APACO

What APACO does

APACO AG is a Swiss industrial equipment manufacturer and EPC contractor headquartered in Grellingen, Switzerland, operating under the apin-group umbrella alongside sister company INRA Group AG since 2025. Founded in 1932, the firm operates three integrated service divisions: Building Services Engineering (district heating, hot water systems, expansion systems), Life Science + Equipment Manufacturing (custom apparatus, IBC containers, contract manufacturing, turnkey systems, and process skids for regulated industries), and Thermal Engineering (exclusive Swiss/Liechtenstein representation of Bosch Industriekessel steam and hot water boilers, plus the proprietary Heatec heat transfer systems covering temperatures from -50°C to 630°C). Its manufacturing footprint includes in-house workshops at Grellingen with 3D plasma cutting, orbital welding, and pickling capabilities, plus a former Bertrams Heatec production site in Pratteln now folded into the Heatec division. The firm holds ISO 9001:2015 certification and maintains sector-specific compliance for PED pressure equipment, ADR/RID/IMDG/ATEX, and GMP/FDA documentation and qualification standards applicable to pharmaceutical and food production.

APACO's revenue model rests on three streams: (i) custom one-off equipment manufacturing and supply (heat exchangers, reactors, storage tanks, steam generators, IBC containers), (ii) EPC contracting and professional services covering engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and qualification, and (iii) recurring service and maintenance contracts including 24/7 emergency support, modernization, retrofitting, and original spare parts supply. Pricing is project-based and quote-driven with no standard published list, and contracts are typically multi-year in duration for the service stream. The Bosch Thermotechnik exclusive representation creates a parallel distribution revenue stream for standard boiler products (steam boilers 175 to 55,000 kg/h; hot water boilers 650 to 38,000 kW) resold across Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

The go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting specialist planners, EPC contractors, and process providers in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, chemical, petrochemical, food, and energy industries. International sales are routed through representation partners in Chile, Kazakhstan, the UK/Ireland, and the USA. Named enterprise customers across recent project references include Roche, Novartis (two sites), Lonza, CSL Behring, Biogen, Incyte, BASF, RUSAL, RUSAL-related Casale/Metafrox, Migros, COOP, Ricola, CERN, SBB, and Veolia. The firm sells custom-engineered complete system solutions rather than commodity components, leveraging GMP-compliant documentation, qualification services, and Swiss-quality positioning as primary differentiation in regulated-industry bids.

Name

APACO

Legal name

Apaco AG

Website

https://apaco.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Swiss industrial equipment manufacturer (founded 1932, Grellingen) producing custom heat exchangers, steam boilers, heat transfer systems, and GMP-qualified life science process equipment for pharmaceutical, biotech, chemical, food, and energy clients worldwide, with exclusive Swiss representation of Bosch Industriekessel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Process Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (332410), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341), Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (33241)

SIC

Heating Equip, Except Elec & Warm Air; & Plumbing Fixtures (3430), Heating Equipment, Except Electric & Warm Air Furnaces (3433)

akta.pro primary industry

Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers) (IMAHAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chemical Processing Equipment (Reactors, Mixers, Agitators) (IMAHAEAA), Combined Cycle & Cogeneration (CHP) EPC (EUAEAAAB)

Keywords

• Industrial heat exchangers
• Steam boiler systems
• Process equipment manufacturing
• Pharmaceutical fabrication equipment
• Heat transfer systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Grellingen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment Manufacturing and Sales: Custom-manufactured equipment including heat exchangers, reactors, containers, storage tanks, steam generators, and complete turnkey systems. Revenue generated from design, fabrication, and delivery of industrial process equipment.
2. EPC Contracting and Installation: Engineering, procurement, and construction services for industrial heating plants, piping systems, and production facilities. Includes commissioning and project management services.
3. Service and Maintenance Contracts: Ongoing service contracts, maintenance, original spare parts supply, retrofitting and modernization of existing systems. 24/7 emergency service available.
4. Bosch Boiler Products (Exclusive Representative): As exclusive factory representative of Bosch Thermotechnik in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Apaco supplies Bosch steam and hot water boilers with accessories, ranging from 175 to 55,000 kg/h output.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

APACO AG manufactures and installs custom industrial process equipment — heat exchangers, reactors, containers, IBCs, storage tanks, steam and hot water boilers, and heat transfer systems — for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, chemical, petrochemical, food, and energy industries. The company delivers complete turnkey EPC systems from planning and in-house fabrication through piping, automation, commissioning, and qualification, and acts as exclusive Swiss/Liechtenstein representative for Bosch Thermotechnik boiler products.

