Pfaff Beteiligungs GmbH

What Pfaff Beteiligungs GmbH does

Pfaff Beteiligungs GmbH operates the Pfaff-silberblau brand, a 150-year-old German manufacturer of mechanical drive and lifting technology components, legally domiciled as Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products GmbH at Am Silberpark 2-8, 86438 Kissing, Germany, and wholly owned by NASDAQ-listed Columbus McKinnon Corporation (CMCO). The product portfolio is organized into three technology divisions: Antriebstechnik (Drive Technology) covering spindle lifting elements (SHE, HSE, MERKUR, SHG series in standard and stainless-steel variants), electromechanical linear actuators (ELA, HLA), lifting columns (PHOENIX), ball and trapezoidal screw drives (KGT, TGT), and bevel gearboxes (K, KA, KV); Hebetechnik (Lifting Technology) covering electric and manual wire rope winches (THETA, BETA-EL, BETA-EX ATEX variants, OMEGA series) and scissor lifting tables (HTF-U, HTH, HTP); and Verkehrstechnik (Traffic Engineering) supplying rail and bus maintenance infrastructure including underfloor lifts (ULS), roof working platforms (RWP), turntables (TUT), sliding platforms (TRT), bogie exchange systems (BAES), and lift-turn devices (BLTD). The company holds ISO 9001:2015 certification and offers ATEX-compliant variants across multiple product families for hazardous-area deployment.

The business sells into heavy industry and steel, transportation and rail, automation and robotics (including AGV applications with KUKA), entertainment/stage technology, offshore and energy, and ATEX hazardous-area use cases. Revenue is generated through three streams: standard product sales (one-time license), custom-engineered turnkey lifting systems, and recurring service/maintenance contracts including UVV safety inspections and spare parts. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; quotes are issued via a direct sales organization consisting of three named German regional field representatives plus an internal sales department, supported by a web-based CAD & Go configurator providing 2D/3D CAD data for engineering integration. Distribution leverages the broader CMCO group footprint, which produces locally in major markets and operates service branches worldwide.

Commercially, Pfaff-silberblau is positioned as a niche, engineering-led component and system supplier rather than a high-volume OEM, with named reference customers including Möller Feuerfesttechnik (BETA-EL winches for industrial furnace demolition platforms) and KUKA (custom lifting units for automated guided vehicles). The entity reports 101–250 employees, has no disclosed revenue figure, has no standalone funding history (it is a wholly owned subsidiary rather than an independent investee), and is not subject to independent M&A or partnership transactions as a distinct unit.

Name

Pfaff Beteiligungs GmbH

Legal name

Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products GmbH

Website

https://pfaff-silberblau.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pfaff Beteiligungs GmbH (Pfaff-silberblau) is a 150-year-old German manufacturer of screw jacks, linear actuators, winches, lifting tables, and rail maintenance equipment, operating as a brand under Columbus McKinnon Corporation and serving heavy industry, rail, automation, and ATEX applications globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Lifting and Drive Equipment

NAICS

Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612), Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Linear Motion & Mechanical Power Transmission (Ball/roller screws, linear guides, bearings, couplings) (IMAHAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hoists (Electric, Manual & Pneumatic) (IMAHAJAG), Material Handling & Industrial Lift Vehicle Manufacturing (Forklifts/Telehandlers/Reach Stackers) (IMACAFAD)

Keywords

• Screw jack lifting elements
• Wire rope winches
• Electromechanical linear actuators
• Scissor lifting tables
• Rail maintenance lifting systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Friedberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of standard mechanical drive and lifting technology components including spindle lifting elements, linear actuators, winches, and lifting tables
2. Custom/Special Solutions: Engineering and sale of customized turnkey lifting systems and special solutions for specific industrial applications
3. Service and Maintenance: Comprehensive service packages including spare parts, repair, assembly, inspection, UVV safety inspections, and maintenance contracts

