Name

TCI Engineering

Legal name

TCI Engineering SA

Website

https://tci-sa.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Equipment

NAICS

Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (33324), Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (3332)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

Factory Automation Cells & Integrated Systems (Assembly, Welding, Painting Lines) (IMAHAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits) (IMAGABAK)

Keywords

• Industrial automation systems
• Robotic integration services
• Precision parts cleaning
• Autonomous mobile robots
• Aluminum profile structures

Headquarters

HQ city

Vaud

HQ country

Switzerland

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. Custom Automation Systems & Machines: Design, engineering, and manufacturing of bespoke automation systems, robotic integrations, and precision cleaning machines for industrial clients. Revenue is project-based, with each system custom-engineered to client specifications. This represents the primary revenue stream.
2. Maintenance, Retrofit & Modification Services: Ongoing support services including retrofits, modifications, and maintenance of existing automation systems and machines. These services provide recurring service revenue from the installed base.
3. Norcan & FinnSonic Product Distribution: As official Swiss distributor of Norcan aluminum profile systems and FinnSonic ultrasonic cleaning equipment, TCI generates revenue through product sales and distribution of these branded solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

TCI Engineering designs, engineers, and manufactures custom industrial automation systems — including robotic cells, vision-guided assembly lines, and integrated production lines — for industrial clients. The company also produces its own Cleansys PFAS-free precision parts cleaning machines and integrates Sherpa autonomous mobile robots (AMR) for intralogistics, while serving as the official Swiss distributor for Norcan aluminum profile systems and FinnSonic ultrasonic cleaning equipment. Each solution is custom-tailored per client requirements and supported through retrofit, modification, and maintenance services.

Product overview

TCI Engineering is an automation integrator offering a portfolio of custom-built automation systems, robotic integrations, and precision cleaning machines for high-performance industrial applications. The core offerings include: Cleansys precision cleaning systems (proprietary PFAS-free machines), FinnSonic distributed ultrasonic cleaning solutions, integrated automation lines combining robots and vision systems, Sherpa autonomous mobile robots for intralogistics, and Norcan aluminum profile systems. These products are complemented by industrial robot integration services (FANUC, KUKA, Stäubli), cobots, machine vision systems, and support services including retrofit and maintenance. The company was founded in 1984 and operates from Penthaz, Switzerland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cleansys: Division specializing in advanced precision industrial parts cleaning solutions, including aqueous systems, hybrid cleaning, and ultrasonic cleaning technologies.
• Sherpa

