4B
4B AG is a Swiss manufacturer of wood-metal windows, doors, sliding doors, and facades, founded in 1896 and headquartered in Hochdorf. A subsidiary of the DOVISTA Gruppe, it serves private homeowners, architects, contractors, housing cooperatives, and property managers across Switzerland through 11 locations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1896
- HeadquartersHochdorf, Switzerland
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What 4B does
4B AG is a Swiss manufacturer of intelligent building envelopes, specializing in wood-metal windows, doors, sliding doors, and facade systems. Founded in 1896 in Hochdorf, Canton of Lucerne, by Heinrich Bachmann as a carpentry workshop, the company has evolved into a mid-sized industrial manufacturer producing over 100,000 wood-metal windows annually at its Hochdorf headquarters. The 4B brand name derives from the four Bachmann brothers of the fourth generation, and the company is currently a subsidiary of the DOVISTA Gruppe, a European window and door solution provider owned by a Danish entrepreneur family.
The core product portfolio comprises the NF1 window and balcony door system, the RF1 Design renovation window with a 90-minute installation claim, the ST2 and PS1 sliding door systems, the HT2 front door, and the FS2 mullion-transom facade system. All products are manufactured at the Hochdorf site using a recently expanded 9,000 m² production facility with two parallel CNC machining lines and on-site photovoltaic generation of approximately 3 million kWh per year, backed by a 35 million CHF capital investment. 4B serves a hybrid B2C and B2B customer base — private homeowners, architects and building planners, general contractors, Swiss housing cooperatives, and property managers — supported by 11 service and sales locations across Switzerland, BIM/CAD planning tools for architects, and a 365-day service offering.
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time sales of windows, doors, sliding doors, and facades, complemented by recurring service, maintenance, repair, and spare-parts revenue. Pricing is consultation-based with no public rates, and the company operates a full-service direct-sales model from consultation through installation, positioning itself as Switzerland's national leading provider of intelligent building envelopes while producing exclusively at its domestic Hochdorf site.
4B firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 4B
- Legal name
- 4B AG
- Website
- https://4-b.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1896
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- 4B AG is a Swiss manufacturer of wood-metal windows, doors, sliding doors, and facades, founded in 1896 and headquartered in Hochdorf. A subsidiary of the DOVISTA Gruppe, it serves private homeowners, architects, contractors, housing cooperatives, and property managers across Switzerland through 11 locations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
4B industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Envelope Systems
- NAICS
- Metal Window and Door Manufacturing (332321)
- SIC
- Metal Doors, Sash, Frames, Moldings & Trim (3442)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architectural Glazing & Fenestration (Curtain Wall, Windows, Storefronts, Skylights) (IMAFAMAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Windows (IMADAIAC), Storefronts, Curtain Wall & Window Wall Systems (IMADAIAG), Exterior Doors (IMADAIAA)
Keywords
Where 4B is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hochdorf
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
4B business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Window and Door Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling wood-metal windows, doors, sliding doors, and facades for renovation and new construction projects. One-time purchase model with consultation, production, and installation services included.
- Service and Maintenance: Ongoing revenue from repairs, maintenance, conversions, and spare parts. Service offerings include window adjustments, seal replacements, glass repairs, and security upgrades. Service contracts available for building value preservation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-specific quotation model |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
4B product offering
Product offeringCore offering
4B manufactures and installs wood-metal windows, doors, sliding doors, and post-mullion (Pfosten-Riegel) facade systems for residential renovation and new construction projects in Switzerland. The portfolio centers on the NF1 window and balcony door system, the RF1 design renovation window, the ST2 and PS1 sliding doors, the HT2 front door, and the FS2 mullion-transom facade system, supported by consultation, in-house CNC production, and installation services.
