What Optek does

optek-Danulat GmbH, trading as Optek, is a German manufacturer of inline photometric process control sensors founded in 1984 and headquartered in Essen, Germany. The company designs and produces measurement instruments for turbidity, color, UV-VIS-NIR absorption, pH, and conductivity, deployed in continuous process monitoring applications. Its products serve process engineers and quality functions across biotechnology, brewing, chemical, food & beverage, petrochemical, and pulp & paper production, with no publicly named anchor customers disclosed in the source material.

Core technology rests on proprietary optical photometry — most notably the 11° forward scatter measurement principle for turbidity and UV-VIS-NIR absorption for concentration and color — combined with a 6-electrode, 4-pole design for conductivity sensing. The product architecture follows a three-component model: sensors (the optical and electrochemical probes), converters (signal-conditioning and HART/Profibus communication electronics), and sensor bodies and accessories (process-interface hardware that integrates sensors into piping and vessels). The system is engineered to interoperate with major industrial control platforms from ABB, Emerson, Endress+Hauser, Honeywell, Siemens, and Yokogawa, and is certified for hazardous and hygienic process environments under ISO 9001:2015, 3A, ATEX, GS-mark, and PED standards.

Revenue mechanics are anchored in capital equipment sales of sensors and converters, supplemented by accessories and a 10-year spare-parts support commitment that generates an aftermarket stream and customer-retention anchor. The go-to-market combines direct sales offices in Germany, the United States, Singapore, and China with a global distributor network, and customer-facing materials are offered in 20+ languages, signaling a multinational installed base. Since January 2026, optek-Danulat has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crane Co., integrated into the Process Flow Technologies segment.

Name

Optek

Legal name

optek-Danulat GmbH

Website

https://optek.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

optek-Danulat GmbH (Optek), founded 1984 in Essen, Germany, manufactures inline photometric sensors covering turbidity, color, UV-VIS-NIR, pH, and conductivity. The instruments serve biotechnology, brewing, chemical, food & beverage, petrochemical, and pulp & paper producers. Optek has been a wholly-owned Crane Co. subsidiary since January 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Process Instrumentation

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Process Analytical Instrumentation (Gas analyzers, spectroscopy, pH/ORP, conductivity) (IMAGAFAE)

Keywords

• Inline process sensors
• Turbidity measurement systems
• Photometric process analyzers
• Conductivity measurement sensors
• Industrial liquid analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Essen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 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. Process Control Sensors: Inline turbidity, color, UV-VIS-NIR absorption, pH and conductivity sensors sold for continuous industrial process monitoring applications. Sensors are configured for specific measurement requirements with various optical path lengths and wavelength options.
2. Converters/Transmitters: Signal converters (C8000, C4000, HC4000, 156, 556, C800) that process sensor signals, provide data display, communication outputs (mA, PROFIBUS PA, FOUNDATION Fieldbus), and manage PLC integration.
3. Spare Parts and Accessories: Lamp modules, O-rings, windows, installation kits, fuses, and calibration accessories. Spare parts availability maintained for 10 years for discontinued products.
4. Documentation and Manuals: Technical documentation, product information brochures, and manuals available for download in multiple languages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Optek (optek-Danulat GmbH) manufactures and sells inline photometric process control sensors and analyzers for continuous real-time measurement of turbidity, color, UV/VIS/NIR absorption, pH, and conductivity in industrial liquid processes. The product architecture combines application-specific inline sensors and probes, signal converters/transmitters with PLC communication outputs, and configurable sensor bodies for installation in standard, sanitary, and hazardous-location industrial environments.

