What Forplan does

Forplan AG is a privately held, family-owned Swiss industrial equipment manufacturer founded in 1992 by Walter Forster sen. in Biel/Bienne. The company designs, engineers, and produces surface treatment systems for mass and bulk goods, with a product portfolio spanning vibratory finishing machines (ergospin+ planetary systems, vibrators, centrifugal disc units, magnetic mass finishing), planetary coating lines (FORPLANET 515 and the patented Forplanet XXL two-basket system), industrial ovens, heat treatment lines for aluminum, cleaning systems, and supporting peripheral equipment (separation, drying, handling/washing tables). The Forplanet XXL is differentiated by German and European patents and is claimed to deliver 2.5x more capacity with 30% less space and significant coating material savings, with a 10th unit delivered to Bulten in Poland in 2024. In-house manufacturing is conducted at the Zofingen facility acquired from Abt Söhne AG in 2018, while engineering, project management, and German sales are handled through the Forplan Technology AG subsidiary in Villingen-Schwenningen.

The company operates a sales-led go-to-market with direct sales from Swiss headquarters, a German subsidiary, and a network of channel partners covering North America (Hanna Finishing Solutions, STC Dip Spin), Germany (Wolfgang Sixt WZM), and Italy (CABER Impianti). Revenue is generated through hardware sales of custom-built and standard equipment, consumables (chips, compounds, powders, pastes), contract grinding and washing services, and maintenance/spare parts. The customer base spans medical technology, fastener manufacturing, watch and micro-mechanics, pharmaceutical, and automotive sectors, with named enterprise customers including Bulten, EOT Oberflächentechnik, Rolf Hänggi AG, and Schuler Präzisionstechnik. The Forster family (Bruno Forster as CEO, Walter A. Forster as R&D Director, Adrian Forster as Sales Director) leads the organization, with second-generation leadership in place since 2013. No external institutional investors are involved, and the company has pursued incremental expansion through product innovation (varyon mass finishing system, 2025), U.S. market development, and strategic partnerships (Ecoclean, 2024).

Name

Forplan

Legal name

Forplan AG

Website

https://forplan.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forplan AG is a Swiss family-owned industrial equipment manufacturer, founded 1992, that designs and builds surface treatment systems — vibratory finishing, planetary coating, cleaning, and heat treatment — for medical, fastener, watch, pharmaceutical, and automotive customers across Europe and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Surface Treatment Equipment

NAICS

Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities (33281)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

Surface Preparation Equipment (Shot Blasting, Scarifiers, Grinders) (IMAHALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surface Treatment & Finishing Equipment (Coating, Plating, Deburring, Shot Blasting) (IMAHADAJ), Application Equipment & Coating Services (Contract Coating, Surface Prep) (IMAEAGAL)

Keywords

• Mass finishing equipment
• Vibratory grinding systems
• Surface treatment machinery
• Industrial coating lines
• Heat treatment ovens

Headquarters

HQ city

Brugg

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of surface treatment equipment including vibratory finishing machines, coating lines, industrial ovens, heat treatment systems, cleaning systems, and separation/drying systems. Custom-built machines and complete production lines.
2. Consumables and Media: Sale of consumables including chips (Schleifkörper), compounds, powders, and pastes for mass finishing processes. Wide variety of forms, materials, and abrasiveness levels.
3. Contract Services: Lohnbearbeitung (contract grinding) and contract washing services. Process development for customer parts, mass finishing training, and development of special solutions in company's in-house laboratory.
4. Maintenance and Service: Maintenance services for equipment supplied by Forplan. Spare parts supply, extensions and optimizations, custom solution concepts and components.
5. Metal Technology: Construction, development, sheet metal processing, assemblies, machine building, and prototypes at Zofingen facility. Visual refinement through partners including powder coating, electroplating, anodizing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Forplan designs, manufactures, and sells industrial surface treatment equipment for deburring, polishing, cleaning, coating, drying, and heat treatment of precision mass and bulk parts. The product portfolio spans planetary vibratory finishing systems (ergospin+), planetary coating lines (FORPLANET 515, Forplanet XXL), magnetic and centrifugal finishing machines, industrial washing and drying systems, and batch/continuous ovens. The company also supplies process consumables (chips, compounds, powders) and offers contract grinding/washing services and metal technology capabilities (design, sheet metal processing, assemblies, machine building, prototypes).

