What Forster Technik does

Förster-Technik GmbH is a German family-owned machinery manufacturer specializing in automated feeding, colostrum management, and milk pasteurization equipment for dairy and livestock operations. Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Engen, Germany, the company has built an integrated platform that combines feeding hardware (MilchMobil PRO/NEXT mobile milk mixing stations, CalfRail and CalfRail DUO rail-guided feeding robots, Kälbertränkeautomat automated calf feeders, ColostroMAT/ColostroMAX colostrum systems, and KompaktPasteur pasteurizers) with digital management software (CalfCloud, CalfApp VITAL, Smart Neckband) and AI-enabled monitoring (CalfAI image-based behavior analysis). The 40FIT feeding concept provides the scientific backbone of the offering, pairing structured nutritional protocols with the installed equipment base.

The company sells B2B to dairy farms as its primary segment, with secondary segments in sheep/lamb rearing (ECO Lämmertränkeautomat) and direct-marketing farms using on-site pasteurization. Distribution is executed through a global network of authorized dealers — supported by a new CalfCloud-based dealer portal launched in 2023 — alongside wholly-owned subsidiaries in North America (Förster-Technik NA Inc.) and China (Förster-Technik China), and trilingual commercial presence in German, English, and French. The revenue model is anchored on hardware sales of automated feeding and pasteurization equipment, with an emerging recurring software layer via CalfCloud Premium subscriptions; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed and is obtained through dealer quotations. The company is led by managing directors Thomas Förster and Markus Förster, operates with 51–100 employees, and reports no external institutional ownership, PE/VC backing, or M&A activity in the available data.

Name

Forster Technik

Legal name

Förster-Technik GmbH

Website

https://foerster-technik.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Förster-Technik is a German family-owned manufacturer of automated calf feeding systems, milk pasteurization equipment, and digital herd management software (CalfCloud, CalfAI), serving dairy and livestock farms worldwide through a global dealer network and subsidiaries in North America and China.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Engen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Sale of automated calf feeding equipment, milk pasteurization systems, calf management hardware. Products include CalfRail systems, MilchMobil units, Tränkeautomat (calf feeding robots), and accessories.
2. Software Subscriptions: Cloud-based CalfCloud platform for digital calf management with premium tier options. Provides remote monitoring, data analytics, and herd management capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Förster-Technik manufactures automated calf feeding systems and milk pasteurization equipment, alongside digital calf management software for dairy and livestock farms. The portfolio integrates hardware (MilchMobil, CalfRail, Kälbertränkeautomat, ColostroMAT, KompaktPasteur) with cloud software (CalfCloud, CalfCloud Premium), a mobile app (CalfApp VITAL), AI-based health monitoring (CalfAI), and wearable tracking (Smart Neckband), supported by the 40FIT scientifically-based calf feeding concept.

Product overview

Forster Technik is a German agricultural technology company offering a comprehensive, integrated product portfolio for professional calf and small ruminant raising. The offering is a platform-plus-modules architecture combining hardware (automated feeding equipment, pasteurizers) with software (CalfCloud, CalfApp VITAL, Smart Neckband) and AI capabilities (CalfAI). Core hardware products include the MilchMobil PRO/NEXT mobile milk mixing stations, the CalfRail/CalfRail DUO rail-guided feeding robots, and the Kälbertränkeautomat (Tränkeautomat) in Connect, VARIO Smart, and COMPACT Smart variants. These automated feeding systems work alongside the Automatisches Milchmanagement (AMM) for integrated milk management and the 40FIT scientific feeding concept for structured nutritional programs. On the software side, CalfAI provides AI-powered image analysis for health monitoring, CalfCloud/CalfCloud Premium offer cloud-based herd management, CalfApp VITAL delivers mobile health alerts, and Smart Neckband provides wearable tracking. The colostrum line (ColostroMAT/ColostroMAX/ColostroFIT) handles newborn calf nutrition, while KompaktPasteur and QuickConserver serve pasteurization needs. An ECO lamb feeder extends the portfolio to small ruminant feeding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CalfCloud: Digital calf management and monitoring cloud platform
• CalfApp
• MilchMobil
• CalfRail
• ColostroMAT/ColostroMAX
• CalfAI
• 40FIT

