CRB

What CRB does

CRB Analyse Service GmbH is an independent, DAkkS-accredited testing laboratory founded in 1992 in Hardegsen, Germany, specializing in solid-state analytical services for both industrial clients and private consumers. Its core technical platform centers on four high-resolution scanning electron microscopes (SEM/REM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for asbestos and man-made mineral fiber (KMF) identification, alongside X-ray fluorescence (XRF/RFA) spectrometry using a Malvern PANalytical Axios for major and trace elemental analysis of oxidic raw and finished materials. The laboratory is accredited to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 since 1995 and operates additional capabilities in carbon analysis (TC/TOC/TIC), physical testing (density, porosity, loss on ignition), and proprietary methods including a fused-bead Oxiflux XRF preparation system and a non-destructive firefighter PPE contamination procedure co-developed with MeyerundKuhl.

The business is run on a direct-to-customer e-commerce model with two distinct portals: a multilingual B2C shop (German, English, French, Italian) for private homeowners and a B2B portal with invoicing and account login for business customers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Revenue is generated through per-sample fees differentiated by matrix and method, with volume discounts on batch submissions and rush surcharges of 50–100%; payments are accepted via PayPal, credit card, prepayment (private) or invoice (business). CRB serves four primary segments: industrial firms in refractories, ceramics, glass, and cement for XRF quality control; public authorities, engineering offices, remediation companies, and housing associations for regulatory asbestos testing; private homeowners needing pre-renovation asbestos checks; and other laboratories subcontracting SEM-EDX analyses. The company is founder-owned (Ralf Klaus Blecher as managing shareholder), employs 17 staff including multiple PhD scientists, and has reinvested operating cash flow into capacity expansion (third SEM in 2017, fourth SEM in 2018), a 28,000-sample LIMS archive, a new multilingual e-commerce shop in 2018, and an Italian-language website in 2020 to support international expansion.

Name

CRB

Legal name

CRB Analyse Service GmbH

Website

https://crb-gmbh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CRB Analyse Service GmbH is a DAkkS-accredited German testing laboratory operating four SEM-EDX systems and XRF spectrometry to deliver asbestos, KMF, elemental, carbon, and physical analyses to industrial firms (refractories, ceramics, glass, cement), public authorities, private homeowners, and other laboratories, primarily across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hardegsen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Laboratory Testing Services (One-Time Fees): CRB charges one-time per-sample fees for analytical testing services, primarily differentiated by sample type (material, dust, air filter, liquid, asphalt, plaster), analysis method (qualitative, semi-quantitative, quantitative), and required preparation. Volume discounts are offered for batch submissions of 5+ and 10+ samples. Rush/express processing carries additional surcharges of 50–100%. Payment accepted via PayPal, credit card, and prepayment (Vorkasse) for private customers; invoice for business customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CRB is an independent, DAkkS-accredited testing laboratory that provides solid material analytics. Core offerings include asbestos and man-made mineral fiber (KMF) analysis via scanning electron microscopy (REM-EDX), major and trace elemental analysis via X-ray fluorescence (RFA/XRF), carbon content determination (TC/TOC/TIC), and physical testing (density, porosity, particle size, loss on ignition). Samples are submitted through dedicated B2C and B2B web portals; results are returned by email.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Asbestos Analysis (Asbest-Analyse) Comprehensive asbestos testing of material, dust, air filter, liquid, asphalt, plaster, filler, and tile adhesive samples using scanning electron microscopy (REM-EDX) per VDI 3866, IFA/BIA Verfahren 7487, and ISO 14966. Customers include industrial firms, public authorities, engineering offices, remediation contractors, and private homeowners; results returned by email in 4-8 working days with rush options available.
• X-ray Fluorescence Analysis (Röntgenfluoreszenz-Analyse, RFA) Major and trace element analysis using XRF spectrometry on oxidic raw and finished materials for the refractories, glass, ceramics, and cement industries, plus environmental applications including HBCD in polystyrene and chlorine in food packaging. Offers screening analyses, quantitative analysis from fused beads and powder pellets covering 12-50+ elements.
• Scanning Electron Microscopy with EDX (Rasterelektronenmikroskopie, REM-EDX) High-resolution scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis for imaging, damage assessment, element mappings, and linescans, used to address scientific, technical, and medical questions across material samples.
• Artificial Mineral Fibers Analysis (Künstliche Mineralfasern, KMF) Determination of the carcinogenicity index (KI) and detection of lung-penetrating WHO fibers in old mineral wool insulation materials, supporting regulatory hazard classification of legacy insulation.
• Carbon Analysis (Kohlenstoff-Analyse) Determination of carbon modifications TC, TOC, and TIC in soils, rocks, oxidic raw materials, carbides, and silicon carbide materials using combustion analysis per DIN ISO 10694 and DIN EN 13137.
• Physical Testing (Physikalische Prüfungen) Gravimetric procedures for determining bulk density, grain weight, porosity, loss on ignition, moisture, and ash content, plus sieve-based particle size distribution for industrial process control.
• Non-Destructive Firefighter Equipment Asbestos Testing Joint procedure developed with MeyerundKuhl Spezialwäschen GmbH that allows non-destructive testing of firefighter clothing and PPE for asbestos and man-made mineral fiber contamination, enabling decontamination verification without destroying the equipment. Awarded an innovation prize.