Product overview

Optek (optek-Danulat GmbH) is a German manufacturer of inline photometric process control sensors and analyzers founded in 1984. The product portfolio centers on optical sensing technology using UV/VIS/NIR light for real-time measurement of turbidity, color, UV absorption, pH, and conductivity in industrial processes. The system architecture consists of three main components: (1) Inline sensors and probes (AF, TF, AS, ASD, ACF, ACS series) that measure optical properties of liquids and gases, (2) Converters/transmitters (C8000, C4000, HC4000, 156, 556, C800) that process sensor signals, provide display, data logging, and communication outputs, and (3) Sensor bodies and accessories providing flexible installation options. The company serves biotechnology, chemical, brewing, food & beverage, petrochemical, and pulp & paper industries with solutions for filtration control, separation monitoring, concentration measurement, and quality assurance. Optek was acquired by Crane Co. in January 2026 as part of their strategic acquisitions including Druck, Panametrics, and Reuter-Stokes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AF16-N Turbidity Sensor High-range turbidity sensor using NIR absorption technology (730-970 nm) for measuring cloudy, hazy, opaque particulate in fluids, oil in water, water in fuels, and haze in beer.
• AF56-N Turbidity Sensor Concentration sensor for high-range turbidity measurements using NIR technology for industrial process control applications.
• TF16-N Turbidity Meter Low-range turbidity meter with scattered light detection capability for precise measurement of low turbidity values in beverages and water applications.
• TF56-N Turbidity Sensor Inline scattered light turbidity sensor for continuous process monitoring in industrial applications.
• DTF16 Nephelometric Turbidity Sensor Advanced haze control sensor combining 1-channel absorption and 2-channel scatter (11° and 90°) for comprehensive turbidity measurement across wide dynamic range.
• AS16-N Turbidity Probe Absorption probe for turbidity measurement using standard or performance optics.
• AS56-N Turbidity Probe Inline turbidity and color probe for combined measurement applications.
• ASD12-N Absorption Probe Cell density probe for biopharmaceutical applications measuring absorption at various wavelengths.
• ASD25-N Absorption Probe High-performance absorption probe for extended wavelength range applications.
• AF26 VIS/NIR Sensor Dual channel VIS/NIR sensor for color and concentration measurements with wavelength-specific filters.
• AF16-F Color Sensor Color and concentration sensor using visible light wavelengths for industrial process color monitoring.
• AF56-F Color Sensor Color concentration monitor for inline color measurement in food, beverage, and chemical applications.
• AF45 UV Analyzer Single channel UV analyzer for measuring UV absorption at specific wavelengths for chemical concentration monitoring.
• AF46 UV Analyzer Dual channel UV analyzer for protein concentration monitoring in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, covering low and high concentration ranges.
• ACF60-35 Conductivity Sensor 6-electrode 4-pole conductivity sensor with integrated electronics for wide measurement range of 0–10 µS/cm up to 850 mS/cm with Pt1000 temperature compensation.
• ACS60-35 Conductivity Probe Contacting conductivity probe for electrochemical measurements with temperature compensation.
• PF12 pH Electrode Holder Electrode holder for pH measurement integration with optek process control systems.
• Single Use Cell (S.U.C.) Disposable single-use sensor cell for biopharmaceutical and sterile manufacturing applications.
• C8000 Universal Converter Universal signal converter and transmitter for photometric sensors with support for conductivity, pH, turbidity, color, and UV measurements. Features touchscreen interface and multiple communication options.
• C4000 Photometric Converter Photometric converter for inline sensors providing measurement display, data logging, and PLC communication via mA output, PROFIBUS PA, or FOUNDATION Fieldbus.
• HC4000 Converter (Haze Control) Specialized haze control converter for DTF16 turbidity sensors with 4-channel design for simultaneous colloidal and particle measurement, featuring drift-free calibration.
• 156 Converter Compact signal converter for basic sensor integration and measurement display.
• 556 Converter Dual-channel converter for simultaneous measurement from two sensors.
• C800 Electrochemical Converter Converter designed for electrochemical sensors including conductivity and pH electrodes.
• Saybolt Color Analyzer Color analyzer using Saybolt scale for petroleum products including kerosene, gasoline, and diesel fuel quality testing per ASTM D156 and D6045.
• Chlorine Dioxide Analyzer Analyzer for measuring chlorine dioxide concentration in pulp and paper processes for ClO2 generator efficiency and dosage control.
• Electroplating Bath Analyzer Analyzer for monitoring plating bath composition in metal finishing and electroplating processes.
• Oil in Cooling Water Monitor Monitor for detecting oil contamination in industrial cooling water systems.
• Wastewater Monitoring Solutions Process monitoring solutions for wastewater treatment including turbidity and color measurement for BOD and effluent quality control.
• Sensor Bodies Various sensor body configurations with different line sizes, connection types (Varivent, flange, DN, ANSI), and materials (stainless steel, Hastelloy, titanium, PVDF) for process installation flexibility.
• Enclosures Wall mount and panel enclosures (B19, S19 series) providing IP65/IP66 protection for converters in industrial environments.

Quantifiable outcome

• ROI of 6 months or less
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Swan Analytical Instruments: Swiss specialist in online water and process analytics for monitoring conductivity, pH, turbidity, and chlorine — a focused direct competitor to optek in water/utility-side process monitoring.
• Hach: Specialist in water and process analytics — turbidity, color, UV, and conductivity — sharing direct overlap with optek in brewing, F&B, pulp & paper, and wastewater monitoring applications.
• HORIBA: Manufactures process and laboratory analytical instruments including optical/UV-Vis sensors for chemical, environmental, and biotech applications, mirroring optek's measurement-photometry core.
• Endress+Hauser: German-headquartered global leader in process instrumentation, including inline turbidity, conductivity, pH, and photometric sensors. Direct competitor to optek across the same biotech, chemical, F&B, and petrochemical verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Emerson (Rosemount): Major process-automation incumbent offering analytical sensors (conductivity, pH, turbidity) integrated with Rosemount measurement and DeltaV control systems, competing with optek on bundled process-control bids.
• Xylem Analytics (WTW/TetraTec): Through its WTW/TetraTec brands, Xylem provides inline process sensors — turbidity, conductivity, pH, UV — directly overlapping with optek's water-quality and wastewater monitoring use cases.
• Yokogawa Electric: Supplies inline process analyzers (conductivity, pH, turbidity, NIR/UV) integrated with DCS/PLC systems, competing with optek especially in petrochemical and chemical process monitoring.
• Mettler-Toledo (Process Analytics): Provides inline pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and photometric sensors used in pharma and biotech manufacturing, directly competing with optek's biotech and chemical product lines.
• ABB Measurement & Analytics: Sells industrial pH, conductivity, turbidity, and colorimetric analyzers as part of its broader 800xA automation portfolio, overlapping with optek in chemical, petrochemical, and pulp & paper.

Emerging players

• Sensopex: Finnish developer of optical-measurement instrumentation for biopharma and life-science applications, representing a smaller, emerging competitor in optek's single-use and bioprocess niches.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/optek-danulat

Compliance5 records

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 Optek