What SALMET does

SALMET (operating as Salmet-Fienhage GmbH since 2023) is a German poultry equipment manufacturer founded in 1962, headquartered in Dietzenbach with manufacturing operations in Ittlingen and Pfaffenhofen, Germany. The company designs, produces, and globally distributes a full-stack portfolio of poultry housing systems serving commercial egg producers, broiler meat operations, layer breeder operations, and pullet rearing operations. Core product architecture spans cage-free aviary systems (All-In-One, Combi Barn, HighRise 3), enriched colony systems (AGK 3600), conventional cage systems (S700), rearing cage systems (S1000, S1400), broiler colony housing, layer breeder systems (PS 2800, Breedio nest), and a complementary suite of manure handling equipment (Manure Drying Tunnel, Composter, Salolit). Differentiated technical features include flexible mesh broiler colony floors, multi-tier colony designs enabling up to 3x stocking density versus floor systems, automated climate/feeding/watering/egg-collection controls, and manure-to-fertilizer conversion systems producing 15-20% moisture output.

The business operates as a B2B industrial equipment vendor monetizing through hardware sales (poultry housing systems and replacement parts) plus installation and assembly services. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales from German headquarters with an international dealer network and regional sales offices in Panama (opened 2016) and Asia (Salmet Asia, opened 2020). Pricing is bespoke enterprise quoting, not publicly disclosed. The firm employs approximately 200 staff, maintains multilingual websites in English, German, and Spanish, and exhibits at major industry events such as IPPE in Atlanta. Following the 2023 acquisition by Fienhage GmbH, SALMET operates under the Salmet-Fienhage GmbH umbrella with Hans Jürgen Fienhage as managing director, while retaining the SALMET brand identity and its product portfolio. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

SALMET

Legal name

SALMET-FIENHAGE GmbH

Website

https://salmet.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SALMET is a German poultry equipment manufacturer founded in 1962 that designs and globally distributes cage-free, layer, broiler, rearing, breeder, and manure treatment systems for commercial poultry operations, now operating as Salmet-Fienhage GmbH.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dietzenbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Poultry equipment sales: Sale of poultry housing systems including cage systems, aviary systems, broiler colony systems, manure treatment systems, feeding systems, and egg collection equipment. Equipment sold directly and through dealer network globally.
2. Installation and assembly services: Assembly and installation services for complete poultry housing systems including supervision of mechanical and electrical procedures through final acceptance by customer.
3. Replacement parts and components: Ongoing sales of replacement parts, accessories, and complementary products for existing installations.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SALMET (Salmet-Fienhage GmbH) designs, manufactures, and globally distributes poultry housing equipment for commercial egg, broiler, and breeder operations, including cage-free aviary systems, enriched colony layer systems, conventional layer cages, rearing cages, layer breeder systems, broiler colony systems, and complementary feeding, egg handling, and manure treatment solutions. The company sells complete housing systems plus installation and after-sales support directly from German facilities and through an international dealer network.

Product overview

SALMET (Salmet-Fienhage GmbH) offers a comprehensive portfolio of poultry farming equipment developed, manufactured, and distributed since 1962 from German facilities. The product lineup centers on housing systems for different poultry types: cage-free aviary systems (All-In-One, Combi Barn, HighRise 3) and enriched colony systems for laying hens; conventional cage systems (S700) and rearing systems (S1000, S1400) for pullet development; layer breeder systems (PS 2800, Breedio nest) for hatching egg production; and broiler colony systems with feeding (Salbro pan system) for meat production. Complementing the housing systems are manure treatment solutions including the Composter, Manure Drying Tunnel, and Salolit litter removal system. These products form an integrated approach to poultry farming, covering the full lifecycle from day-old chicks through laying or broiler production, with supporting infrastructure for feeding, watering, egg collection, and waste management. SALMET operates two production facilities in Germany (Ittlingen and Pfaffenhofen) and employs approximately 200 staff for worldwide distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fienhage: Cage-free systems brand offering aviary systems and enriched systems for poultry farming
• Composter
• Manure Drying Tunnel
• Salolit
• Breedio Nest
• Salbro
• Broiler Colony System
• AGK 3600
• S1000
• S1400
• S700

