What CAPTRON does

CAPTRON Electronic GmbH is a privately held German manufacturer of capacitive sensor switches and sensor systems founded in 1983 and headquartered in Olching, Bavaria. The company self-describes as the world market leader for capacitive sensor switches and offers a portfolio spanning the CANEO series (capacitive switches with IO-Link connectivity for HMI), the CHT series (stainless steel hygienic switches for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical applications), the HWT and series SR stop request buttons for public transport (ECE-R107.8 and TSI-PRM compliant), level sensors, optical sensors including TCP calibration sensors for collaborative robots, and LED signalling units. Under the CAPTRON Solutions sub-brand, the company sells the oneGRID pick-by-light platform, the ISAC mobile pick-by-light system using computer vision, and the PickCart smart picking cart for warehouse intralogistics. CAPTRON also offers plug-and-play URCap software for Universal Robots cobots under a UR+ partnership.

The company serves a diversified enterprise customer base across multiple verticals including public transport/bus, food and beverage, industrial automation and robotics, intralogistics/e-commerce, medical and pharmaceutical, heavy-duty and off-road vehicles, and building technology. It operates four regional entities (Germany HQ, Poland software competence center in Poznań established 2020, USA via CAPTRON North America LP, and China covering Greater China), and sells through a combination of direct enterprise field sales, regional distributors (e.g., Telestar S.r.l. in Italy), and the Universal Robots UR+ marketplace. Pricing is quote-based with multi-year contracts; revenue streams include hardware sales across sensor and pick-by-light categories and software licensing (URCap). The company holds EHEDG and FDA 21 CFR Part 11 certifications for hygienic applications and emphasizes 'Quality Made in Bavaria' as a brand positioning. Leadership transitioned in January 2022 to a dual management structure under Philip Bellm (CEO) and Albrecht Hohenadl (CFO/COO), with founders Reinhard and Petra Bellm moving to the Supervisory Board and Dr. Klaus Feix joining as an outside board member.

Name

CAPTRON

Legal name

CAPTRON Electronic GmbH

Website

https://captron.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CAPTRON Electronic GmbH is a privately held German manufacturer of capacitive sensor switches, optical sensors, and pick-by-light warehouse systems serving public transport, food and beverage, robotics, and intralogistics customers across Europe, North America, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Olching

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sensor Products: Sale of capacitive sensor switches, level sensors, optical sensors, LED signaling units, and related hardware products for industrial automation, public transport, and logistics applications
2. Pick-by-Light Systems: Complete pick-by-light solutions including oneGRID hardware (LED strips, controllers, pick-acknowledge units) and software for warehouse management integration
3. ISAC Mobile Picking System: Sale of ISAC mobile pick-by-light system with integrated hardware and software components for logistics and e-commerce companies
4. URCap Software: URCap software licensing for automatic TCP calibration on Universal Robots cobots, sold as standalone software or bundled with optical sensors

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CAPTRON designs, manufactures, and sells capacitive sensor switches and related sensor systems for human-machine interfaces, level measurement, optical object detection, LED signaling, and intralogistics. The portfolio includes the CANEO, CHT, and HWT series of capacitive switches; series SR stop request buttons for public transport; two-hand safety controls; level and optical sensors (including TCP calibration sensors for robotics); and the oneGRID pick-by-light platform with the mobile ISAC system under the CAPTRON Solutions sub-brand. Products are configured per customer requirements and offered with IO-Link integration for industrial automation, public transport, food/beverage, and warehouse-logistics applications.

