Robert Bürkle
Robert Bürkle GmbH is a privately held German mechanical engineering firm, founded 1920, that designs and builds custom industrial press, coating, lamination, and automation systems for surface finishing across furniture, doors, PCB, photovoltaics, plastic cards, insulation boards, and glass manufacturers globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1920
- HeadquartersFreudenstadt, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Robert Bürkle does
Robert Bürkle GmbH is a German mechanical engineering company founded in 1920 and headquartered in Freudenstadt, Baden-Württemberg, specializing in industrial press, coating, and lamination systems for surface treatment of wood, glass, printed circuit boards, photovoltaic modules, plastic cards, and insulation boards. The company operates across four independent divisions (PCB; PV/Glass/Plastic Cards; Surface/Woodworking; Automation/Insulation/Doors/Parquet) and serves more than 10 industrial verticals with a portfolio that includes the IFL (Inline Flat Lamination) autoclave-free glass laminating system, ROBUSeco and ROBUSpro spray coating lines, roller coating systems, PCB laminating and pressing lines (400 kN to 20,000 kN), PV module laminators, and thermobonding lines for XPS/EPS insulation boards. Distinctive technical capabilities include a court-confirmed Chinese patent on multi-level PV laminators, vacuum flat press technology for glass lamination that reduces cycle time from several hours to 10-20 minutes with 50% energy savings, and digital twin integration developed with Siemens AG.
The company generates revenue primarily through one-time sales of custom-configured capital equipment (presses, coating lines, laminators, automation systems) with quote-based pricing and multi-year contract cycles, complemented by an aftermarket services stream covering spare parts, roller repair, retrofits, preventive maintenance, installation, and digital/remote maintenance services. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales from the German headquarters with wholly-owned subsidiaries in North America (Greensboro, NC), Hungary (Debrecen), and Greater China (Hong Kong, Taicang, Shenzhen, Taiwan), augmented by regional sales partners such as HOMAG Danmark and Eigenmann AG in Switzerland. Marketing relies heavily on industry trade shows (LIGNA, Holz-Handwerk, IWF Atlanta, Glasstec, FIMMA + Maderalia) plus the annual BÜRKLE Surface Days customer event, with a presence across more than 40 countries. Ownership remains private and family-founded with no parent company or venture capital backing, led by CEO Jürgen Schröer alongside CFO Jürgen Müller and COO Olaf Hartwig.
Robert Bürkle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Robert Bürkle
- Legal name
- Robert Bürkle GmbH
- Website
- https://buerkle-gmbh.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1920
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Robert Bürkle GmbH is a privately held German mechanical engineering firm, founded 1920, that designs and builds custom industrial press, coating, lamination, and automation systems for surface finishing across furniture, doors, PCB, photovoltaics, plastic cards, insulation boards, and glass manufacturers globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Robert Bürkle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial surface treatment machinery
- NAICS
- Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255), Reconstituted Wood Product Manufacturing (321219), Laminated Plastics Plate, Sheet (except Packaging), and Shape Manufacturing (326130)
- SIC
- Printed Circuit Boards (3672), Glass Products, Made Of Purchased Glass (3231), Plastics Foam Products (3086)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Blister, Skin & Thermoform Packaging Machines (IMAHAOAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Paperboard Laminating & Coating (Extrusion/Film/Metallized) (IMAMAFAL), Laminated Safety & Security Glass (PVB/SGP) (IMADAHAE), Multilayer Laminates & Composite Structures (Solvent/Water/Extrusion Laminated) (IMALABAD)
Keywords
Where Robert Bürkle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Freudenstadt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
Robert Bürkle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Industrial Machinery Sales: Sale of custom-built production systems and machinery including presses, coating lines, laminators, and automation equipment. One-time capital equipment purchases with long sales cycles typical of industrial machinery.
- Aftermarket Services: Spare parts, roller repair, retrofits, preventive maintenance, line installation and commissioning, digital services and remote maintenance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Custom industrial systems |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Robert Bürkle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Robert Bürkle GmbH manufactures and integrates custom-configured industrial production systems for surface treatment of materials, including spray and roller coating lines, UV and PUR laminating lines, short-cycle and throughfeed presses, PCB laminating and pressing lines (400 kN to 20,000 kN), photovoltaic module laminators, plastic-card laminators (SMARTLAM CHK), CLT and door press lines, thermobonding and downstream lines for XPS/EPS insulation boards, and the patented IFL (Inline Flat Lamination) autoclave-free glass lamination system. Equipment is sold to industrial manufacturers across furniture, doors, flooring, wood-based panels, printed circuit boards, photovoltaics, plastic cards, insulation boards, and glass, complemented by aftermarket services (spare parts, retrofits, preventive maintenance, installation/commissioning, digital services, and remote maintenance).
