E. Dold & Sons

What E. Dold & Sons does

E. Dold & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG (E. Dold & Sons), headquartered in Furtwangen im Schwarzwald, Germany, is a family-owned industrial electronics manufacturer founded in 1928. The company designs and produces safety switching devices, monitoring modules, soft starters, electronic housings, and EV charging technology under the SAFEMASTER, VARIMETER, POWERSWITCH, COMBISTART, MINISTART, MULTITIMER, MINITIMER and INFOMASTER brands. Its products are built around TÜV-certified functional safety principles, including hardwired relays with force-guided contacts, sensorless standstill monitoring, wireless safety door interlocks, insulation monitoring, and residual-current monitoring, with capabilities rated up to PL e / Category 4 and SIL 3.

The business is exclusively B2B and serves machine builders and operators across factory automation, logistics, process industries, railway, nuclear (KTA 1401 qualified) and e-mobility charging segments. Customers include industrial OEMs and end users in food, wood, automotive, chemical, and oil & gas production; one named case-study customer is Kandern Feuerfest GmbH (refractory industry). The company holds ISO 9001:2015 and KTA 1401 quality certifications, giving it access to regulated nuclear and rail applications where re-qualification cost is prohibitive for competitors.

Revenue is generated through direct sales and an international subsidiary channel, with named offices in Germany (headquarters), India (DOLD Electric India), and Italy (DOLD Italia). Distribution is supplemented by recurring presence at European industrial-automation trade shows (notably SPS Nuremberg). Reported headcount is in the 251-500 band; no external funding has been raised and no ownership change is disclosed, consistent with the company's status as a privately held German Mittelstand enterprise.

Name

E. Dold & Sons

Legal name

E. Dold & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://dold.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

E. Dold & Sons is a family-owned German manufacturer of TÜV-certified industrial safety relays, monitoring devices, soft starters and EV charging electronics, serving OEMs and operators in factory automation, process, railway, nuclear, and e-mobility markets through subsidiaries in Germany, India, and Italy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Safety Automation Components

NAICS

Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro primary industry

Safety Instrumented Systems & Machine Safety Control (SIS, Safety PLCs, Relays) (IMAGABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Safety & Security Electronics Manufacturing (Safety relays, E-stops, light curtains, access control) (IMAGAGAG), Electromechanical Components (Relays, Switches, Potentiometers, Encoders) (IMAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Safety relays
• Industrial automation components
• Functional safety systems
• Safety switching devices
• Electronic enclosures DIN rail

Headquarters

HQ city

Furtwangen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Safety Components and Systems: DOLD develops, manufactures, and distributes high-quality components and complete solutions for safe automation. The company sells switching devices, safety switches, safety relays, and electronic housings primarily to industrial customers in manufacturing, logistics, and process automation sectors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

E. Dold & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG develops, manufactures, and distributes high-quality safety-critical industrial automation components and complete solutions. The portfolio spans safety relays with force-guided contacts, safety switches, key transfer and interlock systems (SAFEMASTER STS), wireless safety systems (SAFEMASTER W), insulation, speed, standstill and differential current monitoring relays (VARIMETER), intelligent motor starters, soft starters, semiconductor relays, multifunction time relays, and modular electronic housings for DIN rail mounting.

Product overview

DOLD (E. Dold & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG) is a German family-owned manufacturer of safety-critical industrial automation components. The product portfolio centers on five main categories: Schaltgeräte (switching devices) encompassing safety technology, monitoring technology, power electronics, control technology, time control technology, and installation technology; Sicherheitsschalter, Zuhaltung, Schlüsseltransfer (safety switches, interlocks, and key transfer) featuring the SAFEMASTER STS modular system and various switch variants; Leiterplattenrelais (PCB relays) including safety relays with force-guided contacts, card relays, miniature relays, and bistable relays; and Elektronikgehäuse (electronic housings) comprising control cabinet housings (KS series), distribution housings (KU series), switchgear housings (KV series), and In-Rail-Bus systems. Key product brands include SAFEMASTER (safety relays and switches with variants for wireless, configurable, and speed monitoring applications), VARIMETER (measurement and monitoring relays for insulation, differential current, speed, and energy monitoring), POWERSWITCH (semiconductor relays), COMBISTART/MINISTART (motor starters and soft starters), MULTITIMER/MINITIMER (time relays), and INFOMASTER (communication modules). DOLD positions itself as a specialist in functional safety, electrical safety, and drive technology for industrial automation across factory, logistics, and process automation sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SAFEMASTER: Safety switching devices and safety relay systems
• SAFEMASTER PRO
• SAFEMASTER M
• SAFEMASTER W
• SAFEMASTER STS
• SAFEMASTER C
• VARIMETER
• VARIMETER PRO
• VARIMETER IMD
• VARIMETER EDS
• VARIMETER RCM
• MINISTART
• MINIMASTER
• MULTITIMER
• MINITIMER
• POWERSWITCH
• COMBISTART
• INFOMASTER
• MINISTOP

