KRIWAN

What KRIWAN does

KRIWAN Industrie-Elektronik GmbH is a privately held German industrial electronics manufacturer headquartered in Forchtenberg, Germany, founded in 1970 and operating under the KRIWAN Holding umbrella alongside subsidiaries KRIWAN Testzentrum GmbH and Birkholz Elektronische Geräte GmbH. The company designs and produces electronic protection relays (notably the INT69 family, its flagship for over 50 years), temperature, level, wind, and air-flow sensors, INT600-series gateways, the INTspector mobile diagnostic app, and — most recently — variable frequency drives (INTdrive) for wastewater and HVAC/R applications. Its patented ICEfight technology integrates heating directly into the moving parts of mechanical wind sensors, addressing icing losses of 10–20% in cold-climate wind turbines, and the company operates what it describes as the world's only fully automated PTC sensor production line plus an in-house Westenberg-type wind tunnel capable of 0.1 m/s to 160 km/h.

The business serves industrial OEMs, system integrators, and operators across HVAC/R, water/wastewater, renewable energy (wind and solar), ropeways, building technology, cranes, electric motors, and explosion-hazard environments, with named references including Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group (Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics ropeways), Orust Municipality in Sweden (wastewater pumps), and wind farm operators in China, North America, Scandinavia, and Switzerland. KRIWAN generates revenue primarily through one-time hardware sales via direct enterprise field sales, supported by international subsidiaries and a focused trade show presence (IFAT Munich, Chillventa Nuremberg), with a smaller recurring component from the INTspector App and e²ms electronics engineering & manufacturing services. Approximately 16% of the workforce works in R&D, R&D spend is ~10% of annual revenue, and the portfolio is protected by 40+ patents with roughly six new filings per year.

Name

KRIWAN

Legal name

KRIWAN Industrie-Elektronik GmbH

Website

https://kriwan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

KRIWAN is a German industrial electronics manufacturer producing motor protection relays, sensors (temperature, level, wind, air flow), gateways, and frequency drives for HVAC/R, water/wastewater, renewable energy, and ropeway OEMs and operators globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial electronics and sensor solutions for machine protection

NAICS

Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512), Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612)

SIC

Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822), Switchgear & Switchboard Apparatus (3613), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)

akta.pro primary industry

Motor Control Centers & Motor Protection (Overload Relays, Protection, Monitoring) (IMAGACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refrigeration Components & Controls (Compressors, Valves, Sensors) (IMAHAKAH), Controls, Monitoring & Condition Management (for Pumps/Compressors) (IMAHANAI), Motor Encoders, Feedback & Condition Monitoring (Encoders, Vibration, Predictive) (IMAGACAJ)

Keywords

• Industrial motor protection
• Machinery condition monitoring
• Wind sensor technology
• HVAC/R compressor protection
• Variable frequency drives

Headquarters

HQ city

Forchtenberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Products - Protection Relays: Sale of electronic protection relays including INT69 motorschutzrelais, multifunctional relays, voltage and current relays for machine and plant protection
2. Hardware Products - Sensors: Sale of specialized sensors including temperature sensors (PTC, Pt100, Pt1000, NTC), level sensors, wind sensors, air flow sensors, oil differential pressure sensors
3. Hardware Products - Frequency Converters: Sale of variable frequency drives (INTdrive) for HVAC/R and wastewater applications
4. Gateways and Connectivity: Sale of gateway products (INT600 series) for connecting protection devices to supervisory systems, enabling cloud connectivity and digitalization
5. INTspector App Software: Mobile application for device diagnostics and data analysis, providing software-based services for condition monitoring

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

KRIWAN designs and manufactures electronic motor protection relays (notably the INT69 family), temperature, level, wind, air-flow and oil-pressure sensors, INT600-series connectivity gateways, the INTspector mobile diagnostic application, and variable frequency drives for HVAC/R and wastewater applications. Its solutions protect refrigerant compressors, pumps, motors, fans, and wind turbines from overheating, electrical faults, icing, and mechanical failure while enabling condition monitoring and predictive maintenance for industrial OEMs and operators.