Product overview

CAPTRON is a world market leader for capacitive sensor switches and manufacturer of high-quality sensors for level measurement, optical object detection, and LED signaling. The product portfolio centers on the CANEO series (capacitive switches with IO-Link for HMI), the CHT series (hygienic design switches for food/pharmaceutical), HWT/series SR (public transport stop request buttons), Two-Hand Control safety switches, Level Sensors (CAPselect-configurable probes), Optical Sensors (fork sensors and TCP calibration for robotics), and LED Signalling units. The CAPTRON Solutions subsidiary offers the oneGRID intralogistics platform comprising ISAC (mobile pick-by-light with computer vision), PickCart (smart picking carts), and Put-Wall systems for warehouse automation. All products emphasize 'Quality made in Bavaria' with IO-Link connectivity enabling Industry 4.0 integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CAPTRON Solutions: A division/subsidiary focused on intralogistics solutions including pick-by-light systems, mobile picking solutions like ISAC, and warehouse management technology.
• oneGRID

Products and services

• CANEO series capacitive sensor switches Capacitive sensor switches with IO-Link connectivity for HMI applications, featuring programmable sensitivity, multiple interface options (PNP, NPN, IO-Link), and RGB-LED configurations. Intended for industrial machinery, bus interiors, food/beverage, and medical/pharmaceutical applications.
• CANEO series4x Display HMI display with button function and IO-Link for automated manufacturing; displays numbers, letters, and color-coded status signals, integrating with PLC systems. Used by automation integrators for process status visualization, with GEFASOFT deploying 40 displays for USB removal stations.
• CANEO series10 (hygienic stainless-steel capacitive switch) Stainless-steel capacitive sensor switch for HMI and hygienic applications, water-resistant, configurable via IO-Link, with illuminated symbols. Targeted at food, beverage, and medical/pharmaceutical cleanroom environments.
• series SR (Stop Request Button and door opener) ECE-R107.8 and TSI-PRM compliant capacitive stop request button and door opener for buses and rail vehicles, combining hold request and door opening in one vandal-proof, maintenance-free device with several hundred million switching cycles. Used by bus manufacturers and public transport operators for accessible passenger interfaces.
• CHT series capacitive sensor switches Capacitive sensor switches available in multiple sub-series (CHT1 through CHT9) for general HMI applications, including compact stainless-steel switches, robust industrial switches, foot switches, and hygienic design variants. Deployed in cleanroom systems by partners such as Ortner Reinraumtechnik.
• HWT series hold-request buttons Capacitive touch sensors for touch-free hold request operation in buses and rail vehicles, including HWT2 (with series SR integrated) and HWT3 variants. Targeted at public transport vehicle builders and operators.
• Two-Hand Control safety switches (SC3x, SL3x, SC4) Safety-rated capacitive two-hand control switches (SC30, SL3x, SC4) for safe and ergonomic machine operation. SC30 meets the highest safety standards. Used on machinery requiring two-hand safety actuation.
• Level sensors (CAPselect-configurable probes) CAPselect-configurable capacitive level measurement probes including compact probes, external probes, oil probes, and special versions for industrial automation and process applications.
• Optical sensors (OGLW, ORL, OGL) Fork sensors and laser measurement units for object detection in industrial automation, including TCP (Tool Center Point) calibration sensors with URCap software integration for collaborative robot calibration and dispensing/welding applications.
• URCap TCP Calibration Software Plug-and-play URCap software for automatic TCP calibration on Universal Robots cobots, providing predefined motion sequences and control commands; certified by UR and offering 0.01 mm reproducibility for dispensing, welding, and gluing applications.
• LED signalling units Long-lasting, robust LED indicators including CANEO series10 Signal, CML1, CTL1, CDL1, CSA5, and CSL6 for industrial, machine status, and hygienic environment applications.
• oneGRID Pick-by-Light platform Intralogistics platform combining hardware (LED strips, controllers, pick-acknowledge units) and software for pick-by-light, put-to-light, and PickCart applications, supporting up to 80 storage locations per controller and integrating with ERP and WMS systems. Delivers up to 50% picking performance increase and 0% error rates.
• ISAC Mobile Pick-by-Light System World's first mobile pick-by-light system using computer vision and laser spotlight technology; uses camera input to orient itself via codes and create centimeter-accurate 3D digital maps of the warehouse, guiding pickers via light beam without complex hardware installation.
• PickCart smart picking cart Battery-powered smart picking cart for multi-order picking with display, LED light strips, and route-optimized guidance, designed for full-shift operation; integrates with WMS to deliver a 0% error rate target.
