What ECKELMANN AG does

Eckelmann AG is a privately held German industrial automation and digitalization company headquartered in Wiesbaden, founded in 1977 by Dr. Gerd Eckelmann. The company designs, manufactures, and integrates customized automation systems that combine proprietary hardware (controllers, servo drives, energy storage, panels, motors) with proprietary software (FactoryWare suite, E°CUT CNC package, E°ProBAS real-time control system, cncCUT/E°CAM CAD/CAM, and Virtus LINE refrigeration/building automation). It serves mission-critical industrial applications across at least 20 verticals including pharmaceutical, biotech, medical technology, steelworks and rolling mills, sheet metal cutting, refrigeration, food and beverage, intralogistics, data centers, and test stands, with notable deployments such as 1,000+ E°ProBAS systems in steel mills globally, 100+ pharma/biotech automation projects, and control systems for the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center and Frankfurt Airport refueling infrastructure.

The company operates through a direct enterprise sales motion supported by wholly-owned subsidiaries in Beijing (2010) and Shanghai (2014) for the Chinese market, and Eckelmann North America LLC in Houston, Texas (2024) for the US market, alongside German operations in Wiesbaden, Erfurt (REX Automatisierungstechnik), Bad Wörishofen and Dorsten (MicroStep-related), and a Czech subsidiary (Eckelmann s.r.o.). Revenue derives from project-based custom automation contracts (multi-year), software licensing/subscription (FactoryWare, E°CUT), hardware sales (controllers, drives, energy storage), and lifecycle management and smart service contracts. Eckelmann holds extensive regulatory certifications (ISO 9001, ISO 13485, DIN EN 62304, GMP/GAMP 5, CE, UL, UKCA, TÜV) that enable entry into regulated industries where switching costs and qualification cycles create natural barriers to entry. The firm is led by CEO Philipp Eckelmann (since November 2021) and Dr.-Ing. Marco Münchhof, with Volker Kugel overseeing Automation Projects on the Executive Board, and operates the Eckelmann Academy for internal and external training.

Name

ECKELMANN AG

Legal name

Eckelmann AG

Website

https://eckelmann.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Eckelmann AG is a German industrial automation and digitalization specialist that designs, manufactures, and integrates proprietary hardware and software automation systems — including CNC controls, real-time steel mill controllers, energy storage, and FactoryWare software — for enterprise customers across pharma, steel, cutting, refrigeration, and other regulated industrial verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Systems

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512), Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (33324)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Controllers & Control Systems (PLCs, PACs, CNC Controllers) (IMAHAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian) (IMAHAHAJ), Motion & Machine Control (CNC, Robotics Controllers, Servo/Motion Controllers) (IMAGABAG), Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits) (IMAGABAK)

Keywords

• Industrial automation solutions
• Machine automation systems
• CNC control systems
• Process control software
• Factory automation hardware

Headquarters

HQ city

Wiesbaden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Automation Systems: Design, development, and implementation of customized hardware and software automation solutions for industrial applications. Includes engineering, integration, commissioning, and lifecycle management services.
2. Software Products: Software products including FactoryWare suite, E°CUT controls, E°MILL HMI/PLC, CAD/CAM systems (cncCUT/E°CAM), and vision software products sold as licenses and subscriptions.
3. Control Systems and Hardware: Control systems, drive controllers, energy storage solutions, refrigeration controllers, panels and IPCs, motors, and accessory hardware products.
4. Lifecycle Management and Smart Service: Ongoing support, maintenance, remote diagnostics, on-site service, spare parts, and lifecycle management services including service contracts.
5. Training Services: Eckelmann Academy provides training programs for external guests on machine automation and refrigeration control technology topics, including certifications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Eckelmann AG is an industrial machine automation solutions provider delivering combined hardware, firmware, and application software systems for industrial manufacturers and machine builders. The company designs and manufactures CNC cutting automation controls (E°CUT), high-performance real-time control systems for steelworks (E°ProBAS), energy storage and servo systems (E°Darc), refrigeration and building management solutions (Virtus LINE), and the FactoryWare software suite for batch processes, data analytics, digital twins, and vision-based inspection, complemented by lifecycle management, smart service, and training.

Product overview

ECKELMANN AG is an industrial automation and digitalization company offering a platform-plus-modules architecture combining hardware and software solutions. The core product families include: E°CUT (CNC cutting automation packages for plasma, laser, oxyfuel, waterjet), E°ProBAS (high-performance steelworks control), E°Darc (energy storage and servo systems), and FactoryWare (software portfolio including Batch, Data Analytics, Virtual Replica/Digital Twin, and Vision Products). Supporting product lines cover Leitsysteme (management/control systems), Virtus LINE for refrigeration and building automation, and Vision Based Control. The portfolio also includes application software (E°MILL HMI/SPS, cncCUT/E°CAM CAD/CAM), safety controllers (E°SLC 89), and the E°CI inspection series. Products span machine automation, building management, and Industry 4.0 solutions for 20+ industries including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, food/beverage, and sheet metal processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FactoryWare: Software product line including FactoryWare Batch, FactoryWare Data Analytics, FactoryWare Virtual Replica (Digital Twin), and Vision Products FactoryWare
• E°CUT
• E°ProBAS
• E°Darc
• Virtus Line
• cncCUT
• E°CAM
• Vision AI
• E°CI Series
• E°MILL
• Eckelmann Academy