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pfaff Beteiligungs GmbH, operating as the Pfaff-silberblau brand under Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products GmbH, manufactures and sells mechanical drive and lifting technology components and engineered systems. The portfolio spans spindle lifting elements (screw jacks), electromechanical linear actuators, electric and manual wire rope winches, scissor lifting tables, and specialized traffic-technology equipment (underfloor lifts, turntables, sliding platforms, bogie exchange systems) for rail and bus maintenance facilities. Beyond standard products, the company delivers custom-engineered turnkey lifting solutions and ATEX-certified equipment for explosive/harsh environments, supported by spare-parts, inspection, and maintenance service contracts.

Product overview

Pfaff-silberblau, a brand under Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products GmbH, operates as a technology leader in mechanical drive and lifting technology with over 150 years of history. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of standard and custom-engineered solutions organized into three main technology areas: Antriebstechnik (Drive Technology), Hebetechnik (Lifting Technology), and Verkehrstechnik (Traffic Engineering). The Antriebstechnik division includes screw jacks (SHE, HSE, MERKUR, SHG, SHE-S, SSP series), linear actuators (ELA, HLA, ALS/R), lifting columns (PHOENIX), ball and trapezoidal screw drives (KGT, TGT), and bevel gearboxes (K, KA, KV types). The Hebetechnik division encompasses electric wire rope winches (THETA, BETA-EL, BETA-EX, BETA-SL), manual wire rope winches (ALPHA, LAMBDA, LB, OMEGA series, GAMMA, KAL), and scissor lifting tables (HTF-U, HTH, HTP). The Verkehrstechnik division provides specialized equipment for rail and bus maintenance including underfloor lifts (ULS), roof working platforms (RWP), turntables (TUT), sliding platforms (TRT), bogie exchange systems (BAES), bogie lifting stands (BLS), and lift-turn devices (BLTD). The company also offers a CAD & Go web configurator for 2D/3D CAD data access. Beyond standard products, Pfaff-silberblau provides custom-engineered solutions and complete systems for industries including rail, automotive, steel, heavy industry, logistics, stage technology, offshore, and ATEX hazardous areas, along with comprehensive service packages from consultation through maintenance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pfaff-silberblau: Technology leader for components and system solutions in mechanical drive and lifting technology, including spindle lifting elements, linear actuators, wire rope winches, and lifting tables

Products and services

• Spindle Lifting Elements (Screw Jacks) Standard, high-performance (HSE), quick-lift (SHG), stainless-steel (SHE-S, SSP) and MERKUR-series screw jacks for industrial linear lifting and positioning applications, including corrosive-environment and trunnion-mounted variants. Targeted at industrial OEMs and plant-engineering buyers.
• Electromechanical Linear Actuators (ELA / HLA series) Electromechanical linear drives (ELA, HLA high-performance) with companion ALS/R axial bearing system for automated positioning, lifting, and heavy-duty industrial automation, including AGV/FTS applications such as those delivered to KUKA.
• Electric Wire Rope Winches (BETA / THETA series) Electric wire rope winches including BETA-EL standard, BETA-EL DGUV V17-18 safety-compliant, BETA-EX ATEX-certified, BETA-SL (250 kg) and THETA variants. Used for industrial lifting/pulling applications and for specialized deployments such as the Möller Feuerfesttechnik Quadriga System®.
• Manual Wire Rope Winches (ALPHA / LAMBDA / OMEGA / GAMMA series) Wall- and console-mounted manual wire rope winches in capacities from 80 kg to 1,000 kg, including stainless-steel (LB), aluminum (KAL, GAMMA), ATEX-certified (OMEGA ATEX), DGUV V54 compliant and OFFSHORE-grade variants for hazardous and corrosive environments.
• Scissor Lifting Tables (HTF-U / HTH / HTP) Flat scissor lifting tables (HTF-U), industrial handling lifting tables (HTH) and ergonomic HTP Ergonomizer handling tables, with custom Sonderlösungen (HTP-A D) available for specialized applications. Used for material positioning and ergonomic workstations in industrial production.
• Traffic Technology Systems for Rail and Bus Maintenance Turnkey vehicle maintenance equipment including underfloor lifting systems (ULS), roof working platforms (RWP), turntables (TUT), sliding platforms (TRT), bogie/axle exchange systems (BAES), bogie lifting stands (BLS), lift-turn devices (BLTD), and special custom hybrid lifting systems (HLS) — deployed at major transit operators including Riyadh Metro, Taichung Metro, Gothenburg, Ankara, and Nacala.
• Telescopic Lifting Columns and Screw Drive Systems (PHOENIX, KGT, TGT) PHOENIX telescopic lifting columns for ergonomic workstation height adjustment, and ball-screw (KGT) and trapezoidal-screw (TGT) drive systems for precise and standard linear motion transmission in industrial machinery.
• Bevel Gearboxes (Kegelradgetriebe K, KA, KV) Bevel gearbox series K, KA, and KV for angular power transmission in industrial drive applications.
• CAD & Go Online Configurator Web-based CAD configuration tool providing 2D/3D product data in multiple formats, with Click2CAD Toolbox for direct CAD system integration. Supports engineering buyers in product selection and design-in workflows.
• Service, Maintenance and Spare-Parts Contracts Comprehensive after-sales service packages covering spare parts, repair, on-site assembly, UVV safety inspection, and recurring maintenance contracts for installed lifting/drive equipment.

