HBS

What HBS does

HBS Steuerungstechnik GmbH is a German industrial automation and control engineering firm headquartered in Korb, Germany, founded in 1988 by Harald Billner (formerly of Bosch) and converted to a GmbH under Managing Director Andreas Krauter in 2025. The company provides end-to-end automation services for machine builders and industrial plant operators across two interlocking pillars: control technology (PLC/IPC programming across Siemens, Beckhoff, and Bosch Rexroth platforms) and visualization systems (custom HMI/SCADA applications). These are supplemented by six specialized service modules covering drive and motion technology, industrial robot programming (KUKA, ABB, FANUC), Eplan-based electrical CAD planning and 3D control cabinet construction, in-house control cabinet manufacturing, machine installation, and EN 60204-1 machine safety testing for CE compliance.

The underlying technology stack is built around mainstream industrial automation platforms rather than proprietary IP. HBS integrates third-party PLC systems (Siemens S7 Classic/TIA Portal, Beckhoff TwinCAT, Bosch Rexroth ctrlX), HMI platforms (Siemens WinCC, Beckhoff TwinCAT HMI, Bosch Rexroth ctrlX HMI, Inosoft VisiWin), fieldbus protocols (PROFINET, EtherCAT, Modbus, CANopen), safety functions (STO, SS1, SLS), Eplan Electric P8 / Pro Panel / Fluid for CAD, and leading component vendors (Balluff, Murrelektronik, Phoenix Contact). The firm holds DIN EN ISO 9001 quality management certification and markets its offering as '100% Made in Germany'.

HBS operates a sales-led, project-based professional services business model with no publicly disclosed pricing or standard rate cards. The company serves enterprise customers primarily in three German verticals — Sondermaschinenbau (special machine construction), the automotive industry, and packaging technology — with secondary exposure to broader Maschinen- und Anlagenbau including retrofit projects to modernize legacy control systems. Revenue is generated through bespoke engineering projects covering software development, CAD planning, control cabinet fabrication, on-site installation, and final commissioning, with recurring revenue through service contracts and retrofits. The company has 11-50 employees, a single office location in Korb, and explicitly states a Germany-only operating geography with no global footprint. A separate 'HBS' entity backed by GenNx360 Capital referenced in a 2026 PE Hub news article acquiring Applied Tech is a distinct entity and should not be conflated with HBS Steuerungstechnik GmbH.

Name

HBS

Legal name

HBS Steuerungstechnik GmbH

Website

https://hbs-steuerungstechnik.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HBS Steuerungstechnik GmbH is a German industrial automation and control engineering firm founded in 1988, providing end-to-end PLC programming, HMI visualization, drive technology, robotics, Eplan CAD planning, in-house control cabinet manufacturing, and EN 60204-1 machine testing for machine builders and industrial plant operators in Germany's automotive, packaging, and special machine construction sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Engineering Services

NAICS

Switchgear and Switchboard Apparatus Manufacturing (335313)

SIC

Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits) (IMAGABAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial Control Cabinets & Power Distribution (Panels, Switchgear for Automation) (IMAHAHAK)

Keywords

• Industrial automation services
• Control cabinet manufacturing
• PLC programming solutions
• Machine installation services
• HMI visualization systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Korb

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Automation & Control Engineering Services: HBS generates revenue through project-based engineering services including control system design, PLC programming, visualization development, drive integration, robot programming, CAD planning, control cabinet manufacturing, machine installation, commissioning, and machine testing. Services are delivered as bespoke solutions tailored to individual customer machines and plants. Revenue is project-based and recurring through service contracts and retrofits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

HBS Steuerungstechnik GmbH delivers project-based industrial automation and control engineering services for machine builders and production plants, covering PLC programming, HMI/SCADA visualization, drive technology, industrial robot programming, Eplan-based electrical CAD planning, in-house control cabinet manufacturing, custom machine installation, and EN 60204-1 safety testing. Each engagement is a bespoke solution tailored to a customer's specific machine or production process, delivered end-to-end from concept and software development through cabinet fabrication, on-site installation, and final commissioning.