• oneGRID Put-Wall system Put-to-light system for e-commerce order consolidation and sorting processes, offering high put performance and flexibility with seamless integration into existing warehouse systems.
• Accessories (connection cables, relays, amplifiers, protection elements, mounting technology) Supporting products including connection cables, relays and amplifiers, protection elements, and mounting technology needed to install and integrate CAPTRON sensor and signaling systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 50% increase in picking performance compared to conventional order picking
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability7 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Universal Robots A/ScoreTechnology or Integration · 14 November 2024Official UR+ partnership making CAPTRON TCP Calibration Sensors available on the Universal Robots marketplace for collaborative robot arms. Sensors are designed for dispensing and welding applications with 0.01 mm reproducibility and include plug-and-play URCap software for simplified integration. Partnership aims to drive innovation in collaborative robotics and enhance automation capabilities.
• Ortner Reinraumtechnik GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationOrtner integrates CAPTRON capacitive sensors including CHT1 and CANEO series10 into cleanroom systems including JET personnel air locks, Comfort S6 transfer hatches, and DecAx cleanroom systems for pharmaceutical, biotech, and food production applications.
• Telestar S.r.l.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian distributor representing CAPTRON at SPS Parma trade fair. Handles sales and distribution of CAPTRON products in the Italian market.
• BVL e.V. (Bundesvereinigung Logistik)minorOthersCAPTRON has been a member of the logistics network of Bundesvereinigung Logistik since January 2021, supporting industry networking and knowledge exchange.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Turck: German privately held manufacturer of sensors, IO-Link interfaces, and connectivity for factory automation. Comparable to CAPTRON in industrial sensor categories, IO-Link integration, and Mittelstand private ownership structure.
• Wenglor Sensoric: German family-owned sensor manufacturer specializing in photoelectric, inductive, capacitive, and ultrasonic sensors, plus machine vision for industrial automation. Comparable to CAPTRON on capacitive sensing, German Mittelstand heritage, and factory-automation customer focus.
• Balluff: Family-owned German manufacturer of sensors, IO-Link connectivity, and industrial networking. Comparable to CAPTRON on capacitive and inductive sensing, IO-Link strategy, and private Mittelstand positioning, with comparable vertical coverage in factory automation.
• IFM Electronic: Privately held German manufacturer of position sensors, capacitive sensors, and IO-Link connectivity for industrial automation. Comparable to CAPTRON in product mix, German Mittelstand DNA, mid-market enterprise focus, and emphasis on IO-Link-enabled devices.
• Banner Engineering: Privately held US manufacturer of industrial sensors, LED lighting, and machine safety products. Comparable to CAPTRON on capacitive and photoelectric sensing, LED signaling portfolio, and mid-market industrial customer base, with stronger North American footprint.
• Schmersal: German safety switch and HMI manufacturer offering two-hand control devices, safety sensors, and operator interfaces. Direct overlap with CAPTRON's SC3x/SL3x/SC4 two-hand control product line and similar industrial safety customer base.
• EAO: Swiss-headquartered HMI components specialist producing pushbuttons, capacitive switches, and operator interface devices for public transport, industrial, and medical markets. Closely comparable to CAPTRON on HMI components, public transport vertical, and rugged capacitive switch portfolio.
• Pepperl+Fuchs: German-headquartered manufacturer of industrial sensors, including capacitive and inductive proximity sensors, with deep penetration in factory automation and process industries. Closely comparable to CAPTRON on product category, customer base (industrial OEMs and integrators), and engineering heritage, though larger in scale.

Broad incumbents

• SICK AG: Larger German-based global leader in industrial sensors, including photoelectric, proximity, and ultrasonic sensors used in factory and logistics automation. Overlaps with CAPTRON in industrial sensor categories and target customers but operates at significantly greater scale across a broader portfolio.
• Omron Industrial Automation: Large Japanese-owned automation vendor offering a broad portfolio that includes capacitive and proximity sensors, vision systems, and safety components. Overlaps with CAPTRON's sensor and HMI categories but competes as a full-stack automation incumbent rather than a capacitive specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/captron_en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CaptronElectronic
• Facebookfacebook.com/captron.electronic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/captron-electronic-gmbh

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 CAPTRON