CAD Schroer

What CAD Schroer does

CAD Schroer GmbH is a German developer and provider of CAD-based engineering software, founded in 1986 and headquartered in Moers, Germany. The company builds the unified M4 platform, which consolidates the legacy MEDUSA4 and MPDS4 product lines into a single suite for 2D/3D CAD, plant engineering, factory planning, and mechanical engineering. The platform integrates P&ID design (M4 P&ID), 3D piping and layout (M4 PLANT), professional drafting (M4 DRAFTING), automated pipe isometrics (M4 ISO), and a free tier for private and educational use (M4 PERSONAL), alongside an i4 Industry 4.0 product line for AR/VR visualization and virtual meetings. The company also operates PTC Solutions as a separate channel entity reselling PTC's Creo, Windchill, Mathcad, and related products.

The company monetizes primarily through annual software subscriptions (ranging from €49/month for M4 P&ID FX to €230/month for the full M4 PLANT package), perpetual licenses with separate maintenance contracts, ongoing support and update subscriptions, training services, and custom software development. Go-to-market is a hybrid of direct sales (via website, phone, and regional subsidiaries in Switzerland, UK, and USA), inside sales for test-version conversions, and a partner network covering Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, and France. CAD Schroer reports 250,000+ licenses deployed worldwide, with named enterprise customers across layout planning, tool manufacturing, and water treatment, and the company is privately held with no disclosed external investors.

Name

CAD Schroer

Legal name

CAD Schroer GmbH

Website

https://cad-schroer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CAD Schroer GmbH, founded 1986 in Moers, Germany, develops the M4 unified CAD platform for plant engineering, factory planning, and mechanical engineering, plus an i4 AR/VR suite, serving industrial enterprises across Europe and North America with 250,000+ licenses deployed.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Moers

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses (Subscription): Annual subscription model for software licenses with automatic renewal after 12 months. Single-user licenses and network licenses available. Pricing starts at €49/month for M4 P&ID FX and €188/month for M4 PLANT packages.
2. Software Licenses (Perpetual): One-time purchase option available with separate maintenance contract required for support and updates.
3. Software Maintenance and Support: Annual maintenance contracts including online support, German-language hotline, software updates, and customer portal access. COS (CAD Schroer Online Services) provides installation support, system maintenance, template creation, construction aids, printer/plotter configuration, data conversion, and automation services.
4. Training Services: CAD Schroer offers training courses, CAD courses, and workshops including basic courses, advanced courses, admin courses, converter courses, and individual workshops. Online training available in German or English.
5. Freemium - M4 PERSONAL: Free CAD software for 2D and 3D for private use and education. Commercial use of results (DWG/DXF/PDF conversion) available for a small fee.
6. Custom Software Development: Customized application development, extending existing CAD systems, and process automation services for specific customer requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CAD Schroer develops and sells the M4 software platform for 2D/3D plant engineering, factory planning, and mechanical engineering design, integrating MEDUSA4 and MPDS4 into a unified suite with modules for piping, P&ID, isometrics, and collision checking. The company also offers the i4 product line for AR/VR visualization and virtual collaboration. In addition, CAD Schroer resells and supports PTC solutions (Creo, Windchill, Mathcad) through its separate PTC Solutions brand.

Product overview

CAD Schroer offers a unified platform-plus-modules architecture centered on the M4 product family for CAD, plant design, and factory planning. The M4 line encompasses M4 PLANT (comprehensive 3D plant and factory planning), M4 DRAFTING (professional 2D/3D CAD), M4 P&ID (process and instrumentation diagrams), M4 ISO (pipe isometry generation), M4 REVIEW (3D/2D viewing), and M4 PERSONAL (free version). The i4 product line extends the portfolio with Industry 4.0 solutions including AR applications (i4 AUGMENTED REVIEW, i4 AUGMENTED CATALOG), VR applications (i4 VIRTUAL REVIEW, i4 MEETING), and IoT capabilities. Additionally, CAD Schroer resells PTC products including Creo Parametric, Creo Simulate, Creo Illustrate, Windchill (PLM), and Mathcad as part of their PTC Solutions offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• M4: Product line for CAD, plant engineering, and factory planning solutions including M4 PLANT, M4 DRAFTING, M4 P&ID, M4 ISO, M4 PERSONAL, M4 REVIEW
• i4
• PTC Solutions

