What Korfmann Air Technology does

Korfmann Lufttechnik GmbH, operating as Korfmann Air Technology, is a German specialist manufacturer of underground ventilation systems headquartered in Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia. The company designs, engineers, and supplies axial and radial fans, silencers, and control systems for underground mining, tunnel construction, and special underground infrastructure such as hydroelectric caverns and nuclear repositories. Its product range spans compact 300 mm portable units up to 4,200 mm main-mine fans with motor ratings of 4,000 kW, delivered in explosion-protected (ATEX, IM2) variants for hazardous atmospheres. Two proprietary technology platforms extend the offering: the patented AIR GUARD automated control system for duct-bound ventilation with real-time energy optimization and predictive monitoring, and the Noise Shield silencer registered as a utility model with 15-22 dB insertion damping.

The company operates a project-based, consultative sales model: every fan and system is custom-engineered against the customer's mine or tunnel geometry, with flow, strength, vibration, and acoustic simulations run in-house. Approximately 6,000 fans have been delivered worldwide since 2001 across more than 40 countries, serving enterprise and government customers including BGE (German nuclear repository), K+S potash mines, BASF chemical operations, Herrenknecht-led TBM tunnel projects, Singapore's DTSS, and Alto Maipo hydroelectric caverns in Chile. Revenue is generated through three streams: hardware sales (new, used, and refurbished fans and silencers), rental of fan stations up to 630 kW for temporary projects, and professional engineering and after-sales services (ventilation concepts, commissioning, vibration/airflow measurement, noise protection, and SCADA integration).

Since October 1, 2020, Korfmann has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the CFH Gruppe, a diversified industrial group spanning dedusting, gas cleaning, ventilation, and air heating/cooling. Since January 1, 2021, all order processing and sales have been executed through sister company CFT GmbH, with Korfmann's own personnel embedded in the CFT organization. The company holds DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 certification and complies with the EU Machinery, ErP, and ATEX directives, positioning it as a compliance-grade supplier for safety-critical underground ventilation in regulated mining and tunneling markets.

Name

Korfmann Air Technology

Legal name

Korfmann Lufttechnik GmbH

Website

https://korfmann.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1880

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Korfmann Air Technology (Korfmann Lufttechnik GmbH) is a German specialist manufacturer of axial and radial ventilation fans, silencers, and control systems for underground mining, tunneling, and special underground infrastructure, serving enterprise and government customers across more than 40 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Ventilation Equipment

NAICS

Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)

SIC

Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564), Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822)

akta.pro primary industry

Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment (IMAHAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dampers, Louvers & Ventilation Controls (IMADANAD)

Keywords

• Mine ventilation systems
• Tunnel ventilation fans
• Axial fan manufacturing
• Underground ventilation engineering
• Industrial noise shielding

Headquarters

HQ city

Witten

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ventilation Equipment Sales: Sale of new, used, and refurbished axial and radial ventilation fans, ranging from small portable units (300mm diameter) to large-scale main mine fans (up to 4,200mm diameter, 4,000 kW). Fans are sold with standard and explosion-protected configurations (ATEX, IM2) for various industrial applications.
2. Rental Services: Rental of new-like, used, and refurbished ventilation fans with short delivery times. Includes single fans and stations up to 630 kW, mobile container variants with fan and controls, portable fans for temporary construction sites, and special fans for railway construction sites. Associated logistics, assembly, and weather measurement services provided.
3. Engineering Services: Comprehensive engineering services including ventilation concepts, plant construction, soundproofing, control technology, and measurements. Services range from needs assessment and fan specification to project-specific solutions, process optimization, and regulatory compliance documentation for authorities.
4. After-Sales Services: Service, maintenance, monitoring, and on-site commissioning of ventilation systems. Includes vibration monitoring, pressure and airflow measurement, automated flap control, frequency converter integration, and SCADA system integration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Korfmann Air Technology (Korfmann Lufttechnik GmbH) designs, constructs, manufactures, and installs axial and radial ventilation fans and complete ventilation systems for underground mining, tunneling, and civil engineering applications. The product range spans fan diameters from 300mm to 4,200mm with motor power up to 4,000 kW, complemented by explosion-protected variants (ATEX/IM2), silencer systems, automated control technology, and full engineering services (ventilation concepts, plant construction, measurements, noise protection, control technology). They also offer rental options for temporary construction sites and complete after-sales service including maintenance, monitoring, and on-site commissioning.

Product overview

Korfmann Lufttechnik GmbH offers a comprehensive portfolio of ventilation systems and related services for mining and tunneling applications. The core product portfolio consists of four main axial fan product lines: AL/dAL (large-format fans 700-4200mm), ESN/dESN/ES/EST (medium fans 300-900mm), GAL/dGAL (double-stage counter-rotating fans 300-1400mm), and SL/DV/AGE/KORAX (compact to mid-size fans). These are complemented by specialized systems including the Air Guard automated control system and Noise Shield silencers. The company provides complete engineering services including ventilation concepts, measurements, noise protection, control technology, and plant construction, along with rental options for temporary deployments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Korfmann AIR GUARD: Patented automated control system for ventilation of duct-bound tunnel drives with real-time energy efficiency optimization and system monitoring.
• Korfmann NOISE SHIELD

