What LAUDA does

LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG is a privately held German manufacturer of precision temperature control equipment, founded in 1956 and headquartered in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany. The company designs and builds a comprehensive portfolio of thermostats (immersion, heating, cooling, circulation, and process types — including Peltier-based Semistat and the new modular Universa line), circulation chillers (Microcool, Ultracool), laboratory water baths (Hydro), ultra-low temperature freezers (Versafreeze, Mobifreeze), water stills (Puridest), shakers/incubators (Varioshake), and proprietary heat transfer fluids (Kryo to -95°C, Therm to >300°C), spanning an operating range of -100 to +320°C. The portfolio also includes industrial plant engineering (heat transfer systems, process cooling, secondary circuits, Kryopac cryogenic systems, molten salt plants, fired heaters) and digital services (LAUDA.LIVE platform, Command App).

The company serves B2B enterprise customers across more than ten verticals through direct sales from German headquarters and a global representative and service network covering 70+ countries. Primary verticals — semiconductor fabrication, pharmaceutical production, aerospace testing, and medical technology — account for the most technically demanding use cases, while secondary verticals (automotive/e-mobility, hydrogen, biotechnology, chemistry, printing, food, machinery, and R&D laboratories) broaden the demand base. Pricing is quote-based with no public disclosure, and revenue is generated through hardware sales, custom plant engineering projects, and recurring after-sales services including installation, maintenance, remote diagnostics, spare parts, training, and a 5-year warranty program.

LAUDA self-positions as "Weltmarktführer" (world market leader) for precise temperatures and operates under founder-family governance with President and CEO Gunther Wobser. Wholly owned subsidiaries include LAUDA Scientific (measurement devices) and LAUDA FabrikGalerie (factory gallery attraction). The business model is classic German Mittelstand industrial capital equipment: deep engineering IP, vertically integrated manufacturing, long product life cycles, consultative enterprise sales, and durable service revenue from an installed base embedded in validated customer processes.

Name

LAUDA

Legal name

LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG

Website

https://lauda.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

LAUDA is a privately held German manufacturer founded in 1956, specializing in precision temperature control equipment — thermostats, circulation chillers, freezers, water baths, plant engineering systems, and digital services — serving semiconductor, pharmaceutical, aerospace, medical technology, and industrial customers across more than 70 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Temperature Control Equipment

NAICS

Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (332410), Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580), Fabricated Plate Work (Boiler Shops) (3443)

akta.pro primary industry

Chillers & Cooling Plant Equipment (IMAHAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refrigeration Components & Controls (Compressors, Valves, Sensors) (IMAHAKAH), Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers) (IMAHAEAC), Boilers, Furnaces & Process Heating Equipment (IMAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Temperature control equipment
• Industrial thermostats
• Circulation chillers
• Process cooling systems
• Laboratory temperature control

Headquarters

HQ city

Lauda-königshofen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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. Temperature Control Equipment Sales: LAUDA generates revenue primarily through the sale of temperature control equipment including thermostats, circulation chillers, water baths, freezers, stills, shakers, and custom process cooling systems. Products are sold directly and through global distribution network.
2. Custom/Industrial Plant Engineering: Revenue from bespoke temperature control systems including process cooling systems, heat transfer systems, secondary circuit systems, Kryopac, molten salt plants, and fired heaters built to customer specifications.
3. After-sales Services and Support: Services including installation, maintenance, remote diagnostics, spare parts, training, and 5-year warranty programs. Service revenue includes maintenance contracts and spare part sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LAUDA manufactures innovative constant temperature equipment and systems for science, application technology, and production. The product portfolio spans a temperature range from -100 to +320°C and includes thermostats, circulation chillers, water baths, ultra-low temperature freezers, water stills, shakers, and custom industrial plant engineering solutions such as heat transfer systems, process cooling systems, secondary circuit systems, cryogenic, molten salt, and fired heater plants.

