What Erler-Zimmer does

Erler-Zimmer Medical GmbH is a fourth-generation, family-owned German manufacturer of anatomical models, medical simulators, and imaging phantoms, headquartered in Lauf, Baden-Württemberg, and operating since 1950. The company produces physical training products across eight core lines: anatomical models (skeletons, organs, joints), 3D-printed anatomical series using full-color additive manufacturing, medical procedure simulators (IV training, catheterization, ultrasound, wound packing, emergency care), imaging phantoms for X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, and PET/SPECT, veterinary medicine simulators (dogs, cats, horses, service dogs), anatomical teaching charts, and practice supplies. Underlying technology combines modern CAD design, full-color 3D printing, professional plastic fabrication, and proprietary features including magnetic skull connections, self-healing ultrasound-compatible materials, gliding rubber joint construction, and a free Augmented Anatomy AR companion app for nomenclature overlay. Manufacturing and assembly are performed in Germany, and the company holds ISO 9001 quality management certification.

The business operates primarily as a direct-to-consumer and B2B e-commerce retailer through its multilingual storefront (erler-zimmer.de in German, English, French, and Hungarian), supplemented by catalog ordering for institutional buyers. Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time unit sales of physical hardware at price points ranging from approximately 19 EUR (teaching charts) to 7,794 EUR (advanced veterinary simulators), with a secondary stream from replacement parts and consumables. Customers are distributed across medical schools, universities, hospitals, veterinary clinics, emergency services, and secondary schools in Germany and internationally. The company is led by managing directors Ute Probst and Walter Probst, with fourth-generation partners Mathias and Patrick Probst, and operates with a headcount band of 11-50 employees. There is no external institutional investment, parent company, or public listing.

Name

Erler-Zimmer

Legal name

Erler-Zimmer Medical GmbH

Website

https://erler-zimmer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Erler-Zimmer Medical GmbH is a fourth-generation, family-owned German manufacturer founded in 1950 that designs and produces anatomical models, medical procedure simulators, and imaging phantoms for medical schools, universities, hospitals, veterinary clinics, and emergency services worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Simulation and Anatomical Education Equipment

NAICS

Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Imaging Equipment & Accessories (X-ray, Ultrasound, Endoscopy) (HLAMAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Surgical & Procedural Instruments (Scalpels, Forceps, Retractors) (HLAMAFAA)

Keywords

• Anatomical models
• Medical simulators
• Ultrasound training phantoms
• Veterinary training equipment
• Anatomical teaching charts

Headquarters

HQ city

Lauf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Anatomical Models Sales: Sale of anatomical models including skeletons, organ models, joint models, and specialized anatomical structures. Products are one-time purchases with prices ranging from approximately 50 to 1,000+ euros depending on complexity and detail level.
2. Medical Simulators Sales: Sale of medical training simulators for procedures including IV injection, catheterization, ultrasound, wound packing, and emergency care. Includes specialized named products like 'Puncture Pete' IV training arms and 'Henri'/'Florence' catheterization models.
3. Veterinary Products: Dedicated product line for veterinary medicine including dog, cat, and horse anatomical models and simulators for ultrasound, catheterization, and other procedures.
4. Anatomical Charts/Teaching Posters: Sale of anatomical teaching charts on plastic film (200µ) with metal rods, available in various sizes (50x70cm, 70x100cm), featuring German, Latin, and English terminology.
5. Replacement Parts and Accessories: Separate sale of replacement skins, veins, blood bags, and other consumable/accessory parts for their simulator products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Erler-Zimmer manufactures and sells anatomical models, medical procedure simulators, and imaging phantoms for human and veterinary medical education. The portfolio covers skeletons and organ models, procedure trainers for IV injection, catheterization, ultrasound, regional anesthesia, wound packing and emergency care, X-ray/CT/MRI/PET-SPECT phantoms, veterinary training equipment, anatomical teaching charts, and replacement consumables. Products are sold worldwide via a multilingual direct e-commerce channel and supported by a free Augmented Reality companion app for digital nomenclature overlay.