Products and services

• M4 PLANT 3D software for plant design and factory planning with modules for piping, building, conveyor systems, steel construction, HVAC, and cable trays; offers cross-discipline 3D plant and factory planning for engineering firms and industrial companies.
• M4 DRAFTING Professional 2D/3D CAD software for technical drawing creation and automation with parametric capabilities, standard parts libraries, and DWG/DXF/DGN format support; available in Basic, Premium, and Ultimate packages for mechanical engineering professionals.
• M4 PERSONAL Free 2D/3D CAD software for private and educational use, supporting DWG/DXF/PDF file formats with basic 3D modeling capabilities; commercial export of results available for a small fee via eSERVICES.
• M4 P&ID P&ID software for creating and editing R&I (piping and instrumentation) diagrams with intelligent symbols, customizable attributes per EN ISO and ANSI standards, consistency checking, and bill of materials generation; aimed at chemical, oil & gas, energy, and water treatment firms.
• M4 ISO Automated pipe isometric drawing software that generates non-scaled pipe isometries from 3D planning data including associated bill of materials.
• M4 REVIEW 3D/2D viewer for CAD models and drawings, enabling visual inspection and presentation of engineering data.
• i4 AUGMENTED REVIEW

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250,000 software licenses deployed worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PTC SolutionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCAD Schroer operates PTC Solutions (ptc-solutions.de) as a separate business entity that resells and supports PTC software products including Creo Parametric (parametric 3D CAD), Creo Simulate (product performance insight), Creo Illustrate (powerful technical 3D illustrations), Windchill (product lifecycle management), and Mathcad (mathematical software for design calculations).
• UIMC Dr. Vossbein GmbH & Co KGminorOthersUIMC Dr. Vossbein GmbH & Co KG, founded in 1997 and specialized in data protection consulting, serves as CAD Schroer's external data protection officer. They conduct annual audits and provide ongoing data protection optimization services.
• Local Partner NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCAD Schroer maintains a dense network of local partners to ensure high quality standards are maintained in countries and regions where they don't have direct representation. Partner offices exist in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, and France.
• Meta Platforms (Facebook)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFacebook/Meta Platforms plugins ('Like' buttons) are integrated for marketing purposes on the website.
• LinkedInminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLinkedIn is linked from the website for professional networking and marketing purposes.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bentley Systems: Bentley's OpenPlant, AutoPLANT, and PlantWise compete with CAD Schroer in plant engineering and P&ID markets, particularly among infrastructure and process-industry owners. Both vendors emphasize standards-based symbol libraries and integrated 2D/3D plant modeling.
• Autodesk: Autodesk's AutoCAD and AutoCAD Plant 3D compete head-to-head with CAD Schroer's M4 DRAFTING and M4 PLANT for 2D/3D mechanical and plant design customers. Both target the same engineering drawing and P&ID workflows in mid-market and enterprise industrial accounts.
• AVEVA: AVEVA's E3D (Everything3D) and AVEVA Plant solutions directly overlap with M4 PLANT for 3D plant design, piping, and isometric generation in process industries such as oil and gas, chemicals, and power. Both vendors target owner-operators and EPCs running integrated P&ID-to-3D workflows.
• Bricsys (Hexagon): Bricsys' BricsCAD competes directly with M4 DRAFTING for DWG-based 2D/3D mechanical CAD users at attractive price points. Both target the same mainstream mechanical engineering and drafting workflows with format-compatible CAD platforms.
• Siemens Digital Industries (Comos / Solid Edge / NX): Siemens' Comos (plant engineering), Solid Edge, and NX compete with CAD Schroer across both plant/factory design and mechanical engineering. Both target large industrial customers seeking integrated CAD plus PLM/digital-twin workflows.
• Hexagon (CADWorx / Bricsys): Hexagon's CADWorx plant design suite and its Bricsys (BricsCAD) CAD platform compete with M4 PLANT and M4 DRAFTING for plant engineering and general CAD users. Hexagon is a comparable integrated plant design vendor targeting the same EPC and process-industry customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Dassault Systèmes: Dassault's CATIA, SolidWorks, and 3DEXPERIENCE platform compete with M4 DRAFTING and M4 PLANT for mechanical and plant engineering customers at the high end of the market. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering CAD/PLM/simulation that overlaps with CAD Schroer's design and plant workflow offerings.
• PTC: PTC's Creo Parametric and Windchill PLM compete broadly with M4 DRAFTING/PLANT while simultaneously being resold by CAD Schroer's PTC Solutions entity. Comparable because it sells mechanical CAD and PLM to the same industrial customer base, with overlapping go-to-market and product positioning.

Emerging players

• Zuken (E3.series): Zuken's E3.series competes with M4 P&ID for electrical, fluid, and process design customers in industrial and process industries. Comparable because it provides standards-driven schematic/plant design tools targeting overlapping manufacturing and engineering accounts.
• Trimble (Tekla Structures): Trimble's Tekla Structures competes with M4 PLANT in structural steel and plant detailing for industrial construction. Comparable because it serves overlapping structural and plant engineering customers with detailed 3D modeling, though CAD Schroer's P&ID and factory layout breadth differs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/cadschroergermany
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/cad-schroer-gmbh
• Xx.com/CADSchroer
• Facebookfacebook.com/CADSchroerGroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 CAD Schroer