ascolab
ascolab GmbH is a private German professional services firm founded in 2003 that consults, develops, and trains industrial automation manufacturers on OPC and OPC Unified Architecture (UA) standards, serving enterprise clients such as Siemens, ABB, Mitsubishi Electric, Linde, and Bosch Rexroth.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersKalchreuth, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ascolab does
ascolab GmbH is a privately held German professional services firm founded in 2003 by three former Siemens AG I&S employees—Uwe Steinkrauß, Matthias Damm, and Gerhard Gappmeier—that consults, develops, and trains industrial automation manufacturers on OPC (Open Platform Communications) technology, with deep specialization in OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA), the international standard for vendor-independent industrial communication from field devices to enterprise systems. The firm operates from Kalchreuth near Nuremberg in a purpose-built, fiber-connected headquarters co-located with Unified Automation GmbH, and serves global manufacturers of distributed automation products including Siemens, ABB, Bosch Rexroth, Mitsubishi Electric, Linde, Total Fina, and Drewag across energy, oil and gas, and manufacturing verticals.
ascolab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ascolab
- Legal name
- ascolab GmbH
- Website
- https://ascolab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ascolab GmbH is a private German professional services firm founded in 2003 that consults, develops, and trains industrial automation manufacturers on OPC and OPC Unified Architecture (UA) standards, serving enterprise clients such as Siemens, ABB, Mitsubishi Electric, Linde, and Bosch Rexroth.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ascolab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Automation Software Services
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Technical and Trade Schools (61151)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Software Engineering & Application Development Training (Languages, Frameworks, Testing) (BPAEANAI)
Keywords
Where ascolab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kalchreuth
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ascolab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- OPC Consulting & Standardization: Consulting services for OPC-based solutions including concept and implementation of OPC UA technologies, information model design, and standardization activities.
- Software Architecture & Development: Custom software component development, design and implementation of user applications, and architecture of industrial communication solutions on a project basis.
- IT Consulting & Service: Feasibility studies, performance measurement, application consulting, commissioning, support, and on-site seminars and training.
- Training & Workshops: Classroom-based training programs including OPC UA Introduction seminars and Developer workshops, charged per participant with published pricing.
- Certification Services: Former certification testing services for OPC products. Service discontinued; ascolab no longer offers certification services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | UA Technologie - Einstieg (1-day) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | UA Einführungsseminar (2-day) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | UA Entwicklerworkshop (2-day) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | OPC Grundlagen und Anwendung (1-day) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | OPC Client und Server - Programmieren (2-day) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
ascolab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ascolab provides professional services for OPC (Open Platform Communications) technology, covering consulting, software architecture, custom development, and classroom training for OPC UA and OPC Classic. The company supports industrial automation manufacturers, software developers, and end users in designing, implementing, certifying, and troubleshooting vendor-independent industrial communication systems. Services span information modeling, address space development, protocol converters, and developer workshops using C++ and C# libraries.
Product overview
ascolab GmbH is a software services company specializing in industrial communication based on OPC (Open Platform Communication) technology. The company operates three main business divisions: OPC Consulting & Standardization, IT Consulting & Service, and Software Architecture & Development. Their service portfolio includes consulting, development, and training services specifically tailored for OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA), ranging from technology introduction seminars to intensive developer workshops. They also developed the OPC UA Protocol Analyzer for Wireshark and the OPC Lookup tool. The company previously offered certification services as the first OPC Foundation accredited test laboratory but no longer provides this service.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- OPC Consulting & Standardization Consulting and standardization services for OPC-based solutions, including concept and implementation of OPC UA technologies, conversion and integration of existing data models, and information model design. Targeted at industrial automation manufacturers and software developers needing OPC interoperability.
- Software Architecture & Development Custom software component development, design and implementation of user applications, and architecture of industrial communication solutions on a project basis. Aimed at companies needing bespoke OPC implementations or protocol converters.
- IT Consulting & Service Feasibility studies, performance measurement, application consulting, commissioning, support, and seminars/training for OPC products. Targeted at end users of automation systems needing integration and operational support.
- OPC UA Training Courses Classroom-based OPC UA training programs including UA Technologie Einstieg (1-day introductory seminar), UA Einführungsseminar (2-day comprehensive introduction), and UA Entwicklerworkshop (2-day developer workshop using C++ and C# libraries from Unified Automation). Targeted at decision makers, architects, and programmers.
- OPC Classic Training Courses OPC Classic training seminars including OPC Grundlagen und Anwendung (1-day basics and application covering Data Access through XML-DA) and OPC Client und Server - Programmieren (2-day programming seminar for OPC DA client and server development).
- OPC UA Protocol Analyzer for Wireshark Wireshark plugin extension for OPC UA protocol decoding, analysis, and troubleshooting of OPC UA communications. Available as a free download from ascolab.
