Burkhardt Leitner

What Burkhardt Leitner does

Burkhardt Leitner, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Stuttgart, is a German GmbH that designs, develops, manufactures, and sells modular architectural systems for trade fairs, exhibitions, museums, retail environments, and corporate event spaces. The company's core technology is a proprietary magnetic plug connection that underpins three product families: clic (linear/structural), pila (point-based), and pon round (curved geometries, launched 2017). This mechanical platform enables reusable, reconfigurable space construction without conventional fasteners, which is the central engineering differentiator versus generalist booth builders.

The company sells direct to enterprise end-customers and through a curated network of design and implementation partners (including Terminal Design, Arista Diseño, and Retailpartners AG). Disclosed end-customers span automotive (BMW, Hyundai), consumer goods (Braun), government (BMVBS), insurance (Merkur Versicherung), aviation services (Swissport), and multiple museum and retail installations, with delivered projects across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific. The company maintains a regional subsidiary in Istanbul to serve Turkish and adjacent markets. Headcount is in the 11-50 employee range, consistent with a specialist, design-led manufacturer rather than a scaled industrial producer.

Revenue mechanics are project-based enterprise sales at premium price points, with no disclosed recurring or subscription component. The business has been operating for more than three decades without public funding rounds, M&A activity, or external capital signals, indicating a self-funded, mature GmbH. The company is led by founder Burkhardt Leitner and continues to invest in design validation, evidenced by awards including the iF Design Award, DDC Award, and the 2022 FOCUS OPEN Award for the clic up system.

Name

Burkhardt Leitner

Legal name

burkhardt leitner modular spaces GmbH

Website

https://burkhardtleitner.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Burkhardt Leitner is a Stuttgart-based German GmbH, founded in 1993, that designs, manufactures, and sells reusable modular architectural systems built on proprietary magnetic plug connection technology (clic, pila, pon families) for trade shows, museums, retail, and corporate environments, serving enterprise clients globally through direct sales and a design partner network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Modular Architectural Systems

NAICS

Showcase, Partition, Shelving, and Locker Manufacturing (337215)

SIC

Partitions, Shelvg, Lockers, & Office & Store Fixtures (2540)

akta.pro primary industry

Garage, Basement & Utility Storage Retail (Workbenches, Cabinets, Heavy-Duty Storage) (CRAIAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Craft Storage, Organization & Display Retail (CRALACAJ)

Keywords

• Modular architectural systems
• Exhibition display systems
• Modular trade show booths
• Magnetic connection systems
• Temporary architecture solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuttgart

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Modular Architectural Systems Sales: Direct sale of modular architectural systems (pila, pon, clic product lines) to enterprise clients including manufacturers, retailers, museums, and event organizers. Systems are designed for temporary architecture applications at trade shows, exhibitions, retail spaces, and public installations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Burkhardt Leitner designs, develops, produces, and sells modular architectural systems for trade fairs, exhibitions, retail, offices, and public spaces. The portfolio is built around the clic, pila, pon, slimpan, and planner system families, all unified by a proprietary magnetic plug-connection technology that enables rapid, tool-free assembly and disassembly. Systems are reusable across multiple events and decades, targeting enterprise clients such as museums, automotive brands, retailers, and government institutions.