Product overview

APACO AG is an industrial equipment manufacturer offering three integrated service divisions: Building Services Engineering (district heating, hot water, expansion systems), Life Science + Equipment Manufacturing (custom apparatus, IBC containers, contract manufacturing, turnkey systems, skids), and Thermal Engineering (Bosch steam and hot water boilers, Heatec heat transfer systems). The company operates as a one-stop shop from planning and production to installation and commissioning, serving the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, biotech, food, and energy industries. APACO is the exclusive Swiss representative for Bosch Thermotechnik and carries expertise in heat transfer technology with over 60 years of experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bosch Steam Boiler Systems Bosch Industriekessel steam boilers supplied and serviced by APACO for industrial steam consumers, covering outputs from 175 to 55,000 kg/h.
• Bosch Hot Water Boiler Systems Bosch Industriekessel hot water boilers supplied and serviced by APACO for district heating and large facility heating, with outputs from 650 to 38,000 kW.
• Heatec Heat Transfer Systems Custom heat carrier systems using fired-boiler technology with organic thermal oils (-50°C to 410°C) and molten salt mixtures (up to 630°C) for chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, melamine, aluminium oxide, and solar thermal applications.
• Equipment Manufacturing (Apparatebau) Custom-manufactured process equipment — heat exchangers, reactors, batching and storage tanks, sterile heat exchangers, and steam generators — for chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and energy industries.
• Containers (IBC) Swiss-made Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC) for liquids and bulk materials, including hazardous goods containers, aseptic containers, heating containers with agitators, and customer-specific designs with PED, ADR/RID, IMDG, ATEX, and GMP approvals.
• Turnkey Systems Complete system solutions covering engineering, planning, prefabrication, construction, and commissioning for biotechnology, pharmaceutical, food, and chemical production facilities.
• Contract Manufacturing (Lohnfertigung) Subcontracting services for complex components using plasma cutting, rolling, welding, mechanical processing, ultrasound cleaning, annealing, and pickling across various steel types and special alloys.
• Skids Pre-fabricated skid-mounted systems — including ultrafiltration skids for pharmaceutical applications — delivered with GMP-compliant documentation and qualification.
• Building Services Engineering (Gebäudetechnik) Building services engineering covering district heating (Fernwärme), hot water generation and distribution (Warmwasser), and expansion systems for buildings and industrial facilities.
• Process Automation Process automation solutions integrated with heating plants, piping systems, and turnkey production facilities for industrial customers in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, food, and chemical industries.
• Customer Service, Maintenance and Assembly Ongoing maintenance, assembly, retrofitting, modernization, original spare parts supply, and 24/7 emergency on-call service for installed APACO and third-party systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Heat transfer systems available in output range from 100 kW to 45 MW per heater
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bosch ThermotechnikcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2011Since 2011, Apaco AG has been the exclusive factory representative of Bosch Thermotechnik in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, supplying Bosch Industriekessel products including steam boilers (175 to 55,000 kg/h) and hot water boilers (650 to 38,000 kW) with accessories. Apaco serves as the single contact for the complete project lifecycle.
• apin-group (Parent Company)coreOthersAPACO AG is a company under the apin-group umbrella brand, which also includes INRA Group AG. The apin-group bundles Swiss companies Apaco AG and INRA Group AG under a unified brand representing innovative technologies and customized solutions in four core segments: Energy, Industry, Life Science, and Engineering & Services. Both companies remain unchanged in structure and legal form.
• INRA Group AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company under apin-group umbrella. Both Apaco AG and INRA Group AG operate under the unified apin brand, enabling integrated project execution across complementary capabilities with a central contact per market segment.
• KBC Industrial SPA (Chile)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational representation partner for APACO in Chile. Located in Santiago de Chile, represented by Mr. Gonzalo Mellado Aqueveque.
• Marine Support Services LLP (Kazakhstan)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational representation partner for APACO in Kazakhstan. Located in Aktau, representing APACO for industrial equipment and heat transfer systems in the region.
• PTSC ltd (United Kingdom and Ireland)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational representation partner for APACO in United Kingdom and Ireland. Located in Alloa, Scotland, represented by Mr. Andrew Wills.
• Rheinhuette Pumps, LLC (USA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational representation partner for APACO in USA. Located in Palm Harbor, Florida, represented by Mr. Jeffrey Kelly.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GEA Group: Global process engineering and equipment manufacturer with a strong heat exchanger and aseptic processing portfolio serving pharma, food, and chemical customers. Comparable to APACO in heat transfer, separators, and turnkey plant capability, but at materially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Alfa Laval: Leading global supplier of heat exchangers, separation equipment, and fluid handling systems for pharma, chemical, food, and energy customers. Directly comparable to APACO's core heat exchanger and process equipment offering, with a much broader product catalog and global service network.
• Bosch Industriekessel: Manufacturer of industrial steam and hot water boilers (Universalmaster, U-MB, UL-S, ZFR lines) and APACO's exclusive technology partner for the Swiss/Liechtenstein market. Competes with APACO in international boiler markets and serves as both partner and competitor depending on geography.
• Linde Engineering: Global EPC contractor for chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical process plants, including heat transfer and gas processing equipment. Competes with APACO's turnkey EPC offering for large-scale process plant projects.
• MAN Energy Solutions: Supplier of large-scale power generation, boilers, and turbomachinery with extensive EPC and after-sales service. Overlaps with APACO's boiler and thermal plant business, particularly in district heating and industrial energy customers.

Direct peers

• Kelvion: Specialist manufacturer of industrial heat exchangers (plate, shell-and-tube, finned) and heat transfer solutions for chemical, petrochemical, marine, and power applications. Closely comparable to APACO/Heatec in temperature ranges, materials, and project-based sales to process industries.
• API Heat Transfer (formerly APV): Designer and manufacturer of heat exchangers and thermal management products for industrial and process markets. Comparable to APACO in custom-engineered heat transfer equipment, plate heat exchangers, and process industry customers.

Emerging players

• INOX India: Manufacturer of cryogenic and process equipment including heat exchangers and pressure vessels serving chemical, pharma, and industrial gas customers. Comparable to APACO's custom apparatus manufacturing and EPC contracting for process industries.

Regional players

• Hoval: Swiss-Liechtenstein based manufacturer of heating, cooling, and ventilation systems with strong domestic brand presence. Comparable to APACO's building services engineering division and Swiss heating system channel, though focused on HVAC rather than industrial process heating.

Others

• INRA Group AG: Swiss industrial services and engineering company operating as APACO's sister company under the apin-group umbrella. Closely related via shared ownership and bundled project execution; not a direct competitor but a strategic peer within the same group.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apaco-ag

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 APACO