Products and services

• E°CUT CNC Cutting Automation Complete CNC automation package for cutting machines supporting plasma, laser, oxyfuel, and waterjet cutting, including E°CUT HMI, PLC, E°EXC89 controller, and CAD/CAM integration. Available in Elements (light industrial), ECO (high-definition), and PRO (high-end/combination machine) variants for OEM machine builders and system integrators.
• E°ProBAS Steelworks & Rolling Mill Control System High-performance real-time control system for steelworks and rolling mills. Handles automated following control with precision over rolling forces and tension, supporting modernization from casting to coil systems. Over 1000 E°ProBAS systems deployed worldwide in the steel industry.
• E°Darc Energy Storage & Servo System Modular servo system and energy storage solution with capacitor modules for drive systems up to 600 kW nominal power. Supports Electric Buffering enabling up to 40% energy and CO2 emission savings for industrial drive applications.
• FactoryWare Software Suite Comprehensive industrial software portfolio including FactoryWare Batch for dosing and mixing processes, FactoryWare Data Analytics for monitoring and optimization, FactoryWare Virtual Replica for digital twin simulation and virtual commissioning, and Vision Products FactoryWare for image processing and logistics tracking.
• E°MILL HMI/PLC HMI/PLC solution for machine automation applications as part of the machine automation product portfolio, used by machine builders for visualization and control.
• Virtus LINE Refrigeration & Building Management Digital solutions for refrigeration and building automation, including Virtus Caelum Cloud for remote service, Virtus Tectum Grid building management system, and LDSWin software for energy-efficient control and monitoring of refrigeration systems, cold rooms, refrigerated cabinets, and facilities.
• Leitsysteme (Management Systems) Customized control and management systems for critical infrastructure including data centers, power plants, and airport refueling systems. Multi-user management systems for production line management, including the third-generation high-availability control system for the 60km aircraft refueling pipeline at Frankfurt Airport.
• Vision Based Control Vision-based control systems for industrial automation under the Vision AI Task Force innovation unit, including the E°CI Series for automated counting, anomaly detection, and quality control, supporting up to 100% inspection in seconds.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 40% energy and CO2 emission savings with E°Darc DCB electric buffering
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RheinMain University of Applied Sciences (HSRM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 October 2024Research partnership in IAMCool project - AI-supported predictive anomaly detection for refrigeration systems. Eckelmann serves as sparring partner contributing expertise in refrigeration and building control technology. Project funded by German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with high six-figure sum over three years. Goal is to develop automation in cold chain monitoring to prevent food waste in supermarkets.
• IBE Software GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired in 2018 following cooperation since 2011. Develops CAD/CAM software (cncCUT/E°CAM) for sheet metal processing, integrated into E°CUT solution package.
• Ferrocontrol Steuerungssysteme GmbH & Co.KGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired in 2006, renamed to Eckelmann FCS GmbH. Provides drive electronics, E°Darc energy storage solutions, and safety controllers including E°SLC 89.
• REX Automatisierungstechnik GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined Eckelmann Group in 2012 following long-term partnership. Specializes in automation for special machinery sector.
• Taunus Elektro Bau Ceská, s.r.o (now Eckelmann s.r.o.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired in 2008, focuses on manufacturing electrical accessories for refrigeration units.
• Chancenwerk e.V.minorOthersSocial responsibility partnership supporting educational opportunities for children and young people to overcome educational barriers.
• TU Darmstadt (Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with annual prize awarded for best degree at ETiT department, presented by board member at graduation ceremony.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bosch Rexroth: German automation and drive-technology incumbent with ctrlX, IndraDrive, and comprehensive factory-automation offerings. Overlaps with Eckelmann in drives, motion control, and machine-automation software.
• Siemens Digital Industries: Global industrial-automation incumbent spanning SIMATIC controllers, SINUMERIK CNC, SIMOTION, SCADA, and drives. Broadly competes with Eckelmann in CNC, controllers, and industrial software but at vastly greater scale.
• Weidmüller: German industrial-connectivity and automation vendor offering controllers, I/O, and supporting control products for machinery and process customers. Comparable in industrial-automation focus and German mid-market heritage to Eckelmann.

Direct peers

• Beckhoff Automation: German mid-sized automation vendor offering PC-based control, PLCs, drives, and CNC kits under TwinCAT. Closely comparable to Eckelmann's PLC, CNC, and servo/motion portfolio across machine-builder customers, with a similar private, family-controlled mid-market position.
• B&R Industrial Automation (ABB): Austrian-origin machine-automation specialist acquired by ABB, offering controllers, HMI, drives, and integrated machine software. Direct overlap with Eckelmann's machine-automation portfolio for OEMs and special-machine builders in Europe.
• Sigmatek: Austrian mid-market automation vendor providing PLCs, HMI, motion control, and safety under the LASAL software platform. Comparable in size, vertical focus, and integrated hardware+software approach to Eckelmann.
• Pilz: German safety-automation specialist with PNOZ, PSS 4000, and related controllers plus industrial automation offerings. Directly comparable in safety controllers (vs Eckelmann's E°SLC 89) and in regulated-machine customer base.
• Bachmann Electronic: Austrian industrial automation vendor offering controllers, HMI, and drive solutions, with strength in wind, marine, and machinery. Closely comparable in size and integrated controller/software positioning to Eckelmann.
• Carel: Italian manufacturer of refrigeration and HVAC control solutions, including controllers, cloud platforms, and humidification. Direct overlap with Eckelmann's Virtus Line refrigeration and building-automation product family.
• Wurm Elektronik: German refrigeration-controls specialist serving supermarket and cold-chain operators with system central stations and field controllers. Most direct comparable to the Eckelmann Virtus Line product family.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/EckelmannAG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eckelmann-ag

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries7 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 ECKELMANN AG