Kohlhoff

What Kohlhoff does

Kohlhoff Hygienetechnik GmbH & Co. KG is a privately held German manufacturer of hygiene technology equipment headquartered in Unna, Germany. The company develops, produces, and distributes hygiene-related machines, equipment, and devices — including hand washing stations, sole and wheel cleaning machines, hygiene sluices with electronic access control (e.g., the CHECK-IN-STATION HD with EK 800 release), industrial washing systems for tools and containers, changing room equipment, and storage shelving — serving primarily food processing companies across meat, bakery, dairy, seafood, agricultural, beverage, and gastronomy/catering verticals. Production takes place at an approximately 5,000 m² facility in Unna, with the company emphasizing a "Made in Germany" positioning and 30+ years of domain focus as quality differentiators.

The company's product portfolio is organized into four categories (Personalhygiene / personal hygiene, Industriewaschanlagen / industrial washing systems, Umkleide und Aufhängungen / changing room and suspensions, and Regalsysteme / shelving systems), with named flagship products including CLEAN-FIELD (sole and wheel cleaning), HC Primus 2 (combined sole cleaning and hand wash station), and the Kompakt-Hygieneschleuse DLSO-SL + EK 400 WRT compact hygiene sluice. Recent product activity centers on integrated access-controlled hygiene stations with sensor-based hand washing and disinfection-gated entry release.

Kohlhoff operates a project-based, custom-solution B2B sales model: customers submit inquiries through the company's website, receive personalized consultation and planning ("Beratung und Planung"), and obtain quote-based pricing rather than standard catalog pricing. Revenue derives from one-time equipment sales plus installation and accessory/spare-parts follow-on. Distribution is predominantly direct to enterprise customers in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), supplemented by a partner media portal for distribution partners. The company is family/owner-managed under Uwe Kohlhoff, with no external investors or public shareholders disclosed.

Name

Kohlhoff

Legal name

Kohlhoff Hygienetechnik GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://kohlhoff-hygiene.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kohlhoff Hygienetechnik is a privately held German manufacturer of hygiene technology equipment — including hand washing stations, sole and wheel cleaning systems, hygiene sluices, industrial washing systems, and storage shelving — serving food processing companies across meat, bakery, dairy, seafood, beverage, and catering verticals in the DACH region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Hygiene Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)

akta.pro primary industry

Restroom & Hygiene Dispensing Systems (Commercial/Industrial) (IMAHALAH)

Keywords

• Industrial hygiene equipment
• Food processing hygiene
• Personal hygiene stations
• Hygiene sluice systems
• Industrial washing machines

Headquarters

HQ city

Unna

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hygiene Equipment Manufacturing and Sales: Kohlhoff manufactures and sells hygiene technology equipment including personal hygiene stations, industrial washing systems, hygiene sluices, and accessories. The company operates on a project-based, custom solution model where products are tailored to customer requirements. Pricing is handled through inquiry-based quotations rather than standard catalog pricing. Additional revenue comes from installation services and potentially spare parts/ accessories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kohlhoff develops, manufactures, and distributes hygiene technology equipment for food processing companies, including personal hygiene stations (hand cleaning, disinfection, hand dryers), sole and wheel cleaning machines, hygiene sluices with entry control, industrial washing systems for tools and containers, changing room equipment, and storage shelf systems. Products are configured to customer requirements and supported by Beratung und Planung (consulting and planning) services, with pricing handled through inquiry-based quotations rather than standard catalog pricing.

