ECON

What ECON does

ECON GmbH is an Austrian industrial machinery manufacturer specializing in underwater pelletizing systems for the plastics processing industry. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Weisskirchen/Traun, Austria, the company designs and builds equipment that converts molten thermoplastics into uniform pellets, with a product range spanning throughputs from 1 kg/hr (EUP 10) to 15,000 kg/hr (EUP 8000). ECON's core technology is a patented thermal separation die plate that prevents melt freezing at die holes, enabling the processing of challenging materials such as high melt flow rate polymers, highly filled compounds, sticky/rubbery materials, and micro pellets. The portfolio also includes vibration drying systems (EVS), air and combined water-air pelletizers (ELG/EWA) for wood-plastic composites and PVC, centrifugal pellet dryers (S+L), pyrolysis furnaces (EPO) for cleaning extrusion tools, and discontinuous and continuous screen changers (ESD, ESK, ESK B). In 2025 the company introduced ECONia, described as the first fully automated underwater pelletizing system, integrating a robot for automated startup and blade changes with ECON Pellet Vision and ECON Moisture Check for inline quality assurance.

ECON sells capital equipment to plastics processors, compounders, and recyclers across the thermoplastics, WPC, PVC, masterbatch, and PET value chains. The company operates a sales-led GTM combining direct sales from its Austrian headquarters and regional subsidiaries in the USA (Monroe, MI), India (Vadodara), and China (Kunshan) with a distributor network covering more than 15 additional countries across Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of pelletizing systems and complementary equipment, augmented by spare parts, service, training via the ECON Knowledge Base platform, and an equipment rental-before-purchase option that reduces buyer risk. ECON markets globally through a multilingual website, structured trade fair participation (Chinaplas, Fakuma, Plast Milano, IPF Japan, and others), and active social channels. The company is owner-managed, ISO 9001:2015 certified (since 2018, most recently verified by SGS in 2024), and employs 51-100 people.

Name

ECON

Legal name

ECON GmbH

Website

https://econ.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ECON GmbH is an Austrian industrial machinery manufacturer of underwater pelletizing systems for plastics processors, serving thermoplastics, WPC, PVC, and masterbatch producers globally through subsidiaries in the USA, India, and China and a broad distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Pelletizing and Plastics Processing Machinery

NAICS

Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)

akta.pro primary industry

Plastic & Rubber Recycling, Reprocessing & Pelletizing (IMANAOAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Separation & Filtration Equipment (Filters, Centrifuges, Membranes) (IMAHAEAB), Industrial Drying & Evaporation Equipment (Dryers, Evaporators, Crystallizers) (IMAHAEAD)

Keywords

• Underwater pelletizing systems
• Plastic processing machinery
• Screen changers
• Pellet drying equipment
• Thermoplastic granulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Weißkirchen

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pelletizing Systems and Equipment Sales: ECON generates revenue through the sale of underwater pelletizing systems (EUP), air pelletizers (ELG/EWA), vibration drying systems (EVS), pellet dryers (S+L), pyrolysis furnaces (EPO), and screen changers (ESD, ESK, ESK B). The company also offers fully automated ECONia systems. Machines are offered as plug-and-play solutions with associated water treatment and drying systems (EWT).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ECON manufactures and supplies underwater pelletizing systems (EUP), the fully automated ECONia system with integrated robot and inline quality control, air pelletizers (ELG/EWA), vibration drying systems (EVS), centrifugal pellet dryers (S+L), pyrolysis furnaces (EPO), and screen changers (ESD, ESK, ESK B) for the plastics processing industry. The company's flagship underwater pelletizing systems use patented thermal separation technology to process all thermoplastics, including high-temperature materials, highly filled compounds, and high-MFR materials. Equipment is offered across throughputs from 1 kg/hr to 15,000 kg/hr with plug-and-play solutions including associated process water and drying systems (EWT).

Product overview

ECON is an industrial machinery manufacturer specializing in pelletizing systems, with over 20 years of expertise as an underwater pelletizing specialist. The product portfolio centers on a core underwater pelletizing system (EUP) with patented thermal separation technology, which prevents die hole freezing and enables processing of high-MFR materials. Key products include: ECONia (fully automated underwater pelletizer with integrated robot and inline quality control), EUP underwater pelletizers (with EWT process water and drying systems), vibration dryers (EVS) for highly filled materials, air pelletizers (ELG) and combined water-air systems (EWA) for wood-plastic compounds, centrifugal pellet dryers (S+L), pyrolysis furnaces (EPO) for tool cleaning, and screen changers (ESD discontinuous, ESK continuous, ESK B with backflush). The company operates with ISO 9001:2015 certification and serves global markets from headquarters in Austria with subsidiaries in North America, India, and China.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ECONia: The first fully automated underwater pelletizing system combining thermal separation advantages with Industry 4.0 benefits, featuring integrated robot for automated operations and ECON Pellet Vision for inline pellet quality control.
• EUP
• EVS
• ELG/EWA
• S+L
• EPO
• ESD
• ESK
• ESK B

