Hirschmann
Hirschmann Laborgeräte is a German family-owned manufacturer of precision laboratory instruments — liquid handling devices, peristaltic pumps, volumetric measuring instruments, and precision capillaries — serving medical, research, and industrial laboratories across 100+ countries via dealers, e-commerce, and a US sales subsidiary.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersEberstadt, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Hirschmann does
Hirschmann Laborgeräte GmbH & Co. KG is a German specialty manufacturer of precision laboratory instruments founded in 1964 by Adolf-Martin Hirschmann and headquartered in Eberstadt, Germany under family ownership (currently led by Managing Director Kirsten Hirschmann). The company designs and manufactures volumetric measuring devices, liquid-handling instruments (opus® dispensers, ceramus® dosing systems, solarus® solar-powered digital burettes, pipetus® pipetting aids, akku-drive® motorized modules), peristaltic pumps (rotarus® standard/flow/volume/smart 30), precision capillaries (ringcaps®, minicaps®, reflotron®), microtiter plates (96/384/1536-well and aluminum variants), and laboratory glassware. Underlying technology centers on proprietary dosing mechanisms (ceramic-piston ceramus®, direct-displacement pipetting co-developed with Boehringer Mannheim GmbH in 1976), with 26 registered brand ranges and 23 patent families implemented in products; manufacturing is performed in-house in Eberstadt.
The business operates across three primary customer verticals — medical and clinical laboratories, research institutions, and industrial laboratories — served through a multi-channel model: a global registered dealer network in 100+ countries, a company-operated field sales service in Germany, a wholly-owned sales subsidiary for the USA and Canada (Louisville, KY, est. 2002), and direct e-commerce across four languages. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time unit sales of laboratory instruments, supplemented by recurring after-sales services including DAkkS-accredited calibration, manufacturer repair with original parts, and individual labelling/coding of volumetric glassware. Distribution economics feature a €250 minimum order value (with a €50 processing fee below that threshold) and standard 14-day payment terms. The company carries ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, EMAS III, and DAkkS accreditations, and operates with a workforce that is approximately 10% apprentices, reflecting sustained investment in specialized glassworking, dosing engineering, and precision capillary fabrication expertise.
Hirschmann firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hirschmann
- Legal name
- Hirschmann Laborgeräte GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://hirschmannlab.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Hirschmann Laborgeräte is a German family-owned manufacturer of precision laboratory instruments — liquid handling devices, peristaltic pumps, volumetric measuring instruments, and precision capillaries — serving medical, research, and industrial laboratories across 100+ countries via dealers, e-commerce, and a US sales subsidiary.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hirschmann industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Laboratory Instruments
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914), Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Totalizing Fluid Meters & Counting Devices (3824)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Liquid Handling & Laboratory Automation (Pipettes, Robots, Workstations) (HLAGAIAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Laboratory Consumables & Plasticware (Tips, Tubes, Plates, Filters) (HLAGAIAH), Specialty & Metering Pumps (IMAHANAC)
Keywords
Where Hirschmann is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Eberstadt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Hirschmann business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Laboratory instrument product sales: Hirschmann generates revenue primarily through the sale of laboratory instruments including liquid handling devices (dispensers, burettes, pipetting aids, microliter pipettes), peristaltic pumps, precision capillaries, volumetric measuring instruments, laboratory glass, and microtiter plates. Products are sold globally through a network of registered dealers in over 100 countries and directly via their e-commerce website.
- After-sales services (calibration, repair, individual labelling): Revenue is also generated from calibration services, repair services, and individual labelling/customization of volumetric glassware. These services are offered as add-ons to product sales and represent ongoing revenue from the installed base.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard product pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Hirschmann product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hirschmann Laborgeräte manufactures and sells precision laboratory instruments for liquid handling, volumetric measurement, peristaltic pumping, and precision capillary applications. The product portfolio includes branded families such as opus® dispensers, ceramus® dosing systems, solarus® solar-powered burettes, pipetus® pipetting aids, the rotarus® peristaltic pump series, ringcaps®/minicaps®/reflotron® precision capillaries, microtiter plates, and a range of laboratory glassware and volumetric measuring devices. The company complements its instrument sales with DAkkS-accredited calibration, manufacturer repair, custom individual glassware labelling, and application consultation services.
Product overview
Hirschmann Laborgeräte is a German laboratory equipment manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of precision instruments for liquid handling, volumetric measurement, and laboratory glassware. The product portfolio centers on branded product families: opus® dispensers, ceramus® dosing equipment with ceramic pistons, solarus® solar-powered burettes, and pipetus® pipetting aids for liquid handling; rotarus® peristaltic pumps (standard, flow, volume, smart 30 variants); precision capillaries including ringcaps®, minicaps®, and reflotron® lines; microtiter plates (96/384/1536-well formats plus aluminum variants); volumetric measuring devices in glass and plastic; and laboratory glassware such as beakers, flasks, and bottles. The company provides supporting services including DAkkS-accredited calibration, repair, custom individual labelling, and application consultation. Founded in 1964, the company operates from Eberstadt, Germany with distribution to over 100 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- opus: Dosing and titration device line
- ceramus
- solarus
- pipetus
- rotarus
- akku-drive
- ringcaps
- minicaps
- reflotron
Products and services
- opus® dispenser High-precision dispenser for liquid handling applications in laboratories, awarded multiple design awards including iF Design Award China (2008), iF Design Award, Red Dot Award, and Focus Open Silver (2009).