Product overview

KRIWAN offers a comprehensive portfolio of industrial electronics and sensor solutions for machine and system protection, comprising protection relays (Schutzrelais) as the core product line, various sensors for temperature, level, wind, air flow, and pressure measurement, connectivity solutions including gateways and the INTspector App, and variable frequency drives for HVAC/R and wastewater applications. The flagship INT69 motor protection relay has been synonymous with the KRIWAN brand for over 50 years. The product portfolio includes multifunctional protection relays (INT69 series with PREMIUM, EXTENDED, STANDARD, BASIC, and EX variants), temperature sensors (PTC, Pt100/Pt1000/NTC), level sensors (BASIC, ADAPT, ADAPT EXTENDED, EX), wind sensors (INT10/INT30 ICEfight with patented ice protection), oil management sensors, voltage/current relays, gateways (INT600 series for Modbus RTU and Bluetooth), the INTspector diagnostic App, and variable frequency drives (Frequenzumrichter) for HVAC/R and wastewater applications. The company positions itself as a system provider (Systemanbieter) combining engineering and manufacturing (e²ms) to deliver integrated solutions from sensor to data.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• INT69: Motor protection relay product family - the flagship protection device that has become synonymous with the KRIWAN brand for over 50 years
• ICEfight
• INTdrive
• INTspector App
• e²ms (electronics engineering & manufacturing services)

Products and services

• INT69 Motorschutzrelais
• INT69 PYF Diagnose PREMIUM
• INT69 YF Diagnose EXTENDED
• INT69 YF Diagnose STANDARD
• INT69 F Diagnose BASIC
• INT69 EXF2 Diagnose BASIC EX
• Spannungs- und Stromrelais
• INT280 Ölspiegelregulator
• Öldifferenzdrucksensoren
• Niveausensoren BASIC + BASIC IceFight
• Niveausensoren ADAPT
• Niveausensoren ADAPT EXTENDED
• Niveausensoren EX
• PTC Einschraubsensoren
• PTC Wicklungssensoren
• Pt100 | Pt1000 | NTC Temperatursensoren
• PTC+ und AMS Sensors
• INT10 ICEfight Anemometer
• INT30 ICEfight Windrichtungssensor
• INT51 Luftstromsensoren
• INT600 DM Gateway
• INT600 DB Gateway
• INT600 DU Gateway
• INTspector App
• KRIWAN Frequenzumrichter (HVAC/R)
• KRIWAN INTdrive
• e²ms (Electronics Engineering & Manufacturing Services)