Products and services

• Product Line AL / dAL Axial fan product line with diameters from 700mm to 4,200mm, including standard (AL), counter-rotating (dAL), and large-format variants (AL20-AL42) for main mine ventilation applications. Available with airflow up to 700 m³/s, total pressure increase up to 8,000 Pa, and motor power up to 4,000 kW.
• Product Line ESN / dESN / ES / EST Axial fan product line with diameters from 300mm to 900mm, featuring standard (ESN), explosion-proof (dESN), and pressure-air versions (ES, EST) for various underground ventilation requirements.
• Product Line GAL / dGAL Double-stage counter-rotating axial fans with diameters from 300mm to 1,400mm, designed for tunnel and mining ventilation with flow rates up to 50 m³/s.
• Product Line SL / DV / AGE / KORAX Comprehensive small to mid-size fan line including pressure-air spare fans (SL), pressure-air axial fans (DV), electric axial fans (AGE), and radial-axial fans (KORAX) for various underground applications.
• Korfmann Air Guard Patented fully automated control system for duct-bound (Lutten) ventilation with intelligent actual/target comparison (Soll/Ist) for real-time energy optimization, system defect recognition, and predictive analysis. Enables remote monitoring and control from any location, complete documentation of ventilation parameters, defect detection, and integration with higher-level systems (NOx, methane measurement).
• Korfmann Noise Shield Three-part special module pipe silencer with elevated insertion damping values in the low-frequency range, available in suction-side and pressure-side versions. Achieves 15-22 dB insertion damping depending on diameter and installation location. Registered as utility model (Gebrauchsmuster).
• Measurement Services Professional measurement services including volumetric flow, pressure, vibration, and noise measurements conducted by experienced technicians for underground ventilation system performance verification and commissioning.
• Ventilation Concepts (Bewetterungskonzepte) Determination of necessary ventilation, project-optimized ventilation schemes, and ongoing communication with universities and authorities. Korfmann develops ventilation concepts tailored to each project with regulatory compliance documentation.
• Noise Protection Services (Schallschutz) Noise protection solutions for all applications including noise measurement planning, noise design, and construction of silencing equipment for underground ventilation installations.
• Control Technology Services (Steuerungstechnik) Control solutions including drive systems, switchgear construction, process optimization, and communication systems (WLAN, bus systems, fiber optics, Bluetooth, GSM). Includes integration with SCADA systems and frequency converter integration.
• Plant Construction (Anlagenbau) Customer-oriented plant construction around the ventilation system using modular Korfmann design with flexible application, individual replaceability, and high reusability. Includes static and dynamic load analysis, energy optimization, logistics planning, and noise protection optimization.
• Equipment Rental (Vermietung) Rental of new, used, and refurbished fans including individual fans and stations up to 630 kW, mobile container variants with fan and controls, portable fans for temporary construction sites, and special fans for railway construction sites. Includes associated logistics, assembly, and weather measurement services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Energy savings through demand-based ventilation control — intelligent Soll/Ist comparison identifies inefficiencies and defects in real time
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 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

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CFT GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021Since January 1, 2021, CFT GmbH handles all order management and processing of Korfmann fans, including national and international sales activities. Korfmann personnel are embedded within the CFT organization. Customers receive quotations, delivery notes, and invoices from CFT GmbH.
• Sinducor (Spain)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 September 2019Spanish regional partner for Korfmann and CFT products. Conducted customer visits and technical product training sessions in Madrid in September 2019. Represents Korfmann products in the Spanish market.
• CFT KazakhstanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2019CFT Kazakhstan is the Kazakhstan-based regional partner and subsidiary. Celebrated its 10-year company anniversary in 2019. Handles sales and support for Korfmann products in the Kazakhstan market.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• FläktGroup: European incumbent in ventilation, indoor air quality, and air handling for commercial and industrial buildings. Overlaps with Korfmann on air movement technology but specializes more in building and tunnel infrastructure rather than dedicated mine main ventilation.
• New York Blower Company: Large US industrial fan and blower manufacturer serving mining, tunneling, power, and general industrial markets. Competes in industrial axial and centrifugal fan categories overlapping with Korfmann's product lines, though with a much broader portfolio.
• Howden (Chart Industries): Howden, now part of Chart Industries, is one of the largest global suppliers of fans, blowers, and compressors, with a strong underground mining and tunneling ventilation portfolio. It directly competes with Korfmann on main mine fans and tunnel ventilation systems at a much larger scale.

Regional players

• Clemcorp: Australian supplier of mine ventilation fans, ducting, and refuge chambers focused on the Australian and Asia-Pacific mining markets. Comparable product offering for underground mine ventilation but with regional rather than global concentration.
• Wittmann Ventilatoren: Austrian industrial fan manufacturer with a portfolio covering mining and industrial ventilation. Comparable axial and radial fan technology, primarily serving Central European customers in overlapping use cases.

Direct peers

• Zitron: Spanish manufacturer of mine ventilation fans and auxiliary equipment with deep roots in European coal and metal mining. Comparable product range to Korfmann (axial main fans, secondary fans, duct ventilation) and similar project-based sales motion.
• TLT-Turbo: Germany-based TLT-Turbo specializes in fans and ventilation systems for mining, tunneling, and industrial applications, including main mine fans and axial fans. It is one of Korfmann's most direct European competitors with overlapping technology and customer base.
• ABC Industries: US-based specialist in underground mine ventilation, including fans, ducting, and brattice products. Directly comparable offering for hard-rock and coal mining ventilation, with similar focus on regulated, safety-critical deployments.

Others

• Multi-Wing Group: Specialist in axial fan impellers used in mining, tunneling, and industrial ventilation. Component-level overlap with Korfmann's custom impeller designs (up to 3.35 m) and serves many of the same mining and tunneling OEMs and operators.
• CFT GmbH (CFH Gruppe): Sister company within CFH Gruppe that has manufactured Korfmann fans since 2001 and now handles all of Korfmann's sales and order processing. Functions as both production partner and channel — overlaps in capability but not an independent competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/korfmann-lufttechnik

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Korfmann Air Technology