KS ENGINEERS

What KS ENGINEERS does

KS Engineers is an Austrian privately held technology company headquartered in Graz, Austria, with operations in Graz and Friedrichshafen, Germany. Founded in 1972, the company designs and delivers precision testing systems, energy infrastructure solutions, and industrial automation products. It serves enterprise customers across multiple verticals, with automotive OEMs and suppliers as its primary segment, alongside heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers, marine propulsion, aviation, railway, energy, defense, and research institutions.

The company's technology portfolio spans hardware test benches (engine, electric motor, fuel cell stack, transmission, roller, system, hot gas, and component test stands), software platforms (the Tornado Software Suite with Test Bed automation and Order Management modules), power electronics (KS-BATTSIM DC source/sink, KS-AMPS modular power system, PowerHIL inverter testing, KS-ACDC Box power analysis, KS-R2R frequency converter), and energy systems (KS-H2GEN turnkey PEM electrolyzers, media supply, and conditioning infrastructure). Underlying competencies include model-based control, real-time systems, digital signal processing, measurement technology, inverter and power electronics, hydrogen and alternative energy systems, and software automation. The KS-R2R Road-to-Rig platform enables test system scaling from road to rig, including defense applications.

KS Engineers generates revenue through hardware sales of testing equipment and energy infrastructure, one-time software licenses (notably the Tornado Suite), and professional services including in-house testing at its Graz and Friedrichshafen facilities, maintenance, and model-based control engineering. The company uses a direct enterprise sales motion targeting complex engineering projects, with project-based quoting and no public pricing. It maintains a comprehensive certification stack covering ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 3834-2, ISO/IEC 17025, EN 1090-2, and VDA TISAX AL3 with prototype protection, which are functional gating credentials for automotive and defense customers.

Name

KS ENGINEERS

Legal name

KS Engineers

Website

https://ksengineers.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

KS Engineers is an Austrian technology company providing precision testing systems, energy infrastructure, and automation solutions for automotive, heavy-duty, marine, aviation, railway, energy, defense, and research customers from its Graz and Friedrichshafen facilities, with over 50 years of engineering experience.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Testing Systems and Automation

NAICS

Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513)

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

Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches) (IMAGAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vehicle Diagnostics & Fault Code Scanning Services (TLAKANAA), Commissioning, testing & energization services (HVT, relay testing, SAT) (EUADAKAE), Military Aerospace Ground Support Equipment (GSE) & Test Systems (IMABAMAL)

Keywords

• Precision testing systems
• Automotive test benches
• Powertrain testing equipment
• Industrial automation solutions
• Energy infrastructure systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Graz

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Testing Systems and Equipment Sales: Sale of precision testing systems including vehicle test rigs, engine test stands, power electronics testing equipment, battery testing systems, and fuel cell testing systems. Complete testing facilities including technical building systems (TGA) and media supply.
2. Software Products and Automation Solutions: Software products including Tornado Software Suite (Test Bed, Order Management), T-SIM, and automation solutions. Custom software development and integration services.
3. Testing Services: Testing services offered at their facilities in Graz and Friedrichshafen for complex problems around drive technology and energy systems. Includes in-house vehicle testing and application under real driving conditions.
4. Maintenance Services: Maintenance and service offerings characterized by customer proximity, fast response times and solution-oriented action. Flexible and reliable maintenance directly, personally and efficiently.
5. Building Solutions and Technical Building Systems: Building technology solutions combining comfort, efficiency and sustainability including HVAC, energy distribution, media supply and conditioning systems.
6. Energy Infrastructure Solutions: Energy and media distribution systems, energy storage solutions, charging systems and infrastructure, turnkey PEM electrolyzers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KS Engineers designs, manufactures, and integrates precision testing systems and automation solutions for industrial and research customers. The portfolio spans vehicle and drivetrain test benches (KS-R2R, roller, engine, electric motor, transmission, system, component, and fuel cell test stands), the Tornado Software Suite for test automation, power-electronics products (PowerHIL, KS-BATTSIM, KS-AMPS, KS-ACDC Box), turnkey PEM electrolysers (KS-H2GEN), building technology and media supply, and in-house testing services delivered from facilities in Graz and Friedrichshafen.

