AFT
AFT is a German industrial technology company that designs and manufactures adiabatic cooling and high-pressure humidification systems using proprietary 40–100 bar atomization technology for industrial, commercial, and data-center applications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersZirndorf, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What AFT does
AFT is a German industrial technology company, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Zirndorf (relocated from Oberasbach), that develops and manufactures adiabatic cooling and high-pressure humidification systems. The company is organized as a GmbH & Co. KG and remains founder-led under Holger Michelbach, with a headcount in the 11–50 employee band. Its core technology is high-pressure atomization at 40–100 bar, which produces micro-fine water droplets of 1–12 μm, increasing the water surface area by roughly 850x and enabling evaporation with as little as 25 W per liter of water. Capacity range spans 50 kW to 50 MW across product families including ECO, HYFOG, and HYFOG IQ pressure stations, zirconia-ceramic spray nozzles, the MobiVent mobile unit, and the Sonic brand.
The product portfolio is applied across data centers, industrial manufacturing, HVAC, recooling, supply and exhaust air cooling, and animal housing. Reference customers include Airbus, Audi, BASF, Bayer, Siemens, Volkswagen, Nestlé, P&G, DHL, Equinix, Bombardier, Magna, Freudenberg, Fraunhofer, bofrost, and RUAG, indicating deployments across automotive, chemicals, FMCG, logistics, aerospace, and digital infrastructure verticals. TÜV hygiene certification and CE marking support sales into regulated indoor-air-quality applications.
AFT makes money through direct sales of engineered systems, expert consultation, full installation, kit-format systems for self-installation, and an e-commerce webshop (aft-shop.de) for spare parts and consumables, including replacement parts for competing humidification systems. Pricing is materially below conventional chiller-based cooling at both capex (~€14,000 vs ~€100,000) and opex (~€1,000/year vs ~€30,000/year), positioning the offering as a lower-total-cost alternative for buyers prioritizing energy efficiency and reduced refrigerant load.
AFT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AFT
- Legal name
- AFT GmbH u. Co. KG
- Website
- https://adiabatekuehlung.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- AFT is a German industrial technology company that designs and manufactures adiabatic cooling and high-pressure humidification systems using proprietary 40–100 bar atomization technology for industrial, commercial, and data-center applications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AFT industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Cooling Systems
- NAICS
- Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413)
- SIC
- Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Chillers & Cooling Plant Equipment (IMAHAKAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers) (IMAHAEAC)
Keywords
Where AFT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zirndorf
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
AFT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Adiabatic Cooling Systems: Sale of complete adiabatic cooling systems including high-pressure pump stations, spray nozzles, piping, and control systems for industrial and commercial cooling applications. Systems range from 50 kW to 50 MW cooling capacity.
- Mobile Evaporative Cooling Units: Sale of mobile cooling units (MobiVent product line) for flexible deployment in production areas, data centers, and warehouses without permanent installation requirements.
- Installation and Commissioning Services: Full installation services including water treatment systems and control technology, as well as expert planning and consultation from design through commissioning.
- Spare Parts and Components: Sale of individual components including pump modules, nozzles, pipes, and fittings. Also provides replacement parts for competing high-pressure humidification systems.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Complete adiabatic cooling systems (retrofit or new installation) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Mobile adiabatic cooling units (MobiVent) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Kit/Component systems for self-installation |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
AFT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AFT develops, manufactures, and installs adiabatic (evaporative) cooling and high-pressure humidification systems for industrial and commercial customers. The company sells complete systems—including high-pressure pump stations, zirconia-ceramic spray nozzles, piping, and control systems—as well as mobile cooling units and spare parts, covering cooling capacities from 50 kW to 50 MW. Services span planning, on-site assessment, installation, and commissioning.
Product overview
AFT is a German industrial technology company specializing in adiabatic (evaporative) cooling and high-pressure humidification systems. The product portfolio centers on adiabatic cooling technology utilizing high-pressure atomization (Hochdruckzerstäubung), covering cooling capacities from 50 kW to 50 MW. Core products include pressure stations (Druckstation) in three variants—ECO, HYFOG, and HYFOG IQ—that generate pressures up to 100 bar; specialized spray nozzles and lances with bore sizes from 0.08 mm producing micron-scale droplets; and mobile evaporative cooling units. Brands within the portfolio include Sonic and Mobivent. Applications span adiabatic recooling for heat exchangers, supply/exhaust air cooling for HVAC systems, direct hall cooling, outdoor cooling, and animal housing cooling. AFT offers complete service from planning to commissioning, plus DIY kit options and individual replacement parts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sonic: High-pressure humidification brand introduced by AFT for air humidification and adiabatic cooling solutions.
- Mobivent
Products and services
- Adiabatic Cooling Systems Main product line comprising complete systems for adiabatic cooling using high-pressure atomization, covering power ranges from 50 kW to 50 MW. Systems cool ambient air through water evaporation without mechanical refrigeration and are sold to industrial and commercial customers.
- Druckstation (Pressure Station for Adiabatic Cooling) High-pressure pump systems that generate atomization pressure for adiabatic cooling. Available in three categories: ECO (up to 20 bar), HYFOG (up to 100 bar), and HYFOG IQ (variable capacity for multiple consumers). Delivery ranges from 50 l/h to 3000 l/h. CE certified.
- Spray Nozzles and Lances (Spraydüsen & Lanzen) Fine mist spray nozzles made from zirconia ceramic with bore sizes from 0.08 mm that atomize liquid at 40-80 bar pressure. Produce 1-12 µm fine droplets with 850x surface area increase for rapid evaporation.