Product overview

LAUDA is a world market leader for precise temperature control, offering a comprehensive portfolio of constant temperature equipment and industrial plant engineering solutions. The product range includes thermostats (immersion, heating, cooling, circulation/process types) across multiple product lines: Alpha, Integral (T/XT/P variants), LOOP, PRO, Proline Kryomate, Semistat, Ultratemp, Universa (ECO/PRO/MAX classes), and Variocool. Circulation chillers (Microcool, Ultracool) and water baths (Hydro variants) serve laboratory and industrial cooling needs. Ultra-low temperature freezers include Versafreeze (upright/chest) and Mobifreeze (mobile). Laboratory equipment encompasses Puridest water stills and Varioshake shakers/incubators. Plant engineering provides customized solutions including heat transfer systems, process cooling systems, secondary circuit systems, Kryopac, molten salt plants, and fired heaters. All products are supported by proprietary heat transfer fluids (Kryo to -95°C, Therm to >300°C) and digital services (LAUDA.LIVE, Command App). Network-enabled devices feature integrated web servers for flexible networking and remote monitoring. The portfolio serves industries including automotive, hydrogen, chemistry, pharma/biotech, semiconductors, medical technology, aerospace, and machinery/plant engineering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LAUDA.LIVE: Digital services platform for device documentation, spare part identification, remote diagnostics, warranty registration and service request management.
• LAUDA Scientific
• LAUDA FabrikGalerie

Products and services

• Thermostats

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 50% energy cost reduction with Ultracool second generation chillers
• +3 more outcomes

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Julabo: German-headquartered manufacturer of temperature control instruments (circulators, chillers, water baths) for laboratories and industry. Closest direct competitor to LAUDA's thermostat and chiller portfolio, with overlapping customer base in pharma, chemistry, and research.
• Peter Huber Kältemaschinenbau: German manufacturer of high-precision temperature control systems from -125 to +425°C, including circulation thermostats and chillers for research and industry. Directly competes with LAUDA across core thermostat and chiller lines, especially in academic and industrial R&D.
• BINDER GmbH: German manufacturer of incubators, drying ovens, and climate chambers used in laboratories and industrial testing. Adjacent but overlapping with LAUDA's lab and process temperature control business, especially in pharma, biotech, and materials testing.
• Grant Instruments: UK manufacturer of precision temperature control equipment, including water baths, block heaters, and chillers for life science and industrial labs. Overlaps with LAUDA's Hydro water baths and general lab thermostat offering.
• PolyScience: US-based maker of circulating baths, chillers, and immersion coolers for life sciences, industrial, and food applications. Directly comparable product set to LAUDA's chillers and water baths, with strong presence in North American pharma and biotech.

Emerging players

• IKA Works: German lab equipment maker with products spanning shakers, stirrers, and temperature control systems used alongside LAUDA in research and analytical labs. Comparable in target customer and channel, though broader lab focus.
• ATS (Automated Temperature Systems) / SP Scientific: Supplier of temperature control, freeze drying, and thermal processing equipment for pharmaceutical and life science applications. Overlaps with LAUDA in process thermostats and industrial plant engineering for pharma customers.

Regional players

• Ilshin Autoclave / Jeio Tech: Asian (Korean) lab and industrial equipment makers offering temperature-controlled baths, incubators, and chillers to pharmaceutical and research customers in APAC. Comparable in product category but primarily regional competitor to LAUDA's APAC footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Eppendorf: German-headquartered life science lab equipment supplier (bioreactors, shakers, freezers, temperature control). Competes with LAUDA in pharmaceutical and biotech labs across shakers, ultra-low freezers, and process temperature control.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global life sciences and laboratory equipment conglomerate offering a broad portfolio that includes temperature control, cold storage, and process equipment. Competes with LAUDA in pharma/biotech and research customers as a broad-line incumbent with much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lauda_de

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

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LAUDA