FILK

What FILK does

FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH is a non-university, non-profit industrial research institute (Industrieforschungseinrichtung) founded in 1905 and headquartered in Freiberg, Germany. The institute employs over 150 staff and conducts approximately 70 publicly funded R&D projects annually, focused on flexible polymer materials including leather, collagen, coated textiles, polymer films, and composite systems. Its core research domains span biomaterials and biological interactions, surface technology, functional layer systems, leather processing, and polymer chemistry, supported by a tannery pilot plant (Gerbereitechnikum) and proprietary Freiberger Hautpulver (hide powder) production that has run continuously since 1905.

Name

FILK

Legal name

FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH

Website

https://filkfreiberg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

FILK Freiberg Institute is a 1905-founded, non-profit German research institute with 150+ staff that runs an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited testing laboratory and conducts contract R&D in leather, collagen, coated textiles, and polymer materials for automotive, furniture, protective clothing, food, and medical industry clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Materials Testing and Polymer Research Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFALAMAI

Food Safety & Quality Scheme Certifications (GFSI Programs)

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Safety, Testing & Certification/Certification Services (Organic, Non-GMO, etc.)

SECONDARYIMAGAFAI

NDT/NDE Inspection Equipment (Ultrasonic, eddy current, radiography, thermography)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Electrical Equipment & Industrial Electronics/Sensors, Instrumentation & Measurement (Industrial sensing, metrology, test)

Keywords

• Materials testing services
• Polymer research
• Leather technology
• Certification services
• Contract research

Headquarters

HQ city

Freiberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research and Development Services: Approximately 70 publicly funded R&D projects are conducted annually at the institute. Additional contract research and consulting services are provided to industry partners.
2. Testing and Certification Services: Accredited testing laboratory providing physical, chemical, and emission testing for materials including leather, coated textiles, plastics, and composites. Includes OEKO-TEX certification services.
3. Product Sales - Assessment Catalogues: Sale of Beurteilungskatalog (Assessment Catalogue) for leather and coated textiles in automotive interior, priced at €186 per item.
4. Product Sales - Freiberg Hide Powder: Sale of Freiberg Hide Powder for gravimetric analysis, available in boxes of 200g, 800g, 2kg, and 5kg.
5. Seminars and Training: Professional seminars on polymer processing, calendering, coated textiles, and leather technology. Events include POLYSAX seminars and specialized training courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH is an independent, non-university research institution that provides accredited materials testing, product certification, and contract R&D services for leather, coated textiles, plastics, polymer composites, collagen, and biomaterials. It operates a DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 accredited test laboratory, an OEKO-TEX certification body, and a Technical Service A designation for the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrtbundesamt). The institute also manufactures specialty products such as Freiberger Hautpulver (hide powder for analytical use, since 1905) and the Beurteilungskatalog assessment catalogue for automotive interiors, and conducts approximately 70 publicly funded R&D projects annually.

Product overview

FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH is an independent, non-university research institution with an accredited testing laboratory, offering a portfolio of research & development services, materials testing and certification, and professional training. The institute's core offerings include specialized testing services (physical, chemical, emissions) under DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, product certifications (OEKO-TEX, ECO₂L), and proprietary products such as Freiberger Hautpulver (hide powder for tanning analysis since 1905) and the Beurteilungskatalog assessment catalogue for automotive interiors. FILK organizes industry conferences including the Freiberger Ledertage and Freiberger Kollagensymposium, and provides professional seminars through POLYSAX and vocational qualification programs. Research focuses span biomaterials, collagen, leather processing, functional coatings, surfaces, and polymer systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Freiberger Hautpulver: Specialty product for gravimetric analysis of vegetable tanning agents and extracts, manufactured in Freiberg since 1905.
• FILK Ident

