Horstkoetter

What Horstkoetter does

Horstkötter GmbH & Co. KG is a fourth-generation, family-owned German manufacturer founded in 1921 and headquartered in Beckum, operating from a single production site of approximately 70 employees. The company designs, manufactures, and commissions bulk materials handling equipment — conveying, cleaning, drying, storage, and milling/mixing systems — for grains, powders, granulates, pellets, flakes, and chips. Its product portfolio spans conveying equipment (tube chain, trough chain, trough screws, bucket elevators, pneumatic blowers up to 31.5 t/h), cleaning equipment (drum cleaners and TORNADO air separators up to 200 t/h), drying (TTS-Q continuous-flow, circulation, and batch dryers up to 50 t/h), storage silos (outdoor and indoor), and milling/mixing plants including the self-developed TORNAMIX dosing software.

The business operates across six primary verticals: agriculture (its oldest segment since 1921), food processing (since 1987), plastics and recycling, feed production, coffee and cocoa, and breweries (first supplied 2001). Revenue is generated through three streams: turnkey custom plant construction (one-time project contracts with full lifecycle support from 3D-CAD planning through commissioning), standardized equipment and spare-parts sales, and software/control-system sales bundled with grinding and mixing solutions. Go-to-market is enterprise field-sales via four regional German sales representatives (covering Bavaria, NRW/northern states, and central/southwestern Germany) with direct export for international projects (e.g., Romania, 1995). No digital demand-generation or distributor channels are used; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is project-specific. The company holds CE certification to DIN EN 1090-1/1090-2 EXC2 and was among the first three German firms to obtain it.

Name

Horstkoetter

Legal name

Horstkötter GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://horstkoetter-tornado.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Horstkötter GmbH & Co. KG is a fourth-generation, family-owned German manufacturer (founded 1921, ~70 employees, Beckum) of bulk materials handling and grain processing equipment — conveying, cleaning, drying, storage, and milling/mixing systems — serving agriculture, food, plastics, recycling, feed, coffee/cocoa, and brewing enterprises via turnkey plant construction and direct field sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bulk Materials Handling and Grain Processing Plant Construction

NAICS

Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111), Conveyor and Conveying Equipment Manufacturing (333922), Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing (3331), Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging & Bagging Equipment (Weighers, Baggers, Sealers) (AFAAAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Recycling Equipment & Turnkey Reprocessing Systems (Extruders, Wash Lines) (IMANAMAI)

Keywords

• Bulk materials handling
• Grain processing equipment
• Pneumatic conveying systems
• Industrial plant construction
• Feed milling systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Beckum

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 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. Custom Plant Construction & Systems: Horstkötter designs, manufactures, and commissions complete turnkey bulk materials handling plants — from planning through installation and commissioning — serving agriculture, food, plastics, and recycling industries. Projects range from single-component supply to complete grain plants including reception, cleaning, drying, storage, and reloading. Revenue is generated through large-scale project contracts with intensive customer support throughout the project lifecycle.
2. Standard Equipment & Component Sales: Sale of standardized equipment product lines including conveyors, cleaners, dryers, silos, mills, and mixers, along with accessories and spare parts. The company maintains spare parts capability going back to the last century, demonstrating long-term parts availability. Products are available with customization options (stainless steel, reinforced versions, ATEX compliance).
3. TORNAMIX Software & Control Systems: The self-developed TORNAMIX software for feed mixing, along with computer-aided control cabinet systems, provides an integrated software and hardware solution. Software and system components are provided from a single source as part of grinding and mixing plant solutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Horstkötter GmbH & Co. KG designs, manufactures, and commissions turnkey bulk materials handling plants and standalone equipment (conveying, cleaning, drying, storage, and milling/mixing) for agriculture, food, plastics/recycling, feed production, coffee/cocoa, and breweries. Deliverables range from single components to complete grain plants covering reception, cleaning, drying, storage, and reloading.

Product overview

Horstkötter offers a comprehensive grain technology and industrial plant portfolio spanning five main product categories: Conveying (tube chain conveyors, chain conveyors, trough screws, bucket elevators, pneumatic blowers up to 31.5 t/h), Cleaning (drum cleaners, air separators up to 200 t/h), Drying (continuous flow, circulation and batch dryers up to 50 t/h with associated heat sources), Storage (outdoor corrugated sheet metal silos, indoor smooth-wall silos, rectangular silos, and Big Bag stations), and Milling & Mixing (hammer mills, vertical/horizontal mixers, dosing screws, fabric filters, and the TORNAMIX computer-controlled feed mixing software supporting 20 components for 50 recipes). The company provides both individual equipment and complete turnkey grain processing plants for agriculture, food, plastics, and recycling industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TORNAMIX: Software-controlled weight dosage system for feed mixtures with user-friendly interface, documentation of mixes and consumptions, supporting 20 components for 50 recipes.
• TORNADO
• TORNADO vortex