Products and services

• ECONia - Fully Automated Underwater Pelletizing System The first fully automated underwater pelletizing system combining patented thermal separation technology with Industry 4.0 capabilities. An integrated robot handles routine operating processes such as automatic start-up and blade changes, enabling fully automated production lines with inline pellet quality control. For industrial pelletizing operations requiring high automation.
• Underwater Pelletizing System EUP Underwater pelletizing system with patented thermal separation technology. The die plate is thermally insulated and fixed to a heated support body, preventing freezing of melt in die holes. Offered as plug-and-play systems including startup valve, process water, and drying system (EWT) for plastics processing companies.
• Vibration Drying System EVS Vibration drying system for highly filled materials such as glass fiber reinforced or mineral-filled compounds. Consists of two or three vibrating screens in series for pre-drainage and further drying with electric heating, achieving residual surface moisture down to 0.05%.
• Air Pelletizer ELG Air pelletizer specifically developed for processing wood and natural fiber compounds (WPC). Uses air as cooling and transport medium for pellets, eliminating the need for drying. Also suitable for PVC processing due to low internal heat requirements.
• Water & Air Pelletizer EWA Combined water and air pelletizing system that converts between air and underwater pelletizing in just a few minutes, providing flexibility for laboratory applications and space-constrained environments.
• Pellet Dryer S+L Centrifugal pellet dryers offered in combination with ECON process water system or as standalone solution for drying bulk and ground material in recycling. Achieves residual moisture of 0.1% to 0.5% depending on temperature, size, and product structure, with compact design and robust construction.
• Pyrolysis Furnace EPO Pyrolysis furnace for material-friendly and environmentally friendly cleaning of extrusion and filter parts. Thermoplastics and mixed plastics are removed under vacuum without cleaning agents at adjustable working temperature. TÜV certified and extends tool and filter part lifespan with fast, economical, residue-free cleaning.
• Discontinuous Screen Changer ESD Discontinuous screen changer where screens are changed during machine shutdown. Piston carrying the screen is moved out hydraulically and screen package is replaced. Suitable for throughputs from a few kg/h up to 2,500 kg/h, including ETS (ECON Thermo Sealer) variant for extremely low viscosity melts such as PET or PA.
• Continuous Screen Changer ESK Continuous double-piston screen changer that allows screens to be exchanged during operation. Melt is distributed on two pistons, each containing a screen package, and when maximum defined pressure is reached, one piston is hydraulically extended for screen change while melt flows through the second piston. Available for throughputs up to 10,000 kg/h.
• Continuous Screen Changer ESK B with Backflush System Continuous double-piston screen changer with backflush system that fully automatically cleans the two screen packages fixed in the pistons when a defined maximum pressure is reached, providing approximately 75% effective free filter area. Suitable for throughputs up to 3,750 kg/h.
• Process Water and Drying System EWT Process water and drying system for ECON underwater pelletizers with efficient solution for pellet drying and continuous process water filtration. Pellet dryer is easily accessible for simple and safe cleaning.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 1:8 throughput ratio per die hole
• +5 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• SGSminorOthersECON cooperated with SGS for ISO 9001:2015 certification. SGS is a leading inspection, verification, and testing company providing certification services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hosokawa Alpine: German manufacturer of plastics processing and size-reduction machinery including shredded/granulated output systems. Overlaps with ECON in plastics processing equipment scope, with a stronger base in Europe.
• Maag Group: Swiss manufacturer of gear pumps, screen changers, filtration and pelletizing systems (formerly Automatik Plastics Machinery). Overlaps with ECON across pelletizing and melt filtration product lines serving compounders globally.
• Coperion: German-US manufacturer (part of Hillenbrand) of compounding, extrusion, and pelletizing systems including strand and underwater pelletizers. Directly competes with ECON for plastics compounding line orders globally.
• Gala Industries: US-based specialist in underwater pelletizing systems and centrifugal pellet dryers focused on plastics processors. Closest like-for-like competitor to ECON on product scope and customer type in North America.
• Bühler Group: Swiss global industrial technology group whose Die-Cutting and Pelletizing Solutions business directly competes with ECON in underwater pelletizing, particularly for high-throughput polymer and food processing lines. Comparable on technology stack, customer profile (compounders and converters), and global service footprint.
• Reduction Engineering Scheer: US-based pelletizing equipment specialist with strand and underwater pelletizer product lines. Direct competitor to ECON in dedicated pelletizing machine sales to plastics processors.

Broad incumbents

• Nordson Corporation: US-based global industrial equipment conglomerate with plastics processing equipment, dispensing, and extrusion-related product lines. Broader incumbent with tangential product overlap rather than direct pelletizer specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ECONGmbH
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/econgmbh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 ECON