- OPC Lookup Tool Tool for displaying text messages for OPC error and quality codes, requires .NET Framework. Available as a free download.
Quantifiable outcome
- First OPC UA product launched in 2008 - ascolab developed ANSI C stack enabling OPC UA on embedded devices
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ascolab
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ascolab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
ascolab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Unified Automation GmbHcoreascolab and Unified Automation co-located to a new shared headquarters building in Kalchreuth in 2017 to join forces and optimize workflow operations. ascolab provides premium services for Unified Automation's OPC UA SDKs, rounding up offerings for customers implementing OPC UA technologies. The partnership combines consulting, development tools, and SDKs under one roof.
- AIM (Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility)minorTechnology partnership between OPC Foundation and AIM group to specify a companion standard mapping auto identification device data (RFID readers, barcode scanners) into the OPC UA Information Model. Matthias Damm serves as OPC UA expert representing the OPC Foundation in this joint working group.
- OPC Foundationcoreascolab has been an OPC Foundation member since 2003. ascolab's founders were founding members of the OPC UA working group in 2006, developed the OPC UA ANSI C stack, serve as responsible editors of key OPC UA specifications (Part 4 Services, Part 6), and participate in the Technical Advisory Council. Matthias Damm serves on the Enhanced Board of Directors.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ascolab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Matrikon (Honeywell): Long-established OPC UA and industrial connectivity specialist, now part of Honeywell. Comparable to ascolab as a focused OPC consulting and software vendor serving process and discrete automation customers.
- ICONICS: Provider of HMI/SCADA and OPC UA connectivity software with a strong presence in industrial automation. Comparable to ascolab in OPC UA implementation expertise and target customers in industrial automation.
- Real Time Automation: Industrial communication protocol vendor offering OPC UA stacks and integration tools. Comparable to ascolab in addressing OPC UA implementation challenges for automation OEMs and embedded device developers.
- Pyramid Solutions: Specialist in OPC connectivity with a long history of OPC Classic and UA consulting, development, and training in the industrial automation market. Comparable to ascolab in customer base (automation OEMs) and service mix (consulting plus implementation).
- Softing Industrial: Provides industrial connectivity hardware, OPC UA software toolkits, and integration services. Comparable to ascolab because it offers OPC UA implementation consulting, SDKs, and training to industrial automation OEMs, overlapping with ascolab's core service portfolio.
- Unified Automation: Leading vendor of OPC UA SDKs (C++, C#, Java, .NET) and co-located partner of ascolab in Kalchreuth. Highly comparable because both firms sell into the same OPC UA developer ecosystem, share customers, and bundle consulting-plus-tools offerings.
Emerging players
- Hilscher: Provides industrial communication components, netX chips, and protocol stacks including OPC UA. Comparable to ascolab in the industrial protocol/OPC UA enablement layer, though more focused on hardware and embedded integration.
- PROCENTEC: Specialist in industrial network diagnostics and PROFIBUS/PROFINET with adjacent OPC UA expertise. Comparable to ascolab as a niche industrial communication specialist serving automation OEMs and systems integrators.
Others
- OPC Foundation: Industry standards body that defines and promotes OPC UA. Comparable to ascolab as the standards ecosystem in which ascolab operates and derives its authority, and a key partner/customer (ascolab developed and historically certified CTT under OPC Foundation contract).
Broad incumbents
- Beckhoff Automation: Major PC-based automation vendor with deep OPC UA product and ecosystem investment. Comparable to ascolab as an OPC UA implementation partner in factory automation, though significantly larger and broader in portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ascolab social profiles
Digital presenceascolab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ascolab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
ascolab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ascolab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ascolab
What does ascolab do?
ascolab provides professional services for OPC (Open Platform Communications) technology, covering consulting, software architecture, custom development, and classroom training for OPC UA and OPC Classic. The company supports industrial automation manufacturers, software developers, and end users in designing, implementing, certifying, and troubleshooting vendor-independent industrial communication systems. Services span information modeling, address space development, protocol converters, and developer workshops using C++ and C# libraries.
Is ascolab a public or private company?
ascolab is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ascolab founded?
ascolab was founded in 2003. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ascolab based?
ascolab is headquartered in Kalchreuth, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does ascolab make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. OPC Consulting & Standardization is the primary driver. The others are software Architecture & Development, IT Consulting & Service, training & Workshops and certification Services.
Who are ascolab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Matrikon (Honeywell), ICONICS, Real Time Automation, Pyramid Solutions, Softing Industrial and Unified Automation. Emerging players are Hilscher and PROCENTEC. OPC Foundation is listed as an others. Beckhoff Automation is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does ascolab have an API?
No public API is recorded for ascolab.
What industry is ascolab in?
ascolab's product category is Industrial Automation Software Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAM, Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAEANAI, Software Engineering & Application Development Training (Languages, Frameworks, Testing). Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 8711.