Quantifiable outcome

• Detection limit as low as 0.001 mass% for asbestos in plasters and fillers (VDI 3866 Bl. 5 Annex B / IFA-BIA Verfahren 7487)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• i3 MembraneminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025CRB exhibited at DCONex 2025 with a joint exhibition stand alongside partner i3 Membrane, suggesting a co-marketing relationship in the asbestos/hazardous materials sector.
• MeyerundKuhl Spezialwäschen GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of a non-destructive testing procedure to analyze firefighter clothing and PPE for asbestos and man-made mineral fiber (KMF) contamination. CRB provides the analytical testing using SEM-EDX; MeyerundKuhl provides the specialized washing and decontamination service. The procedure won an innovation award. CRB also loaned nanofiltec air filtration units from Hamburg during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Blackbit digital Commerce GmbHcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital commerce agency that built and manages CRB's e-commerce platform and online shop. Blackbit is a Google Premium Partner (top 3% of German Google agencies) providing paid search and SEO services. In 2018 they launched CRB's new multilingual customer shop for asbestos analyses.
• nanofiltecminorOthersDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, CRB equipped its offices with nanofiltec air filtration units from Hamburg for infection prevention, demonstrating a vendor relationship.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas SA: French TIC company with industrial and environmental testing operations in Germany. Comparable as a broad accredited lab serving refractories, cement, and construction supply chains; significantly larger and more diversified.
• ALS Limited: Global laboratory services company with materials and environmental testing lines. Comparable as a multi-method accredited lab serving industrial QA/QC; offers a similar XRF/analytical testing profile at materially larger scale.
• DEKRA SE: German testing and certification organization with materials, environmental, and asbestos services. Comparable on DACH footprint and accredited testing focus, particularly in building and occupational safety use cases.
• TÜV NORD GROUP: German TIC provider with materials testing, environmental analytics, and asbestos-related services. Comparable on DACH-centric accredited lab profile and overlap on building-safety, remediation, and industrial QA/QC customers.
• SGS SA: Swiss-based testing, inspection, and certification company with industrial and materials testing capabilities. Comparable as a TIC incumbent serving industrial customers; operates at a global scale CRB does not approach.
• Eurofins Scientific SE: Global testing services giant with materials, environmental, and industrial testing lines including asbestos-related services. Comparable as an accredited testing incumbent, but vastly larger and broader in scope than CRB's niche specialty lab model.
• Intertek Group plc: UK-headquartered TIC company with industrial materials testing. Comparable on accredited lab model and industrial customer base (refractories, ceramics, building products); far broader geographically and by service line.
• TÜV SÜD AG: German testing, inspection, and certification organization with materials and environmental testing services. Comparable as a DACH-based accredited lab serving industrial and public-sector customers, though TÜV SÜD's portfolio is far broader.
• TÜV Rheinland AG: German TIC provider with industrial materials testing, environmental, and product safety services. Comparable on accreditation profile and DACH market overlap; competes for industrial QA/QC budgets alongside CRB's XRF services.

Regional players

• GBA Group (GBA Gesellschaft für Bioanalytik mbH): German analytical laboratory group offering environmental, food, and materials testing. Comparable on DACH footprint, accredited lab model, and mixed B2B/B2B-public customer base; size and breadth sit between CRB and the global TIC majors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCt8DhR3cehm2NQbJ0dR2g_w
• Xx.com/crb_analyse
• Facebookfacebook.com/crbanalyse.service
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crb-analyse-service-gmbh

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 CRB