Philipp Kirsch
Philipp Kirsch GmbH is a German manufacturer of professional refrigerators and freezers for healthcare, blood banks, pharmacies, and laboratories. Founded in 1865 and acquired by Hettich Group in 2024, it is the German market leader in pharmacy refrigeration.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1865
- HeadquartersWillstätt, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Philipp Kirsch does
Philipp Kirsch GmbH, founded in 1865 and headquartered in Willstätt, Germany, is a specialized manufacturer of professional refrigerators and freezers for healthcare and laboratory applications. The company is the German market leader in pharmacy refrigeration and serves hospitals, blood banks, pharmacies, laboratories, and pharmaceutical manufacturers across Europe and select international markets including India. Its product portfolio spans pharmaceutical refrigerators and freezers (MED Series), blood bank refrigerators and plasma freezers (BL Series), laboratory refrigerators and freezers (LABO Series), ATEX-certified explosion-proof units (LABEX Series), cleanroom-certified refrigerators, and a tiered offering across ESSENTIAL, PRO-ACTIVE, and ULTIMATE lines.
The company's core technology centers on temperature precision and stability, anchored by the proprietary PRO-ACTIVE Control System with dual PT-1000 sensors and the KIRSCH-Airflow-Concept, which it markets as delivering the world's lowest temperature deviations with claimed power reductions of up to 60%. All medical products are certified under MDR Class IIa, DIN EN ISO 13485, DIN 13277, and ATEX 2014/34/EU explosion protection standards, with German Army and Indian Army references alongside healthcare customers such as Boehringer Ingelheim, Roche, Novartis, Charité Berlin, and University Hospital Tübingen. In January 2024, Kirsch was acquired by Hettich Group (Andreas Hettich GmbH), creating a combined laboratory equipment platform encompassing refrigeration, centrifuges, and incubators.
Kirsch operates a B2B distribution model through specialized medical and laboratory equipment retailers and electrical wholesalers, with no direct e-commerce channel to end customers. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of temperature-critical storage equipment, supplemented by recurring-adjacent revenue from temperature documentation software (KIRSCH Datanet, PC-KIT, EVOLUTION CLOUD). The company is currently privately held as a subsidiary of Hettich Group, employs 51-200 staff, and does not disclose revenue.
Philipp Kirsch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Philipp Kirsch
- Legal name
- Philipp Kirsch GmbH
- Website
- https://kirsch-medical.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1865
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Philipp Kirsch GmbH is a German manufacturer of professional refrigerators and freezers for healthcare, blood banks, pharmacies, and laboratories. Founded in 1865 and acquired by Hettich Group in 2024, it is the German market leader in pharmacy refrigeration.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Philipp Kirsch industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medical and Laboratory Refrigeration Equipment
- NAICS
- Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334)
- SIC
- Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cold Chain & Temperature-Controlled Storage Equipment (IMAHAKAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Cold Chain Storage (2–8°C / CRT) (TLALABAF), Medical Devices & Diagnostics Temperature-Controlled Storage (TLALABAH), Pharmaceutical & Biologics Frozen Storage (Ultra-Low/Deep-Freeze) (TLALACAD), Cold Storage Warehouse Temperature Monitoring (Refrigerated & Frozen) (AFAOALAC)
Keywords
Where Philipp Kirsch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Willstätt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Philipp Kirsch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Medical and Laboratory Refrigeration Equipment Sales: Sale of professional refrigerators and freezers for healthcare sector, hospitals, clinics, blood banks, pharmacies, and laboratories. Products sold through specialized medical/laboratory equipment retailers and electrical wholesalers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Philipp Kirsch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Philipp Kirsch GmbH manufactures professional refrigerators and freezers for the healthcare and laboratory sectors, including pharmaceutical, blood bank, laboratory, cleanroom, and explosion-proof models. The company also offers temperature documentation hardware and software (KIRSCH Datanet, PC-KIT, EVOLUTION CLOUD) for compliance and monitoring of cold chain storage.
