Perma-Trade Wassertechnik

What Perma-Trade Wassertechnik does

Perma-Trade Wassertechnik AG is a privately held Swiss water-treatment specialist, founded in 1982 in Stuttgart-Feuerbach by Hans and Michael Sautter and incorporated as a Swiss AG in Bubikon in 1993. The company develops and manufactures chemical-free water-treatment hardware across six product families: filter technology (permaster black backwash filters, minimaster replacement filters), corrosion protection (permasolvent aktiv magnetic systems, OxRed oxygen elimination), fine filtration and vitalization (vital premium, permaster sanus, permaquell), limescale protection (permasolvent primus 2.0/2.1, primus vital), heating-water filling (permasoft units and digital filling stations), and inline system water treatment (permaLine). Core technologies include a patented triple-action ion-exchange process (desalination, dehardening, pH adjustment in one pass), magnetic/turbulence-based physical corrosion protection, patented brush-strip filter cleaning, and oxygen-elimination systems, all targeting compliance with SWKI BT102-01, VDI 2035, and DIN EN 1717. Approximately 85% of production is performed at Atrio Werkstatt für Behinderte, a sheltered workshop in Leonberg, Germany, where the company also runs an R&D and training center opened in 2006.

The company sells exclusively B2B through a curated network of specialist plumbing, heating, and HVAC installers (Fachbetriebe) and targets architects and TGA-Planers as specifiers; products are not distributed through retail or direct-to-consumer channels and pricing is not publicly disclosed. Geographic footprint spans Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, and Belgium, supported by country-specific domains and wholly-owned subsidiaries perma-trade Italia s.r.l. and perma-trade BeNeLux bvba (both 2016). Revenue is generated primarily through one-time capital-equipment sales with recurring consumables and a resin-regeneration/recycling service tied to permasoft usage; no revenue figures, funding rounds, or ownership transfers are disclosed, and the company remains founder-led under Managing Director Michael Sautter and Prokurist Philipp Sautter.

Name

Perma-Trade Wassertechnik

Legal name

perma-trade Wassertechnik AG

Website

https://perma-trade.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Perma-Trade Wassertechnik AG is a Swiss founder-owned manufacturer of chemical-free water-treatment hardware — filtration, limescale protection, corrosion protection, and heating-water treatment systems — sold B2B through specialist plumbing/HVAC installers across Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, and Belgium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Treatment Equipment

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)

akta.pro primary industry

Closed-Loop Heating/Chilled Water Treatment (Corrosion/Scale/Biocide) (BPABAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Filtration, Treatment & Softening Plumbing Products (IMADALAK), Point-of-Use (POU) Filtration & Fixtures Hygiene (Showers/Taps/Aerators) (BPABAJAJ), Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK)

Keywords

• Water treatment systems
• Limescale prevention equipment
• Corrosion protection systems
• Heating water treatment
• Drinking water filtration

Headquarters

HQ city

Bubikon

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B Water Treatment Equipment Sales: perma-trade generates revenue primarily through the sale of physical water treatment products — filters, limescale protection systems, heating water treatment units, and filling stations — to specialist trade partners (Fachbetriebe). Products are sold as one-time capital goods (equipment) with ongoing consumables (filter cartridges, replacement resin units, pH stabilization cartridges). Products are manufactured in Germany (primarily at Atrio workshop for disabled workers) and distributed through a curated channel network across Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, and Belgium.
2. Recycling and Resin Regeneration Services: permasoft mixed-bed resin units are collected by trade partners and returned to perma-trade for recycling and regeneration. This creates a recurring consumables/recycling revenue stream tied to product usage lifecycle.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

perma-trade Wassertechnik manufactures and sells physical/chemical-free water treatment equipment — ion-exchange demineralization units, magnetic corrosion protection systems, fine-filtration backwash filters, limescale prevention systems, oxygen elimination units, and digital heating-water filling stations — sold exclusively through a curated network of specialist plumbing/HVAC installation firms (Fachbetriebe) across Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, and Belgium. Products are engineered to comply with SWKI BT 102-01, VDI 2035, DIN EN 1717, and SVGW/SSIGE/DVGW standards for heating water quality and drinking water protection.