Product overview

Erler-Zimmer Medical GmbH is a manufacturer of anatomical models and medical simulators for scientific and medical education, founded in 1950 and headquartered in Lauf, Germany. The product portfolio consists of multiple interconnected product lines: Anatomische Modelle (anatomical models including the Schulskelett "Oscar" skeleton series and various joint/organ models), Medizinische Simulatoren (medical simulators including the Puncture Pete IV training arms and Wound Packing Trainer), 3D Anatomie Serie (3D printed anatomical models using modern full-color 3D printing), Bildgebende Verfahren (imaging procedure phantoms for X-ray, CT, ultrasound, MRI including the SonoEZ ultrasound trainer series), Veterinär Medizin (veterinary simulators like the Lillie ultrasound trainer and K9-Marshal service dog simulator), Anatomische Lehrtafeln (anatomical teaching charts), Praxisbedarf (practice supplies and replacement parts), and the Augmented Anatomy App (proprietary AR-enabled companion app that works with their models to display nomenclature in augmented reality). The company operates as a single unified product ecosystem where physical anatomical models and simulators are complemented by the Augmented Anatomy App for enhanced learning, and products range from basic educational tools to advanced simulation equipment for professional medical training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Augmented Anatomy: Augmented reality app that automatically recognizes Erler-Zimmer anatomical models and displays nomenclature in augmented reality. Available for free to customers on smartphones and tablets.

Products and services

• Anatomical Models (Anatomische Modelle) Durable, unbreakable plastic anatomical models covering skeletons, organs, joints, and body-part replicas, featuring proprietary magnetic connections, flexible joints, and removable components. Sold to medical schools, universities, and healthcare training programs for hands-on anatomy education.
• Medical Simulators (Medizinische Simulatoren) Procedure-specific training simulators covering suction, auscultation, endoscopy, gynecology, suturing, IV injection, cardiology, nursing, oncology screening, emergency care, obstetrics, ultrasound, contraception, and emergency simulation. Includes named models Puncture Pete (IV training), Combat Carl (tactical medicine), Henri and Florence (catheterization), and wound packing trainers.
• 3D Anatomy Series (3D Anatomie Serie) Full-color 3D printed anatomical models comprising Anatomy Series 1.0, Anatomy Series 1.1, Pathology Series 2.0, and veterinary variants. Targets medical and veterinary schools requiring detailed, scalable anatomical replicas produced via modern 3D printing.
• Imaging Procedure Phantoms (Bildgebende Verfahren) Training phantoms (test objects) for imaging modalities including X-ray, CT, ultrasound, MRI, PET/SPECT, plus test objects and dynamic phantoms. Used by radiology training programs, hospitals, and imaging equipment vendors for modality training and quality assurance.
• Veterinary Medicine Models and Simulators (Veterinär Medizin) Veterinary anatomical models and procedure simulators covering feline, canine, equine, and other animals, including ultrasound trainers (Lillie), IV injection legs, echocardiography kits, intubation heads, service dog simulator (K9-Marshal), catheterization simulators (Cathy, Rex), and CPR training dogs (CooPeR).
• Anatomical Teaching Charts (Anatomische Lehrtafeln) Wall-mounted anatomical teaching charts in human and veterinary medicine, made of 200µ plastic foil with metal rods and available in sizes 50x70cm and 70x100cm. Terminology presented in German, Latin, and English, covering skeletal, muscular, nervous, vascular, respiratory, digestive, cardiac, brain, and lymphatic systems.
• Practice Supplies and Replacement Parts (Praxisbedarf) Consumable practice supplies and accessories for medical training, including replacement skins, veins, blood bags, artificial blood, wound Moulage (simulated wounds), and other consumables that maintain and refresh existing simulators.
• School Skeleton 'Oscar' (Schulskelett Oscar) Full-size adult male educational skeleton of approximately 200 bones matching real human size and weight, constructed from durable unbreakable plastic with flexible rubber gliding joints, a three-part magnetic-closure skull, and quick-release limb attachments. Includes demonstrated spinal nerves, vertebral artery, and herniated disc features. Sold with rolling stand and 5-year warranty.
• Puncture Pete Hyperrealistic IV Training Arm Hyperrealistic IV training arm in soft, durable silicone with extensive replaceable vein networks at varying depths, immediate blood-flashback feedback, interchangeable skin that rolls on/off in minutes, and multiple skin tones. Compatible with standard catheters, needles, vacuum tubes, and infusion sets for nursing and medical training programs.
• SonoEZ Ultrasound Trainer 'Vessel' (SonoEZ Ultraschalltrainer 'Gefäß') Compact ultrasound training device with realistic ultrasound-compatible material delivering high-fidelity images, including two 6mm blood vessels at different depths and a self-sealing needle-puncture pad. Packaged in a 12x8x5cm plastic container for portable training use.
• Wound Packing Trainer (Model 7770) Realistic wound packing trainer for emergency and tactical casualty care, featuring an expert-verified large-caliber gunshot wound with bleeding function, made of durable silicone and compatible with all standard hemostatic wound dressings. Supplied with artificial blood, blood bag, tubing, and plastic tub.
• Dog Ultrasound Training Simulator 'Lillie' (Hunde Ultraschalltrainingssimulator Lillie) Complete veterinary abdominal ultrasound training set including anatomical tissue structures (heart, lungs, liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, adrenal glands, bladder, stomach, intestines, aorta, caudal vena cava), skills phantom, and kidney FNA phantom for needle placement training. Targets veterinary schools and clinics needing realistic canine abdominal ultrasound practice.
• Service Dog Simulator K9-Marshal (Diensthundesimulator K9-Marshal) Belgian Malinois service dog simulator at realistic 30kg size/weight with movable joints, silicone body, internal skeleton, durable fur, and Bluetooth speaker. Supports training in handling techniques, femoral pulse, tongue movement, CPR, endotracheal intubation, wound packing, tourniquet application, and needle decompression.
• Ultrasound Regional Anesthesia Simulator (Ultraschall – Regionalanästhesie - Simulator) Ultrasound regional anesthesia training block with an 8mm vessel surrounded by three 3mm nerve strands, enabling visualization of fluid injection along fascial planes in Doppler ultrasound mode for anesthesiology training.
• Augmented Anatomy App (EZ Augmented Anatomy) Free augmented reality learning app that automatically recognizes Erler-Zimmer anatomical models and overlays nomenclature on the physical model via smartphone or tablet camera, with no registration required. Compatible with new and previously purchased Erler-Zimmer anatomical models and links to an online anatomy learning encyclopedia.

