Gebrüder Lödige Maschinenbau

What Gebrüder Lödige Maschinenbau does

Gebrüder Lödige Maschinenbau GmbH is a privately-held, family-owned German Mittelstand manufacturer of industrial process equipment, founded in 1938 in Paderborn, Germany. The company invented the patented Ploughshare® horizontal mixer in 1949 and has since delivered more than 35,000 machines globally. Its core product portfolio centers on Ploughshare® mixers (Universal, Hygienic, and Basic designs for batch and continuous operation), the DRUVATHERM® family of thermal-processing equipment (reactors, vacuum shovel dryers, granulator dryers), mixing granulators, wet mixers, CoriMix® continuous ringlayer mixers, and LÖDIGE LC tablet coaters. The underlying technology is the mechanically generated fluid bed created by the patented Ploughshare shovel geometry, which can combine mixing, granulation, coating, drying and reaction in a single vessel, with options for ATEX-certified explosion protection, residue-free discharge (<0.1% residual), and pressure-vessel ratings up to 50 bar compliant with AD-2000, ASME and ML-China standards.

The company serves ten industrial verticals — batteries, building materials, chemicals, cosmetics, environmental technology, food, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, plastics/rubber, and polysaccharides — and reports its largest single order as nearly 100 machines supplied to one e-mobility customer in Asia (2018). The business model is enterprise field-sales led: direct selling from the Paderborn headquarters, complemented by wholly-owned subsidiaries in the USA (Florence, KY), China (Beijing JV) and India (Mumbai JV), a Spanish subsidiary (Lödige España S.A.), and a network of sales agents across 30+ countries. Revenue streams combine capital-equipment sales, spare parts, custom engineering, tiered maintenance contracts (Basic/Advanced/Premium), refurbished/used equipment sales, contract manufacturing (CNC turning/milling/assembly), and turnkey system solutions (Systemlösungen). Pricing is quote-based, dependent on machine size, configuration, materials and customization.

The firm operates from a 15,000 m² vertically integrated production facility in Paderborn with a 700 m² test centre housing 30 machines for product trials and process development. It is led by Managing Director Maximilian Hoyer with a functional executive team covering sales, engineering, production, quality, project management and customer service. Holdings include the Lödige Gruppe structure, with subsidiaries and JVs worldwide, and historical acquisitions of Papenmeier (1985) and the Draiswerke Mixing and Reaction Technology business group (2003). The company does not disclose revenue and is not publicly listed.

Name

Gebrüder Lödige Maschinenbau

Legal name

Gebrüder Lödige Maschinenbau GmbH

Website

https://loedige.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Gebrüder Lödige Maschinenbau is a privately-held German Mittelstand manufacturer founded in 1938 in Paderborn. It designs and sells industrial Ploughshare® mixers, DRUVATHERM® dryers/reactors, granulators and coaters for batteries, pharma, food, chemicals, cosmetics, plastics, metallurgy, building materials, polysaccharides and environmental technology customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Process Equipment

NAICS

Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Chemical Processing Equipment (Reactors, Mixers, Agitators) (IMAHAEAA)

Keywords

• Industrial mixing equipment
• Process equipment manufacturing
• Vacuum drying technology
• Pharmaceutical mixers
• Continuous mixing systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Paderborn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

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. Process Equipment Manufacturing: Design, manufacture, and sale of process equipment including Ploughshare mixers, vacuum dryers, reactors, granulators, and coaters. Equipment ranges from laboratory scale to large production machines.
2. Spare Parts: Supply of high-quality spare parts for machines, including standardised and machine-specific components.
3. Engineering Services: Custom engineering services including process development, machine design, system qualification (DQ/IQ/OQ/PQ), and technical documentation.
4. Maintenance Contracts: Tiered maintenance agreements (Basic, Advanced, Premium) providing technical inventory, maintenance, and spare parts provision for ongoing customer support.
5. Used/Rental Equipment: Sale and rental of refurbished machines that have undergone technical testing, repairs, test runs, and modernisation.
6. Contract Manufacturing: Precision manufacturing services for external customers including CNC turning and milling, single part and small series production, and assembly services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gebrüder Lödige Maschinenbau designs, manufactures, and services industrial process equipment for mixing, granulation, coating, drying, and reaction of bulk solids and pumpable products. The company's flagship offering is the patented Ploughshare® Mixer, invented in 1949, supported by the DRUVATHERM® family of vacuum shovel dryers and reactors, ringlayer mixers, mixing granulators, tablet coaters, and high-speed mixers. Equipment is sold across laboratory to large production scales and is accompanied by engineering, test centre, maintenance, ATEX, and pressure-vessel manufacturing services.

