AFT

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.

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

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

• Adiabatic cooling systems
• Evaporative cooling solutions
• High-pressure humidification
• Industrial cooling equipment
• Air humidification systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Zirndorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core 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.

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCsmBqyq8mcCsUEgYWNRyW9w
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/aft-gmbh-&-co.-kg

Compliance2 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 AFT