- ceramus® dosing line Dosing line with ceramic pistons and media recirculation for precise liquid dispensing in laboratory settings.
- solarus® solar-powered digital burette World's first solar-powered digital burette for laboratory titrations, awarded iF Design Award (2001), Red Dot Award (2001), Blue Angel environmental label (2003), Green Good Design Award (2011), and German Design Award 2016.
- pipetus® pipetting aid Pipetting aid for laboratory use, family received Red Dot Award (2005) for design excellence and was nominated for the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany (2006).
Quantifiable outcome
- Products present in over 100 countries worldwide
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Hirschmann
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Hirschmann technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Hirschmann partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany)minorHirschmann successfully completed an innovation project with the BMBF titled 'Manufacture of glass precision capillaries' in 1981. This government-supported project led to the establishment of a production line for single-use capillary pipettes.
- Boehringer Mannheim GmbHminorIn 1976, Hirschmann entered into a cooperation with Boehringer Mannheim GmbH to develop a precise pipetting system based on the direct displacement principle. This collaboration contributed to Hirschmann's early expertise in precision liquid handling technology.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hirschmann competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- INTEGRA Biosciences: Manufacturer of pipettes, electronic pipetting systems, peristaltic pumps, and lab automation tools, competing directly with Hirschmann's liquid-handling and peristaltic pump lines.
- Hamilton Company: Manufacturer of precision liquid-handling instruments, peristaltic pumps, and laboratory automation platforms, overlapping with Hirschmann's dosing, pipetting, and pump offerings.
- Brand GmbH + Co. KG: German family-owned maker of liquid-handling devices (dispensers, burettes, pipettes) and volumetric instruments — essentially a direct competitor with overlapping customer base and product categories.
- Gilson: US-headquartered manufacturer of pipettes, pipetting aids, and liquid-handling instruments serving research and clinical labs with overlapping product categories.
- Vitlab: German manufacturer of volumetric instruments, dispensers, pipettes, and laboratory plasticware — closely comparable mid-sized German Mittelstand competitor to Hirschmann.
- Eppendorf: German manufacturer of premium pipettes, dispensers, and liquid-handling instruments. Closely comparable to Hirschmann on core liquid-handling product lines and German precision-engineering positioning.
Emerging players
- Corning Life Sciences: Major manufacturer of microtiter plates, lab consumables, and cell-culture products — directly overlaps Hirschmann's 96/384/1536-well plate portfolio and is a meaningful competitor in that category.
Broad incumbents
- Sartorius AG: Large German lab and bioprocessing supplier with broader portfolio (balances, pipettes, bioprocess equipment). Comparable on laboratory instrumentation but at significantly larger scale and broader scope than Hirschmann.
- Mettler Toledo: Global lab-instrument leader in balances, pipettes, titrators, and analytical instruments — broad overlap with Hirschmann's dosing/titration/measurement categories but operating at much larger scale.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Largest global lab-instrument and consumables supplier, including microtiter plates, pipettes, and lab automation — competes with Hirschmann across multiple product categories at vastly larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hirschmann social profiles
Digital presenceHirschmann compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Hirschmann financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hirschmann leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Hirschmann subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Hirschmann funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hirschmann 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 Hirschmann
What does Hirschmann do?
Hirschmann Laborgeräte manufactures and sells precision laboratory instruments for liquid handling, volumetric measurement, peristaltic pumping, and precision capillary applications. The product portfolio includes branded families such as opus® dispensers, ceramus® dosing systems, solarus® solar-powered burettes, pipetus® pipetting aids, the rotarus® peristaltic pump series, ringcaps®/minicaps®/reflotron® precision capillaries, microtiter plates, and a range of laboratory glassware and volumetric measuring devices. The company complements its instrument sales with DAkkS-accredited calibration, manufacturer repair, custom individual glassware labelling, and application consultation services.
Is Hirschmann a public or private company?
Hirschmann is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Hirschmann founded?
Hirschmann was founded in 1964. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Hirschmann based?
Hirschmann is headquartered in Eberstadt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Hirschmann make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Laboratory instrument product sales are the primary driver. The others are after-sales services (calibration, repair, individual labelling).
Who are Hirschmann's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are INTEGRA Biosciences, Hamilton Company, Brand GmbH + Co. KG, Gilson, Vitlab and Eppendorf. Corning Life Sciences is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Sartorius AG, Mettler Toledo and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Does Hirschmann have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hirschmann.
What industry is Hirschmann in?
Hirschmann's product category is Laboratory Instruments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAD, Liquid Handling & Laboratory Automation (Pipettes, Robots, Workstations), with a secondary code of HLAGAIAH, Laboratory Consumables & Plasticware (Tips, Tubes, Plates, Filters). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.