What Erichsen does

ERICHSEN GmbH & Co. KG is a privately held German manufacturer of precision testing equipment, founded in 1910 and headquartered in Hemer, Germany. The company develops, designs, and produces instruments and machines across four product areas: sheet metal testing (notably the eponymous Erichsen cupping machines and universal sheet metal testing machines), surface and coatings testing (viscosity, gloss, color, drying, adhesion, hardness, and film application), corrosion testing (humidity chambers, salt spray testers, cyclic corrosion chambers, weathering testers), and materials testing (universal and tensile testing machines, force transducers). Equipment spans manual benchtop instruments to fully automated robotic testing systems such as the Model 145-60 Basic Automatic, which holds up to 52 test pieces for continuous operation. Compliance with international standards (ASTM, ISO, DIN, VDA, BS) is a central engineering requirement across the portfolio.

The business operates a multi-revenue-stream model: one-time capital equipment sales (mostly quote-based for larger systems, fixed pricing visible for smaller items such as the Drying Time Tester Model 415 at €3,095), recurring consumables and accessories (paper discs, replacement parts, calibration sets), ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration services including DAkkS-accredited temperature calibration, and training/knowledge services via the ERICHSEN Academy. Distribution combines a direct e-commerce webshop covering 21 countries (primarily Europe plus USA and UK, with 24/7 ordering, regional payment methods, and invoice-based ordering for existing customers) with a global distributor network supplemented by active trade show participation (PaintExpo, European Coatings Show, ALUMINIUM, Coatings for Africa). Customers are B2B enterprises across coatings/paints manufacturing, automotive (sheet metal formability and corrosion per VDA/PV standards), packaging/printing inks, aerospace, and research institutes.

The company is independent, management-owned (managing directors Stefan Schneider and Ludger Wahlers), with no parent company or external institutional investors referenced. Growth activity in 2025-2026 has centered on product launches (Model 145-60, COATMASTER 510 Compact, Model 844/III, Light4Color Standard Light Booths), accredited service expansion (ISO/IEC 17025 temperature calibration), and distributor additions (bcn Quálites for Spain).

Name

Erichsen

Legal name

ERICHSEN GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://erichsen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Short description

German manufacturer of precision testing equipment for sheet metal, coatings, corrosion, and materials testing, founded in 1910. Headquartered in Hemer, it serves B2B customers in manufacturing globally via a direct 21-country webshop and an international distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Testing Equipment

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches) (IMAGAFAC)

Keywords

• Sheet metal testing equipment
• Surface testing instruments
• Corrosion testing equipment
• Materials testing machines
• Calibration laboratory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hemer

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Testing Equipment Sales (Capital Equipment): ERICHSEN sells testing machines and instruments (sheet metal testing, surface testing, corrosion testing, materials testing) as capital equipment. Products include Erichsen cupping machines, universal sheet metal testing machines, humidity chambers, salt spray testers, gloss meters, color measurement devices, drying time testers, roller application units, and universal testing machines. These are sold as one-time purchases, typically to B2B customers in manufacturing, coatings, and quality assurance sectors. Pricing varies per product; many require quote requests.
2. Accessories and Consumables: Sale of accessories and consumables associated with testing equipment, including paper discs, glass beads/ballotini, glass distribution tubes, ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration sets, manufacturer's test certificates, insertion panel sets, adjustable viewing stands, LED lamp assemblies, and other replacement parts and consumables.
3. Calibration and Testing Services: ERICHSEN offers ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration services for ERICHSEN and other manufacturers' measuring and testing equipment. Services include accredited mass calibration, temperature calibration for corrosion and condensation testing instruments (DAkkS accredited), on-site calibration, and manufacturer/brand-independent calibration services.
4. Training and Education Services: ERICHSEN Academy provides training courses, a knowledge base, and publications on testing technology. The company conducts distributor training programs (e.g., Global Sales Meeting 2025 in Hemer) and offers knowledge base resources for understanding testing technology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ERICHSEN develops, designs, and manufactures precision testing machines and instruments for sheet metal testing, surface testing, corrosion testing, and materials testing, sold to industrial B2B customers across manufacturing, coatings, automotive, and quality assurance sectors. The product portfolio ranges from manual benchtop instruments to fully automated robotic testing systems, including cupping machines, universal testing machines, humidity chambers, salt spray testers, gloss meters, and color measurement devices. The company complements its hardware business with a DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 accredited calibration laboratory and the ERICHSEN Academy training service.