Product overview

Gebrüder Lödige Maschinenbau is a world leader in process equipment for mixing, granulation, coating, drying, and reaction applications. The core product portfolio centers on the patented Pflugschar® (Ploughshare®) Mixer, invented in 1949, available in multiple variants (Universal Design, Hygienic Design, Basic) for batch and continuous operation. The DRUVATHERM® product family includes reactors, vacuum shovel dryers, and granulator dryers for thermal processing. Supporting equipment includes mixing granulators, wet mixers, ringlayer mixers (CoriMix®), tablet coaters (LÖDIGE Coater LC), and high-speed mixers. The company offers comprehensive services including a Test Centre (Technikum) for product development, complete system solutions (Systemlösungen), engineering services, explosion protection (ATEX), pressure vessel manufacturing, customer service with maintenance contracts, and second-hand machines. Products serve ten key industries: batteries, building materials, chemicals, cosmetics, food, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, plastics, polysaccharides, and environmental technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pflugschar®-Mischer (Ploughshare® Mixer) Horizontal batch and continuous mixer featuring patented Ploughshare® shovels that create a mechanical fluidized bed for intensive mixing of powdery, granular, or fibrous bulk materials. Available in Universal Design, Hygienic Design, and Basic variants for batch and continuous operation.
• DRUVATHERM® Reactor Pressure vessel reactor combining reaction, heating, drying, granulation, and cooling in a single multi-phase process, designed for pressures up to 50 bar with rapid reactant mixing that avoids local overconcentrations and temperature gradients.
• DRUVATHERM® Vacuum Schaufeltrockner (Vacuum Shovel Dryer) Vacuum dryer combining intensive mixing with thermal treatment at low temperatures, featuring maximum heat transfer coefficients and economical solvent recovery through multi-phase processing including mixing, granulation, drying, and cooling.
• DRUVATHERM® Granuliertrockner (Continuous Granulator Dryer) Continuous granulator dryer combining convection and contact drying with low-temperature process control, enabling simultaneous granulation with reproducible product quality and high system availability.
• Mischgranulator (Mixing Granulator) High-shear mixer granulator designed for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food products, featuring GMP-compliant design, modular WIP system, automatic liquid addition, heating/cooling jacket, integrated screen mill, vacuum feeding, and custom ATEX concepts.
• Nassmischer (Wet Mixer) High-shear wet mixer achieving excellent mixing quality even with critical products, featuring high shear force entry, simple handling, easy cleaning, and a proven mixer concept.
• CoriMix® Ringschicht-Mischer (Ringlayer Mixer) Continuous ringlayer mixer delivering high throughput with high mixing homogeneity in a compact design, with versatile applications, high operating reliability, and long service life.
• LÖDIGE Coater LC Film coating system for tablets with variable fill levels without drum changes, featuring optimized air distribution, high spray rates, short process times, and complex cleaning technology.
• Schnellmischer (High-Speed Mixer/Granulator) Versatile high-speed mixer for pharmaceutical industry applications, usable as a single unit or in combination with a cooling mixer, with operator-friendly controls, predefined process steps, and multiple optional configurations.
• Pflugschar®-Chargenmischer Typ FKM Basic Entry-level batch mixer offering top quality at attractive price with shorter delivery times, with standard equipment including liquid feed nozzles, choppers, and thermometers in stainless steel AISI 304L, with options for later retrofitting.
• Technikum (Test Centre Services) Product development and process optimization services across a 700 m² test area with over 30 machines, supporting trials in batteries, cosmetics, plastics, and building materials for mixing, drying, reaction, coating, granulation, and emulsification.
• Kundenservice (Customer Service) Comprehensive maintenance, technical support, and service including maintenance contracts (Basic, Advanced, Premium tiers), remote maintenance, qualification services (DQ/IQ/OQ/PQ), calibration, training, and global support in multiple languages.
• Systemlösungen (Complete Solutions) Turnkey system solutions combining process engineering, system integration, and mechanical engineering, covering design, planning, production, assembly, commissioning, and maintenance from a single source.
• Engineering Services Custom machine design and development including sealing technology, material selection, pressure vessel design, high-temperature technology, electrical engineering, software development, and system qualification.
• Explosionsschutz (ATEX Explosion Protection) ATEX certification services including equipment design, system upgrading, risk assessment, zoning, dust explosion classification (ST1), and inerting solutions for potentially explosive atmospheres, certified under European Directive 2014/34/EU.
• Druckbehälter-Herstellung (Pressure Vessel Manufacturing) Design, manufacture, and testing of pressure vessels for pressures up to 50 bar, compliant with AD-2000, ASME, ML-China, and Korean regulations.
• Gebrauchtmaschinen (Second-hand Machines) Refurbished and tested used machines including mixers and vacuum shovel dryers, available at economical prices with modernization for new applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% production increase achieved with LÖDIGE LC Coater at Béres Pharmaceuticals