Product overview
Philipp Kirsch GmbH (Kirsch Medical) is a German manufacturer of professional refrigerators and freezers for the healthcare and laboratory sectors. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized across three product tiers: ESSENTIAL (entry-level), PRO-ACTIVE (mid-range with energy efficiency and proactive monitoring), and ULTIMATE (premium with touchscreen controls and access management). Core product lines include MED Series pharmaceutical refrigerators and FROSTER MED pharmaceutical freezers for medical applications; BL Series blood bank refrigerators and FROSTER BL plasma freezers for blood storage; LABO Series laboratory refrigerators and FROSTER LABO laboratory freezers for research; and LABEX Series explosion-proof refrigerators/freezers for hazardous environments. The company also provides cleanroom-certified models, temperature documentation solutions (KIRSCH Datanet, PC-KIT, EVOLUTION CLOUD), and distributes Hettich laboratory equipment. Kirsch is the German market leader in pharmacy refrigeration and serves hospitals, clinics, blood banks, and pharmaceutical companies worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PRO-ACTIVE: Product line featuring permanent proactive monitoring of performance data, reduced power consumption up to 60%, and faster response times for impending faults
- ULTIMATE
- ESSENTIAL
- LABEX
- FROSTER
- LABO
- KIRSCH Datanet
- EVOLUTION CLOUD
Products and services
- MED Series - Pharmaceutical Refrigerators Professional refrigerators for storing vaccines, medicines, and pharmaceutical products in healthcare settings, available in PRO-ACTIVE, ULTIMATE, and ESSENTIAL tiers with capacities from 85 to 720 liters.
- FROSTER MED Series - Pharmaceutical Freezers Freezers for storing temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products at temperatures from -5 to -25°C, featuring PRO-ACTIVE control and energy-efficient design.
- BL Series - Blood Bank Refrigerators Medical-grade refrigerators designed for storing blood bags and blood products at +4°C, certified MDR Class IIa, with PRO-ACTIVE and ULTIMATE variants.
- FROSTER BL Series - Blood Plasma Freezers Freezers designed for storing blood plasma at -32°C, featuring aluminium drawers, convection cooling, and MDR certification.
- LABO Series - Laboratory Refrigerators Laboratory refrigerators for storing sensitive samples and reagents, compliant with DIN 13277, available in PRO-ACTIVE, ULTIMATE, and CHROMAT variants with capacities from 100 to 720 liters.
- FROSTER LABO Series - Laboratory Freezers Laboratory freezers for storing biological samples at temperatures from -10 to -30°C, featuring forced-air cooling and automatic defrosting.
- LABEX Series - Explosion-Proof Refrigerators/Freezers ATEX Zone 1 and Zone 2 certified refrigerators and freezers with explosion-proof interiors for storing flammable substances in laboratories, featuring intrinsically safe components and grounding concepts.
- Cleanroom Refrigerators Refrigerators specifically designed for cleanroom environments, featuring integrated HEPA filters, GMP-A cleanroom class certification, and DIN 13277 compliance.
- Cleanroom Pharmaceutical Refrigerators Pharmaceutical-grade refrigerators designed for cleanroom environments with HEPA filtration and GMP-A cleanroom class certification for the storage of sterile pharmaceutical preparations.
- KIRSCH PC-KIT Temperature Documentation Software Temperature documentation software suite (PC-KIT-NET for network, PC-KIT-STICK for USB) for recording, monitoring, and managing temperature data from KIRSCH refrigeration units to support compliance and audit requirements.
- EVOLUTION CLOUD Cloud-based temperature monitoring and documentation system for remote access to temperature data and alarm notifications across distributed refrigeration fleets.
- KIRSCH-DATALOG Temperature Documentation Digital temperature data recording and monitoring system for KIRSCH refrigeration units, providing audit-ready documentation for regulated healthcare environments.