Product overview

Perma-Trade Wassertechnik offers a comprehensive portfolio of water treatment solutions categorized into six product areas: Filter Technology (permaster black backwash filters, minimaster replacement filters), Corrosion Protection (permasolvent aktiv magnetic systems, OxRed oxygen elimination), Fine Filtration & Vitalization (vital premium, permaster sanus, permaquell), Limescale Protection (permasolvent primus 2.0/2.1, primus vital), Heating Water Filling (permasoft home/commercial units, heating filling stations), and System Water Treatment (permaLine inline systems). The product architecture follows a modular approach where core systems like permasoft for heating water treatment can be paired with complementary accessories (pH stabilization cartridges, measuring kits), and drinking water solutions combine filters (permaster sanus) with vitalization (permagold) and delivery hardware (permaquell). Products are manufactured in Germany with approximately 85% produced in collaboration with Atrio Workshop for Disabled, emphasizing sustainable and socially responsible production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• permasoft: Heating water treatment and demineralization system with patented triple-action technology
• permasolvent primus
• permaster black
• permaLine
• vital premium
• permaquell
• OxRed
• minimaster

Quantifiable outcome

• A limescale layer of only 3mm thickness on heat exchangers results in a >20% loss of energy transfer efficiency
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Atrio Werkstatt für BehindertecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2002, perma-trade has maintained a close manufacturing partnership with Atrio Werkstatt für Behinderte, a sheltered workshop for disabled persons in Leonberg, Germany. Approximately 85% of perma-trade products are manufactured at this facility, making it the company's primary manufacturing partner. This partnership represents both a strategic supply chain arrangement and a core element of perma-trade's social responsibility strategy. Managing Director Michael Sautter received the Baden-Württemberg State Economics Medal (2013) specifically for this social commitment.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Watts Water Technologies: US-listed manufacturer of water quality and conservation products including filtration, softening, and plumbing components. Larger incumbent competing on residential and commercial water treatment with broader product portfolio.
• EcoWater Systems: Established water softening and treatment specialist operating through a dealer/installer network across Europe and North America. Comparable trade-channel go-to-market and product overlap on residential water treatment.
• Pentair plc: Global water treatment conglomerate offering residential and commercial filtration, softening, and pool/spa systems. Larger-scale incumbent with broader portfolio; competes on the same end-use applications though not specifically in chemical-free niche.
• Brita GmbH: German-headquartered global leader in drinking water filtration (pitchers, under-sink, built-in). Comparable in German engineering roots and overlap on drinking water filtration (vital premium, permaster sanus), though distribution model differs.
• Culligan International: Global water treatment franchise network offering residential and commercial softening, filtration, and drinking water solutions. Overlapping product set with broader geographic reach and established consumer brand.

Direct peers

• JUDO Wasseraufbereitung: German specialist in water softening, filtration, and corrosion protection for residential and commercial plumbing. Direct peer with similar product architecture, trade-channel distribution, and DVGW-certified product positioning.
• SYR Hans Sasserath: German family-owned manufacturer of water treatment equipment including filters, softening systems, and drinking water safety devices. Comparable in founder-family ownership, German manufacturing heritage, and Fachbetriebe-focused distribution.
• Cillit (now part of BWT): Historic European water treatment brand (Cillit, now under BWT) offering limescale protection and filtration systems across Italy, France, and German-speaking markets. Direct competitive overlap in the chemical-free limescale protection category.
• Grünbeck Wasseraufbereitung: German family-owned water treatment specialist offering softening, filtration, and heating water treatment systems. Closely comparable in size, founder-family ownership, chemical-free positioning, and German engineering heritage targeting Fachbetriebe.
• BWT AG: Austrian-headquartered European leader in water treatment technologies including limescale protection, filtration, and softening. Directly comparable as a multi-country European manufacturer selling through trade partners to residential and commercial customers with overlapping product categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Perma-Trade Wassertechnik