Product overview
Robert Bürkle GmbH is a German industrial machinery manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of surface finishing, coating, laminating, and pressing technologies. The company provides modular, configurable production lines and systems across multiple industries including furniture, doors, flooring, wood-based panels, printed circuit boards (PCB), photovoltaics, plastic cards, insulation boards, and glass. Key product lines include spray coating systems (ROBUSeco, ROBUSpro), roller coating lines, laminating and pressing lines for PCB and plastic cards, PV module laminators, the IFL (Inline Flat Lamination) system for glass processing, Thermobonding lines for insulation boards, and various pressing solutions (CLT, throughfeed presses, door production lines). The company operates through four divisions: PCB, PV/Glass/Plastic Cards, Surface/Woodworking, and Automation/Insulation/Doors/Parquet, with global subsidiaries and sales partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- IFL (Inline Flat Lamination) glass laminating system
Quantifiable outcome
- Lamination cycle time reduced from several hours to 10-20 minutes with IFL technology
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Robert Bürkle
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Robert Bürkle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature7 records
Robert Bürkle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Robert Bürkle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- KUKA: Robotics and automation specialist relevant as a peer in Bürkle's growing automation/handling business, particularly around Yaskawa-adjacent robotics integration in press and lamination cells.
Broad incumbents
- Trumpf: German industrial machinery incumbent with strong automation and digital factory capabilities; competes broadly in industrial capital equipment and overlaps with Bürkle in factory automation and digital twin offerings.
- Andritz AG: Large Austrian industrial machinery group with surface treatment, lamination, and press technologies in pulp/paper and panel industries; competes with Bürkle in wood-based panel and lamination equipment at the upper end of the market.
- Schuler Group: Global incumbent in press technology, primarily for automotive metal forming but with relevant press engineering capabilities that overlap with Bürkle's high-force PCB and lamination presses (up to 20,000 kN).
Direct peers
- Illig Maschinenbau: Specialist in thermoforming and packaging machinery — a direct peer in Bürkle's thermoforming/forming equipment category, serving comparable industrial customers with comparable configuration-based sales.
- Siempelkamp: German manufacturer of press lines and complete plants for wood-based panels (MDF, particleboard, OSB) and CLT — directly competing with Bürkle's wood-based panel and BSP/CLT press offerings.
- HOMAG Group: Germany-based global leader in woodworking machinery, with overlapping press, coating, and surface finishing systems for furniture, doors, and flooring. Bürkle's HOMAG Danmark A/S partnership for Denmark distribution evidences direct overlap in the woodworking segment.
- Dieffenbacher: Direct peer in press systems for wood-based panels, composites, and forming lines, with shared customers in furniture, flooring, and engineered wood. Overlaps with Bürkle in throughfeed presses, short-cycle presses, and lightweight board systems.
- MULTIVAC: Manufacturer of thermoforming, packaging, and lamination equipment, with overlap to Bürkle's thermoforming/surface coating lines and similar B2B industrial capital equipment sales motion to packaging and food processors.
Others
- Menzel Elektromotoren: German industrial motor and drive specialist; included as an adjacent/ecosystem peer reflecting the German Mittelstand industrial machinery supplier base that surrounds Bürkle's customer and supply ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Robert Bürkle social profiles
Digital presenceRobert Bürkle compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Robert Bürkle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Robert Bürkle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Robert Bürkle subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Robert Bürkle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Robert Bürkle M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Robert Bürkle
What does Robert Bürkle do?
Robert Bürkle GmbH manufactures and integrates custom-configured industrial production systems for surface treatment of materials, including spray and roller coating lines, UV and PUR laminating lines, short-cycle and throughfeed presses, PCB laminating and pressing lines (400 kN to 20,000 kN), photovoltaic module laminators, plastic-card laminators (SMARTLAM CHK), CLT and door press lines, thermobonding and downstream lines for XPS/EPS insulation boards, and the patented IFL (Inline Flat Lamination) autoclave-free glass lamination system. Equipment is sold to industrial manufacturers across furniture, doors, flooring, wood-based panels, printed circuit boards, photovoltaics, plastic cards, insulation boards, and glass, complemented by aftermarket services (spare parts, retrofits, preventive maintenance, installation/commissioning, digital services, and remote maintenance).
Is Robert Bürkle a public or private company?
Robert Bürkle is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Robert Bürkle founded?
Robert Bürkle was founded in 1920. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Robert Bürkle based?
Robert Bürkle is headquartered in Freudenstadt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Robert Bürkle make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Industrial Machinery Sales are the primary driver. The others are aftermarket Services.
Who are Robert Bürkle's main competitors?
KUKA is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Trumpf, Andritz AG and Schuler Group. Direct peers are Illig Maschinenbau, Siempelkamp, HOMAG Group, Dieffenbacher and MULTIVAC. Menzel Elektromotoren is listed as an others.
Does Robert Bürkle have an API?
No public API is recorded for Robert Bürkle.
What industry is Robert Bürkle in?
Robert Bürkle's product category is Industrial surface treatment machinery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAOAI, Blister, Skin & Thermoform Packaging Machines, with a secondary code of IMAMAFAL, Paperboard Laminating & Coating (Extrusion/Film/Metallized). Its NAICS code is 3255 and its SIC code is 3672.