- Mobile Evaporative Cooling (MobiVent) Mobile evaporative cooling system providing up to 35 kW cooling capacity from 1 kW drive power. Portable units with mist nozzles and axial fans for zone-specific cooling without permanent installation.
- Adiabatic Recooling System System for adiabatic recooling of heat exchangers using high-pressure mist injection. Applicable to dry coolers and condensing units, allowing coolant temperatures below ambient temperature. Can be retrofitted to existing cooling towers or installed as new systems.
- Adiabatic Supply Air Cooling Cooling supply air through ventilation ducts by injecting cooling mist into the air stream. Can also be installed outside the supply air duct at the air intake.
- Adiabatic Direct Cooling In-room or hall cooling using axial fans equipped with atomization nozzles to distribute evaporative cooling homogeneously without a ventilation system.
- Adiabatic Outdoor Cooling Outdoor area cooling using fine water mist that evaporates in air, reducing temperatures by up to 15°C. Suitable for terraces, outdoor dining, and event spaces.
- Stable Cooling for Animal Housing Adiabatic cooling system for livestock facilities to reduce heat stress in animals, improve breeding success, and control dust and odors.
- Spare Parts and Components (via AFT Webshop) Sale of individual components including pump modules, nozzles, pipes, and fittings through the AFT webshop. Also provides replacement parts for competing high-pressure humidification systems.
- Installation and Commissioning Services Full installation services including water treatment systems and control technology, plus expert planning and consultation from design through commissioning. Includes DIY kit systems for customers who prefer self-installation with telephone support.
Companies that use AFT
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
AFT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
AFT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AFT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Trane Technologies: Trane Technologies is a global HVAC major offering chillers, air-side systems, and increasingly adiabatic/evaporative pre-cooling solutions — a much larger incumbent competing across AFT's industrial and commercial cooling verticals with broader product breadth.
- Stulz: Stulz is a Hamburg-based global provider of precision cooling and air-conditioning for data centers and telecommunications — operating in the same end markets as AFT (including Equinix-style data center customers) but with a broader portfolio of chiller-based precision cooling solutions rather than specialized adiabatic technology.
- Carrier Global Corporation: Carrier is a global HVAC and refrigeration major offering chillers, air-handling units, and integrated cooling systems for industrial and commercial customers — a broad incumbent whose portfolio overlaps AFT's end markets and could expand into adiabatic technology at scale.
Direct peers
- Munters: Munters is a global leader in evaporative cooling and humidity control solutions, with product lines spanning adiabatic cooling, air humidification, and dehumidification across data center, industrial, and commercial markets — directly competing with AFT in adiabatic pre-cooling for dry coolers and humidification.
- Güntner: Güntner is a German-based manufacturer of heat exchangers, dry coolers, and adiabatic cooling systems for refrigeration and HVAC — directly competitive with AFT in adiabatic pre-cooling of dry coolers and recoolers within the German industrial market.
- Condair: Condair (formerly Carel humidification division) is one of the world's largest manufacturers of industrial and commercial air humidification systems, including high-pressure nozzle-based adiabatic humidifiers — directly comparable to AFT's Hochdruckzerstäubung product family across DACH and global markets.
- EVAPCO: EVAPCO is a leading global manufacturer of evaporative cooling equipment including adiabatic coolers, closed-circuit coolers, and ice storage systems — directly competitive with AFT in industrial and HVAC cooling applications using evaporative technology.
- Carel Industries: Carel Industries designs and manufactures control solutions and humidification systems for HVAC, refrigeration, and industrial applications, including high-pressure adiabatic humidifiers — comparable to AFT in industrial humidification and adiabatic cooling technology.
- BAC (Baltimore Aircoil Company): BAC manufactures evaporative cooling towers, adiabatic fluid coolers, and ice thermal storage systems serving HVAC and industrial process cooling — directly overlapping AFT's retrofit and new-installation value proposition for dry coolers and recooling applications.
- SPX Cooling Technologies: SPX Cooling Technologies (now part of SPX Technologies) manufactures cooling towers, evaporative condensers, and air-cooled heat exchangers for industrial and HVAC markets — overlapping AFT in industrial evaporative cooling and recooling applications.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AFT social profiles
Digital presenceAFT compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
AFT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AFT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
AFT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AFT 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 AFT
What does AFT do?
AFT develops, manufactures, and installs adiabatic (evaporative) cooling and high-pressure humidification systems for industrial and commercial customers. The company sells complete systems—including high-pressure pump stations, zirconia-ceramic spray nozzles, piping, and control systems—as well as mobile cooling units and spare parts, covering cooling capacities from 50 kW to 50 MW. Services span planning, on-site assessment, installation, and commissioning.
Is AFT a public or private company?
AFT is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was AFT founded?
AFT was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is AFT based?
AFT is headquartered in Zirndorf, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does AFT make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Adiabatic Cooling Systems are the primary driver. The others are mobile Evaporative Cooling Units, installation and Commissioning Services and spare Parts and Components.
Who are AFT's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Trane Technologies, Stulz and Carrier Global Corporation. Direct peers are Munters, Güntner, Condair, EVAPCO, Carel Industries, BAC (Baltimore Aircoil Company) and SPX Cooling Technologies.
Does AFT have an API?
No public API is recorded for AFT.
What industry is AFT in?
AFT's product category is Industrial Cooling Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAKAE, Chillers & Cooling Plant Equipment, with a secondary code of IMAHAEAC, Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers). Its NAICS code is 333415 and its SIC code is 3585.