Products and services

• Freiberger Hautpulver (Freiberg Hide Powder) Specialty hide powder product for gravimetric analysis of vegetable tanning agents and extracts, manufactured in Freiberg since 1905. Available in 200g, 800g, 2kg, and 5kg packaging for industrial analytical use.
• Beurteilungskatalog (Assessment Catalogue for Automotive Interiors) Systematic catalogue for assessing damage cases and complaints on leather and coated textiles in automotive interiors. Provides image-supported descriptions of common damages and defects, causes, recommendations, and repair instructions. Available in German or English versions, priced at €182-186 excl. VAT per item.
• Accredited Test Laboratory Services Comprehensive materials testing services including physical testing, chemical analysis, emissions/odour testing, and special analytics for leather, coated textiles, plastics, and polymer composites. Accredited per DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025, providing independent technical competence for industrial clients.
• OEKO-TEX Testing and Certification Testing and certification services for OEKO-TEX standards, providing certificates and labels for textile and leather products regarding harmful substances. Service ensures products meet safety and sustainability standards for global market access.
• ECO₂L Energy Controlled Leather Certification FILK's own certification program for energy-controlled leather products, providing sustainability and energy consumption verification for leather goods manufacturers and their customers.
• FILK Ident Specialized identification testing service offered through the accredited test laboratory for species identification and genetics testing of collagen and leather materials, providing authentication and origin verification.
• Technical Service A for Kraftfahrtbundesamt Official technical service certification for the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), providing accredited testing services for automotive materials used in vehicle components.
• POLYSAX Professional Seminars Professional training seminars on polymer processing topics including calendering basics, plastics science, extrusion, material selection, and practical laboratory sessions. Held at FILK facilities for industry professionals seeking continuing education in polymer processing.
• Vocational Further Qualification (Berufliche Weiterqualifikation) Professional qualification program combining Industrial Master Craftsman training (Industriemeister Fachrichtung Chemie) with IHK-certified additional qualification in leather and tanning technology, conducted in partnership with Sächsische Bildungsgesellschaft Dresden.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70 publicly funded R&D projects annually

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TU Bergakademie FreibergcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993Since 1993, FILK has been an affiliated institute (An-Institut) of the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg. The partnership enables synergies in research projects, events, and teaching on polymer sciences. TU BAF scientists participate in lectures for various study courses.
• Sächsische Bildungsgesellschaft Dresden (SBG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partner for vocational education (Verbundausbildung) in biological and chemical laboratory fields. Jointly offers professional qualification programs including Industriemeister Fachrichtung Chemie and Gerberei- und Ledertechnik certification.
• Zuse-Gemeinschaft e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive membership in the ZUSE community, a network of industrial research institutions in Germany. Engages in public outreach and policy advocacy for industrial research.
• SIG (Scientific Interest Group)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership in SIG research network for collaborative research activities.
• NanoCarbon NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompetence network NanoCarbon for collaboration on carbon-related materials research.
• Zuse-Cluster BioökonomieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCluster participation for bioeconomy research collaboration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TÜV Rheinland: TÜV Rheinland offers accredited testing and certification across materials, automotive, consumer products, and industrial goods, including OEKO-TEX-adjacent work. It is a comparable incumbent for FILK's ISO/IEC 17025-accredited testing and certification services, particularly in automotive (KBA-type) approvals.
• SGS Societe Generale de Surveillance: SGS is the world's largest testing, inspection, and certification company, providing materials testing and supply-chain certification across textiles, leather, automotive, and consumer goods. It overlaps with FILK's accredited testing and certification scope but at vastly larger geographic and segment scale.
• Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins operates a global network of accredited testing laboratories spanning materials, chemicals, and consumer products including leather and polymers. Its service model of standardised, accredited lab testing overlaps directly with FILK's accredited materials and chemical analytics.
• DEKRA SE: DEKRA provides testing, inspection, and certification including automotive homologation, materials testing, and product safety. It is comparable to FILK in automotive (KBA-adjacent) and materials certification work, with much broader geographic reach.
• Intertek Group: Intertek provides global testing, inspection, and certification services including textiles, leather, polymers, and automotive materials. It competes broadly with FILK in materials testing and certification, especially via its transportation and consumer goods verticals.
• Fraunhofer Society: Fraunhofer is Germany's largest applied research organisation, operating contract R&D, pilot facilities, and accredited testing for materials and manufacturing across multiple institutes (e.g., IPA, IAP). FILK's non-university industrial research institute model, public funding mix, and contract-research GTM mirror Fraunhofer's structure at smaller scale.
• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global TIC firm providing testing, inspection, and certification for consumer products, automotive, and industrial materials. It is comparable to FILK in regulatory and materials testing scope, particularly for supply-chain and consumer-goods compliance.

Direct peers

• Hohenstein Institute: Hohenstein is a German-based textile and leather testing, certification, and research institution with OEKO-TEX and comparable accreditation, serving apparel, automotive, and industrial clients. It is the closest functional analogue to FILK in operating model, accreditation scope, and customer base, particularly across OEKO-TEX textile and leather testing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/filk-freiberg-institute-ggmbh

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 FILK