What Sympatec does

Sympatec GmbH is a German, privately-held, family-owned manufacturer of particle size and shape analysis instruments, founded in 1984 as the first spin-off from Technische Universität Clausthal by Dr. Stephan Röthele together with Professor Kurt Leschonski and Swiss Rieter Holding AG. The company designs, produces and services four core sensor technology platforms — Laser Diffraction (HELOS, MYTOS), Dynamic Image Analysis (QICPIC, PICTOS), Dynamic Light Scattering based on its proprietary Photon Cross-Correlation Spectroscopy (NANOPHOX, NANOPHOX CS), and Ultrasonic Extinction (NIMBUS, OPUS) — supplemented by a modular ecosystem of dry and wet dispersing units (RODOS, GRADIS, FIBROS, SUCELL, LIXELL, OASIS, etc.), dosing units, sampling systems, peripherals, and the PAQXOS application software. Sympatec pioneered dry dispersion with RODOS in 1982 and continues to extend its PCCS IP, including a patent-pending high-concentration variant launched as NANOPHOX CS in 2024.

The company serves enterprise customers across at least eight verticals — pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food & beverages, industrial minerals, building materials, metal powders, coatings & paints, and academic research — addressing dispersed systems including powders, granules, fibres, suspensions, emulsions, slurries and aerosols. Revenue is generated from modular hardware sales, multi-year service and re-certification contracts (remote support via TeamViewer, on-site visits, validation, spares), and paid training including three-day specialized seminars priced at EUR 1,900 (EUR 1,250 for students). The commercial model is direct-sales-led via 20+ wholly-owned locations in 12 countries, augmented by a qualified agency and dealer network reaching 75-80+ countries; sales engineers configure systems to application and provide individual quotes.

Approximately 200 employees support operations globally, with headquarters at the historic Pulverhaus site in Clausthal-Zellerfeld and regional hubs including Bangkok (opened April 2025), Suzhou (consolidated October 2023), Pennington NJ, and Etten-Leur. Following the January 2023 death of founder Dr. Stephan Röthele, leadership transitioned to his son Dr. Sebastian Röthele (Co-Managing Director) and Dr. Thomas Reck (Managing Director Technical), with over 80% of shares consolidated in family hands through Sympatrie Holding since 2018.

Name

Sympatec

Legal name

Sympatec GmbH - System | Partikel | Technik

Website

https://sympatec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sympatec is a family-owned German manufacturer of particle size and shape analysis instruments (laser diffraction, dynamic image analysis, DLS/PCCS, ultrasonic extinction), serving pharmaceutical, chemical, food, mining, and additive manufacturing customers across 75+ countries via direct subsidiaries and agency partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Particle Size and Shape Analysis Instruments

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Analytical Instruments & Chromatography Systems (HLAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mass Spectrometry & Spectroscopy Instruments (HLAGAIAB)

Keywords

• Particle size analysis
• Laser diffraction instruments
• Dynamic image analysis
• Pharmaceutical particle measurement
• Process analytical instrumentation

Headquarters

HQ city

Clausthal-zellerfeld

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Particle Measurement Instruments: Sale of analytical instruments including laser diffraction sensors (HELOS, MYTOS), dynamic image analysis (QICPIC, PICTOS), dynamic light scattering (NANOPHOX), ultrasonic extinction (NIMBUS, OPUS) along with dispersing units, dosing units, sampling systems, peripherals and application software.
2. Service and Support: Aftersales services including phone support, remote maintenance (TeamViewer), on-site service visits, validation/re-certification, spare parts, and maintenance contracts.
3. Training and Consulting: User training programs including three-day specialized seminars on particle size and shape analysis, individual training modules, SOP development for pharmaceutical industry, and application consulting services.
4. Training Seminars: Paid specialized seminars on optical particle analysis methods - three-day seminar at 1,900 EUR regular, 1,250 EUR for students, covering laser diffraction and dynamic image analysis with practical hands-on sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sympatec develops, produces, sells and supports a portfolio of analytical instruments for particle size and shape characterization. The offering spans four core sensor platforms (Laser Diffraction, Dynamic Image Analysis, Dynamic Light Scattering, Ultrasonic Extinction), modular dispersing, dosing and sampling units, and the PAQXOS application software for laboratory and process environments. Systems serve pharmaceutical, chemical, food & beverage, mining, building materials, metal powder, coatings and academic research customers across powders, granules, fibres, suspensions, emulsions, slurries and aerosols.