Products and services

• Rohrkettenförderer (TRK) Tube Chain Conveyor Conveys dry, free-flowing bulk materials within enclosed pipes, ideal for confined spaces and complex conveying routes in grain plants and industrial facilities.
• Kettenrundförderer (TRF) Chain Round Conveyor Loads or unloads silo cells with a single conveyor, particularly used where varietal purity of stored grain is required.
• Trogkettenförderer (TTF) Trough Chain Conveyor Standard horizontal conveyor for bulk materials with capacities up to 200 t/h and long conveying distances.
• Becherelevatoren (TEE) Bucket Elevators Vertical conveyors with capacities up to 200 t/h providing gentle material handling in grain and bulk goods plants.
• Kettenelevatoren (TKE) Chain Elevators Cost-effective conveyors for vertical and inclined conveying up to 45°, with side screw for horizontal conveying.
• Trogschnecken (TST) Trough Screw Conveyors Industrial trough screws for horizontal conveying of bulk materials up to 150 t/h (bulk density 0.75 t/m³), with standard conveying lengths up to 20 m; precision-manufactured screws on special machines ensure smooth, even running with low maintenance.
• Rohrschnecken (TS) Pipe Screw Conveyors Pipe screws with direct drive up to Ø 320 mm and comprehensive accessories, including special reinforced versions.
• Druckgebläse TKZ 150 mit Zellenradschleuse (Pressure Blower with Rotary Valve) Pressure blower with rotary valve offering the highest pneumatic conveying capacity up to 31.5 t/h, drive power 7.5–22 kW, flow-controlled fully automatic throughput adjustment, with cast iron rotary valve featuring rubber-lined edges for material protection.
• Druckgebläse TKI 150 mit Injektorschleuse (Pressure Blower with Injector Sluice) Cost-effective pneumatic conveying solution for smaller operations, capacities up to 7.6 t/h, drive power 2.2–7.5 kW, with adjustable nozzle for individual throughput adjustment.
• Saug-Druckgebläse TKZ-SD 150 (Combined Suction-Pressure Blower) Combined suction and pressure conveying blower with integrated cyclone and rotary valve, capacity up to 19.5 t/h, drive power 7.5–22 kW, with rubber-edged rotary blades for material protection and automatic optimal throughput adjustment via flow controller.
• Förderrohrteile Ø 150 (Conveying Pipe Parts and Accessories) Conveying pipe components Ø 150 including tubes, bends, tube switches, and cyclones for pneumatic conveying system installation.
• Trommelreiniger TTR 630/800 (Drum Cleaner) Drum cleaner for separating bulk materials of different sizes, e.g., grain and straw, with two sizes (TTR 630 and TTR 800).
• Trommelreiniger TTR 380 (Compact Drum Cleaner) Compact drum cleaner specifically developed for use before hammer mills.
• Windsichter TWR (TORNADO Air Separator) Air separator that uses rising airflow through a shaft with cyclone separation to remove light particles (dust, chaff, husks) from heavy particles; models range from 12 t/h to 200 t/h, with TWR/U units using the air circulation principle for high cleaning performance at low air volumes, with adjustable total air, circulating air, and bypass air.
• TTS-Q Getreidetrockner (Grain Dryer Series) Drying technology using continuous flow, circulation (batch), and charge dryers with internal heat recovery; thermal insulation, biogas plant connection, and high energy efficiency; drying capacities up to 50 t/h.
• TBK Brennkammer (Combustion Chamber) Combustion chamber for direct heating with efficiency near 100%, available from 75 kW to 2000 kW heat output.
• TW Wärmetauscher (Heat Exchanger) Heat exchanger for indirect heating suitable for gentle grain drying, available from 75 kW to 2000 kW heat output, with hot water convectors for biogas plant connection available on request.
• TRG Radialgebläse (Radial Blower for Grain Drying) Radial blowers for grain drying, optionally available with integrated dust extraction (TRG/E model).
• TAS Outdoor Silos Standard silos for grain storage designed for outdoor installation with verifiable statics.
• TLS Indoor Silos Smooth-wall silos for indoor installation, especially suitable for storage of seeds.
• TRS Indoor Silos Rectangular silos for indoor installation when optimum use of space is required.
• Big Bag Stations Modular Big Bag stations for filling and emptying of bulk materials with forklift traverse, crane arm, or as filling station, capacity up to 1000 kg.
• TORNAMIX Feed Mixing Software and Control System Self-developed, fully automatic computer-based feed mixing software for weight or volume dosing, supporting up to 20 components for 50 recipes, with documentation of mixes and consumptions; software and cabinet hardware supplied from a single source.
• THM Hammer Mills with Blower Integrated hammer mills with built-in blower wheel that handles both milling and grain/grist transport.
• THM-A Hammer Mills without Blower High-performance hammer mills where full electrical power is available for the milling process; a separate conveyor is required for material transport.
• TVM Vertical Mixer Vertical standard mixer for cereal meal and additional components up to 3.5 t capacity.
• THZM Horizontal Mixer Horizontal mixers for low headroom or feed mixtures with high CCM content.
• TPS Mixed Feed Silo Flexible, breathable silos offered in many dimensions for hygienic storage of feed mixtures.
• TGF Fabric Filters Fabric filters that reduce dust load during feed production.
• TDS Dosierschnecke (Dosing Screw) Frequency-controlled dosing screws for exact dosing of feed components, available in multiple variants for free-flowing and floury components.
• Turnkey Plant Construction and Commissioning (Leistungen) Single-source delivery of complete bulk materials handling and grain plants covering planning, manufacturing, control cabinet construction, assembly, and commissioning; experienced chief installation technicians support customer teams during installation, with ongoing after-sales service.