Product overview

Forplan is a Swiss industrial equipment company offering a comprehensive portfolio of mass finishing, coating, and heat treatment solutions. The core product lines include ergospin+ planetary vibratory finishing systems, FORPLANET 515 and Forplanet XXL coating lines, magnetic finishing machines, vibrators, and centrifugal disc units. Supporting equipment includes cleaning systems, drying equipment, separation systems, and handling/washing tables (ergoclean). The company also supplies consumables including chips (abrasive bodies in copper, stainless steel, ceramic, porcelain, and plastic-bonded forms) and compounds for the vibratory finishing process. Industrial oven offerings encompass batch ovens, continuous ovens, and heat treatment lines for aluminum. Additional services include metal technology solutions (design & development, sheet metal processing, assemblies, machine building, prototypes, and visual refinement) and contract processing services (process development, subcontracting, and training). The company operates from headquarters in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, a German subsidiary in Villingen-Schwenningen, and manufacturing in Zofingen, Switzerland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Forplanet: Planetary coating line for mass goods coating applications, including FORPLANET 515 and Forplanet XXL high-performance coating systems.
• ergospin+
• ergomag
• ergoclean
• varyon

Products and services

• ergospin+ Planetary Vibratory Finishing System Planetary vibratory finishing system for polishing, deburring, and rounding of high-precision parts made from stainless steel, gold, non-ferrous metals, plastics, and carbon fiber composites.
• FORPLANET 515 Planetary Coating Line Self-designed planetary coating line for highest demands in coating of mass goods, enabling outstanding coating results combined with significantly lower paint consumption.
• Forplanet XXL High-Performance Coating System High-performance coating system based on a true two-basket planetary system, delivering 2.5x more capacity with 30% less space required. Sets new standards in productivity, coating material savings, and coating quality, with significant CO2 reduction through a revolutionary oven concept.
• Magnetic Mass Finishing Machines (ergomag) Magnetic mass finishing systems offering capabilities in internal deburring and processing of delicate parts, including the ergomag system for non-magnetic materials that protects tolerances and part dimensions.
• Centrifugal Disc Finishing Units High-efficiency centrifugal disc finishing machines particularly suitable for small parts, including the Turbo FPW 60 Auto model with automatic loading and integrated cleaning.
• Vibrators (Vibratory Mass Finishing Machines) Vibratory mass finishing machines characterized by high flexibility for processing large and heavy as well as small and micro components.
• Cleaning Systems Modular solutions for parts cleaning in workshop environments.
• Separation Systems Systems for separating parts and grinding/polishing media in the mass finishing process.
• Drying Systems Drying systems for the final step in the mass finishing process chain.
• Handling and Washing Tables (ergoclean) Configurable washstand models providing optimal working conditions in the finishing process for separating and washing operations, reducing part damage and media mixing.
• Magnetic Feeding Systems Systems for space-saving, fully automatic parts feeding of production machines without manual intervention.
• Lifting-Tilting Devices Devices optimized for handling bulk goods with continuous improvement in lifting-tilting device design.
• Vibratory Feeders and Belt Conveyors Conveying systems for adapted transport of various bulk goods.
• Oil Recovery Systems Systems addressing oil carry-over problems in production including reduced bath lifetime and contamination.
• Centrifuge-based Cleaning Lines Systems suitable for cleaning or dephosphating wide ranges of parts, characterized by efficient bulk goods treatment.
• Drum Washing Machines Machines for continuous cleaning of bulk goods, especially suitable for large batches of one part type.
• Conveyor Belt Washing Machines Machines for cleaning parts that cannot be treated as bulk goods but require cleaning from all sides.
• Dip Spin Coating Lines Centrifugal coating systems for efficient coating of mass goods dipped in liquid coating materials in baskets or drums.
• Post-Plating Systems Centrifuge-based lines for various post-galvanization processes including drying, oiling, passivating, and applying topcoats, lubricants, or sealers.
• Basket Cleaning Systems Innovative and environmentally-friendly solutions for cleaning coating baskets.
• Centrifuge Baskets Flexible baskets with part-specific design and low carryover of coating material.
• Drying Centrifuges Centrifuges with uniform temperature distribution and high spin speeds for perfect drying results of bulk goods after plating or coating processes.
• Batch Ovens Custom-tailored batch ovens for various applications with solid and durable construction suitable for industrial environments. Available with horizontal or vertical air guidance.
• Continuous Ovens Ovens with tray-style conveyor, conveyor belt system, or chain conveyor for indexing or continuous operation treatment of products.
• Heat Treatment Lines for Aluminum Fully automatic heat treatment lines with air quenching for aluminum structural parts, featuring modular design with maximum temperature uniformity, batch tracking, and traceability. Processes include T5, T6, and T79 treatments up to 600°C.
• Contract Grinding and Contract Washing Services Toll processing services (Lohnbearbeitung/Lohnwaschen) including process development for customer parts, subcontracting, mass finishing training, and development of special solutions in the company's in-house laboratory.
• Design and Development Services CAD-based development and design of individual parts, assemblies, or entire machines using latest CAD systems with specialization in optimal sheet metal product utilization.
• Sheet Metal Processing Services Precision punching and laser cutting with CNC punch laser center for efficient series production and complex individual parts.
