Is TCP a public or private company?

TCP is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.

When was TCP founded?

TCP was founded in 1978. It employs 1 to 10 people.

TCP is headquartered in Mülheim, Germany, in the Europe region.

How does TCP make money?

Five revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses (One-time/Perpetual) is the primary driver. The others are financing / Installment Purchase, rental / Subscription Model, maintenance and Support Services and professional Services.

Does TCP have an API?

No public API is recorded for TCP.

TCP company profile: firmographics, business model, customers, competitors

Namestring

TCP

Legal namestring

TCP – Technische Computerprogramme Gesellschaft für Softwaresysteme, Vertrieb und Beratung mbH

Websiteurl

tcp.de

Company typeenum

Private

Founded yearint

1978

Descriptiontext

TCP – Technische Computerprogramme GmbH is a privately held German software company founded on April 1, 1978 in Mülheim an der Ruhr, specializing in graphical planning systems for the variant-rich furniture manufacturing industry. The company claims to be the oldest continuously operating software house worldwide exclusively focused on computer graphics, and has remained founder-owned throughout its history under managing directors Ulrich Degens and Reinhard P. Hipp. TCP serves well-known furniture manufacturing enterprises across Europe, the Americas, Australia, the Netherlands, the UK, Switzerland, and Brazil, with named customers including NOBILIA, Miele, Lüning, and GRUKO.

The company's core product is the TCP Planungssystem, a parametric graphical planning system that operates as an expert system rather than a general-purpose CAD tool. Built on a proprietary parametric data model developed in the early 1990s, the platform enables generation of approximately 20,000 catalog articles from around 20 basic bodies, automates rule-based furniture planning tasks (accessory quantification, cutout positioning, processing recognition, wall-length recalculation), and integrates with customer ERP systems through a standardized two-way interface. Supporting modules include TCP Interior-Design for photorealistic rendering, TCP Geräteplaner (Appliance Cabinet Finder) for matching cabinets against 70,000–80,000 appliances, the TCP Web-Konfigurator for browser-based self-serve configuration, the Scalermixer post-processing tool, and the embedded EL scripting language that enables deep customization without modifying the base software.

TCP's go-to-market combines direct enterprise consulting sales — including multi-day workshops and individualized licensing negotiations — with exclusive distribution through a network of more than 30 ERP system houses (SAP, PCS Strakeljahn, 20-20 Technologies, ESS, iff consulting+software, itelligence, BTC, COBUS ConCept, and others). Revenue is generated through three licensing options (outright purchase, direct TCP financing without bank involvement, and rental subscription) plus annual maintenance flat fees and hourly professional services. The company operates with a 1–10 person headcount, and revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Short descriptiontext

TCP – Technische Computerprogramme GmbH is a privately held German software firm founded in 1978 that provides a parametric graphical planning system and expert-system automation for variant-rich furniture manufacturers, integrated with ERP environments via a network of more than 30 channel partners across Europe and the Americas.

Operating statusenum

Operating

Ownership categoryenum

Headcount rangeband

1–10

akta.pro rankint

HeadquartersMülheim, Germany

HQ citystring

Mülheim

HQ countrystring

Germany

HQ regionstring

Europe

Markets served

Serves global market

Offices1 record

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values

furniture planning software, parametric CAD software, ERP-integrated design, photorealistic furniture rendering, web product configurator

Industry2 codes

1HDAEAEAC

CodeHDAEAEACPrimaryYes

2HSAFALAH

CodeHSAFALAHPrimaryNo

NAICS code2 codes

541512
541511

SIC code2 codes

7373
7371

Product category

Furniture Manufacturing Planning Software

Social media profiles1 record

GTM motion2 records

Each record includes

Type, Description, Source

Revenue model5 records

1Software Licenses (One-time/Perpetual)

TypeOne Time License

Description

Customers can purchase software licenses outright as part of the implementation project. TCP offers a perpetual (unlimited in time) license after at least 24 months of uninterrupted and timely maintenance payments following an installment purchase period. The software is non-transferable and non-resaleable.