Product overview
4B is a Swiss manufacturer of intelligent building envelopes specializing in windows, doors, sliding doors, and façades made from wood-metal. The core product portfolio centers on the NF1 window system (standard windows and balcony doors), the RF1 design renovation window, the ST2 and PS1 sliding door lines, the HT2 front door, and the FS2 mullion-transom façade system. All products are manufactured in Hochdorf, Switzerland, and are complemented by accessories and design options. The company operates as part of the DOVISTA Group and offers solutions for barrier-free living, smart glass, burglar protection, and energy efficiency.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fenstersystem NF1 (NF1 Window System)
Companies that use 4B
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
4B technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
4B partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
4B competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EgoKiefer: EgoKiefer is a leading Swiss window and door manufacturer (part of Arbonia Group), directly competing with 4B in the Swiss market across wood, wood-metal, and PVC window systems for both new-build and renovation.
- Finstral: Finstral is a South Tyrolean/Alpine premium window and door manufacturer serving Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and Italy with comparable wood-aluminium systems — a direct product and segment competitor to 4B's NF1/RF1 ranges.
- Internorm: Internorm is Europe's largest family-owned window brand, headquartered in Austria, producing wood-aluminium and PVC-aluminium systems for renovation and new-build — directly overlapping 4B's premium wood-metal positioning.
- Kneer-Südfenster: Kneer-Südfenster is a German premium wood-aluminium window manufacturer focused on the German-speaking renovation market, with comparable product positioning and sales channels to 4B.
- VELFAC (DOVISTA): VELFAC is a sister company within the DOVISTA Group, producing composite wood-aluminium windows primarily in Denmark/UK. Operates the same DOVISTA platform and competes in the premium European window segment alongside 4B.
- Rationel (DOVISTA): Rationel is another DOVISTA sister brand manufacturing timber and timber-aluminium windows and doors in Northern Europe, sharing group-level R&D and sustainability initiatives with 4B.
- Unilux: Unilux is a German wood and wood-aluminium window specialist focused on premium renovation, with comparable craftsmanship and product mix to 4B's renovation window range.
Broad incumbents
- Schüco: Schüco is a large German global incumbent in aluminium and PVC-U window/door/facade systems, active across Europe including Switzerland. Competes with 4B especially in commercial facade projects via the FS2 product category, though its portfolio is far broader.
- Reynaers Aluminium: Reynaers is a Belgian aluminium systems supplier for windows, doors, and curtain walls serving Switzerland through partners. A broader incumbent competing with 4B primarily on commercial facade and aluminium window projects.
- VELUX: VELUX is the global leader in roof windows and skylights, with relevant overlap to 4B on daylight/insulation solutions for Swiss residential renovation. A broader incumbent with stronger brand and global reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
4B social profiles
Digital presence4B financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
4B leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
4B funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
4B 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 4B
What does 4B do?
4B manufactures and installs wood-metal windows, doors, sliding doors, and post-mullion (Pfosten-Riegel) facade systems for residential renovation and new construction projects in Switzerland. The portfolio centers on the NF1 window and balcony door system, the RF1 design renovation window, the ST2 and PS1 sliding doors, the HT2 front door, and the FS2 mullion-transom facade system, supported by consultation, in-house CNC production, and installation services.
Is 4B a public or private company?
4B is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was 4B founded?
4B was founded in 1896. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is 4B based?
4B is headquartered in Hochdorf, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does 4B make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Window and Door Sales are the primary driver. The others are service and Maintenance.
Who are 4B's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EgoKiefer, Finstral, Internorm, Kneer-Südfenster, VELFAC (DOVISTA), Rationel (DOVISTA) and Unilux. Broad incumbents are Schüco, Reynaers Aluminium and VELUX.
Does 4B have an API?
No public API is recorded for 4B.
What industry is 4B in?
4B's product category is Building Envelope Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAMAC, Architectural Glazing & Fenestration (Curtain Wall, Windows, Storefronts, Skylights), with a secondary code of IMADAIAC, Windows. Its NAICS code is 332321 and its SIC code is 3442.