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bosch Rexroth: Major global manufacturer of linear motion technology, including ball screws, linear guides, and electric linear actuators. Competes with Pfaff-silberblau's Antriebstechnik portfolio in factory automation and machine building applications.
• Demag (Terex Material Handling): Established German brand under Terex that manufactures industrial cranes, hoists, and material handling equipment. Broader portfolio than Pfaff-silberblau but directly competes in industrial wire rope hoists and crane components.
• Columbus McKinnon Corporation: Parent company (NASDAQ: CMCO) operating as a global intelligent motion technology conglomerate. While Pfaff-silberblau is a subsidiary, CMCO's broader portfolio of hoists, cranes, and lifting products overlaps with Pfaff-silberblau's business in adjacent product lines.

Direct peers

• Kito: Sister brand under Columbus McKinnon specializing in electric and manual hoists, chain hoists, and lifting equipment. Directly overlaps Pfaff-silberblau's Hebetechnik division in winch and hoist product categories.
• Verlinde: French manufacturer of electric and manual hoists, winches, cranes, and jib cranes serving industrial and stage technology markets. Comparable product portfolio across Pfaff-silberblau's Hebetechnik division.
• J.D. Neuhaus: German-based manufacturer of pneumatic and electric hoists, winches, and crane systems for hazardous and heavy-duty environments. Direct competitor to Pfaff-silberblau in industrial winches and ATEX-rated lifting equipment.
• Rädlinger ZSK: German manufacturer specializing in screw jacks, linear actuators, and mechanical drive technology for civil engineering and industrial applications. Closely comparable niche competitor in the German-speaking market for Antriebstechnik products.
• Duff-Norton: Sister brand under Columbus McKinnon that manufactures screw jacks, linear actuators, and mechanical actuators. Directly overlaps Pfaff-silberblau's Antriebstechnik portfolio and serves similar industrial automation and lifting applications.
• STAHL CraneSystems: Sister brand under Columbus McKinnon producing hoists, cranes, and complete lifting systems for industrial applications. Directly comparable in electric wire rope hoists and integrated lifting systems markets.
• Yale (CMCO): Sister CMCO brand producing hoists, chain blocks, and lifting equipment. Direct competitor in manual and electric lifting equipment markets across EMEA with overlapping customer base in industrial and construction segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pfaff-verkehrstechnik-gmbh
• Xx.com/pfaffsilberblau

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Pfaff Beteiligungs GmbH