Quantifiable outcome

• Energy losses reduced by 10-20% in wind power applications through effective anti-icing measures
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ASERCOMcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026ASERCOM (Association of European Refrigeration Component Manufacturers) and the Single Pair Ethernet System Alliance have formed a joint working group to develop SPE profiles for the RACHP (Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, Heat Pump) industry. The goal is to avoid fragmented variants and define common standards for data models, topologies, and protocols to enable interoperability and transition from Modbus RTU to Single Pair Ethernet.
• Single Pair Ethernet System AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Industry consortium working with ASERCOM to develop Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) standards and profiles for HVAC/R applications. Focus on defining SPE substandards, topologies, protocols (Modbus TCP, BACnet/IP, MQTT, OPC UA), and data models for interoperability across manufacturers.
• German Universities (Hochschulen)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2026KRIWAN collaborates with universities in the development of new algorithms for the INTdrive frequency converter, specifically for improved detection of operating states such as clogging in submersible motor pumps. Research-based algorithms are developed based on current academic findings.
• Birkholz Elektronische Geräte GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2026Birkholz Elektronische Geräte GmbH is a subsidiary of the KRIWAN Group that provides electronics manufacturing services. As an E²MS (Electronics Engineering & Manufacturing Services) partner, Birkholz helps develop customer-specific variants and custom solutions for KRIWAN products, including the INTdrive frequency converter platform.
• Chillvana Natural RefrigerantsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026KRIWAN is a Gold Partner of NaturalRefrigerants.com (Chillvana), a platform for sustainable cooling technology information. This partnership supports marketing of KRIWAN's solutions for natural refrigerants including CO2 and propane.
• IPAI (Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025KRIWAN Group became a member of IPAI (Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence) in Heilbronn on September 1, 2025. This represents an important step in KRIWAN's digital transformation journey, connecting with the AI innovation ecosystem.
• Friedrich Kriwan-StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2024Friedrich Kriwan-Stiftung is the foundation arm of the KRIWAN Group, focusing on promoting research and science, supporting cultural life in Hohenlohe, and intensifying education and training. The foundation funds technology education projects including donations to schools (IT equipment, laser cutter) and supports youth science competitions (Jugend forscht).
• Innovationsregion HohenloheminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 November 2024Cooperation with Innovationsregion Hohenlohe, an association that initiates technology projects throughout the Hohenlohe region. Jointly sponsored school technology education projects including IT equipment donations.
• Ganerben-Gymnasium KünzelsauminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 November 2024Technical education partnership with Ganerben-Gymnasium in Künzelsau. Friedrich Kriwan-Stiftung co-sponsored a 6,000 EUR laser cutter for the school's science and technology (NwT) program, enabling students to create precise components and supporting STEM education.
• Gewerbliche Schule KünzelsauminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 November 2024Friedrich Kriwan-Stiftung donated 26 new PCs, notebooks, and a document camera to the vocational school's technical programs, supporting practical education in mathematics, informatics, and technology.
• Doppelmayr/Garaventa GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2022Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group, world market leader in ropeway construction, selected KRIWAN to equip all ropeways at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics venue (National Alpine Ski Centre in Yanqing). KRIWAN supplies INT10 wind speed and INT30 wind direction sensors for safety systems across gondola lifts and chairlifts. Doppelmayr operates in approximately 40 countries with around 2,700 employees and has completed approximately 14,800 projects since 1893. This partnership demonstrates KRIWAN's wind sensor technology leadership in demanding applications.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ABB: Global industrial automation incumbent offering motor protection, variable speed drives, motors and digital condition-monitoring services that overlap with KRIWAN's portfolio — competes on scale, bundling and global service rather than depth in any one niche.
• Eaton: US-headquartered power-management company with a substantial motor protection and industrial control portfolio (e.g., overload relays, drives) — competes with KRIWAN in relay-based protection while offering a global scale advantage in industrial customers.
• Phoenix Contact: German manufacturer of industrial connectivity, automation, and surge/motor protection products, including relay and monitoring devices — comparable to KRIWAN on protection relays and gateways, with a much broader portfolio across industrial Ethernet and functional safety.
• Schneider Electric: French industrial automation and energy-management major offering motor protection relays (TeSys), drives (Altivar) and HVAC/R building controls — overlaps with KRIWAN at the protection-relay and VFD layer with significantly broader geographic and software reach.
• Siemens (Smart Infrastructure / Motion Control): Industrial conglomerate with broad HVAC/R building automation, motor protection, drives and industrial IoT offerings; competes with KRIWAN via larger portfolio depth in HVAC and drives but typically at a higher price point and with more complex integration.

Direct peers

• ifm electronic: German family-owned manufacturer of industrial sensors and condition-monitoring systems (position, level, temperature, vibration) used across factory automation, water/wastewater and HVAC — overlaps directly with KRIWAN's sensor and monitoring portfolio and the European Mittelstand Hidden-Champion profile.
• Bender Group: German specialist in electrical safety, insulation monitoring and protection relays for rotating machines — a tight comparable to KRIWAN's INT69 protection relay and functional-safety positioning in explosion-hazard and industrial applications.
• Danfoss Drives: Danfoss's Vacon/VLT drives business manufactures variable frequency drives for pumps, fans and HVAC/R — the most direct competitor to KRIWAN's INTdrive platform, addressing the same wastewater and refrigeration drive retrofit market.
• CAREL Industries: Italian-listed specialist in refrigeration and HVAC/R controllers, electronic valves, and sensors for compressors — directly comparable to KRIWAN's HVAC/R protection, temperature sensor and frequency converter portfolio serving similar OEM and end-customer channels.
• WIKA Alexander Wiegand: German-headquartered global manufacturer of industrial measurement technology (temperature, pressure, level, force) — closely comparable to KRIWAN's temperature, level, oil-differential-pressure and air-flow sensor families, with similar industrial-customer focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kriwan
• Xx.com/kriwan_int69

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 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 KRIWAN