Products and services

• Automation Lines Integrated custom automation lines combining robots (FANUC, KUKA, Stäubli), vision systems, and proprietary software for efficient and precise industrial production. Engineered to each client's production challenges and quality standards.
• Cleansys Precision Cleaning Machines Proprietary line of industrial precision cleaning machines for mechanical parts designed to efficiently remove oils, greases, and residues with fast drying using PFAS-free formulation. Includes specific models Cleansys Csm-23R (launched 2025-08) and Cleansys Csm-1515/R (launched 2025-07).
• Sherpa Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) Autonomous mobile robots with smart navigation, real-time fleet management, and collaborative operation for intralogistics and material handling. Includes SHERPA-D (dollies transport), SHERPA-B (collaborative picking/follow-me), and SHERPA-P (pallet transfer up to 1 tonne), all with induction charging.
• Industrial Robot Integration Integration of industrial robots from FANUC, KUKA, and Stäubli with grippers, guarding, teach pendants, and control systems for precise, repeatable operation and easy maintenance across palletizing, machine loading/unloading, and assembly automation.
• Norcan Aluminum Profile Systems Modular aluminum profile systems distributed officially in Switzerland, ranging from cut-to-size kits to complete modular assembly structures and machine frames.
• FinnSonic Ultrasonic Cleaning Systems Ultrasonic cleaning and FPI inspection solutions distributed officially in Switzerland, including table-top units (M-Series), industrial multi-stage cleaning lines, spray washers, and automated parts handling systems.
• Retrofit and Modification Services Modernization and upgrade services for existing automation systems, including robot replacement, control upgrades, safety enclosure retrofits, and other system enhancements to extend equipment life and performance.
• Maintenance Services Ongoing maintenance and technical support services for installed automation systems and cleaning machines, providing recurring service revenue across the customer base.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 systems delivered to industrial clients since founding in 1984
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FinnSoniccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025TCI Engineering became an official Swiss distributor of FinnSonic in 2025, offering advanced ultrasonic cleaning and FPI inspection solutions. The partnership includes table-top ultrasonic cleaners, industrial multi-stage cleaning lines, spray washers, and automated parts handling systems for precision cleaning applications.
• Sherpa (Autonomous Mobile Robots)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024TCI Engineering became an official Sherpa partner in 2024, expanding its solutions to include Sherpa autonomous mobile robots (SHERPA-D, SHERPA-B, SHERPA-P) for intralogistics, collaborative picking, and smart material handling. These AMRs are deployed across TCI's client projects for automated internal logistics.
• FANUCcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024TCI Engineering became an official FANUC partner in 2024, strengthening its expertise in reliable robotic automation and industrial integration. FANUC robots and automation technology are integrated into TCI's custom automation lines and robotic cell solutions.
• StäublicoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009TCI Engineering became an official Stäubli partner in 2009, strengthening its expertise in high-performance robotic integration and automation. Stäubli robots are incorporated into TCI's solutions for precision automation applications across multiple industries.
• KUKAcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1998TCI Engineering became an official KUKA partner in 1998, expanding its expertise in advanced robotics and automated industrial solutions. KUKA industrial robots are integrated into TCI's custom automation systems for applications including palletizing, machine loading/unloading, and assembly automation.
• NorcancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1995TCI Engineering has been the official Swiss distributor of Norcan since 1995, providing advanced aluminum profile systems and modular assembly solutions. This partnership enables TCI to offer Norcan's modular building block systems — from cut-to-size kits to complete assembly structures — as part of its automation and machine-building portfolio.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Festo: Global automation components and pneumatic systems supplier serving industrial automation integrators including TCI itself. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, but shares customer base and technology overlap.

Direct peers

• Mikron Group: Swiss-based precision machinery and automation systems manufacturer serving automotive, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods industries with custom-engineered production equipment. Closely comparable in Swiss heritage, multi-industry custom machinery focus, and engineered-to-order business model.
• Stäubli Robotics: Swiss-based manufacturer of industrial robots and provider of robotics integration services. Stäubli is both a TCI partner (since 2009) and a direct competitor in Swiss robotics integration for high-precision applications such as watchmaking and life sciences.
• IMA Group: Large Italian-headquartered custom automation systems integrator serving pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food, and packaging customers. Highly comparable to TCI in terms of project-based business model and bespoke machine-building for industrial clients across multiple verticals.
• Gerhard Schubert GmbH: German-based family-owned custom packaging and processing machinery integrator serving food, beverage, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical end markets. Comparable to TCI in that both build custom automated systems with project-based engineering and full lifecycle support.

Broad incumbents

• KUKA: Global industrial robotics OEM with broad-based automation and integration capabilities across automotive, consumer goods, and manufacturing. KUKA is a TCI partner (since 1998) but also competes directly for large industrial automation projects across Europe.
• ABB Robotics: Global industrial robotics and automation OEM with significant Swiss operations (Baden). Competes for large-scale industrial automation projects across the segments TCI serves, while also supplying components via integrator partners.
• FANUC: Global industrial automation and robotics OEM with extensive European integration partner network. TCI became an official FANUC partner in 2024 and integrates FANUC robots and cobots into its custom automation lines.

Emerging players

• Universal Robots: Cobots specialist and Teradyne subsidiary serving collaborative robotics applications across SMEs and industrial clients. Overlaps with TCI's cobot offering and competes for selected collaborative automation use cases.

Regional players

• Bystronic: Swiss-headquartered specialist in sheet metal cutting automation and industrial machinery. Not a direct competitor in TCI's segments but a comparable Swiss precision-engineering industrial machinery player serving European customers with custom-engineered equipment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tci-engineering-sa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 TCI Engineering