tcp.de

2Financing / Installment Purchase

TypeSubscription Recurring

Description

TCP GmbH provides direct financing to customers without involving banks. This allows for longer agreement terms and does not affect the customer's credit rating. During the installment period, the software is considered rented, and the perpetual license only transfers after 24 months of uninterrupted maintenance payments.

tcp.de

3Rental / Subscription Model

TypeSubscription Recurring

Description

TCP offers software rental as a third licensing option. The rental model carries a 12-month termination notice period, renewable to the end of the third calendar year.

tcp.de

4Maintenance and Support Services

TypeSubscription Recurring

Description

Ongoing maintenance agreements provide regular software updates, telephone support, data carrier exchanges, and error correction. The maintenance fee covers single-shift operation (up to 8 hours per day). Extended use triggers additional charges.

tcp.de

5Professional Services

TypeProfessional Services

Description

TCP provides implementation, project management, training, and consulting services. These are billed according to hourly rates, travel costs, and ancillary expenses defined in TCP's current fee schedule.

tcp.de

Marketing channels4 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Stage, Description, Source

Distribution channels3 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components5 values

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

Pricing details4 tiers

1License Purchase (Outright)

ModelOne time/ perpetual licenseBilling cadenceMulti-year contract

Notes

Software licenses are purchased directly as part of the implementation project. The perpetual (unlimited) license is only fully transferred after 24 months of uninterrupted maintenance fee payments following the end of an installment purchase period.

tcp.de

2TCP GmbH Direct Financing

ModelSubscriptionBilling cadenceMulti-year contract

Notes

TCP provides financing directly to customers without involving banks, allowing extended payment terms that do not impact the customer's credit rating. Full license transfer occurs after successful completion of the financing period plus 24 months of maintenance.

tcp.de

3Software Rental

ModelSubscriptionBilling cadenceMulti-year contract

Notes

Rental of the TCP software with a 12-month notice period, first terminable at the end of the third calendar year.

tcp.de

4Maintenance and Support Agreement

ModelSubscriptionBilling cadenceAnnual

Notes

Pauschale (flat fee) covering software updates, telephone support, and error correction. Covers single-shift operation (up to 8 hours/day). Additional charges apply for on-site support or multi-shift use. Project staff and managers are GPM-certified (German Association for Project Management).

tcp.de

GTM typeB2B

B2B

Offering typeSoftware

Software

Brand1 of 4 records shown

1TCP Planungssystem

Description

Main graphical planning system for furniture manufacturers, integrated with ERP systems for order processing.

tcp.de

+3 more records

Core offering1 text field

TCP develops and sells the TCP Planungssystem, a proprietary graphical expert system (not a generic CAD) for variant-rich furniture manufacturers. The software uses a parametric data model that derives thousands of catalog articles from a small set of base bodies, integrates with leading ERP systems via a standardized interface, and supports graphical order capture, photorealistic rendering, automated rule-based planning, and web-based product configuration for kitchen, bathroom, and home-furniture producers.

Differentiator

Functional benefit

Problem solved

Quantifiable outcome1 of 4 values shown

Plans created more than 20 years ago can still be read and processed by today's TCP software

+3 more records

Product overview1 text field

TCP offers a modular software suite centered on the TCP Planungssystem (TCP Planning System), a graphical planning system for furniture manufacturers that integrates with ERP systems. The portfolio includes TCP Interior-Design for photorealistic rendering, the TCP Geräteplaner (Appliance Cabinet Finder) for matching appliances with conversion cabinets, and the TCP Web-Konfigurator for web-based product configuration. Supporting these is the EL scripting language for customization and the Scalermixer tool for post-processing photorealistic images. All products are built on a proprietary parametric data model developed since the 1990s.

Scale indicator3 records

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Partnership7 partners

1Möfas ERP System (Gütersloher Systemhaus) / Thiesbrummel

Strategic tierFoundationalTypeTechnology or IntegrationAnnounced on1978-01-01

Description

First-ever partnership combining TCP with an ERP system (Möfas from Gütersloher Systemhaus and furniture PPS pioneer Thiesbrummel) at the Lüning company. This established the foundational model: any ERP system communicating with TCP via an interface, working together as an overall system. This partnership originated in the late 1970s/early 1980s.

2PCS Strakeljahn GmbH & Co. KG (Spenge, Germany)