Product overview

Kohlhoff Hygienetechnik GmbH & Co. KG is a German manufacturer of hygiene technology equipment serving the food processing industry and related sectors. The company produces a comprehensive portfolio of four main product categories: Personalhygiene (personal hygiene stations and equipment including hand cleaning, disinfection, hygiene sluices, entry control, and sole/wheel cleaning), Industriewaschanlagen (industrial washing systems such as disinfection basins, knife basket washers, box washers, and chain glove cleaners), Umkleide und Aufhängungen (changing room equipment including lockers and suspension systems), and Regalsysteme (storage shelf systems). The product portfolio includes notable named products like the CHECK-IN-STATION HD for complete access hygiene, HC Primus 2 combining sole cleaning with hand hygiene, CLEAN-FIELD sole and wheel cleaning systems, and the Kompakt-Hygieneschleuse hygiene sluice with integrated hand dryer. Products are manufactured at approximately 5,000 m² of production space in Unna, Germany, and are designed for applications in meat processing, bakeries, dairy, fish processing, agricultural products, gastronomy, beverage manufacturing, and sanitary facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CLEAN-FIELD Innovative sole and wheel cleaning system designed for highest hygiene standards in industrial environments, used by food processing facilities for entry contamination control.
• HC Primus 2 Combined sole and sole-edge cleaning machine integrated with a sensor-controlled hand wash basin, soap dispenser, paper towel dispenser, and waste bin, for entry hygiene at food processing facilities.
• Kompakt-Hygieneschleuse DLSO-SL + EK 400 WRT Compact hygiene sluice combining a pass-through sole cleaning machine with entry control device, two-hand disinfection, and a high-speed hand dryer, used for controlled personnel entry into hygiene-sensitive production areas.
• CHECK-IN-STATION HD Complete access hygiene station integrating washing, drying, disinfecting, and sole cleaning in a single system with electronic access release (EK 800) that permits entry only after successful hand disinfection. Launched in October 2025.
• Personalhygiene (Personal Hygiene product line) Full category range of personal hygiene equipment for food processing facilities, covering hand cleaning, hand drying, hand disinfection, dispensers and accessories, sole/boot cleaners, apron wash walls, hygiene centers and walls, hand hygiene centers, hygiene sluices, turnstiles and entry control devices, gates and railings, sole/wheel cleaning, and disinfection trays.
• Industriewaschanlagen (Industrial Washing Systems) Industrial washing equipment category covering disinfection basins, chain glove cleaners, box washing machines, knife basket washing machines, and steel apron cleaners for cleaning and disinfection of machinery, tools, and protective gear in food processing operations.
• Umkleide und Aufhängungen (Changing Room and Suspensions) Changing room equipment including suspension and dryer systems and lockers for secure, hygienic storage and clothing changes in food processing facilities.
• Regalsysteme (Shelf Systems) Industrial shelf systems providing efficient storage solutions for industry, food, and commerce with high load capacity and stability.
• Beratung und Planung (Consulting and Planning) Consulting and planning service supporting the design and configuration of individual hygiene solutions for customer facilities, provided as part of the company's direct sales and project delivery process.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 50% reduction in infection risk through reliable hand washing and disinfection

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• MEIKO: German-headquartered manufacturer of commercial cleaning, dishwashing, and hygiene technology for foodservice, hospitality, and healthcare. Directly comparable to Kohlhoff as a German Mittelstand industrial cleaning equipment maker with overlapping foodservice and food-processing customer bases.
• HOBART: Manufacturer of commercial dishwashing, food preparation, and waste handling equipment (part of Illinois Tool Works). Comparable to Kohlhoff in serving commercial kitchens, food processing, and hygiene-critical environments with made-in-Germany commercial cleaning machinery.
• Winterhalter: German specialist in commercial dishwashing systems, water treatment, and cleaning chemicals for professional kitchens. Closely comparable to Kohlhoff in target market (foodservice/food processing) and product category (industrial cleaning equipment) with similar German Mittelstand positioning.
• Elpress: Netherlands-based manufacturer of industrial cleaning and hygiene equipment, including hand hygiene, boot/sole cleaning, and parts washing systems. Direct peer to Kohlhoff in hygiene sluices, hand washing stations, and industrial parts cleaning equipment serving food processing customers.

Broad incumbents

• Ecolab: Global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions serving food processing, foodservice, and healthcare. Comparable to Kohlhoff in food-industry hygiene focus, but operates at vastly larger scale with chemical, service, and equipment offerings across the full hygiene stack.
• Diversey (Solenis): Global provider of hygiene, cleaning, and sanitization solutions for food and beverage, hospitality, and healthcare. Overlaps with Kohlhoff's food-processing hygiene customer base but competes primarily through chemicals, services, and integrated programs rather than purpose-built equipment.
• GEA Group: Major German industrial equipment supplier for food processing, dairy, and beverage industries. Comparable as a Germany-based food-processing machinery incumbent, though GEA operates across far broader process lines (separators, homogenizers, complete plant) versus Kohlhoff's hygiene equipment focus.
• JBT Corporation: Global food processing and air transport equipment supplier with strong presence in protein (meat, poultry, seafood) processing. Comparable to Kohlhoff in serving meat and seafood processors, though JBT's portfolio centers on processing and freezing lines rather than hygiene sluices.
• Marel: Iceland-headquartered global supplier of equipment, systems, and services for meat, poultry, fish, and dairy processing. Comparable to Kohlhoff in food-processing customer base (especially meat and seafood), though Marel's offering covers the entire processing value chain.
• Krones AG: German global market leader in beverage and liquid food processing and packaging machinery. Comparable as a Germany-headquartered food/beverage equipment incumbent serving overlapping beverage manufacturer customers, though Krones focuses on bottling and packaging lines rather than hygiene.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Kohlhoff.Hygienetechnik

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Kohlhoff