion meeting 'Sustainable metals: science and systems' in London (February 2024), sharing case studies on hydrogen in metallurgy and hard phase alloy design.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• OQMD (Open Quantum Materials Database): Northwestern University's open high-throughput DFT materials database providing formation energies that can substitute for portions of FactSage's proprietary evaluated databases — an indirect but rising threat to GTT's data moat.
• Materials Project: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab open computational materials database providing ab initio thermodynamic data that GTT's aiMP database product integrates with — a complementary rather than competing ecosystem enabler in materials informatics.

Broad incumbents

• ANSYS: Multiphysics simulation platform whose materials and chemical reaction modules — and through COMSOL — overlap with thermochemistry process modeling; ANSYS and GTT's ChemApp for COMSOL integration partner-enable but also compete for industrial CAE budgets.
• Aspen Technology: Aspen Plus / HYSYS process simulation suites incorporate thermochemistry for chemical, petrochemical, and metallurgical process design — broader portfolio incumbent whose process simulation ecosystem could subsume or compete with GTT's process modeling use cases.

Emerging players

• OpenCalphad: Open-source CALPHAD software led by Bengt Sundman, providing free thermodynamic calculation software that increasingly competes at the calculation-engine layer and is even co-authored by GTT staff — represents the most direct open-source threat to FactSage's engine.
• pycalphad: Open-source Python library for CALPHAD thermodynamic calculations developed at NIST and affiliated institutions — a Python-native open alternative that overlaps with ChemApp for Python's developer audience for thermochemistry workflows.
• SimuSage GmbH: Provider of SimuSage thermochemical process simulation software for industrial applications including metallurgy and inorganic chemistry — directly competes in the same niche of process thermochemistry software.

Direct peers

• CompuTherm LLC: US-based developer of Pandat, a CALPHAD-based software suite for multicomponent alloy thermodynamics and phase diagram calculations — a directly comparable product competing with FactSage in industrial alloy design and process metallurgy.
• Thermo-Calc Software AB: Sweden-based developer of Thermo-Calc and DICTRA, the leading commercial CALPHAD software platform used for thermodynamic calculations and diffusion simulations in metallurgy and materials science — GTT's most direct global competitor with comparable database-centric product architecture.
• HSC Chemistry (Metso): Outotec/Metso's HSC Chemistry is a thermochemical process simulation software for reaction equilibria, mass and heat balances in pyrometallurgy and process industries — directly overlapping with FactSage's process metallurgy and energy applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/GTT-Technologies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gtt-technologies

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 GTT Technologies