PALUX

What PALUX does

PALUX Aktiengesellschaft is a privately held German manufacturer of professional kitchen equipment, founded in 1929 and headquartered in Bad Mergentheim, Germany, with a secondary regional presence in Oftringen, Switzerland via its sister brand Salvis (operating since 1921). The company employs 251–500 people and operates under the corporate umbrella of GUSTATUS Holding GmbH (founded 2002).

The firm's product portfolio is organized into two layers: kitchen lines (Topline, FunctionLine, Maître, X-Line, and K-Line, the latter with approximately 280 combinable thermal components) and standalone devices including combi steamers (Touch 'n' Steam), pressure steamers (Print Steamer, reducing cooking time by up to 70%), hot air ovens (Menu Master), fryers (Fry Star), salamander broilers (Salamander VarioLift), countertop units (Cook'n Roll), built-in drop-in modules (X-Line Drop-In, 40+ variants), and vacuum sealing systems (GreenVAC). Proprietary technologies include the KCI Touchscreen internet-enabled control, GreenVAC reusable-container vacuum sealing, and the SteamTeam/Prima Clima steam-generation platform. Manufacturing remains in Germany with recent capital investment in Trumpf TruBend/TruMatic equipment (2016), and the company markets a 'Made in Germany' quality positioning reinforced by design awards (e.g., Red Dot 2012 for Touch 'n' Steam).

PALUX sells B2B through direct custom-planning for large enterprise projects, an authorized service-partner network across DACH, and specialist retail partners, with quote-based pricing for bespoke kitchen solutions. Customer segments span professional catering and institutional kitchens, upscale hotels and fine-dining restaurants, company canteens, and mobile/action catering. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

PALUX

Legal name

PALUX Aktiengesellschaft

Website

https://palux.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

PALUX is a German manufacturer (founded 1929) of professional kitchen equipment — full kitchen lines and thermal devices such as pressure steamers, combi steamers, fryers, and salamanders — sold B2B to caterers, hotels, restaurants, and institutional kitchens across the DACH region and Switzerland via the Salvis brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Kitchen Equipment

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)

akta.pro primary industry

Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale (AFAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food Preparation Equipment & Smallwares Wholesale (AFAIALAK)

Keywords

• Commercial kitchen equipment
• Professional cooking systems
• Steam cooking technology
• Modular kitchen lines
• Food service equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Bad Mergentheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Kitchen Equipment Sales: PALUX generates revenue through the sale of professional kitchen equipment including cooking ranges, steamers, fryers, and modular kitchen systems to commercial kitchens, catering businesses, and hospitality establishments

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

PALUX develops, manufactures and sells professional kitchen equipment 'Made in Germany', ranging from individual cooking devices (steamers, fryers, salamanders, pressure cookers, vacuum sealers) to complete modular kitchen lines and custom-designed premium range systems. The portfolio targets commercial kitchens, catering operations, hotels, restaurants, and institutional food service customers across DACH and Switzerland (via the Salvis brand), supported by direct sales, specialist planners, and an authorized service partner network.

Product overview

PALUX AG is a manufacturer of professional kitchen technology 'Made in Germany' based in Bad Mergentheim, operating since 1929. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized into two main categories: kitchen lines and individual devices. The kitchen lines include five distinct systems—Topline (premium), FunctionLine (modular), Maître (custom premium), X-Line (design-focused), and K-Line (high-output modular)—each tailored to different professional kitchen requirements. The individual device portfolio encompasses specialized equipment including combi steamers (Touch 'n' Steam), pressure steamers (Print Steamer), fryers (Fry Star), salamanders (VarioLift), countertop appliances (Cook'n Roll), vacuum sealing systems (GreenVAC), hot air ovens (Menu Master), and built-in drop-in modules (X-Line Drop-In). The company also incorporates Salvis, a Swiss professional kitchen technology brand, under the combined PALUX & Salvis umbrella. Products are designed and manufactured in Germany with emphasis on durability, hygiene, energy efficiency, and innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Topline: Kitchen line series; flagship product line introduced in 1994, celebrating 25 years in 2019.
• FunctionLine
• Maître
• X-Line
• K-Line
• Touch 'n' Steam
• Print Steamer
• Fry Star
• Salamander VarioLift
• Cook'n Roll
• Menu Master
• GreenVAC

Quantifiable outcome

• Cooking time reduction up to 70% compared to conventional methods with pressure steaming technology
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• VdF – Association of Specialist PlannersminorOthersProfessional association membership supporting specialist planners in the food service industry. Provides networking and industry recognition for PALUX products among professional kitchen planners.
• FCSI – Foodservice Consultants Society InternationalminorOthersInternational professional association for foodservice consultants. Membership supports PALUX visibility among international foodservice planning professionals.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Middleby Corporation: US-based diversified conglomerate of commercial and residential cooking brands (Convotherm, TurboChef, Celfrost, etc.). Indirect/portfolio-level competition with PALUX across cooking and combi-steamer segments globally.
• Hoshizaki Europe: Japanese-headquartered global manufacturer of commercial refrigeration, ice and cooking equipment. Competes with PALUX in professional kitchens across Europe with broader product breadth.

Emerging players

• UNOX S.p.A. Italian combi oven manufacturer with strong design and rapid growth in professional baking/cooking. Emerging competitor pressing PALUX's premium positioning in fine-dining/catering segment across Europe.

Direct peers

• Winterhalter Gastronom: German dishwasher and warewashing specialist with growing professional kitchen equipment portfolio. German DACH competitor to PALUX in commercial kitchens with overlapping customer base (hotels, catering, restaurants).
• Convotherm (Welbilt/Ali Group): German-engineered combi oven manufacturer owned by Ali Group. Directly competes with PALUX Touch 'n' Steam combi steamer in professional kitchens, with stronger global distribution reach.
• Hobart (Illinois Tool Works): US-based manufacturer of commercial food preparation, cooking and warewashing equipment. Competes with PALUX's X-Line, K-Line, FryStar and Topline families in the full professional kitchen equipment category.
• Electrolux Professional: Swedish-headquartered global manufacturer of professional food service, laundry and beverage equipment. Direct competitor across cooking ranges, combi ovens, fryers and modular kitchen lines for hotels, restaurants and institutional catering.
• MKN Maschinenfabrik Kurt Neuburger: German manufacturer of professional kitchen systems (Flexline, Optima, Hero). Closest direct competitor to PALUX among privately held German full-line kitchen systems specialists, especially in Topline/Maître category.
• Rational AG: German-based global leader in combi steamers and professional cooking technology. Directly competes with PALUX in combi steamers (Touch 'n' Steam), pressure steamers (Print Steamer) and complete kitchen solutions targeting professional kitchens, hotels and catering.
• Miele Professional: German premium manufacturer of commercial laundry, dishwashing and kitchen/cooking systems. Overlaps with PALUX in professional cooking systems and shared DACH premium-segment positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/palux-ag
• Instagraminstagram.com/palux.ag

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 PALUX