IBL

What IBL does

IBL GmbH – Architekten und beratende Ingenieure is a German, owner-managed civil engineering firm headquartered in Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, founded in 1992 by Dipl.-Ing. Eckhard Lambrecht. The company specializes in general planning (Generalplanung) of railway vehicle maintenance facilities, depots, and workshops, covering all rail vehicle types including trains, steam locomotives, freight cars, trams, underground railways, and electric buses. IBL self-describes as the German market leader in general planning of steam locomotive depots and operates Germany-wide, with a second branch office in Hannover (Lower Saxony) established in 2010. The company transitioned to second-generation leadership in 2021, with Daniel Lambrecht, Constantin Jahn, and Florian Kranz assuming management from the founder.

The firm's core offering is full-scope, single-source general planning delivered across architecture, structural engineering, technical building equipment (MEP), civil engineering, and track/civil works, executed through all HOAI service phases from feasibility studies and design through construction supervision and commissioning. IBL adopted Building Information Modeling (BIM) methodology in 2009, using software including RIB iTWO, Autodesk Revit, and Sofistik, and maintains active memberships in the BIM-Cluster Sachsen-Anhalt and the DACH Revit User Group. The firm has held DIN ISO 9001 quality management certification continuously since 2000. Notable delivered projects include the Halberstadt station refurbishment (voted Germany's best train station by travellers in 2011), the Rügen Putbus museum landscape and maintenance facility for Rügensche Bäderbahn (completed May 2024), and the ongoing Butzbach rail maintenance facility for Hessische Landesbahn (one of the largest and most modern rail vehicle maintenance facilities in Germany), where IBL is acting as general planner through a joint venture (ARGE) with GGU.

IBL generates revenue through fee-based professional services contracts — project-based engineering and planning commissions quoted per scope, executed either via public procurement tendering or direct negotiation. The firm employs 11–50 people across its Magdeburg headquarters and Hannover branch, operates with flat hierarchies and an interdisciplinary team model, and is currently hiring for architects, engineers, commercial project assistants, interns, and trainees. Customers are predominantly enterprise-scale German railway operators, public transport authorities, municipal transit companies, and heritage/tourist railway organizations, with no individual customer disclosed to represent a majority of revenue. Business development is driven by professional association membership (VBI, VDEI, Ingenieurkammer Sachsen-Anhalt, Architektenkammer), referrals from completed projects, competitive public tenders, and active presence on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Xing.

Name

IBL

Legal name

IBL GmbH

Website

https://ibl-plan.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IBL GmbH is a German, owner-managed engineering firm specializing in general planning (Generalplanung) of railway vehicle maintenance facilities and workshops, serving German rail operators, public transport authorities, and heritage railways with full-scope BIM-based planning services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Magdeburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Planungsleistungen (Generalplanung): Fee-based professional services for engineering planning and consulting across all project phases (studies, design, construction supervision, project management). Revenue is generated through consulting fees and project-based service contracts for public and private railway infrastructure projects. Services include architecture, structural engineering, MEP, track and civil works, feasibility studies, and expert opinions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IBL provides general planning (Generalplanung), engineering, and project management services for railway maintenance facilities and workshops. The firm's services span planning, project management, building physics, and railway infrastructure engineering for transport operators, public transport authorities, and municipal clients in Germany.