Products and services

• Cage Free Systems by Fienhage Cage-free housing systems for egg-laying hens including aviary systems and enriched systems, offering alternatives to conventional battery cages with more space for natural behaviors; targeted at commercial egg producers adopting cage-free production.
• Automated Layer Systems (AGK 3600) High-performance enriched colony layer system with nest and nest mat, scratch pad, perches, claw sharpener, and specially designed floor for smooth egg roll-out; over 50cm height supports natural bird behavior, with two reliable egg collection options.
• Automated Breeding and Rearing Systems (S700 / S1000 / S1400) Conventional cage systems for breeding and rearing pullets, including S700 conventional cages, S1000, and S1400 rearing cage systems with adjustable feeding, watering, and manure management features.
• Layer Breeder Systems (PS 2800) Cage system for parent stock and layer breeders designed to maximize hatching egg production and fertility, available in 2 to 6 tiers with adjustable feeding, drinking systems, and uniform light distribution.
• Broiler Colony System Colony housing system for broiler production with a soft flexible plastic mesh floor, multi-tier design up to 4 tiers, feeding pans, and automated harvesting; achieves up to 3x higher bird density than traditional floor systems.
• Breedio Nest Bird-friendly community nest system for maximum hatching egg production with center egg belt, minimal egg-mat contact, curved automatic expel system for larger internal volume, and plastic structure preventing bacterial growth.
• S700 Conventional Cage System Conventional cage system developed for laying performance and bird health, available in 2 widths and tier heights, installable up to 12 tiers, with zinc-aluminium coating for maximum corrosion protection.
• S1000 Rearing Cage System Rearing system giving layers an optimal start in conventional cage systems; adapts to day-old chicks and pullets with fully adjustable feed access, height-adjustable waterlines, and reliable manure removal.
• S1400 Rearing Cage System Upgraded version of S1000, wider (1400mm), deeper (750mm), and higher (660mm) for increased air volume in hot and humid climates, with improved hygiene and more birds per meter of system length.
• All-In-One Aviary System Tested aviary system combining animal welfare with high laying performance for cage-free housing; targeted at commercial egg producers transitioning to cage-free production.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 3x higher bird numbers compared to traditional floor litter systems due to multi-tier colony design
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fienhage GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023In 2023, Fienhage GmbH acquired the products and brand of SALMET. This acquisition combined two experienced poultry equipment manufacturers, creating a stronger entity with expanded capabilities. The combined company operates as Salmet-Fienhage GmbH.
• Salopian Metals Ltd.minorOthers · 1 January 1962One of the original founding members of SALMET GmbH & Co. KG when established in Frankfurt a.M., Germany on August 6, 1962. Located in Shrewsbury, England. This was a historical founding partnership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vencomatic Group: Dutch manufacturer of poultry housing, nest, aviary and egg-handling systems; competes directly with SALMET in cage-free and breeder equipment.
• Jansen Poultry Equipment: Netherlands-based maker of broiler, breeder and rearing housing systems; overlaps closely with SALMET's broiler colony and breeder offerings.
• Roxell: Belgian manufacturer of poultry feeding, drinking and nesting systems; overlaps with SALMET's feeding (Salbro) and nest (Breedio) product lines.
• Tecno Poultry Equipment: Italian producer of layer cages, aviaries, rearing and egg-collection systems; a direct competitor in SALMET's core layer segment.
• Officine Facco: Italian manufacturer of layer cage, enriched colony, aviary and manure-drying systems; directly comparable across SALMET's layer and manure treatment lines.
• Hellmann Poultry: German supplier of layer, rearing and aviary housing systems; competes directly with SALMET in the same domestic and export markets.
• Zucami Poultry Equipment: Spanish manufacturer of rearing, layer and enriched colony systems; competes head-to-head with SALMET's cage and rearing products.
• Specht Ten Elsen: German maker of layer cages, aviaries, manure belts and egg-handling equipment; a domestic direct competitor with a nearly identical product scope.

Broad incumbents

• Big Dutchman: German global leader in poultry and pig housing equipment offering layer, broiler, aviary and manure systems; the dominant, larger incumbent competing directly across SALMET's entire product range.
• CTB Inc. (Chore-Time): US Berkshire-owned maker of poultry feeding, watering, housing and ventilation systems; a large diversified incumbent competing in SALMET's broiler and layer equipment categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2701697

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 SALMET