Dornseiff
Dornseiff is a German heavy-lift logistics company founded in 1952 that rents mobile cranes (up to 450 tonnes), performs special heavy transports, and executes industrial machine relocations for construction, manufacturing, and renewable-energy clients from five regional branches.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1952
- HeadquartersBurbach, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Dornseiff does
Dornseiff Autokrane & Schwertransporte GmbH is a German heavy-lift logistics company founded in 1952 and headquartered in Burbach, operating from five regional branches (Burbach, Olpe, Netphen/Siegen, Haiger, Wetzlar) with nationwide service delivery. The company rents mobile cranes (capacities 40–450 tonnes, boom lengths up to 85 meters), crawler cranes, truck-mounted cranes, mini cranes, and aerial work platforms/telehandlers; performs special heavy and oversized transports with permits and escort vehicles; and delivers turnkey machine relocations including disassembly, transport, and millimeter-accurate reassembly for industrial customers.
The technology base is physical-asset intensive: a diversified fleet across Liebherr, Tadano, Terex/Grove, Sennebogen, JMG (electric), and Genie/Terex platforms, augmented by the trademarked HALLENMEISTER® indoor crane system for confined-space and below-runway lifting. Revenue is generated through quote-based, project-specific B2B pricing — typically usage-based or per-project fees covering crane rental with or without operators, special transport fees, and professional services fees for machine relocations. The customer base spans construction, industrial manufacturing, renewable energy (notably wind turbine installation), logistics/freight, and trades (Handwerk), with named enterprise customers including Krombacher Brauerei, Max Bögl, Deutsche Bahn, and pharma/industrial machinery clients. Following the 2024 transfer of ownership to the DID Group and a new managing-director team installed in January 2025, Dornseiff is pursuing measured expansion including a new Haiger branch and energy-transition-aligned electric crane deployment.
Dornseiff firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dornseiff
- Legal name
- Dornseiff Autokrane & Schwertransporte GmbH
- Website
- https://dornseiff.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1952
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Dornseiff is a German heavy-lift logistics company founded in 1952 that rents mobile cranes (up to 450 tonnes), performs special heavy transports, and executes industrial machine relocations for construction, manufacturing, and renewable-energy clients from five regional branches.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dornseiff industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Heavy Lift Logistics and Crane Rental Services
- NAICS
- Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923), Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924), Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance (484230), Specialized Freight Trucking (4842)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cranes & Heavy Lifting Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cranes, Hoists & Overhead Material Handling (Industrial) (IMAHABAE), Mobile & Crawler Cranes (IMAHAJAA), Truck-Mounted & Loader Cranes (IMAHAJAF), Heavy Machinery & Oversized Equipment (Cranes, Excavators, Presses) (TLACAIAH)
Keywords
Where Dornseiff is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burbach
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Dornseiff business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Kranvermietung (Crane Rental): Rental of mobile cranes, crawler cranes, truck-mounted cranes, and compact cranes with or without operators for construction, industrial, and infrastructure projects. Pricing based on crane type, duration, and project complexity.
- Spezialtransporte (Special Heavy Transport): Specialized heavy cargo transport including oversized, overweight, and complex route transport services with necessary permits and escort vehicles.
- Maschinenumzüge (Machine Relocations): Industrial machinery disassembly, transport, and reassembly services including complete factory relocations.
- Arbeitsbühnen & Teleskopstapler (Work Platforms & Telehandlers): Rental of trailer-mounted work platforms, truck-mounted work platforms, scissor lifts, boom lifts, telehandlers, and mini cranes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Crane rental pricing varies by crane capacity class and project requirements. |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Dornseiff product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dornseiff rents and operates a fleet of mobile cranes (capacities 40–450 tonnes, boom lengths up to 85 metres), provides special heavy and oversized transport services with escort vehicles, performs industrial machine relocations and assembly, and rents aerial work platforms and telescopic forklifts. Services are delivered nationwide in Germany from five regional branches using the company's own qualified operators, dispatchers and service workshops.
Product overview
Dornseiff is a crane rental and heavy logistics company offering a comprehensive fleet of mobile cranes, telescopic cranes, and specialized lifting equipment. The product portfolio includes Autokrane (mobile cranes) ranging from 40 to 450 tons capacity, Teleskopkrane, Spezial-Mobilkran AC 45 City, Raupenkrane, Mobile Faltkrane, LKW-Ladekrane, HALLENMEISTER® indoor cranes, and Elektromobilkrane. Beyond crane rental, services include Maschinenumzüge (machine moves), Spezialtransporte (special transports), and Arbeitsbühnen & Teleskopstapler (work platforms and telescopic forklifts). The company operates from multiple locations in Germany (Burbach, Olpe, Siegen, Haiger, Wetzlar) and serves customers across construction, industry, and infrastructure sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HALLENMEISTER®: Special indoor crane system for confined spaces and below crane runway installations
Products and services
- Mobile Crane Rental (Autokrane)
- Machine Relocations and Industrial Assembly (Maschinenumzüge)
- Special Heavy Transport (Spezialtransporte)
- Aerial Work Platforms and Telehandler Rental
- HALLENMEISTER® Indoor Crane Service
Quantifiable outcome
- Lifting capacities from 40 to 450 tonnes; boom lengths up to 85 meters; up to 450-tonne tandem lifts performed
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Dornseiff
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Dornseiff technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Dornseiff partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DID GroupcoreParent company group. Dornseiff operates within the DID Group network alongside other companies including Marcus Transport, Ferdinand Scheurer, and Schmidt-Falbe. The group provides comprehensive heavy logistics services across Germany.
