HSB Automation

What HSB Automation does

HSB Automation GmbH, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Reutlingen, Germany, develops and manufactures mechanical linear technology products built on a modular building block system ("Baukastensystem"). The portfolio comprises six registered product families: HSB-beta® mechanical linear units, HSB-delta® compact linear units, HSB-alpha® linear tables, HSB-gamma® portal linear units, HSB-sigma® lightweight portal linear units, and HSB-kgt® ball screw drives, plus an online product configurator and complementary accessories. A 2026 extension (HSB-sigma® ZRX outdoor unit) targets outdoor and harsh-environment applications, with technical specifications of up to 3 m/s speed and ±0.08 mm repeatability validated in independent testing.

The company sells into B2B enterprise customers in energy technology, medical technology, automotive, and machine and plant engineering, using a direct field-sales model organized into three regional channels (Germany, Europe, Worldwide). Revenue is generated through project-based, custom-configured one-time sales of linear modules, ranging from compact standard solutions to complex special modules; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, typically structured as multi-year contracts.

HSB has pursued vertical integration through two acquisitions: UniPPS® GmbH (ERP and product configurator) in 2020, and LUX Eloxal GmbH (aluminum components and anodizing) in 2025. The company operates as a privately held GmbH with approximately 90 employees, dual founder-led management (Uwe Heißel and Bernd Schellenbauer), ISO 9001/14001/50001 certifications, and no disclosed venture capital or institutional ownership.

Name

HSB Automation

Legal name

HSB Automation GmbH

Website

https://hsb-automation.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HSB Automation GmbH, founded 1993 in Reutlingen, Germany, develops and manufactures mechanical linear technology modules — including linear units, linear tables, portal units, and ball screw drives — on a modular building block system, serving B2B enterprise customers in energy, medical, automotive, and machine engineering via direct regional field sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mechanical Linear Technology Components

NAICS

Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)

akta.pro primary industry

Linear Motion & Mechanical Power Transmission (Ball/roller screws, linear guides, bearings, couplings) (IMAHAGAM)

Keywords

• Mechanical linear technology
• Linear motion components
• Industrial automation systems
• Precision positioning equipment
• Linear module manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Reutlingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Linear Technology Products and Systems: Sale of standardized and customized linear modules, linear units, linear tables, and portal systems. Revenue is generated through direct project-based sales to industrial customers. The company offers a modular building block system with nearly unlimited combination possibilities, from compact standard solutions to complex special modules.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HSB Automation GmbH develops and manufactures mechanical linear technology products — linear units, compact linear units, linear tables, portal linear units, and ball screw drives — built on a flexible modular building block system (Baukastensystem). Products are sold as both standardized lines and customized special solutions to industrial customers in energy, medical, automotive, and general machinery sectors via direct field sales.

Product overview

HSB Automation GmbH offers a modular mechanical linear technology portfolio built on a flexible building block system. The core products include HSB-beta® (mechanical linear units), HSB-delta® (compact linear units), HSB-alpha® (linear tables), HSB-gamma® (robust portal linear units), HSB-sigma® (lightweight portal linear units), and HSB-kgt® (ball screw drives). The portfolio supports applications across energy, medical, automotive, and general machinery sectors. A product configurator tool enables customers to specify products to their requirements, while accessories complement the range. Custom special solutions are also available for specific application needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HSB-beta®: Mechanische Lineareinheiten (Mechanical linear units)
• HSB-delta®
• HSB-alpha®
• HSB-gamma®
• HSB-sigma®
• HSB-kgt®

Products and services

• HSB-beta® Mechanical Linear Units Mechanical linear units forming the classic HSB Automation product line with belt drive, providing versatile linear motion solutions for industrial automation and positioning applications.
• HSB-delta® Compact Linear Units Compact linear units designed for space-constrained industrial applications while maintaining precision and reliability.
• HSB-alpha® Linear Tables Established linear tables providing precision linear motion for machine tool and industrial automation applications.
• HSB-gamma® Portal Linear Units Robust portal linear units designed for heavy-duty applications requiring multi-axis linear motion and high rigidity.
• HSB-sigma® Lightweight Portal Linear Units Lightweight portal linear units offering dynamic performance with precise positioning for industrial applications, including the new ZRX outdoor variant.
• HSB-kgt® Ball Screw Drives Ball screw drives (Kugelgewindetriebe) providing precision transmission solutions for linear motion systems.
• Custom Linear Technology Solutions (Sonderlösungen) Customer-specific modifications and special linear technology solutions, including outdoor linear units, multi-axis systems, double-stroke units, heavy-duty tables, and tailored variants developed with HSB engineers from idea to series production.
• HSB-sigma® ZRX Outdoor Linear Unit Outdoor-rated HSB-sigma variant combining dynamics with precise positioning for external industrial environments, validated under real-world industrial conditions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30 years of experience in linear technology development and manufacturing