• Assemblies and Machine Building Services Complete assemblies and machine components built from individually produced parts with process-oriented logistics and procurement, plus implementation of technical innovations in machines meeting highest customer requirements with full traceability.
• Prototypes and Visual Refinement Services Custom-made products, systems, or prototypes manufactured and assembled in-house, plus surface finishing services through partners including powder coating, electroplating, hot-dip galvanizing, anodizing, electropolishing, pickling, and passivation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.5x more capacity with 30% less space required
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hanna Finishing SolutionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBased in Portage, MI, USA. Trusted U.S. partner handling sales, localized service, and technical support throughout North America. Extension of Swiss team dedicated to delivering efficient solutions and direct link to Forplan's world-class capabilities. Established 2022 for U.S. market expansion in coating and pretreatment, and 2025 for mass finishing market development.
• STC Dip SpincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUS plant manufacturer, division of Prab Inc. and part of KMC Global group of companies. Partnership for sales, manufacturing, and after-sales service for North and Central America. Enables best possible service in terms of sales, manufacturing, and after-sales for coating systems.
• Wolfgang Sixt WZMcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBased in Donzdorf, Germany. Recognized as one of the best service providers in the industry. Know-how carrier with many years of experience in machine and process solutions for small precision parts. Represents Forplan's vibratory finishing systems in Baden-Württemberg region.
• LM Finishing SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership started in 2004 for automated treatment systems for cold-formed parts including washing, coating, de-oiling, sealing, and drying.
• CABER Impianti SrlminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBased in Carate Brianza, Italy. Partnership established 1998 for sales of continuous washing machines for cleaning of mass goods.
• ABT Söhne AGcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership started 2016 for manufacturing of self-designed equipment. Acquired by Forplan in 2018, enabling full production of large systems in-house for the first time. Located in Zofingen.
• EcocleancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobally active enterprise headquartered in Germany, specialized in high-end cleaning technologies. Partnership established 2024. In 2025, Forplan installed a fully automated WatchLine cleaning system from Ecoclean.
• Rolf Hänggi AG Stanztechnik - UmformtechnikcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership since over 10 years. Installed 6 ERGOSPIN+ systems in 12 months, integrated successfully into production process. Partnership developed complete new concept of vibratory finishing technology through many trials and practical tests.
• EOT OberflächentechnikcoreOthersGerman company that received delivery of first complete Forplanet XXL coating system in 2021.
• BultencoreOthersPolish fastener company. Delivery and commissioning of Forplanet XXL system no. 10 in 2024.
• Schuler Präzisionstechnik KGminorOthersGerman medical technology company from Gosheim. Selected Forplan for deburring and homogenizing of implants using ERGOSPIN+ system. Case study featured in DREHTEIL + DREHMASCHINEN magazine.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rosler Oberflächentechnik: Germany-based global leader in mass finishing (vibratory finishing, shot blasting, deburring) equipment and consumables. Directly competes with Forplan's ergospin+, vibrators, centrifugal disc units, and consumables across the same industrial customer base.
• Walther Trowal: German manufacturer of vibratory finishing, drag finishing, and mass finishing equipment plus consumables. Competes head-to-head with Forplan in planetary/radial vibratory systems and serves overlapping segments including medical and fastener industries.
• OTEC Präzisionsfinish: German specialist in drag finishing, stream finishing, and vibratory finishing for precision parts. Comparable niche positioning to Forplan's ergospin+ in medical, watch, and micro-mechanics surface finishing.
• Ecoclean (Dürr Group subsidiary): Global supplier of industrial parts cleaning systems. Competes with Forplan's cleaning systems product line and is also a strategic partner (Forplan installed Ecoclean's WatchLine in 2025), creating both partnership and competitive overlap.
• LM Finishing Systems: Long-time Forplan partner (since 2004) but also an independent equipment maker for cold-formed part treatment lines (washing, coating, sealing). Direct competitive overlap in automated treatment systems.
• STC Dip Spin (Prab / KMC Global): US dip-spin coating equipment manufacturer and Forplan's North American partner for coating systems. Directly comparable in dip-spin and centrifugal coating, with overlapping customer base in fastener industry.

Broad incumbents

• Dürr AG: Large German industrial machinery group with significant presence in surface treatment, paint application, and cleaning technology. Overlaps with Forplan in coating lines and cleaning systems but operates at vastly larger scale and broader scope.

Regional players

• Sugino Machine: Japanese manufacturer of high-precision surface finishing equipment including centrifugal barrel finishing and jet finishing. Comparable to Forplan in precision parts finishing for Asian markets without direct geographic overlap.
• Hanna Finishing Solutions: US-based finishing equipment representative and Forplan's North American channel partner. Comparable in mass finishing distribution and service, primarily competing in the US geography.

Emerging players

• Inovatec Machinery: Mass finishing equipment manufacturer competing primarily in North American and emerging markets with vibratory finishing and centrifugal disc systems. Comparable product offering to Forplan's vibrators and disc finishing units.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCatjijMcKflRcRvqaNsUvg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forplan-surface-technology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Forplan