- Schares (Schares Krandienst)minorCollaborative crane operation with Schares on large infrastructure projects. Joint lifting operation for Wupperbrücke Hammesberg using LTM 1650-8.1 and LTM 1450-8.1.
- Bundesfachgruppe Schwertransporte und Kranarbeiten (BSK)minorIndustry association representing crane and heavy transport companies in Germany. Wolfgang Dornseiff (former managing shareholder) was elected to the BSK board.
- Verband der Bergungs- und Abschleppunternehmen e.V. (VBA)minorIndustry association for recovery and towing companies. Dornseiff honored for 50 years of membership in August 2024.
- System Lift Partner (Genie / Terex)minorDornseiff is a System Lift partner, offering Genie (Terex) aerial work platforms for rental, including the Genie SX-180 telescopic work platform with 57m working height.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dornseiff competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Felbermayr Transport- und Hebetechnik GmbH: Austrian-headquartered heavy-lift and transport group with a substantial German footprint offering mobile and crawler crane rental, heavy haulage, and civil engineering services directly comparable to Dornseiff's full-service portfolio.
- Wiesbauer GmbH & Co. KG: German crane rental and heavy-haul specialist operating a large fleet of mobile and crawler cranes nationwide; competes head-to-head with Dornseiff on construction, industrial, and infrastructure projects across Germany.
- Universal Transport GmbH: German and European heavy-goods transport and crane company focused on oversized and overweight cargo; competes with Dornseiff on Spezialtransporte and escort-vehicle services.
- Hüffermann Transportsysteme GmbH: German provider of heavy transport and crane services, including low-loader and modular trailer solutions, overlapping directly with Dornseiff's Spezialtransporte and Schwertransport offering.
- Riga Mainz GmbH & Co. KG: Mid-sized German heavy-haul and crane service provider in the Mainz/Rhine-Main region, comparable to Dornseiff in scope and customer segments (industrial, construction, infrastructure).
- Scholpp GmbH: Stuttgart-based heavy-lift crane rental company with a similar mix of mobile cranes, large all-terrain units, and project cargo services aimed at industrial and infrastructure customers in Germany.
Broad incumbents
- Sarens NV: Global heavy-lift and crane rental incumbent with a much larger fleet and international reach; competes with Dornseiff on large-scale wind, industrial, and infrastructure projects across Europe.
- Mammoet Holding B.V. World-leading heavy lifting and transport company with a broad global portfolio of crawler cranes, modular trailers, and engineered heavy-lift services; sets the competitive ceiling for German regional players like Dornseiff.
Emerging players
- Böcker Maschinenwerke GmbH: German manufacturer and rental company specializing in truck-mounted cranes, elevators, and work platforms; overlaps with Dornseiff's LKW-Ladekrane and Arbeitsbuehnen product lines, particularly as Böcker expands its rental footprint.
Regional players
- Kranservice Steiger GmbH: Smaller German regional crane rental company focused on construction and industrial customers; shares Dornseiff's project-based rental and operator business model, though with a narrower geographic footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dornseiff social profiles
Digital presenceDornseiff financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dornseiff leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Dornseiff subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Dornseiff funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dornseiff M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dornseiff
What does Dornseiff do?
Dornseiff rents and operates a fleet of mobile cranes (capacities 40–450 tonnes, boom lengths up to 85 metres), provides special heavy and oversized transport services with escort vehicles, performs industrial machine relocations and assembly, and rents aerial work platforms and telescopic forklifts. Services are delivered nationwide in Germany from five regional branches using the company's own qualified operators, dispatchers and service workshops.
Is Dornseiff a public or private company?
Dornseiff is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Dornseiff founded?
Dornseiff was founded in 1952. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Dornseiff based?
Dornseiff is headquartered in Burbach, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Dornseiff make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Kranvermietung (Crane Rental) is the primary driver. The others are spezialtransporte (Special Heavy Transport), maschinenumzüge (Machine Relocations) and arbeitsbühnen & Teleskopstapler (Work Platforms & Telehandlers).
Who are Dornseiff's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Felbermayr Transport- und Hebetechnik GmbH, Wiesbauer GmbH & Co. KG, Universal Transport GmbH, Hüffermann Transportsysteme GmbH, Riga Mainz GmbH & Co. KG and Scholpp GmbH. Broad incumbents are Sarens NV and Mammoet Holding B.V.. Böcker Maschinenwerke GmbH is listed as an emerging player. Kranservice Steiger GmbH is listed as a regional player.
Does Dornseiff have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dornseiff.
What industry is Dornseiff in?
Dornseiff's product category is Heavy Lift Logistics and Crane Rental Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLABAFAD, Cranes & Heavy Lifting Equipment Rental/Leasing, with a secondary code of IMAHABAE, Cranes, Hoists & Overhead Material Handling (Industrial). Its NAICS code is 333923 and its SIC code is 7350.