What Limitor GmbH does

Limitor GmbH is a German specialist manufacturer of temperature-based component technology, operating from its headquarters in Urbach (near Stuttgart) and a 2,700 m² production facility in Pécs, Hungary. Founded in 1979 and rebuilt as an independent entity in 2001, the company has been part of London-listed discoverIE Group plc's Variohm Group since December 2020, while continuing to operate under its own brand with approximately 100 employees. The core product portfolio spans five categories: protection and regulation components (bimetal temperature detectors, temperature limiters with self-latching shut-off, combined current and temperature limiters, and thermal fuses); timer switches; temperature sensors (PT100/PT1000 RTD sensors, NTC thermistor sensors, and temperature probes); electronic components (CAN-bus keypads and power cords); and customized solutions for OEM-specific thermal measurement needs. Underlying technology is rooted in bimetal disc switching, platinum resistance thermometry, and CAN-bus integration protocols (J1939, CANopen, Motorsport).

The company serves OEMs across industrial manufacturing, medical devices, automotive, HVAC, energy, domestic appliances, and security/defense verticals. Its distribution model combines direct sales from Germany, a global network of online distributors (Digikey, Farnell, RS Components, Arrow, Distrelec, Element 14, Newark), and regional distribution partners across EMEA, North America, and APAC, with a North American channel newly expanded through a 2025 partnership with World Magnetics Distribution. Revenue mechanics are anchored in unit-pricing for standard catalog products sold through distribution and quote-based pricing for customized engineering solutions, with 100% functional testing of every unit and triple ISO 9001/14001/45001 certification as key compliance and quality differentiators.

Name

Limitor GmbH

Legal name

Limitor GmbH

Website

https://limitor.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Limitor GmbH is a German specialist manufacturer of bimetal thermal switches, PT100/PT1000 RTD sensors, NTC thermistors, thermal fuses, and CAN-bus keypads, serving OEMs in industrial, medical, automotive, HVAC, and appliance markets across EMEA, North America, and APAC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Thermal Protection Components

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Thermal Management Components (Heat sinks, TIMs, fans/blowers, thermal pads) (IMAGAJAL)

Keywords

• Thermal protection components
• Bimetal thermal switches
• RTD temperature sensors
• CAN-bus keypads
• Current temperature limiters

Headquarters

HQ city

Urbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

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. Temperature Protection Components: Sale of temperature switches, temperature limiters, current and temperature limiters, and thermal fuses for thermal protection in industrial, medical, automotive and appliance applications.
2. Temperature Sensors: PT100/PT1000 RTD sensors, NTC thermistor sensors, and temperature probes sold to OEMs for temperature measurement, monitoring, control and compensation in various applications.
3. CAN-Bus Keypads and Electronic Components: Digital keypads, power management units, and power cords/cables for industrial control systems, vehicles and specialized equipment.
4. Customized Solutions: Engineering services for developing bespoke temperature measuring products including custom housings, measuring elements, cables, wires, and connectors. Complete product development from concept to final component.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Limitor GmbH manufactures and supplies temperature-based electronic components including bimetal thermal switches, self-latching temperature limiters, combined current and temperature limiters, thermal fuses, NTC thermistor sensors, PT100/PT1000 RTD temperature sensors, and CAN-bus digital keypads. The company serves OEM manufacturers across industrial, medical, automotive, HVAC, energy, and domestic appliance markets, offering both standard catalogue products and fully customised engineered solutions. Manufacturing is conducted at the company's facility in Pécs, Hungary, with design, engineering, and commercial operations based in Urbach, Germany.