Quantifiable outcome

• Self-healing ultrasound pads maintain image quality over extended use periods
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 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 indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sawbones (Pacific Research Laboratories): Manufacturer of anatomical training models and orthopedic/surgical simulation tools widely used in medical education. Closely comparable to Erler-Zimmer's skeleton and orthopedic procedure training product lines.
• Adam, Rouilly: UK-based manufacturer of anatomical models, medical simulators, and clinical skills trainers, with a comparable range of skeletons, birthing simulators, and procedure-specific training products — a close direct competitor in the human-medicine training segment.
• Limbs & Things: UK-based specialist in procedure-specific medical training simulators (catheterization, suturing, ultrasound). Directly comparable to Erler-Zimmer's medical simulator line including Puncture Pete and Florence catheterization models.
• Nasco Healthcare: US manufacturer of anatomical models, nursing/medical simulators, and veterinary training products. Overlaps with Erler-Zimmer across human and veterinary simulators as well as CPR/trauma training manikins like Combat Care.
• 3B Scientific: 3B Scientific is one of the world's largest manufacturers of anatomical models, medical simulators, and training equipment for medical and healthcare education — a direct competitor across nearly every product line Erler-Zimmer offers, including skeletons, joint models, and procedure simulators.
• Kyoto Kagaku: Japanese manufacturer of anatomical models, phantoms, and medical training simulators with strong global distribution — a comparable competitor particularly in imaging phantoms (X-ray, CT, ultrasound) which directly mirrors Erler-Zimmer's Bildgebende Verfahren line.

Emerging players

• SynDaver Labs: Developer of synthetic human and animal tissue models for surgical and anatomical training. Comparable to Erler-Zimmer's high-fidelity silicone-based simulators (e.g., Puncture Pete, K9-Marshal) but with a stronger focus on wet-tissue realism and surgical procedure simulation.
• Simulab: US-based producer of realistic tissue-based surgical and procedural task trainers. Comparable niche in procedure-specific training simulators (ultrasound, trauma) and serves overlapping customers in surgical residency programs.

Broad incumbents

• Laerdal Medical: Global leader in medical simulation and resuscitation training (SimMan, Nursing Anne). Overlaps with Erler-Zimmer on procedure and emergency simulators but operates at vastly larger scale with broader portfolio including CPR manikins and digital simulation platforms.
• CAE Healthcare: Division of CAE Inc. focused on healthcare simulation, offering high-fidelity patient simulators and ultrasound training. Competes with Erler-Zimmer in advanced procedure simulation, particularly imaging phantoms and ultrasound trainers, but at much larger scale and price points.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ErlerZimmer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erler-zimmer
• Xx.com/erlerzimmer
• Facebookfacebook.com/ErlerZimmerAnatomie

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Erler-Zimmer