Product overview

Burkhardt Leitner (burkhardt leitner modular spaces GmbH) develops, produces, and distributes modular architectural systems for trade fairs, exhibitions, retail, offices, and public spaces. The product portfolio centers on two main system families: the clic system (including clic round, clic up variants) and the pila system (including pila petite, pila fabric, pila doppelstock, pila office, pila IV), both featuring magnetic plug connections. Additionally, the pon system family (including pon round, pon media, pon office) offers another node-bar approach. The slimpan node-plate system and planner flooring system round out the modular offerings. All systems share key characteristics of aluminum construction, magnetic connections, high modularity, reusable/recyclable materials, and sustainable design ("Sustainability First" philosophy). The clic IT planning software supports three-dimensional visualization and planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• clic system Modular architecture system with magnetic plug connection: connection nodes of natural anodized aluminum cubes, galvanized steel attachment pieces, and connection rods of natural anodized aluminum tube with pressed-in magnets, enabling intuitive tool-free assembly with reduced aesthetics for exhibition, retail, and public-space applications.
• clic round system Node-bar system extending the clic base system through circular construction with 5.22m outer diameter and 4.62m inner diameter; inner radius matches the 600mm axis of the base system, enabling arc, serpentine, and fully closed rotunda structures from 24 interchangeable segments.
• clic up display system Display system extending the clic product line for exhibition and retail display applications; winner of the iF Design Award, DDC Award, and FOCUS OPEN AWARD 2022.
• slimpan system Node-plate system of lightweight aluminum frames connected with flexible connector nodes; panels can be made from aluminum, steel, PET, acrylic, and other surface materials attached via magnetic strips or VHB tape, with high modularity and minimal packaging dimensions.
• pila IV system Node-support system with axis lengths up to 6 meters; support pillars and connection nodes form the structural framework, with diagonal bracing and angular stiffening options, maximizing axis lengths to minimize component count and reduce square-meter pricing.
• pila petite system Compact pila variant designed for small-scale exhibition and retail applications; the smallest member of the pila family.
• pila fabric system Pila variant incorporating fabric materials for textile coverings and displays.
• pila doppelstock system Double-decker pila configuration enabling two-level structures for maximizing space utilization at trade shows.
• pila office system Office-application pila variant for workplace and office configurations, featuring robust steel shelf and presentation elements suitable for heavy exhibits.
• pon system Node-bar modular architecture system with magnetic connection for exhibitions and trade fair applications.
• pon round system Round construction extension of the pon system, enabling arc, serpentine, and rotunda configurations with up to 24 segments for creative and planning freedom.
• pon media system Node-bar system with magnetic connection and more stable cross-section, designed for textile coverings up to 2.5 meters and backlit presentations; combinable with pon.
• pon office system Office-application pon variant for professional workplace configurations.
• planner floor system Flooring system of connector nodes, height adjusters, profiles, and reusable floor plates; height-adjustable connector nodes enable easy installation and removal of high-load-capacity plates, with an illuminated glass plate option for light floor effects.
• clic IT planning software Proprietary planning software for intuitive development and three-dimensional representation of complex spatial structures using burkhardt leitner system elements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Modular systems designed for reuse over decades, reducing replacement costs and environmental impact
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Terminal DesigncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTerminal Design is a key implementation partner responsible for designing and constructing projects using Burkhardt Leitner systems in Turkey. Projects include Kristall- und Glasmuseum Istanbul-Beykoz, AIATA Boats exhibition at Boot Düsseldorf, SOCAR trade show booth, and various Interzoo exhibitions.
• Retailpartners AGcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSwiss implementation partner presenting Burkhardt Leitner systems at Suisse emex trade show and implementing projects including Swissport Vancouver award ceremony and Peterer Drogerie AG booth.
• Arista DiseñocoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpanish design partner based in Bilbao responsible for various clic and pila installations in Spain including Bodegas Arabarte at Alimentaria Barcelona, Salica trade show booth, Arriko S.A. booth, and Arista diseño's own exhibition booth at Construmat.
• Design Center Baden-WürttembergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partner hosting traveling and changing exhibitions since 1998, with over 200 printed panels demonstrating the clic system's versatility over 60 years of the Design Center's operations.
• Weltmuseum WienminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVienna World Museum using clic system for 'Museum in a Nutshell' pop-up exhibition concept since 2018, presenting at various venues including Europark Salzburg.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GL Events: French global event infrastructure group offering modular exhibition systems, temporary structures, and event services — overlaps with Burkhardt Leitner as a broader incumbent serving the same enterprise exhibition customers.
• Haworth: Global office furniture manufacturer with modular workspace systems including showroom and retail display variants — broader incumbent with overlapping modular capability in office and retail environments targeted by Burkhardt Leitner's pila office and pon office variants.

Direct peers

• Aluvision: Belgian modular display and exhibition systems manufacturer — directly comparable to Burkhardt Leitner's pila and clic families in serving trade show, retail, and event integrators.
• beMatrix: Belgian manufacturer of modular LED-integrated frame systems for exhibitions and retail displays — directly comparable as a tool-free modular exhibition system with strong European footprint.
• Octanorm System GmbH: German manufacturer of modular aluminum profile exhibition and display systems serving trade shows, retail, and events — directly comparable to Burkhardt Leitner's clic and pila product families in target customer and use case.
• Syma System GmbH: Swiss modular aluminum profile system provider for exhibitions, retail, and museum displays — directly comparable product concept and target market to Burkhardt Leitner's pila and clic systems.

Emerging players

• Optiplan GmbH: German specialist in modular exhibition and trade show systems — comparable niche peer serving similar exhibition and event customers with custom modular solutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/burkhardtleitnermodularspaces
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/burkhardt-leitner-modular-spaces

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 Burkhardt Leitner