Products and services

• SAFEMASTER STS Safety Switch and Key Transfer System
• SAFEMASTER W Wireless Safety System
• SAFEMASTER PRO Configurable Safety System
• SAFEMASTER M Software-Free Safety System
• SAFEMASTER S Speed and Standstill Monitoring (Stillstandswächter / Drehzahlwächter)
• SAFEMASTER C Multifunctional Safety Module
• VARIMETER IMD Insulation Monitoring Devices (Isolationswächter)
• VARIMETER EDS Insulation Fault Location System (Isolationsfehlersuchsystem)
• VARIMETER RCM Residual Current Monitors (Differenzstromwächter)
• VARIMETER PRO Advanced Measurement Relays
• PCB Safety Relays with Force-Guided Contacts (Sicherheitsrelais mit zwangsgeführten Kontakten)
• MINISTART Intelligent Motor Starters (Intelligente Motorstarter)
• COMBISTART Combined Soft Starter and Brake (Sanftanlaufgeräte)
• POWERSWITCH Semiconductor Relays (Halbleiterrelais)
• MULTITIMER / MINITIMER Time Relays (Multifunktionszeitrelais / Zeitrelais)
• In-Rail-Bus DIN Rail Bus System (Tragschienenbus)
• Control Cabinet and Distribution Housings (Schaltschrank- und Verteilergehäuse)
• INFOMASTER B Communication Module

Quantifiable outcome

• Safety systems certified up to Category 4 / PL e without fault exclusions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EPLANcoreTechnology or IntegrationEPLAN provides engineering software integration for DOLD products. DOLD offers EPLAN macros and device data files for seamless integration into electrical engineering design workflows.
• SISTEMAcoreTechnology or IntegrationDOLD supports SISTEMA software for safety calculation according to EN ISO 13849, helping customers perform PL calculations for safety-related machine parts.
• DOLD Electric IndiacoreOthersDOLD Electric India is a wholly-owned subsidiary of E. Dold & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG, established to serve the Indian market for industrial safety and automation products.
• DOLD ItaliacoreOthersDOLD Italia is a subsidiary established to serve the Italian market for industrial safety and automation products.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pilz GmbH & Co. KG: German family-owned safety automation specialist offering safety relays, PNOZ safety controllers, and machine safety solutions up to PL e/SIL 3. Closest direct peer to DOLD given similar Mittelstand heritage, German base, and product overlap in safety relays and key transfer systems.
• SICK AG: German sensor and safety systems manufacturer offering safety light curtains, safety controllers, and machine safety solutions. Direct competitor in factory and logistics safety applications, particularly in the SAFEMASTER W wireless and STS interlock adjacencies.
• Wieland Electric GmbH: German mid-sized manufacturer of safety relays (safeseries), industrial connectivity, and building automation. Comparable Mittelstand competitor with overlapping safety relay and machine safety offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Rockwell Automation, Inc. North American industrial automation leader offering Allen-Bradley Guardmaster safety relays and safety PLCs. Competes in machine safety applications, particularly in factory automation and material handling, though with limited overlap in Europe.
• Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG: Large German industrial connectivity and automation vendor offering PSR safety relay systems alongside PLCs, I/O, and terminal blocks. Competes with DOLD in safety relays and electronic housings while addressing a much broader automation portfolio.
• Eaton Corporation plc: Global power management company offering safety relays, motor protection, and insulation monitoring devices within its electrical industrial apparatus portfolio. Direct overlap with DOLD's monitoring and motor starter categories.
• Schneider Electric SE: Global energy management and automation major offering Harmony safety relays, Modicon safety controllers, and EcoStruxure safety solutions. Competes across factory, process, and machine safety with significantly larger scale.
• Siemens AG (Industrial Automation): Global industrial automation incumbent offering SIRIUS safety relays and the SIMATIC safety ecosystem. Competes with DOLD through integrated safety solutions bundled with broader automation and drives portfolios.
• ABB Ltd (Process Automation): Swiss-Swedish automation conglomerate offering safety relays and ABB Ability safety solutions for process and factory automation. Competes with DOLD in process-industry safety monitoring and motor protection.

Emerging players

• Banner Engineering Corp. US-based industrial safety device manufacturer specializing in safety light curtains, e-stops, and safety controllers. Adjacent competitor focused on sensing and safety devices rather than safety relays, but competes for the same end-customer safety specification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 E. Dold & Sons