Product overview

Sympatec develops, manufactures, sells, and supports particle size and shape analysis instruments for laboratory and process applications. The product portfolio consists of four core sensor technologies: Laser Diffraction (HELOS, MYTOS), Dynamic Image Analysis (QICPIC, PICTOS), Dynamic Light Scattering (NANOPHOX with PCCS technology), and Ultrasonic Extinction (NIMBUS, OPUS). These are complemented by dispersing units (RODOS dry disperser, SUCELL, LIXELL, OASIS wet/dry systems), dosing units (VIBRI, ASPIROS, LIQXI, MULTISAMPLER, SPRAYER, INHALER, SMACTOR), sampling systems (TWISTER, MIXER, SCREWSAMPLER, Probes), peripherals (LIQIBACK), and PAQXOS application software. Products serve industries including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food & beverages, building materials, metal powders, coatings & paints, engineering, and science & research, addressing dispersed systems such as powders, granules, fibres, suspensions, emulsions, slurries, and aerosols.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HELOS Laser Diffraction Sensor Modular laser diffraction sensor series for precise particle size distribution analysis of powders, granules, suspensions, emulsions and sprays across a measurement range from below 0.1 µm to 8,750 µm, used in laboratory and process environments.
• MYTOS Laser Diffraction Sensor Laser diffraction sensor designed for particle size analysis in process applications, enabling inline measurement of particle size distributions in industrial production environments.
• QICPIC Dynamic Image Analysis Sensor Dynamic image analyzer for measurement of particle size and shape distributions, providing detailed morphological characterization of individual particles in dispersed systems.
• PICTOS Dynamic Image Analysis Sensor Dynamic image analysis sensor for particle characterization capturing size and shape information of particles in motion.
• NANOPHOX Dynamic Light Scattering Sensor Dynamic light scattering sensor using proprietary Photon Cross-Correlation Spectroscopy (PCCS) for nanoparticle analysis in turbid suspensions and emulsions covering 0.5 nm to 10,000 nm at up to 100x higher solid contents than conventional DLS instruments.
• NIMBUS Ultrasonic Extinction Sensor Laboratory instrument for particle size and concentration analysis using ultrasonic extinction technology for manual samples from 300 ml to 1,000 ml with measurement range from below 0.1 µm to 3,000 µm.
• OPUS Ultrasonic Extinction Process Probe Process probe for real-time particle size distribution and concentration analysis in suspensions and emulsions from less than 0.1 µm to 3,000 µm, available with IP65 and ATEX ratings for high-temperature and high-pressure environments.
• RODOS Dry Dispersion System Pioneer dry dispersion system enabling particle measurement of powders, fibres and granules from submicron to millimetre range, recognized as a breakthrough innovation since 1982.
• GRADIS Dry Dispersing Unit Dry dispersing unit for particle characterization of dry samples, complementing the RODOS dry dispersion line.
• FIBROS Dry Dispersing Unit for Fibres Dry dispersing unit specifically designed for fibre analysis, addressing the unique handling requirements of fibrous particle samples.
• SUCELL Wet Dispersing Unit Wet dispersing unit for particle analysis of samples in liquid suspension.
• QUIXEL Wet Dispersing Unit Wet dispersing unit for particle characterization using liquid dispersion.
• CUVETTE Wet Dispersing Unit Wet dispersing unit using cuvette-based particle measurement for liquid sample analysis.
• LIXELL Wet Dispersing Unit Wet dispersing unit for liquid-based particle analysis in laboratory environments.
• FLOWCELL Wet Dispersing Unit Wet dispersing unit with flow cell configuration for continuous liquid-based particle measurement.
• OASIS Combined Dry and Wet Dispersing System Combined dry and wet dispersing system offering versatile particle analysis for laboratories handling both dry and liquid samples on a single platform.
• VIBRI Vibratory Dosing Unit Vibratory dosing unit for controlled delivery of dry samples to particle measurement systems.
• ASPIROS Dosing Unit for Dry Samples Dosing unit for accurate delivery of dry powder samples to Sympatec measurement systems.
• LIQXI Liquid Dosing Unit Liquid dosing unit for accurate delivery of wet samples to particle measurement systems.
• MULTISAMPLER Multi-Sample Dosing System Multi-sample dosing system capable of automated dosing for both dry and wet samples, supporting high-throughput laboratory workflows.
• SPRAYER Aerosol and Spray Dosing Unit Dosing unit for spray and aerosol sample analysis in particle measurement applications.
• INHALER Inhaler Testing Dosing Unit Dosing unit for inhaler testing and aerosol dose characterization, commonly used in pharmaceutical inhaler development.
