What Caltest Instruments does

Caltest Instruments GmbH is a German specialist distributor and systems integrator of professional power electronics and electrical measurement and test equipment, headquartered in Kappelrodeck and founded in 2013. The company operates as an exclusive regional distributor for multiple leading manufacturers including Pacific Power Source, Tektronix plus EA Elektro-Automatik, Zenone Elettronica, GW Instek, Gustav Klein, Dewetron, APM Technologies, and STS Instruments, distributing AC/DC power sources, regenerative electronic loads, bidirectional DC power supplies, battery test systems, oscilloscopes, data acquisition systems, and electrical safety testers. Beyond distribution, Caltest offers in-house custom system integration under its proprietary IPR-Serie (Integrated Power Rack Systems), designing and building turnkey AC/DC test systems tailored to customer specifications.

The company serves B2B customers primarily in the aerospace and eVTOL, e-mobility and automotive, battery manufacturing, EMC compliance, and solar technology verticals, addressing use cases such as on-board charger testing, battery cell/module/pack characterization, harmonics and flicker compliance, and solar inverter validation. Revenue is generated through four streams: hardware sales (one-time/perpetual licensing with quote-based pricing), custom system integration (unit-priced turnkey configurations), equipment rental (monthly subscription model referred to as Miete), and professional calibration services. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and follows a multi-year contract quote-based model for enterprise sales.

Go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, with direct engagement via website, phone (+49 7842 99722-00), and assigned regional contact partners, supplemented by active trade show participation (e.g., Automotive Testing Expo Europe 2026 at Messe Stuttgart, Stand 1962) and a Calblog content/newsletter channel. The company operates with a lean 1-10 employee headcount from a single German office and appears to be founder/management-owned with no disclosed external investors or funding rounds.

Name

Caltest Instruments

Legal name

Caltest Instruments GmbH

Website

https://caltest-instruments.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Caltest Instruments GmbH is a German specialist distributor and systems integrator of AC/DC power electronics and electrical test equipment, serving B2B customers in aerospace/eVTOL, e-mobility, battery testing, EMC compliance, and solar verticals through exclusive manufacturer partnerships and in-house custom turnkey system integration (IPR-Serie), complemented by calibration services and equipment rental.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Test & Measurement Equipment (Power Electronics)

NAICS

Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (811210)

SIC

Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services) (IMAGAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards) (HLAGAIAL), DER Compliance, Certification & Testing (Commissioning, Ride-Through) (EUADALAN)

Keywords

• Power test equipment
• Battery test systems
• Electronic loads
• AC/DC power sources
• EMC test systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Kappelrodeck

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Power Test Equipment: Sale of AC/DC power sources, DC power supplies, electronic loads, battery test systems, oscilloscopes, safety testers, and related test equipment from partner manufacturers. One-time hardware purchases with potential for repeat orders as customer testing needs expand.
2. Custom System Integration: Design and build of turnkey AC/DC power test systems tailored to customer specifications. In-house production of custom power rack systems integrating multiple products into complete testing solutions.
3. Service and Calibration: Calibration services and technical support for test equipment to maintain measurement accuracy and compliance with standards.
4. Equipment Rental: Flexible rental of measurement technology equipment for customers with temporary or project-based testing needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Caltest Instruments GmbH is a German specialty distributor (founded 2013, Kissing) of power electronics, electrical measurement, and battery test equipment, holding exclusive distribution rights for AMETEK Programmable Power, Cinergia, Mersen, and other manufacturers across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The company supplies AC/DC programmable power sources, regenerative electronic loads, battery test systems, EMC test systems, oscilloscopes, power analyzers, and current clamps to industrial and research customers. In addition to distribution, Caltest designs and integrates its own IPR-Serie turnkey power rack systems and provides value-added services including custom system integration, calibration, repair, rental, and on-site testing.