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• LUX Eloxal GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025LUX is more than just a supplier for HSB Automation. Their aluminum components represent precision and quality, with a large portion being anodized (eloxiert). The long-term collaboration with LUX demonstrated the value of continuity and expertise. HSB Automation acquired LUX Eloxal GmbH in 2025 to secure this tradition and competence for the future, ensuring quality anodizing services for their linear technology products.
• UniPPS® GmbH business solutionscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020HSB Automation has been using UniPPS® ERP system since 2004. As a variant manufacturer, they particularly value the fully integrated product configurator that connects all departments and makes all processes transparent. Convinced of the software's value, HSB Automation acquired UniPPS® in 2020, bringing the ERP system fully in-house.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hiwin Technologies: Hiwin is a leading Taiwanese manufacturer of linear guideways, ball screws, and linear motion modules serving machine tool, semiconductor, medical, and automation OEMs globally. Its linear modules and positioning stages compete directly with HSB's HSB-alpha, HSB-beta, HSB-sigma, and HSB-kgt product families, especially in price-sensitive European OEM accounts.
• THK: THK is the Japanese-origin pioneer of the linear guide / LM (Linear Motion) bearing and is the global reference for linear motion components, including ball screws and linear modules. THK's product breadth and precision positioning capability closely overlap HSB's full stack—linear guides, ball screw drives, and pre-engineered linear units—making it the closest specialist comparator from a product-technology standpoint.
• Festo: Festo is a German-headquartered automation specialist whose portfolio includes linear axes, linear gantries (portal units), and electromechanical drives for factory and process automation. Its DGCI, DGC, and EGC linear cylinder families compete head-to-head with HSB's HSB-beta, HSB-delta, and HSB-gamma portal units in OEM and machine-builder accounts across medical, automotive, and electronics.
• Ewellix (formerly SKF linear motion): Ewellix is a Swedish-headquartered specialist in linear motion and actuation, spun out of SKF in 2018, offering linear guides, ball screws, and precision actuators for industrial automation and medical applications. Its product range and customer verticals (factory automation, medical, energy) overlap directly with HSB's stated end markets and product mix.
• NSK: NSK is a global manufacturer of ball screws, linear guides, and linear actuators used across machine tools, semiconductor, and medical equipment. NSK's Monocarrier and linear guide lines mirror HSB's compact-linear-unit and portal offerings, and its brand is well entrenched among European machine builders that HSB targets.

Broad incumbents

• Parker Hannifin: Parker Hannifin's Electromechanical and Automation divisions produce linear actuators, rods, and slides used in factory automation and medical/life sciences equipment. Parker's breadth across hydraulics, pneumatics, and electromechanical motion makes it a broader incumbent competing with HSB's installed in OEM accounts rather than a direct specialist.
• Schaeffler (INA): Schaeffler's INA/FAG product line includes linear guides, ball screws, and linear tables, competing directly with HSB-kgt and HSB-alpha. As a Tier-1 German automotive and industrial supplier with global brand presence and deep distributor reach, Schaeffler/INA is a much larger incumbent in HSB's core procurement channels.
• Bosch Rexroth: Bosch Rexroth is a global leader in factory automation, hydraulics, and linear motion technology (Linear Motion and Assembly Technologies product line). It offers a broad portfolio of linear guides, ball screws, and linear modules that directly overlaps HSB's HSB-kgt, HSB-alpha, HSB-beta, and HSB-sigma lines, but operates at vastly greater scale and with a global distributor footprint.

Emerging players

• Rollix / Timken Linear Motion: Rollix and adjacent niche linear-motion specialists focus on bespoke and lower-volume linear modules for OEMs requiring engineered solutions. As a smaller specialist in the same custom-configured linear unit space, Rollix is an analogous 'Mittelstand'-style competitor to HSB in custom and project-based deployments.

Regional players

• Rollco: Rollco is a Nordic-based linear motion and conveyor components distributor and manufacturer with strong Scandinavian and Northern European presence. It overlaps with HSB's machine-builder customer base and competes for similar linear guide and linear module orders in European OEM accounts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@hsbautomationgmbh
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Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 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 HSB Automation