What GIS does

GIS AG is a Swiss manufacturer founded in 1957 and headquartered in Schötz, Switzerland, specializing in electric chain hoists and complete crane systems. The company operates two principal business lines: industrial material handling (GP/GPM/GCH series hoists, GISKB modular crane systems, vacuum handling systems) and entertainment rigging (LP/LPL series hoists and trolleys). Its technical differentiation is anchored in a proprietary case-hardened, manganese-phosphated profile steel chain delivering 15% greater load capacity than conventional round steel chain at the same nominal diameter, a self-contained 3-stage helical-geared transmission with permanent grease lubrication, IP65 protection as standard, and full D8/D8+/C1 safety classifications compliant with German IGVW SQP2:2024 and EN17206 entertainment standards. The firm is in its fourth product generation and has produced more than 500,000 chain hoists cumulatively, exceeding an annual output of 15,000 units for the first time in 2023.

The business model is primarily hardware sales of capital equipment, augmented by spare parts through the dedicated GISspares e-commerce platform, on-site service and maintenance (predominantly in Switzerland), and custom configuration for project-specific requirements. Revenue streams are diversified across two primary verticals — Industrial Manufacturing & Processing and Entertainment & Events — with secondary exposure to renewable energy, water treatment, and agriculture. Go-to-market combines direct sales through four wholly-owned subsidiaries (Switzerland, Germany, UK, USA) with a network of over 75 trained independent distribution partners covering more than 50 countries. Pricing follows a project/order-confirmation model under FCA Schötz Incoterms 2020, with a standard two-year warranty and a three-year warranty on entertainment products.

GIS AG is a privately held company, acquired by Grapha Holding AG in 1988, with no public ownership disclosure. The company employs approximately 148 staff including 17 apprentices, operates production facilities in Schötz (expanded by 650 m² in 2023 with CHF 5 million invested in CNC machining and high-bay warehouse capacity), and is led by CEO Ivan Muri, who has held the role since 2010 after heading the development function.

Name

GIS

Legal name

GIS AG

Website

https://gis-ag.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

GIS AG is a Swiss manufacturer of electric chain hoists, modular crane systems, and vacuum handling equipment, serving industrial manufacturing and entertainment sectors across more than 50 countries through four subsidiaries and 75-plus distribution partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Lifting Equipment

NAICS

Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392), Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

Hoists (Electric, Manual & Pneumatic) (IMAHAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cranes, Hoists & Overhead Material Handling (Industrial) (IMAHABAE)

Keywords

• Electric chain hoists
• Industrial crane systems
• Entertainment rigging equipment
• Vacuum handling systems
• Modular crane kits

Headquarters

HQ city

Schötz

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

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. Electric Chain Hoist Sales: Core revenue from manufacturing and selling electric chain hoists including LP/LPL series for entertainment and GP series for industrial applications. Products range from lightweight 250kg capacity units to heavy-duty 6300kg capacity hoists.
2. Crane System Sales: Complete crane systems including GISKB modular crane kits with steel or aluminium profiles, wall-mounted slewing cranes, and free-standing crane configurations.
3. Vacuum Handling Systems: Vacuum lifting systems for handling panels, sheets, glass, and construction materials with central control of vacuum generation and all lifting/travel movements.
4. Spare Parts (GISspares): Online spare parts platform GISspares for ordering original replacement parts for multiple generations of GIS electric chain hoists and trolleys.
5. Service and Maintenance: Repair, service, and maintenance services for Swiss customers, delivered either on-site or at the Schötz service department by competent service technicians with fully equipped service vehicles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GIS AG develops and manufactures electric chain hoists (LP/LPL entertainment series and GP/GPM/GCH industrial series) with lifting capacities from 250 kg to 8,000 kg, alongside complete crane systems (GISKB modular kits up to 2,000 kg), vacuum handling systems for panel/sheet/glass transport, and manual/motorized trolleys (GHF/GMF). All products are engineered and produced at the company's Schötz, Switzerland headquarters and sold globally through four subsidiaries and 75+ distribution partners for industrial manufacturing, processing, logistics, and entertainment rigging applications.

Product overview

GIS AG is a Swiss manufacturer specializing in electric chain hoists and complete crane systems for both industry and entertainment applications. The product portfolio consists of multiple product lines: (1) LP/LPL Electric Chain Hoists for entertainment (D8/D8+/C1 configurations with capacities 250-2,500 kg), (2) GP/GPM/GCH Electric Chain Hoists for industrial use (capacities up to 8,000 kg with GP2500), (3) GISKB Crane Systems (lightweight hollow steel profile kits up to 2,000 kg), (4) Vacuum Handling Systems for material transport, (5) GHF/GMF Trolleys (manual and motorised, up to 6,300 kg capacity), and (6) comprehensive accessories. The company offers online configuration tools (Crane Configurator and Motor Configurator), spare parts via GISspares platform, and service/maintenance support. Products are available for diverse markets including sewage treatment, agriculture, automotive, building, glass processing, chemistry/pharmacy, woodworking, machinery engineering, plastics, metal/steel processing, food industries, public transport, logistics, entertainment, and renewable energy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GISspares: Online spare parts platform for GIS electric chain hoists and trolleys across multiple generations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Service life up to 4x previous models
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 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.

• Lift Turn Move (LTM) LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018GIS AG acquired Lift Turn Move Ltd, one of its largest customers, establishing a subsidiary in the UK. LTM had been a leading provider of lifting and rigging equipment for industry and entertainment. The company was renamed GIS Lift Turn Move Ltd in 2024 but continues operating with its established LTM spirit.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gis.swiss.lifting.solutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gis-ag

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 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 GIS