Product overview

Caltest Instruments offers a comprehensive portfolio of power electronics and electrical measurement/testing solutions organized into two main categories: Sources & Loads (Quellen & Lasten) and Measurement & Testing Technology (Mess- und Prüftechnik). The Sources & Loads category includes AC/DC power sources and electronic loads, bidirectional DC power supplies, DC loads, battery test systems (cell, module, pack testers, and high-voltage systems), harmonics and flicker test systems, ripple generators, and turnkey integrated power rack systems (IPR series). The Measurement & Testing Technology category encompasses measurement data acquisition systems with data loggers and frontends, digital oscilloscopes (200-650 MHz bandwidth), electrical safety testers (hipots), and battery element testers. Products are sourced from partner manufacturers including Pacific Power Source, EA Elektro-Automatik (Tektronix), Zenone Elettronica, GW Instek, Gustav Klein, and others. The company also provides custom system integration services to build complete turnkey AC/DC power test systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Power Test Equipment (AC/DC Programmable Power Sources) Programmable AC and DC power sources, power supplies, and amplifiers for laboratory, R&D, and production test applications. Distributed exclusively by Caltest in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland from leading manufacturers such as AMETEK Programmable Power and Kniel. Targeted at industrial and research buyers developing and validating power electronics, converters, and electronic systems.
• Electronic Loads (DC and Regenerative) DC electronic loads and regenerative bidirectional power supplies for testing batteries, fuel cells, power supplies, and power electronic systems. Distributed in DACH from Cinergia and other partners. Used by R&D labs, production lines, and certification facilities in e-mobility, aerospace, and renewable energy.
• Battery Test Systems Battery cell and pack test systems for formation, cycle life, performance, and reliability testing of batteries. Distributed exclusively in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland from Mersen. Used by battery cell manufacturers, pack assemblers, automotive OEMs, and research laboratories developing batteries for e-mobility, aerospace, and stationary energy storage.
• EMC Test Systems Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) test systems including signal generators, power amplifiers, and related instrumentation for pre-compliance and full-compliance EMC testing. Sourced from partners such as Schurter and Comemso. Used by EMC test laboratories, certification bodies, and in-house compliance teams in automotive, aerospace, medical, and industrial sectors.
• Measurement Technology (Oscilloscopes, Power Analyzers, Current Clamps) Precision electrical measurement instruments including oscilloscopes, power analyzers, current clamps, and Rogowski coils from partners such as Dewetron, Sentech, PEM, and ASC. Used by R&D engineers, test lab technicians, and field service personnel in automotive, aerospace, energy, and industrial applications.
• IPR-Serie Integrated Power Rack Systems Caltest's own brand of integrated, rack-mounted turnkey power test systems, engineered and assembled in-house by combining partner-manufactured AC/DC sources, electronic loads, and measurement instruments into a single customized solution. Delivered as ready-to-use test benches to industrial and research customers who require a unified, pre-integrated system rather than assembling components themselves.
• Calibration Services Manufacturer-traceable calibration of power test and measurement equipment, performed by Caltest to maintain measurement accuracy and support customers' ISO 9001 quality systems. Serves industrial and laboratory customers requiring documented calibration for compliance and quality assurance.
• Equipment Rental Service Short- and medium-term rental of power test and measurement equipment from Caltest's portfolio. Used by customers with project-based demand, temporary capacity needs, or who want to evaluate equipment before purchase.
• Repair and On-Site Testing Services

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Pacific Power SourcecoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive distributor relationship for AC/DC power sources, regenerative sources, and integrated power rack systems. Pacific Power Source products are featured prominently in Caltest's IPR-Serie custom system integration solutions.
• Tektronix + EA Elektro-AutomatikcoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive distributor status for Tektronix and EA Elektro-Automatik products including bidirectional DC power supplies (EA-PSB series) and other power electronics testing equipment.
• Zenone ElettronicacoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive distributor relationship for Zenone Elettronica power electronics products.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• ITECH Electronic: Chinese manufacturer of programmable DC power supplies, AC sources, electronic loads, and battery test systems. Increasingly active in European automotive and battery test channels — partial overlap with Caltest's product portfolio and target customers.

Direct peers

• Regatron AG: Swiss manufacturer of programmable power supplies, electronic loads, and regenerative AC/DC sources. Closely comparable product portfolio to Caltest's core AC/DC source/load offerings, serving similar European test and industrial customers.
• NH Research: US-based designer and manufacturer of AC/DC power test instruments, electronic loads, and battery test systems serving automotive, aerospace, and industrial customers. Direct product overlap with Caltest's AC/DC sources, loads, and battery testing portfolio.
• Kikusui Electronics: Japanese manufacturer of AC/DC power supplies, electronic loads, and battery test systems. Directly comparable product range with global distribution, overlapping with Caltest's sources, loads, and battery testing solutions.
• GMC-I (Gossen Metrawatt): German manufacturer of electrical measurement and test instrumentation including power analyzers, electrical safety testers, and calibration services. Comparable in product scope (measurement, safety, calibration) and German industrial customer base.
• EA Elektro-Automatik (Tektronix): German manufacturer of DC power supplies, electronic loads, and battery test systems. Although Caltest is a distributor for EA's products, EA also sells direct and competes with Caltest's custom integration business in the same European power electronics test market.
• Heiden Power GmbH: German distributor and integrator of industrial power electronics test equipment serving automotive and e-mobility customers. Closely comparable business model — distribution plus custom integration — in the same German-speaking market.

Broad incumbents

• Chroma ATE: Large Taiwanese test and measurement instrumentation company offering AC/DC power sources, electronic loads, and battery test systems. A broad incumbent serving similar applications (EV, energy storage, power electronics) globally with a wider portfolio than Caltest.
• Tektronix: Major US-based test and measurement instrumentation company (parent of Keithley and now EA Elektro-Automatik) offering oscilloscopes, power analyzers, and increasingly AC/DC power test solutions. A partner of Caltest but also a structural competitive threat via direct sales.
• AMETEK Programmable Power: Division of AMETEK offering AC/DC power sources, loads, and test solutions including California Instruments and Elgar brands. Broad incumbent competing with Caltest across the full power electronics test portfolio globally.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Caltest Instruments