Product overview

ERICHSEN GmbH & Co. KG is a leading manufacturer of precision testing equipment founded in 1910, based in Hemer, Germany. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of testing machines and instruments organized into four main product areas: Sheet Metal Testing (including Erichsen Cupping Machines, Universal Sheet Metal Testing Machines, and Special Testing Machines), Surface Testing (covering Formability, Viscosity/Density/Consistency, Film Application/Coating Thickness, Adhesion/Impact/Elasticity, Hardness/Abrasion/Washability, Gloss/Color/Brightness, Roller Application Units, and Grain Size/Hiding Power/Drying sub-categories), Corrosion Testing (including Humidity Chambers, Corrosion Testing Equipment, Weathering Testers, and Sample Preparation instruments), and Materials Testing (Universal Testing Machines, Tensile Testing Machines, and Mobile Measuring Systems). Individual named products include Model 145-60 Basic Automatic (fully automated sheet metal testing), Model 111 Electro-hydraulic Cupping Machine, Cyclic Corrosion Test Chamber Model 608, Gradient Oven Model 432 Smart, Drying Time Tester Model 415, GRAVURE PROOFER 631, Light Booth MATCHMASTER 425 MC II/LED, COATMASTER 510 Compact, Model 844/III Hydraulic Ring Force Transducer, and Light4Color Standard Light Booths. The company also provides ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration services and ERICHSEN Academy training services. All products are manufactured in Germany with over 110 years of expertise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sheet Metal Testing Equipment

Quantifiable outcome

• Fully automated sheet metal testing system (Model 145-60 Basic Automatic) can hold up to 52 test pieces for continuous operation, automating specimen feeding, marking, fracture detection, and data evaluation.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered regional and minor.

• bcn Quálites, s.l.regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025bcn Quálites, s.l. is a new official distributor for ERICHSEN products in the Spanish market, based in Barcelona. They extend ERICHSEN's market presence in Spain, handling sales and distribution of ERICHSEN testing equipment to Spanish B2B customers.
• Werkbank GmbHminorOthersWerkbank GmbH (Bochum, Germany) provides design, web development, and hosting services for the ERICHSEN website and e-commerce platform.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Presto Group: Manufacturer of physical testing instruments for packaging, paper, plastics and coatings — overlapping with ERICHSEN's materials testing and surface testing portfolio for industrial QA customers.
• TQC Sheen (TQC GmbH): Dutch/German manufacturer of paint and coating test equipment including viscometers, washability and abrasion testers, and drying recorders. Direct category competitor in the European coatings laboratory equipment market alongside ERICHSEN.
• Sheen Instruments: UK-based specialist in coating test equipment (gloss, film application, washability) historically acquired by AMETEK. Comparable in size and product scope to ERICHSEN, serving the same coatings QC end market.
• Elcometer: UK-based manufacturer of inspection and testing instruments for coatings, including adhesion, coating thickness, surface profile and gloss meters — competing head-to-head with ERICHSEN in surface and corrosion testing for industrial QA customers.
• BYK-Gardner: Part of ALTANA, BYK-Gardner manufactures color, appearance and physical test instruments for the coatings industry — directly overlapping with ERICHSEN's surface testing, gloss and color measurement portfolio. Both serve coatings QC labs globally with comparable equipment categories.

Broad incumbents

• ZwickRoell: German family-owned manufacturer of materials and components testing systems. Direct competitor in tensile/universal testing but with significantly broader portfolio, global service network and digital test software.
• Shimadzu Scientific Instruments: Large Japanese analytical and testing instrument manufacturer with universal testing machines and analytical systems. Broad incumbent that competes with ERICHSEN's materials testing pillar at the high end of the lab equipment market.
• Tinius Olsen: US/UK-based materials testing machine manufacturer for plastics, metals,纸张 and composites. Comparable in heritage (~140 years) and product overlap with ERICHSEN's universal/tensile testing and force measurement ranges.
• Instron (Illinois Tool Works): ITW-owned global leader in materials testing machines (tensile, fatigue, universal). Competes directly with ERICHSEN's Materials Testing pillar but offers a vastly broader portfolio and digital ecosystem across industrial and academic labs.

Emerging players

• Buehler (Illinois Tool Works): ITW-owned manufacturer of materials preparation and hardness testing equipment. Adjacent competitor for metals hardness testing which overlaps with ERICHSEN's materials and surface testing categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYbI335qJTpHvr8FJEiFmjA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erichsen-gmbh-co-kg
• Instagraminstagram.com/erichsen_equipment

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Erichsen