Product overview

HBS Steuerungstechnik GmbH is an automation and control engineering firm that offers a comprehensive, end-to-end portfolio of industrial automation services and solutions. The core offering comprises two interlocking pillars: Steuerungstechnik (PLC and IPC control technology) and Visualisierungssysteme (HMI/SCADA visualization). These are supplemented by six specialized service modules — Antriebstechnik (drive and motion control), Robotertechnik (industrial robot programming), CAD-Systeme (Eplan-based electrical and fluid CAD planning), Schaltschrankbau (in-house control cabinet construction), Maschineninstallation (custom electrical machine installation), and Maschinenprüfung (EN 60204-1 machine safety testing). The company positions itself as a one-stop partner delivering custom automation from initial concept through software development, cabinet fabrication, on-site installation, and final commissioning and certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Steuerungstechnik (Control Technology) Development of customized automation and control software solutions for machines and plant systems, covering PLC programming (Siemens, Beckhoff, Bosch Rexroth), IPC controls, and Retrofit services for modernizing legacy control systems to improve performance, energy efficiency, and safety.
• Visualisierungssysteme (Visualization Systems) Custom HMI and process visualization applications for PLCs providing real-time process and operating data display, alarm management, trend analysis, recipe management, and remote operator access via web clients, built on Siemens WinCC, TIA WinCC, Beckhoff TwinCAT HMI, Bosch Rexroth ctrlX HMI, and Inosoft VisiWin.
• Antriebstechnik (Drive Technology) Design, dimensioning, installation, and maintenance of electric drive systems including three-phase motors, servo drives, frequency converters, and complete mechatronic drive packages, with fieldbus integration (PROFINET, EtherCAT, Modbus, CANopen) and integrated safety functions (STO, SS1, SLS).
• Robotertechnik (Industrial Robotics) Industrial robot programming, commissioning, and optimization for KUKA, ABB, FANUC, and Bosch Rexroth ctrlX MOTION systems, covering handling, welding, assembly, grinding, cutting, deburring, gluing, sealing, painting, polishing, part placement, and palletizing applications.
• CAD-Systeme (Eplan CAD Services) Professional electrical planning, 3D control cabinet construction, and fluid power documentation using Eplan Electric P8 (circuit diagrams, bills of materials, cable plans, terminal lists), Eplan Pro Panel (3D control cabinet construction with collision checking), and Eplan Fluid (hydraulic and pneumatic planning).
• Schaltschrankbau (Control Cabinet Construction) In-house design, engineering, and manufacturing of control cabinets and switchgear for machine control, power distribution, safety, and automation. Includes CAD-based planning, norm-compliant manufacturing to VDE and international standards, 3D construction for optimal space utilization, component sourcing, wiring, and quality inspection, produced 100% Made in Germany.
• Maschineninstallation (Machine Installation) Custom electrical machine installations for special-purpose machinery (Sondermaschinenbau) targeting the automotive and packaging technology sectors, covering planning, assembly, wiring, commissioning, and optimization, with modern fieldbus systems and high-quality components from Siemens, Balluff, Murrelektronik, and Phoenix Contact.
• Maschinenprüfung (Machine Testing / EN 60204-1 Certification) Professional machine safety testing according to EN 60204-1 (electrical safety of machines), including visual inspection, insulation resistance measurements, protective conductor and grounding measurements, loop impedance tests, functional testing, full documentation, and certification for CE conformity, audits, and regulatory compliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduction in machine commissioning time through in-house control cabinet manufacturing and integrated software development
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration29 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SiemenscoreTechnology or IntegrationHBS integrates Siemens components and software (Siemens S7 Classic, TIA Portal, WinCC, Drive systems) across its automation projects. Siemens products are used as the core hardware and software platform for customer machine control and visualization systems.
• BalluffcoreTechnology or IntegrationBalluff sensors and industrial identification components are integrated into HBS's automation solutions for machine installation and special machine construction projects.
• MurrelektronikcoreTechnology or IntegrationMurrelektronik decentralized periphery and fieldbus components are used in HBS's machine installation and control cabinet projects for automotive and packaging applications.
• Phoenix ContactcoreTechnology or IntegrationPhoenix Contact components (terminal blocks, interfaces, power supplies) are used in HBS's control cabinet manufacturing and fieldbus integration for industrial automation projects.
• BeckhoffcoreTechnology or IntegrationHBS programs and integrates Beckhoff TwinCAT PLC, TwinCAT HMI, and Beckhoff Motion systems as part of its automation portfolio, offering an alternative to Siemens-based systems.
• Bosch RexrothcoreTechnology or IntegrationHBS integrates Bosch Rexroth ctrlX PLC, ctrlX HMI, ctrlX DRIVE, and ctrlX MOTION systems for customers preferring the Bosch Rexroth automation platform, particularly in automotive and plant engineering applications.
• KUKAcoreTechnology or IntegrationHBS programs and commissions KUKA industrial robots for welding, assembly, material handling, and packaging applications.
• ABBcoreTechnology or IntegrationHBS programs and commissions ABB industrial robots for automation tasks in production environments.
• FANUCcoreTechnology or IntegrationHBS programs and commissions FANUC industrial robots for manufacturing automation tasks.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ABB AG: Global robotics and automation conglomerate whose ABB Robotics brand HBS programs and integrates — ABB's Automation & Motion services compete with HBS for turnkey automation work, while its robot platform is a direct upstream supplier.
• Festo SE & Co. KG: Esslingen-based global automation technology supplier of pneumatics, electric drives, and controllers — HBS integrates Festo components, and Festo's automation services portfolio places it in adjacent competition for factory automation projects.
• Beckhoff Automation GmbH: Verl-based platform vendor of PC-based control (TwinCAT) and broader automation hardware/software — HBS is a TwinCAT integration partner, but Beckhoff increasingly offers its own integration services, making it both an upstream supplier and a competitive threat.
• Siemens AG (Digital Industries): Global automation and digital industries giant whose PLC, HMI, and drive platforms underpin much of HBS's work; Siemens's own Factory Automation Services arm competes for the same Siemens-platform integration work HBS performs.

Direct peers

• Lenze SE: Aerzen-headquartered automation specialist offering drives, motion control, and automation engineering services for machinery builders — comparable to HBS in serving German mid-market machine builders with drives-and-controls integration, though at a larger scale.
• Heitec AG: Erlangen-based German automation system integrator of comparable scale offering PLC programming, control cabinet manufacturing, robotics integration, and turnkey machine solutions — directly overlapping HBS's end-to-end automation service portfolio for industrial customers.
• Gerhard Schubert GmbH: Crailsheim-based packaging machinery manufacturer with deep in-house automation, robotics, and control engineering — competes for the same packaging-machine-builder wallet as HBS and exemplifies a scaled-up version of HBS's positioning.
• Harro Höfliger Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH: Allmersbach-based packaging automation specialist that designs and integrates packaging machinery including robotics, assembly, and process control — overlapping HBS's Verpackungstechnik vertical on custom packaging machine automation.
• Baumüller Group: Nuremberg-based specialist in automation and drive technology serving machinery and plant engineering with engineering services, drive integration, and control systems — closely comparable to HBS in combining drive technology expertise with broader automation services.

Others

• Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG: Blomberg-based supplier of industrial connection and automation technology (terminal blocks, controllers, interfaces) whose components HBS builds into every control cabinet — not a direct competitor but a key partner and capability benchmark.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 HBS