HBI Haerter

What HBI Haerter does

HBI Haerter is an independent, employee-owned Swiss consulting engineering firm founded in 1963 (originating from SHB Schindler Haelter AG) that specializes exclusively in tunnel ventilation engineering. The firm plans, designs, and supervises ventilation and cooling systems for road tunnels, rail tunnels, metro systems, and underground stations, with additional services spanning aero-fluid thermodynamics, environmental and emissions assessments, risk analysis and safety consulting, electromechanical equipment specification, and end-to-end commissioning, measurement, and acceptance testing. Core technical assets include a proprietary Tunnel Ventilation Simulator and the EmBaLu emissions-based ventilation control system developed through research at the Einhorntunnel.

The firm is led by four Geschäftsführer (managing directors) — Dr. Andreas Busslinger, Simon Frey, Jakob Funnemark, and Simon Schneider — and employs more than 25 ventilation specialists operating from offices in Zurich and Bern (Switzerland), Heidenheim (Germany), and Sydney (Australia), with global project execution capability. HBI serves a public-sector client base that includes Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), the City of Stuttgart (Rosensteintunnel, B10), the City of Zurich (Einhausung Schwamendingen), and the WestConnex M8 motorway project in Sydney.

The business model is professional services consulting with project-based pricing tied to scope, complexity, and duration, procured directly through tender and relationship channels with government transportation authorities, tunnel operators, and infrastructure construction companies. The firm holds ISO 9001:2015 certification and has completed more than 1,000 reference projects internationally. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; no external ownership, parent company, or institutional investors are present.

Name

HBI Haerter

Legal name

HBI Haerter AG

Website

https://hbi.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Consulting - Tunnel Ventilation

NAICS

Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (238220)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

HVAC & Industrial Ventilation (Chillers, AHUs, Exhaust, Filtration) (EUAEAFAE)

Keywords

• Tunnel ventilation engineering
• Aero-fluid thermodynamics consulting
• Tunnel safety analysis
• Electromechanical tunnel equipment
• Infrastructure engineering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Professional engineering services for tunnel ventilation including planning, design, project management, and execution oversight. Services span from feasibility studies through detailed design, construction supervision, and operational optimization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

HBI Haerter is a consulting engineering firm that plans, designs, and supervises the execution of tunnel ventilation systems, aero- and thermodynamic analyses, and safety/risk assessments for road, rail, metro, and utility tunnels. The firm delivers end-to-end project support — feasibility studies, detailed design, simulation, electromechanical equipment specification, commissioning, and operational optimization — supported by a proprietary Tunnel Ventilation Simulator.

Product overview

HBI Haerter is a consulting engineering company that offers a comprehensive suite of specialized services for tunnel ventilation and safety. The portfolio includes core services such as ventilation and cooling system planning, aero-fluid thermodynamics, risk analysis, and electromechanical equipment design. Supporting services include measurement, testing, commissioning, numerical simulation, and a proprietary Tunnel Ventilation Simulator. The company also provides retrofitting, renovation, and expert consulting services. Together, these services cover the complete lifecycle of tunnel ventilation projects from feasibility studies and concept development through detailed design, execution, commissioning, and operational optimization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1000 successfully completed tunnel ventilation projects internationally

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the development and specification of 8 innovative ventilation wagons for tunnel maintenance operations, where HBI developed the ventilation concept and technical specifications for the procurement.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Buro Happold: Large international engineering consultancy with a tunnel and MEP practice that overlaps with HBI's ventilation and safety engineering, but operating as a broader multi-discipline firm with significantly larger scale.
• Tractebel (ENGIE): International engineering consultancy with infrastructure, tunnels, and energy projects — comparable to HBI's tunnel ventilation work but operating as part of a much larger multi-utility group.
• Sweco: European engineering and design consultancy with transport infrastructure projects including tunnels and rail — comparable in client type (public authorities) but much larger and broader in scope.
• Arup: Global engineering consultancy with extensive tunnel and rail infrastructure work; competes with HBI on large tunnel projects but offers a much broader multi-discipline service portfolio.
• AFRY (formerly ÅF / Pöyry): Large European engineering consultancy with infrastructure and tunnel expertise serving rail and road authorities — competes with HBI on transport infrastructure projects but at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Amberg Engineering: Swiss specialist in tunnel and underground space engineering, covering design, planning, and construction supervision — direct peer in tunnel design consulting with overlapping public-sector clients.
• ILF Consulting Engineers: Engineering consultancy with a strong tunnel and infrastructure practice, providing planning, design, and project management for road and rail tunnels — directly comparable to HBI's tunnel ventilation and MEP focus.
• Basler & Hofmann: Swiss consulting engineering firm with activities in tunnel infrastructure, ventilation, and safety — closely comparable to HBI in geography, service mix, and customer base (Swiss public sector).
• Müller-BBM: German engineering consultancy with deep expertise in acoustics, aero/fluid dynamics, measurement, and testing — comparable to HBI's aero-fluid-thermodynamics, measurement, and commissioning services.

Emerging players

• DB Engineering & Consulting: Engineering arm of Deutsche Bahn delivering rail and tunnel infrastructure design across Europe — comparable in tunnel and rail-ventilation engagements, with growing private-market consulting activity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hbi-haerter-ltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 HBI Haerter