KNECHT

What KNECHT does

KNECHT GmbH Gewächshaus-Einrichtungen und Linearelemente is a privately held German industrial manufacturer founded in 1928 in Metzingen, family-owned and currently led by Rainer Knecht. The company operates two divisions: a Greenhouse Equipment division that designs, manufactures, and installs complete horticultural systems (irrigation systems, FERTICON digital fertilizer controls, iDROMiX proportional dosing pumps, container systems, irrigation gantries, rolling benches, internal transport systems, and sales tables), and a Linear Elements division producing aluminum linear housings and precision guide shafts for industrial automation since 1986. The KNECHT corporate group as a whole comprises ~210 employees across multiple sites in Germany and Switzerland, with approximately 50 dedicated to the greenhouse segment, alongside sister businesses Otto Knecht GmbH (concrete plants and prefabricated cellars), Knecht Manufaktur (concrete one-offs), and Knecht Systembau GmbH (industrial/commercial general contractor).

The business model is enterprise project-based: KNECHT sells custom-engineered, quote-priced systems directly to commercial growers, nurseries, garden centers, viticulture operators, cannabis producers, and research institutions, with its own installation teams handling on-site assembly. Revenue streams include one-time hardware sales of complete systems, digital control systems (FERTICON), and recurring service/maintenance for installed equipment. Geographic reach spans DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), Western Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal), Central Europe (Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland), and North America (USA, Canada), supported by a regional direct sales team.

Customer evidence shows a diversified base of mid-to-large horticultural operators, including Viveiros do Foral (Portugal, 1.5M citrus plants/year), MK Jungpflanzen (Germany, 40+ irrigation gantries), Kientzler (Germany, 53,000 m²), Ernst Meier AG (Switzerland garden center), Gartenbau Rath (Germany, 20,000 m²), and HBLFA-Schönbrunn (Austria, research facility). The cannabis sub-brand Cannabench targets licensed producers in Switzerland, Canada, USA, and Denmark. The company has held ISO 9001 certification since 1997, and product differentiators include the electricity-free water-driven iDROMiX dosing pump and proprietary FERTICON digital controls.

Name

KNECHT

Legal name

Knecht GmbH Gewächshaus-Einrichtungen und Linearelemente

Website

https://knechtgmbh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KNECHT is a German family-owned industrial manufacturer (founded 1928) that designs, produces, and installs custom greenhouse equipment, irrigation systems, and precision linear components for professional horticulture, viticulture, cannabis cultivation, and industrial automation customers across Europe and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Greenhouse Equipment and Irrigation Systems

NAICS

Agricultural Implement Manufacturing (33311), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Irrigation, Fertigation & Nutrient Delivery Systems (Dosing, Injectors, Sensors) (AFAAAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Irrigation Automation & Controllers (Timers, Solenoids, Control Panels) (AFABAHAI), Irrigation System Design & Engineering (AFACAFAA)

Keywords

• Greenhouse equipment manufacturing
• Irrigation systems installation
• Precision linear components
• Horticulture automation systems
• Cannabis cultivation benches

Headquarters

HQ city

Metzingen

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. Greenhouse Equipment Manufacturing and Installation: Custom design, manufacturing, and installation of complete greenhouse equipment systems including irrigation systems, container facilities, rolling tables, transport systems, and sales tables. Project-based sales with planning, production, and installation services.
2. Linear Elements and Precision Components: Production and sale of linear housing units, precision guide shafts, and shaft supports for automation and handling technology. Includes CNC machining services for custom specifications.
3. Digital Control Systems (FERTICON): Sale of digital control systems for fertilizer mixing installations with modular architecture for customized expansions.
4. Service and Maintenance: Service department providing installation, maintenance, and support for installed systems.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KNECHT designs, manufactures, and installs greenhouse equipment and irrigation systems for professional horticulture, including complete irrigation systems, container facilities, rolling tables, irrigation gantries, transport systems, and sales tables. The company also produces precision linear components (linear housings and shafts) for industrial automation applications. Offerings are delivered as custom-engineered, project-based solutions combining planning, in-house production, and on-site installation.

Product overview

KNECHT is a German industrial equipment manufacturer specializing in greenhouse equipment and linear technology components. The product portfolio consists of two main divisions: Greenhouse Equipment (Gewächshaus-Einrichtungen) including complete irrigation systems with FERTICON digital controls and iDROMiX® dosing pumps, container facilities, irrigation gantries, rolltables systems, internal transport systems, and sales tables; and Linear Elements (Linear-Elemente) comprising linear housing units and precision shafts. The offering is organized as a unified portfolio of industrial mechanical systems rather than a software platform architecture. Products serve professional horticulture, viticulture, and cannabis cultivation markets, as well as industrial automation applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cannabench: Bench-Systems for professional cannabis growers. Universally applicable with maximum space utilization. High quality materials and first-class workmanship guarantee a long life span even with heavy loads. Can be used in every type of greenhouse, indoor facility, basement or laboratories.
• FERTICON
• iDROMiX