Products and services

• MilchMobil PRO / MilchMobil NEXT Mobile milk mixing and dispensing station for automated calf feeding, available in NEXT and PRO variants, supporting individual feeding plans and integration with milking systems. Targeted at commercial dairy farms using individual or pair calf housing.
• Kälbertränkeautomat (Connect / VARIO Smart / COMPACT Smart) Automated calf feeding machines that prepare and dispense milk replacer or whole milk on a programmed schedule. Available in Connect, VARIO Smart, and COMPACT Smart variants for different farm sizes. Targeted at commercial dairy farms.
• CalfRail & CalfRail DUO Mobile, rail-guided automated calf feeding robots (CalfRail and CalfRail DUO) for group housing, delivering individual milk portions to calves in group pens using peristaltic pump technology. Targeted at commercial dairy farms using group calf housing.
• Automatisches Milchmanagement (AMM) Automated milk management system that collects, processes, and distributes milk from various sources (AMS separators, milking robots) for use in calf feeding, ensuring quality and efficiency. Targeted at commercial dairy operations seeking integrated milk handling.
• 40FIT Kälberfütterung Scientifically based calf feeding concept and feeding plan system for optimizing calf growth, health, and efficiency through structured milk feeding programs. Targeted at commercial dairy farms seeking documented nutritional protocols.
• ColostroMAT / ColostroMAX / ColostroFIT (Colostrum Management) Automated colostrum management systems (ColostroMAT, ColostroMAX, ColostroFIT) for precise preparation, pasteurization, and dispensing of colostrum to newborn calves. Targeted at commercial dairy farms with newborn calf programs.
• CalfAI AI-based image analysis system for monitoring calf lying behavior and health status, detecting anomalies and early warning signals for individual animal health management. Targeted at commercial dairy farms using CalfCloud-managed herds.
• CalfCloud / CalfCloud Premium Cloud-based digital calf management platform providing monitoring, record-keeping, and data analytics for calf herds across the operation, with a Premium subscription tier for advanced features. Targeted at commercial dairy farms.
• CalfApp VITAL Mobile application for calf health monitoring and management, enabling real-time tracking of vital parameters and health alerts. Targeted at commercial dairy farm operators and herd managers.
• Smart Neckband Wearable smart neckband device for continuous monitoring and tracking of individual calf location, behavior, and health indicators. Targeted at commercial dairy farms using CalfCloud-managed herds.
• KompaktPasteur / QuickConserver Pasteurization equipment for treating raw milk (KompaktPasteur) and pasteurizing juices (QuickConserver) for direct marketing or safe calf feeding. Targeted at dairy and fruit farms selling pasteurized milk or juice direct-to-consumer.
• ECO Lämmertränkeautomat (Lamb Feeder) ECO automated lamb feeding machine for orphan-rearing and motherless lamb raising, providing milk replacer on demand to lambs in group housing. Targeted at sheep farms using artificial lamb rearing.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• 40FIT PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner40FIT is a scientifically-based calf feeding concept developed by Förster-Technik. Partner companies include feeding equipment suppliers and nutrition specialists who collaborate on the 40FIT integrated calf feeding approach combining automated feeding technology with optimized nutritional protocols.
• CalfCloud Platform PartnerscoreTechnology or IntegrationCalfCloud is a cloud-based digital management platform. Authorized dealers and integration partners access the platform for managing customer installations and providing remote support services. The CalfCloud dealer portal enables partner management of installations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lely: Dutch global leader in dairy automation (milking robots, feeding, barn systems) with a calf-feeding product (Lely Calm) that competes with Förster-Technik in the same dairy segment via a broader integrated portfolio.
• Afimilk: Israeli supplier of dairy herd management software, sensors, and milking systems, comparable to Förster-Technik's CalfCloud/CalfAI digital monitoring and broader dairy management offering.
• GEA Group: Large German industrial dairy and food equipment supplier; provides milking parlors and herd management, with adjacent automated feeding capabilities that compete against Förster-Technik in commercial dairy settings.
• DeLaval: Swedish multinational offering end-to-end dairy farm solutions including milking, cooling, and herd management; overlaps with Förster-Technik in automated calf feeding through its broader portfolio and dealer network.
• BouMatic: US-headquartered dairy equipment manufacturer with milking, cooling, and herd management solutions, serving as a broad incumbent peer to Förster-Technik in the international dairy automation market.

Direct peers

• Holm & Laue GmbH & Co. KG: German manufacturer specializing in automated calf feeding and milk preparation systems (e.g., MilkTaxi, MultiMax), competing head-to-head with Förster-Technik's Tränkeautomat and MilchMobil lines in the same European dairy segment.
• Urban GmbH & Co. KG: German dairy equipment maker offering calf feeders, milk taxis, and pasteurization equipment, directly comparable to Förster-Technik's calf-feeding and pasteurization portfolio for dairy farms.
• Milkline Srl: Italian dairy equipment maker producing automated calf feeders and milk handling systems, serving as a direct regional peer to Förster-Technik across Southern European dairy farms.
• Calvex AG: Swiss manufacturer of automated calf feeding machines and milk processing equipment, directly comparable to Förster-Technik's Tränkeautomat and colostrum management systems for the European dairy market.

Others

• MS Schippers: Dutch agricultural supplier distributing calf-rearing equipment and farm consumables; overlaps indirectly with Förster-Technik through shared dealer-channel customers and adjacent calf-rearing product categories.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FoersterTechnik
• Facebookfacebook.com/foerstertechnik
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/foerster-technik-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/foerster_technik

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Forster Technik