- Hettich Laboratory Equipment (Centrifuges and Incubators) Laboratory equipment including small, floor-standing, microliter, and benchtop centrifuges plus incubators offered through partnership with parent company Hettich Group.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduction in power consumption by up to 60% with PRO-ACTIVE models
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Philipp Kirsch
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Philipp Kirsch technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Philipp Kirsch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Hettich GroupcoreStrategic alliance of two quality leaders. Hettich successfully completed acquisition of Kirsch Medical in January 2024. Kirsch became part of the Hettich Group, combining expertise in laboratory refrigeration with Hettich's centrifuge and incubator portfolio.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights10 records
Philipp Kirsch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Helmer Scientific: US-based manufacturer of medical-grade refrigerators and freezers for blood banks, pharmacies, hospitals, and research labs. Direct overlap with Kirsch's BL, MED, and LABO product lines.
- B Medical Systems: Luxembourg-based manufacturer of medical cold chain solutions including vaccine, blood bank, and laboratory refrigerators/freezers. Directly competes with Kirsch in medical-grade refrigeration for hospitals, blood banks, and labs.
- Angelantoni Life Science: Italian manufacturer of laboratory and medical refrigeration, including blood bank and ultra-low freezers. Comparable product portfolio and European customer base to Kirsch.
- Binder GmbH: German manufacturer of laboratory and medical refrigeration, incubators, and climate chambers. Directly competes with Kirsch's LABO and LABEX product lines across German and European customers.
- Gram BioLine: Danish manufacturer of professional laboratory refrigerators and freezers for the medical, pharmaceutical, and research sectors. Direct competitor in European lab cold storage.
- PHC Corporation of North America (PHCbi): Manufactures biomedical and pharmaceutical refrigerators, freezers, and incubators for healthcare and life sciences. Competitor in the same ultra-low and medical cold chain categories as Kirsch.
Broad incumbents
- Eppendorf: German premium life sciences supplier offering laboratory refrigerators, freezers, and consumables. Overlaps with Kirsch in research lab and bioprocessing cold storage.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thermo Scientific Laboratory Equipment): Global life sciences giant whose laboratory equipment division includes ultra-low freezers, lab refrigerators, and cold storage. Competes with Kirsch in pharma, biotech, and research lab refrigeration.
- Dometic (medical refrigeration): Diversified refrigeration company with medical and laboratory product lines serving blood banks, pharmacies, and clinical applications. Competes with Kirsch in European medical cold chain.
- Liebherr (medical & laboratory refrigerators): Liebherr's medical and laboratory division produces pharmacy and lab-grade refrigerators competing with Kirsch's MED series, particularly in German and European institutional accounts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Philipp Kirsch social profiles
Digital presencePhilipp Kirsch compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Philipp Kirsch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Philipp Kirsch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Philipp Kirsch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Philipp Kirsch 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 Philipp Kirsch
What does Philipp Kirsch do?
Philipp Kirsch GmbH manufactures professional refrigerators and freezers for the healthcare and laboratory sectors, including pharmaceutical, blood bank, laboratory, cleanroom, and explosion-proof models. The company also offers temperature documentation hardware and software (KIRSCH Datanet, PC-KIT, EVOLUTION CLOUD) for compliance and monitoring of cold chain storage.
Is Philipp Kirsch a public or private company?
Philipp Kirsch is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Philipp Kirsch founded?
Philipp Kirsch was founded in 1865. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Philipp Kirsch based?
Philipp Kirsch is headquartered in Willstätt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Philipp Kirsch make money?
One revenue line is on record: medical and Laboratory Refrigeration Equipment Sales.
Who are Philipp Kirsch's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Helmer Scientific, B Medical Systems, Angelantoni Life Science, Binder GmbH, Gram BioLine and PHC Corporation of North America (PHCbi). Broad incumbents are Eppendorf, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thermo Scientific Laboratory Equipment), Dometic (medical refrigeration) and Liebherr (medical & laboratory refrigerators).
Does Philipp Kirsch have an API?
No public API is recorded for Philipp Kirsch.
What industry is Philipp Kirsch in?
Philipp Kirsch's product category is Medical and Laboratory Refrigeration Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAKAJ, Cold Chain & Temperature-Controlled Storage Equipment, with a secondary code of TLALABAF, Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Cold Chain Storage (2–8°C / CRT). Its NAICS code is 33341 and its SIC code is 3580.