Products and services

• Irrigation Systems (Bewässerungssysteme) Complete irrigation systems for horticultural operations including flow irrigation, mat irrigation, drip irrigation, and nozzle irrigation systems, with automatic fertilizer dosages, sand filters, water basins, and rainwater reservoirs. For commercial greenhouse operations.
• FERTICON Digital Control Systems Digital control systems for fertilizer mixing installations that enable precise nutrient dosing, stable recipes, and reliable communication between sensors, controllers, and dosing units. For commercial horticulture operations managing fertilizer mixing.
• iDROMiX iDose 3.5 Proportional Dosing Pump Water-driven proportional dosing pump for injecting fertilizers or water-soluble products into irrigation systems. Operates without electricity, achieving flow rates from 10 l/h up to 3.5 m³/h with increased chemical resistance. For greenhouse and horticulture operations.
• Container Facility (Container-Anlagen) Container systems for flexible plant transport within greenhouses, available in manual, semi-automated, or fully automated configurations. Includes Rollmobil containers, pipe-lanes, transport rails, and container servicing rails. For professional horticulture operations.
• Irrigation Gantry (Gießwagen) Automatic irrigation equipment with infinitely variable speed (1.5-18 m/min), available in SK, SW, and SW with transfer trolley types. Features flat jet nozzles, spray nozzles, and integrated bypass function for continuous water supply. For commercial greenhouses.
• Rolltables Systems (Rolltisch-Systeme) Rolling bench systems universally applicable in all greenhouse types with optimal space utilization. Features height-adjustable metal substructures with various inlay options including ebb-and-flood trays, mesh wire inlays, and gutters. For professional horticulture.
• Internal Transport Systems (Transportsysteme) Complete internal transport systems for professional horticulture including fully automatic container transport trolleys, container washers, container stackers, transport rails, conveyor belts, and upper-bed cranes. For commercial greenhouse operations.
• Sales Tables (Verkaufstische) Robust sales display tables available as mobile or fixed, one or two-level designs. Height-adjustable with various waterproof surfacing options including plastic or aluminium, and connection to automatic irrigation systems. For garden centers and horticultural retailers.
• Cannabench Bench systems for professional cannabis cultivation, available as rolling benches or fixed installations. Universally applicable in greenhouses, indoor facilities, and laboratories with options for ebb-and-flow trays, galvanized steel mesh, and irrigation valve integration. For licensed cannabis producers.
• Viticulture Irrigation Systems (Weinbau-Bewässerung) Professional irrigation systems specifically designed for viticulture and wine production, including drip irrigation for vineyards and grape cultivation. For wine producers and vineyard operators.
• Linear Housing Units (Lineargehäuse) Aluminium linear component range for circular guides used in automation and handling technology. Technical high-precision products with various special processing options available. Produced since 1988. For industrial automation customers.
• Precision Shafts (Präzisionswellen) Precision guide shafts and shaft supports in various materials including induction hardened steel, Cf53 steel, stainless steel, and chrome-plated variants. Centreless ground with strict testing of roundness, cylindrical shape, linearity, and surface roughness. For industrial automation and handling technology applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Water-powered dosing without electricity reduces energy costs and provides reliable operation independent of power availability
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Verband Deutscher Garten-Center e.V.minorOthersKNECHT is a supporting member (Förderndes Mitglied) of the German Garden Center Association. This membership provides networking opportunities within the professional horticulture retail sector and demonstrates commitment to the industry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Richel Group: French turnkey greenhouse manufacturer serving commercial horticulture across Europe and internationally. Directly comparable to KNECHT as a European greenhouse equipment builder with similar project-based delivery model, though larger in scale and broader in scope (full greenhouse structures versus KNECHT's interior equipment focus).
• Hoogendoorn Growth Management: Dutch provider of automated climate, irrigation, and fertigation control systems for greenhouses. Closely comparable to KNECHT's FERTICON and iDROMiX offerings; competes head-to-head for digital controls and dosing specification on European greenhouse projects.
• Certhon: Dutch turnkey greenhouse builder and high-tech indoor farming systems provider. Comparable to KNECHT as a European horticultural project supplier, with a stronger presence in large-scale turnkey construction and high-tech indoor/vertical farming segments.
• Van der Hoeven: Dutch designer and builder of high-tech greenhouses for horticulture and research. Directly comparable as a European greenhouse project company; typically competes with KNECHT on the larger end of the market and on international research and commercial installations.
• Priva: Dutch leader in climate and process control for horticulture and indoor farming. Directly overlaps with KNECHT's FERTICON controls and iDROMiX dosing and is the most established competitor in European greenhouse automation, with a broader software/cloud platform footprint.

Regional players

• Rough Brothers / Nexus Greenhouse Systems: North American greenhouse manufacturer and equipment supplier serving commercial horticulture and research. Comparable product set (structures, benches, irrigation) to KNECHT but primarily serving USA/Canada rather than competing directly in DACH.

Broad incumbents

• Netafim: Israel-based global leader in drip and precision irrigation. Overlaps with KNECHT's irrigation and fertigation product lines, particularly viticulture and large-area irrigation, but operates at a far larger scale and broader crop scope than KNECHT's greenhouse focus.
• THK Co., Ltd. Japanese global leader in linear motion components including linear guides and shafts. Directly comparable to KNECHT's linear-elements division (precision shafts and linear housings), though operating at vastly greater scale and across a global industrial customer base.
• Jain Irrigation Systems: India-based global irrigation and agricultural technology company with significant micro-irrigation and automation presence. Comparable to KNECHT on irrigation systems and fertigation technology, with a much broader geographic and crop footprint.

Emerging players

• Argus Control Systems: Canadian supplier of environmental and irrigation control systems for greenhouses and horticulture research. Comparable to KNECHT's FERTICON controls, with a North American footprint that intersects with KNECHT's USA/Canada project presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 KNECHT