Product overview

Limitor GmbH is a specialist manufacturer of temperature-based component technology, operating as part of the Variohm Group within the discoverIE plc Group. The product portfolio centers on thermal protection, control, switching, and sensor solutions organized into five main categories: (1) Protection/Regulation products including Temperature Detectors, Temperature Limiters, Current and Temperature Limiters, and Thermal Fuses; (2) Timer Switches; (3) Temperature Sensors encompassing Temperature Probes, NTC Thermistor Sensors, and RTD Sensors (PT100/PT1000); (4) Electronic Components including CAN-based Keypads and Power Cords & Cables; and (5) Customized Solutions for bespoke temperature measurement products. The company operates manufacturing facilities in Urbach, Germany and Pécs, Hungary, employing approximately 100 people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Temperature Detector (Bimetal Thermal Switch) Bimetal thermal switch that detects when a defined temperature threshold is reached and snaps to a safe state to protect equipment. Used by OEMs across industrial, medical, automotive, HVAC, and domestic appliance applications requiring reliable over-temperature detection.
• Temperature Limiter (Self-Latching) Self-latching temperature limiter that disconnects power once a defined temperature is exceeded and remains latched in the safe state until manually reset. Designed for OEM applications where the device must stay disconnected until the fault condition is cleared.
• Current and Temperature Limiter Y Combined current and temperature limiting device that protects circuits from both over-current and over-temperature faults in a single component. Targeted at OEM applications requiring dual protection in compact form factors.
• Thermal Fuse (DF, SF, Aupo Series) One-shot thermal fuses (DF, SF, and Aupo series) that permanently interrupt the circuit when a defined temperature threshold is exceeded. Used in transformer, appliance, HVAC, and industrial applications where a non-resettable thermal cutoff is required for safety.
• Timer Switch ZN Timer switch used for time-based switching functions in OEM equipment, complementing Limitor's thermal protection portfolio.
• Temperature Probe Temperature probe assembly that packages Limitor's RTD or NTC sensing elements in a probe housing for direct temperature measurement in OEM equipment.
• NTC Thermistor Sensors NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) thermistor sensors for temperature measurement across industrial, medical, HVAC, and appliance applications, offering high sensitivity and compact form factors.
• RTD Sensor PT100/PT1000 PT100 and PT1000 Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD) sensors providing high-accuracy, high-stability temperature measurement for medical, industrial, and HVAC applications, operating across -40°C to +250°C temperature range.
• CAN-Bus Keypads (PowerKey, PowerTrack, PowerKey Pro, Keybox, PowerCore, PK23, PK24) Digital human-machine interface keypads communicating over CAN-bus protocol, available in multiple model variants (PowerKey, PowerTrack, PowerKey Pro, Keybox, PowerCore, PK23, PK24) for automotive, specialty vehicle, and industrial equipment applications requiring ruggedized programmable operator interfaces.
• Power Cords and Cables Power cords and cables supplied by Limitor alongside its thermal protection components, enabling OEM customers to source complete power connection accessories with rapid delivery times.
• Customised Solutions Customised engineering service that adapts Limitor's thermal protection, sensing, and keypad technologies to OEM-specific form factors, electrical specifications, connector configurations, and application requirements, supporting both small-batch prototyping and high-volume serial production.
• LTP-TP3-PT RTD Temperature Probe LTP-TP3-PT RTD temperature probe designed for OEM applications requiring precision temperature measurement, expanding Limitor's PT100/PT1000 RTD probe portfolio.
• LTP-SP-PT M5 Version Temperature Probe LTP-SP-PT M5 threaded version RTD temperature probe targeting OEM applications requiring M5-thread mounting configuration for precision temperature measurement.
• LTP-RT Range Temperature Probes LTP-RT range of temperature probes extending Limitor's LTP product family to offer OEM customers additional RTD-based temperature measurement options across application requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% functional reliability - every single switch is tested multiple times before shipment
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• World Magnetics DistributioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 April 2025Strategic partnership for North American distribution. Enables Limitor to provide enhanced support to OEM customers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico through World Magnetics Distribution's expansive sales network. Partnership builds on World Magnetics' relationship with Variohm Group spanning over 20 years.
• Variohm GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVariohm Group is the operating group under discoverIE Group plc that Limitor joined in 2020. The group includes multiple sensor technology companies including Eurosensor, Herga, Ixthus, Positek, Burster, CPI, Heason, Magnasphere, Phoenix America, and others. Companies bring unique capabilities enabling bespoke customer solutions.
• Blink S.r.l.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian distribution partner. Sales cooperation started in 2005 and elevated to new level in 2012 to form synergies for European and Asian customers. Partnership builds new distribution network where development and manufacturing experts work together on projects.
• H2IT International technologies SASminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrench sales partnership established in 2016 with Mr. Heckinger representing Limitor products in France.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• TE Connectivity: Large global sensor and connector manufacturer offering PT100/PT1000 RTDs, NTC thermistors, and related temperature sensing products. Comparable end markets and overlapping product range, though part of a much broader sensor and connector portfolio.
• Honeywell International: Industrial conglomerate with a substantial thermal switch, limiter, and sensor portfolio serving HVAC, industrial, and aerospace customers. Overlaps with Limitor's product categories and end markets but with a vastly larger and more diversified offering.
• Texas Instruments: Semiconductor company whose analog product line includes temperature sensor ICs and RTD interface front-ends. Less directly substitutable but a leading force in the temperature sensing value chain and a benchmark for thermal sensing technology trends that affect Limitor's sensor business.
• Sensata Technologies: Global sensor and protection manufacturer whose Airpax brand produces thermal switches and protectors for industrial and automotive applications. Directly comparable product overlap (bimetal and thermal fuse-type protection) but operates at much greater scale and broader portfolio breadth.
• Endress+Hauser Group Services AG: German-headquartered process automation specialist with a leading temperature measurement and instrumentation portfolio serving industrial OEMs. Comparable in temperature sensing technology and target verticals, though positioned primarily in process instrumentation rather than discrete component protection.

Direct peers

• Uchiya Thermostat Co., Ltd. Japanese specialist in bimetal thermostats and thermal protectors for HVAC, appliance, and automotive applications. Highly comparable to Limitor's core temperature detector / temperature limiter / current-and-temperature limiter lines, with a similar specialty manufacturer profile.
• Selco Products Co. US-based manufacturer of thermal protectors, bimetal thermostats, and temperature controls. Overlaps directly with Limitor's temperature detector and limiter lines, primarily serving North American OEM customers and providing a useful regional comparable.
• JUMO GmbH & Co. KG: German specialist manufacturer of industrial sensors and controllers, with strong temperature sensor and temperature limiter lines. Very similar mid-sized German industrial sensor manufacturer profile, overlapping customer base in industrial OEMs.
• Microtherm (Sentronic Group): UK-based specialist in thermal fuses and thermal protection devices for industrial and appliance applications. Direct competitor in thermal fuse and thermal protection markets, with comparable product focus and customer types.
• WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE & Co. KG: German-headquartered specialist in industrial measurement with extensive temperature sensor portfolio (RTDs, thermistors, probes). Comparable specialty German manufacturer profile serving the same OEM and process industry customers as Limitor's temperature sensor business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LimitorGmbH
• Facebookfacebook.com/limitorgmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/limitor-gmbh

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Limitor GmbH