Quantifiable outcome

• Conveying capacities up to 200 t/h for large-scale agricultural and industrial applications
• +4 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Chair of Production Systems, LPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partnership in the GenAI4Maintenance project. The Chair of Production Systems (LPS) brings academic expertise in AI applications for industrial service and maintenance processes, working alongside Horstkötter to develop AI-supported assistance solutions for spare parts identification and technical service processes.
• Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Chair of Industrial Sales and Service Engineering, ISSE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the GenAI4Maintenance research project. The Chair of Industrial Sales and Service Engineering contributes expertise in service engineering and sales processes, collaborating on AI solutions for intelligent knowledge provision and technical offer creation.
• SIMPL Technologies GmbHsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner in the GenAI4Maintenance research project. Contributes expertise in simplifying and integrating AI technologies for industrial maintenance and service applications.
• BELFOR DeHaDe GmbHsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in the GenAI4Maintenance project. Brings practical requirements from industrial service and restoration operations to inform AI solution development for service and maintenance processes.
• Gebr. Becker GmbHsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in the GenAI4Maintenance project. Contributes real-world industrial use cases and requirements for AI-powered service and maintenance solutions.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Clextral: French specialist in extrusion, drying and process lines for food, feed and biomass applications. Comparable in offering complete processing lines with integrated conveying and drying for bulk solids customers.
• Skjold (SKIOLD Group): Danish group supplying feed processing, grain handling and storage plants including conveying, milling and mixing systems. Directly comparable in the feed-industry turnkey plant segment that Horstkötter serves with TORNAMIX-controlled systems.
• Cimbria (AGI): Danish-origin (now part of Ag Growth International) manufacturer of grain handling, cleaning, drying, conveying and storage systems. Comparable product architecture and target customers across European grain processing.
• Amandus Kahl: German manufacturer of press, pelleting, drying and bulk material handling equipment for feed and recycling applications. Direct overlap in conveying, drying and complete plant construction for feed and industrial bulk solids.
• Andritz Group: Austrian industrial group with a Feed & Biofuel division supplying complete feed mills, grain processing and bulk material handling plants. Overlaps directly with Horstkötter's turnkey plant, conveying, drying and milling/mixing portfolio.
• PETKUS Technologie: German-headquartered manufacturer of seed and grain processing equipment including cleaners, conveyors, dryers and storage. Closely comparable in product mix and customer base to Horstkötter's TORNADO-branded grain technology portfolio.
• Sukup Manufacturing: US-based family-owned manufacturer of grain bins, dryers, material handling and aeration equipment. Comparable as a privately-held, multi-generation specialist serving agriculture with a similar custom-equipment-plus-turnkey model.
• Bühler Group: Swiss global market leader in grain processing, cleaning, drying, storage and feed plant equipment. Directly competes with Horstkötter in turnkey grain and feed plants but operates at vastly greater scale with worldwide service network.

Broad incumbents

• GEA Group: German-listed global leader in food processing and industrial separation/drying technology. Overlaps with Horstkötter in food-grade bulk materials handling, drying and milling but operates at much larger scale across a much broader portfolio.
• AGCO Corporation: Global agricultural equipment major whose GSI Grain & Protein unit supplies grain storage, handling, drying and conditioning systems. Competes with Horstkötter in large grain plants but from a much larger distribution and capital base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance2 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 Horstkoetter