Aequator

What Aequator does

Aequator AG is a Swiss family-owned manufacturer of professional espresso and hot beverage machines, headquartered in Arbon, Switzerland and operating under the legal form of an Aktiengesellschaft (AG). Founded in 1933, the company designs and produces a portfolio of ten coffee machine models named after countries (Panama, Venezuela, Venezuela 3.0, Brasil Touch, Bolivia, Sao Paulo, Salvador, Salvador 3.0, Ecuador, and Mexico) for professional gastronomy, office/corporate, and premium consumer segments.

The product portfolio is built on shared proprietary features including Swiss-made Ditting coffee grinders, electronic grinder control, intelligent temperature management software, automatic quality monitoring with continuous grind-level and brewing-time adjustment, a hygiene-optimized HACCP-compliant milk system, height-adjustable drink spouts, and energy management systems rated up to Energy Class A under the EVA EMP 3.0B standard with up to 94% recyclable stainless-steel, brass, and plastics construction. Flagship models such as the Salvador 3.0 incorporate touch displays, LED lighting, pressure gauges, custom branding color options, optional refrigeration units, and production capacities of 180-240 cups per hour. Aequator holds ISO 9001 quality management and ISO 14001 environmental management certifications, is GDPR and Swiss DPA (DSG) compliant, and meets EU HACCP hygiene standards.

The business model relies on three revenue streams: hardware sales of coffee machines, recurring service and maintenance (telephone support and on-site service in Switzerland), and spare parts and accessories. Customer contracts follow a 50% deposit on order confirmation with the balance due within 30 days of invoice. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales in Switzerland with a dealer/partner network across DACH and the rest of Europe, supported by trade show participation at Internorga (Hamburg), HOST (Milan), HORECA EXPO (Ghent), GR8 Coffee Festival (Zagreb), VAKBEURS FACILITAIR (Netherlands), and C.C.A. HORECA Gastro (Cyprus), as well as Facebook and LinkedIn and the company website. The company is privately held with no institutional investors, no parent company, and no disclosed subsidiaries.

Name

Aequator

Legal name

Aequator AG

Website

https://aequator.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Aequator AG is a Swiss family-owned manufacturer founded in 1933 that designs and produces professional espresso and hot beverage machines for gastronomy, office/corporate, and premium consumer markets, distributed across DACH and broader Europe through a dealer network and direct sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Coffee Equipment

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)

SIC

Electric Housewares & Fans (3634)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee, Espresso & Tea Appliances Retail (CRACADAC)

Keywords

• Professional coffee machines
• Hot beverage automats
• Commercial coffee equipment
• Coffee service parts
• Beverage machine maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Arbon

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coffee Machine Sales: Sale of professional coffee machines and hot beverage automatons. Swiss-made professional equipment for gastronomy and office use.
2. Service and Maintenance: Service and maintenance offerings for installed equipment, including telephone support and on-site service in Switzerland
3. Spare Parts and Accessories: Sale of spare parts and accessories as referenced in General Terms and Conditions

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Aequator AG manufactures and sells professional coffee machines and hot beverage automats primarily through a European dealer and service network. The offering targets gastronomy operators, office and corporate workplaces, and premium consumers, and is supported by an after-sales maintenance, repair, and spare-parts business.

Product overview

Aequator AG is a Swiss family business founded in 1933, specializing in espresso technology and hot beverage dispensers. Their product portfolio consists of ten distinct coffee machine models named after countries (Panama, Venezuela 3.0, Brasil Touch, Bolivia, Venezuela, Sao Paulo, Salvador 3.0, Ecuador, Salvador, and Mexico). These products range from compact units suitable for office environments to premium models for professional gastronomy, all sharing common features including Swiss-made coffee grinders, touchscreen interfaces, energy management systems, and sustainability-focused designs with up to 94% recyclability. The Salvador 3.0 represents the flagship model with advanced capabilities including automatic quality monitoring, electronic grind adjustment, and production capacity of 180-240 cups per hour.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional coffee machines Espresso and coffee machines designed for daily professional use in restaurants, hotels, cafés, offices, and premium homes.
• Hot beverage automats Automated dispensers for coffee, espresso, hot chocolate, and other hot beverages intended for self-service settings such as offices and unattended hospitality points.
• Maintenance and repair services After-sales servicing, preventive maintenance, and repair of Aequator equipment performed through the European dealer network for installed machines.
• Spare parts and accessories Replacement parts and accessories for Aequator coffee machines and hot beverage automats, distributed through the dealer network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 180-240 cups of coffee per hour
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DittingcoreTechnology or IntegrationDitting provides Swiss design coffee grinders used in Aequator coffee machines. Ditting grinders are known for their robust, durable construction and provide constant high beverage quality.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bravilor Bonamat: Dutch manufacturer of professional coffee, tea, and hot beverage equipment for office and HORECA segments. Competes with Aequator in the broader professional hot beverage category across European markets.
• Schaerer: Swiss manufacturer of professional coffee machines serving HORECA, office, and convenience channels. Headquartered in Switzerland with comparable product positioning and target customer segments to Aequator.
• Franke Coffee Systems: Swiss-based manufacturer of professional coffee machines for global HORECA chains, offices, and convenience retail. Directly competes with Aequator in the same professional foodservice and office coffee segment, particularly in European chain accounts.
• La Marzocco: Italian manufacturer of professional espresso machines for specialty coffee shops, restaurants, and bars. Directly comparable to Aequator in the professional espresso category, though stronger in specialty coffee shops vs. Aequator's HORECA focus.
• La Cimbali: Italian professional espresso machine manufacturer serving cafes, hotels, and restaurants. Competes with Aequator in the professional espresso segment for HORECA customers across Europe.
• Egro (Rancilio Group): Swiss-based professional coffee machine manufacturer (part of Rancilio Group) serving HORECA and office segments. Comparable in product positioning, target customers, and Swiss manufacturing heritage.
• WMF Professional Coffee Machines (SEB Group): German professional coffee machine manufacturer (now part of SEB) serving HORECA and office segments across Europe. Directly competes with Aequator in the same professional coffee machine category with comparable capacity ranges.
• Thermoplan: Swiss manufacturer of professional coffee machines with strong global presence in coffee chain accounts (notably Starbucks). Direct Swiss competitor with overlapping HORECA target market.
• Jura: Swiss premium manufacturer of professional and home coffee machines with a similar product portfolio targeting office and HORECA segments. Jura is the most direct peer given shared Swiss origin, premium positioning, and overlapping customer base in DACH and Europe.

Broad incumbents

• De'Longhi: Global Italian manufacturer of coffee machines spanning home, professional, and office segments. Overlaps with Aequator in office/corporate coffee solutions but at much larger scale and broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AequatorAG
• LinkedInch.linkedin.com/company/aequator

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Aequator