Product overview

IBL GmbH is a German engineering services firm (Ingenieur-Gesellschaft) specializing in general planning (Generalplanung) for railway maintenance facilities and workshops. The company offers a unified service portfolio centered on comprehensive planning for rail vehicle depots and workshops, supported by Building Information Modeling (BIM) methodology. The core offering comprises general planning services for architecture, structural engineering, technical equipment, and track/civil engineering, supplemented by specialized consulting studies, specialist planning (fire protection, thermal/sound insulation, environmental protection), and project management. The company holds a market-leading position in steam locomotive maintenance facility planning and serves clients across Germany's rail infrastructure sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Planning Services (Generalplanung) Comprehensive general planning (Generalplanung) for railway maintenance facilities and workshops, integrating design, engineering, and coordination across disciplines. Targeted at railway operators, public transport authorities, and municipal clients in Germany.
• Project Management Services Project management for railway infrastructure and maintenance facility projects, covering planning, execution oversight, and coordination of engineering disciplines.
• Building Physics Consulting Building physics services for railway facilities, including thermal, acoustic, and energy analysis to support design and compliance of maintenance halls and associated structures.
• Railway Infrastructure Planning Specialized planning services for railway maintenance infrastructure and workshop facilities, supporting depot construction, refurbishment, and operational layout for railway operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Halberstadt station voted Germany's best train station by travellers in 2011 (one year after opening following IBL's general refurbishment)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GGU (Gesellschaft für Grundbau und Umwelttechnik)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024IBL and GGU formed a joint venture (ARGE — Arbeitsgemeinschaft) to act as the general planner for the Butzbach rail maintenance facility project for Hessische Landesbahn. GGU contributes foundation engineering and environmental technology expertise, complementing IBL's rail infrastructure and building planning capabilities. GGU has a branch in Osterweddingen.
• VBI – Verband Beratender Ingenieure (Bundesgeschäftsstelle & Landesverband Sachsen-Anhalt)minorOthersProfessional association membership. VBI represents the interests of consulting engineers in Germany. IBL is also associated with VBI's Young Professionals programme.
• Ingenieurkammer Sachsen-Anhalt (IK Sachsen-Anhalt)minorOthersProfessional chamber membership providing access to industry standards, continuing education, and professional network.
• Architektenkammer Sachsen-Anhalt & Architektenkammer NiedersachsenminorOthersProfessional chamber memberships for architects, required for certain planning certifications and providing professional development and network access.
• VDEI – Verband Deutscher Eisenbahn-Ingenieure e.V.minorOthersProfessional association for railway engineers in Germany, providing industry-specific knowledge exchange, standards updates, and professional networking.
• proIfEV – Institut für Eisenbahnwesen und VerkehrssicherungminorOthersInstitute for railway engineering and traffic safety signalling. Provides specialist technical knowledge and research collaboration opportunities.
• Lebenshilfe MagdeburgminorOthersSocial partnership: IBL collaborates with Lebenshilfe Magdeburg's creative department to upcycle old advertising banners into unique promotional items. A charitable community engagement initiative.
• Familienhaus Magdeburg gGmbHminorOthersSocial partnership: IBL supports the Familienhaus Magdeburg, a family support facility, through regular financial contributions, annual community volunteer days ('Subotnik'), and garden plot sponsorships.
• Traditionsverein Kleinbahn des Kreises Jerichow I e.V.minorOthersIBL donated €3,500 to support the restoration of heritage steam locomotive 'Emma' (Dampflok 99 4721) by the traditional railway association. Demonstrates commitment to regional railway heritage and community engagement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Krebs+Kiefer Ingenieure GmbH: Mid-sized German engineering firm offering structural, civil, and infrastructure planning services including rail-related projects. Comparable in size and consulting-services model to IBL.
• BUNG Ingenieure AG: German engineering consultancy active in railway, bridge, and infrastructure design. A comparable mid-sized German firm bidding on similar rail infrastructure planning contracts.
• Obermeyer Planen + Beraten GmbH: German planning and engineering consultancy covering transport infrastructure, building, and energy projects. Competes with IBL for rail and infrastructure planning mandates from public clients.
• Vössing Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH: Established German engineering firm with deep railway infrastructure expertise (track, overhead line, signaling). Competes with IBL in the rail engineering planning space, though with a broader technical scope than depot-only specialization.
• Dorsch Gruppe (Dorsch Engineers): German-headquartered international engineering group with rail, transport, and infrastructure planning capabilities. Comparable German engineering-services peer active in similar public-tender environments.
• Schüßler-Plan Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH: Mid-sized German engineering consultancy with a strong rail infrastructure and depot planning practice. Directly competes with IBL for general-planning tenders from public rail operators and municipal clients across Germany.
• Sweco GmbH: European engineering consultancy with German operations covering transport, rail, and building infrastructure. A comparable mid-to-large competitor for general planning and rail depot projects.

Broad incumbents

• Arcadis Germany: Global design and engineering consultancy with a German rail and mobility practice. Overlaps with IBL on public-sector infrastructure planning, though at much broader portfolio scale.
• ILF Consulting Engineers: International engineering consultancy with a strong German rail and infrastructure practice. Provides adjacent competition for larger rail planning tenders while operating globally.
• DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH: Subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn and Germany's largest rail engineering consultancy. A broad incumbent offering full-scope rail planning that overlaps with IBL's depot and station work, but operates at significantly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ibl-gmbh-architekten-und-ingenieure
• Instagraminstagram.com/ibl_gmbh

Compliance1 record

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 IBL