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• Lodige Process Technology, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustomer Service Centre established in 2016 in Florence, Kentucky, USA covering new machines, spare parts and service for USA and Canada market.
• Loedige Beijing Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture founded in 2015 in Beijing, China expanding global presence and local production capabilities for Chinese market.
• Bectochem Loedige Process Technology Pvt. Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture founded in 2013 in Mumbai, India to strengthen local presence and production for South Asian market.
• Lödige España S.A.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary established in 1972 covering Spain and Portugal market with local sales and service capabilities.
• BM Endüstri (Turkey)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Turkey market providing local sales support and customer liaison.
• Thurne Teknik PolandregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Poland market.
• Eskens Benelux N.V. (Belgium)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Belgium, Luxembourg, and Netherlands.
• Christian Berner AS (Norway)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Norway market.
• Allied Pharma Technologies Ltd. (Ireland)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Ireland market serving pharmaceutical industry.
• Protea Indústria (Brazil)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Brazil covering Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
• DC Equipamiento (Argentina)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Argentina focused on minerals, ores, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food applications.
• Matsubo Corporation (Japan)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Japan market.
• Sewoo CNE Ltd. (Korea)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Korea covering mixing, drying and reaction process technology.
• Intertech Consulting Ltd. (Russia)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Russia market.
• Sabahi Enterprises Co. (Iran)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Iran market.
• Chemtrade d.o.o. (Slovenia)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia.
• SMCP International (North Africa)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia with backoffice support from France.
• Bickel & Wolf (Czech Republic)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Czech Republic and Slovakia.
• Runvic Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. (China)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan for cellulose/starch/pectin applications.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Glatt Group: German process technology specialist in fluidized bed systems for granulation, coating, drying, and pelletizing. Closely comparable to Lödige in pharmaceutical and chemical process equipment, often competing head-to-head for regulated industry customers.
• Hosokawa Micron Group: Japanese-headquartered process equipment manufacturer with major German operations, offering mixers, dryers, mills, and granulators for chemical, pharmaceutical, and food applications. Direct competitor to Lödige in mixing and drying equipment serving similar enterprise B2B customers.
• Amixon GmbH: German specialist for precision mixing, drying, and reacting equipment for bulk solids in hygienic and aseptic applications. Directly competes with Lödige in pharma, food, and chemical mixing applications with comparable customer base and engineering-driven sales model.
• Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich: German family-owned manufacturer of mixing, kneading, granulating, and reacting technology with proprietary mixing tools. Directly competes with Lödige in industrial mixing equipment across ceramics, chemicals, metallurgy, and building materials end-markets.
• Zeppelin Systems (Zeppelin Group): German process technology provider for bulk material handling, mixing, storage, and conveying. Comparable to Lödige in industrial mixing and bulk solids processing for chemicals, plastics, and building materials end-markets.
• BHS-Sonthofen: German specialty machinery manufacturer for mixing, drying, reacting, filtration, and separation processes. Direct overlap with Lödige in industrial process equipment for chemical, environmental, and bulk solids applications across global markets.
• IKA-Werke: German manufacturer of mixing, stirring, homogenising, and processing equipment spanning laboratory to industrial scales. Overlaps directly with Lödige in mixing technology and serves the same pharmaceutical, food, and chemical customer base, though stronger in laboratory-scale equipment.

Broad incumbents

• GEA Group: German MDAX-listed process engineering leader in food, beverage, pharma, dairy, and chemicals. Overlaps with Lödige in mixing, drying, and reacting equipment but operates as a diversified conglomerate with much broader portfolio and larger service organisation.
• Bühler Group: Swiss family-owned process technology leader serving food, feed, and advanced materials globally. Overlaps with Lödige in food and pharmaceutical processing equipment but operates at much larger scale (CHF 3B+ revenue) with broader portfolio including sorting, grinding, and extrusion.
• NETZSCH Group: German family-owned process equipment manufacturer for grinding, dispersing, mixing, and pumping across chemicals, food, and pharma. Competes with Lödige in mixing equipment while also serving broader wet and dry grinding applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/loedige-maschinenbau

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Gebrüder Lödige Maschinenbau