• SMACTOR Small Quantity Aerosol and Spray Dosing Unit Dosing unit for small quantity aerosol and spray measurements in pharmaceutical and consumer product applications.
• TWISTER Sampling System Sampling system for representative particle sample collection from processes for subsequent measurement.
• MIXER Sampling Mixer Sampling mixer for representative sample collection from process streams.
• SCREWSAMPLER Screw Sampler Screw sampler for continuous sampling of bulk solids in industrial process environments.
• Sampling Probes Sampling probes for process integration enabling representative particle sampling directly from process lines.
• LIQIBACK Liquid Back Extraction Peripheral Liquid back extraction peripheral device enabling wet sample handling for particle measurement systems.
• PAQXOS Application Software Application software suite for instrument control, data acquisition, particle size and shape analysis, and reporting across Sympatec measurement systems, including 21 CFR Part 11 compliance features for regulated environments.
• Particle Measurement Training Seminars and Application Consulting Paid three-day specialized seminars on laser diffraction and dynamic image analysis methods with hands-on training on HELOS and QICPIC instruments, plus individual training modules and SOP development services for pharmaceutical customers.
• Aftersales Service and Support Contracts Recurring aftersales service offering including phone support, remote maintenance, on-site service visits, validation and re-certification, spare parts, and maintenance contracts delivered globally through regional aftersales service centers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Particle size analysis from below 0.1 µm to 8,750 µm with single sensor platform
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NOVATECminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 4 December 2023Spanish partner agency to whom the 5000th HELOS laser diffraction sensor was delivered in December 2023, marking a production milestone.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Malvern Panalytical: Direct peer and global leader in laser diffraction (Mastersizer), DLS (Zetasizer), and image-based particle characterization serving the same pharmaceutical, chemical, and materials customers. Closest head-to-head competitor to Sympatec's HELOS, NANOPHOX, and Morphologi lines.
• HORIBA Scientific: Direct competitor in laser diffraction particle sizing (LA-960) and DLS-based nanoparticle analysis, with overlapping pharma, chemical, and academic customer bases and similar modular instrument architectures.
• Microtrac MRB (Verder Scientific): Direct peer in laser diffraction (S3500, Bluewave) and dynamic image analysis, competing head-to-head in industrial QC, powders, and suspensions. Comparable modular product structure to Sympatec's HELOS and QICPIC.
• Anton Paar: Direct peer in laser diffraction particle sizing (Litesizer, PSA) with strong overlap in pharmaceutical, food, and chemical applications. Comparable go-to-market via application consulting and direct sales.
• Fritsch GmbH: German competitor with the ANALYSETTE 22 laser diffraction and image-analysis product lines, serving similar powder and suspension characterization applications. Comparable niche-specialist positioning to Sympatec.
• TSI Incorporated: Direct peer in aerosol and spray particle measurement (Aerodynamic Particle Sizer, SMPS), overlapping with Sympatec's inhaler and SPRAYER dosing product lines in pharmaceutical aerosol applications.

Broad incumbents

• Beckman Coulter Life Sciences (Danaher): Broader incumbent with overlapping DLS and analytical ultracentrifugation nanoparticle characterization tools. Less laser-diffraction focus, but competes for the same pharma/biopharma characterization budget.
• Shimadzu Scientific Instruments: Broad analytical instrument incumbent with particle sizing (SALD series) as one of many product categories. Competes in pharma, chemicals, and academic markets where Sympatec also sells.
• Agilent Technologies: Diversified analytical instrument leader whose broader portfolio (spectroscopy, chromatography, cellular analysis) overlaps in pharma and chemical QA/QC environments where Sympatec's instruments are deployed.

Emerging players

• Bettersize Instruments: Chinese emerging player in laser diffraction and dynamic image analysis, competing on price-performance in powder and pharmaceutical applications. Increasingly relevant in Asian markets where Sympatec is expanding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Sympatec_GmbH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sympatec-gmbh

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Sympatec