Product overview

KS Engineers offers a comprehensive portfolio of precision testing, energy, and automation solutions for industry and research globally. The core product line includes the KS-R2R vehicle and drivetrain test bench system (supporting Road-to-Rig technology for defence applications), various specialized test stands (engine, electric motor, fuel cell, roller, transmission, component, system, hot gas), and the Tornado Software Suite platform (comprising Tornado Test Bed for automation and measurement data processing, and Tornado Order Management for commissioning). Key technology modules include T-SIM for Matlab-Simulink real-time integration, KS-DPC pressure control valve, KS-OMM Operating Mode Manager, and KS-FSS functional safety. Power electronics products include KS-BATTSIM DC source/sink, PowerHIL inverter testing, KS-AMPS modular power system, KS-ACDC Box power analysis, and KS-R2R frequency converter. Energy solutions encompass KS-H2GEN turnkey PEM electrolysers, media supply and conditioning systems. The company also provides testing services, building technology, and model-based control engineering. The portfolio is unified through decades of expertise in measurement technology, control engineering, and scientific approaches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tornado Software Suite: Automation software suite for test tasks across test cells and locations
• T-SIM
• PowerHIL
• KS-BATTSIM
• KS-LEC OilTracer
• KS-DPC
• KS-OMM Operating Mode Manager
• KS-FSS
• KS-AMPS
• KS-R2R
• KS-H2GEN

Products and services

• KS-R2R Vehicle and Drivetrain Test Bench (Road-to-Rig) Road-to-rig vehicle and drivetrain test bench enabling seamless scaling of test systems from road testing to laboratory conditions for defence, automotive, and heavy-duty applications.
• Roller Test Stands (Rollenprüfstände) Roller test stands compatible with single-wheel, two-wheel, and all-wheel drive vehicles across a very large vehicle range, utilizing KS proprietary mechanics and control technology.
• Engine Test Stands (Motorenprüfstände) Test systems for internal combustion engines and alternative fuels covering all performance ranges, used by automotive and heavy-duty engine developers.
• Electric Motor Test Stands (Elektromotorenprüfstände) Electric motor test stands for hybrid drives and full electrification of drivetrains, enabling e-mobility development and validation.
• Transmission and Drivetrain Test Stands (Getriebe- und Antriebsstrangprüfstände) Test stands for manual, automatic, and dual-clutch transmissions, evaluated individually or as part of the complete drivetrain.
• System Test Stands (Systemprüfstände) Complete system testing stands including ECU integration, component simulation, and synchronous measurement data acquisition and processing up to 10 kHz.
• Component Test Stands (Komponentenprüfstände) Custom-engineered test stands for components such as brakes, plain bearings, valve clearances, sensors, injectors, oil pumps, and control units.
• Fuel Cell Test Stand (Brennstoffzellenprüfstand) Fuel cell test stand providing dynamic and precise control of pressure, temperature, and humidity through model-based control technology and intelligent system design.
• Fuel Cell Stack Test Stands (Brennstoffzellen-Stackprüfstände) Customized fuel cell short stack test stands for reproducible testing during fuel cell development.
• Hot Gas Test Stands (Heißgasprüfstände) Hot gas test stands delivering continuous temperature and flow control, ceramic-free combustion chamber operation, and high pressures with high measurement accuracy.
• PowerHIL Inverter Testing Hardware-in-the-loop inverter testing system bridging virtual simulation and real power performance for electric motor and power electronics development.
• KS-BATTSIM DC Source/Sink Powerful and flexible DC source/sink for dynamic supply and loading of DC power converters across universal test applications.
• KS-AMPS Advanced Modular Power System Flexible high-dynamic power converter system for realizing various applications, optimized for specific requirements across multiple use cases.
• KS-H2GEN Turnkey PEM Electrolyser Turnkey PEM electrolysers for hydrogen production, delivered as part of energy infrastructure solutions for the energy transition.
• KS-LEC OilTracer Online measurement device for live tracking of oil consumption in combustion engines using a novel tracer-based method, co-developed with the Large Engines Competence Center (LEC).
• KS-ACDC Box Power Analysis Comprehensive AC/DC power analysis device measuring and evaluating all branch quantities with highest accuracy for power electronics testing.
• Tornado Software Suite (Test Bed + Order Management) Automation software suite for testing tasks across test cells and locations, encompassing Tornado Test Bed (configurable automation and measurement data acquisition) and Tornado Order Management (commissioning system from individual test rigs to global test facilities).
• T-SIM Matlab-Simulink Real-Time Integration Software product embedding Matlab-Simulink models in real-time control systems for simulation-based testing and development.
• In-House Testing Services (Graz and Friedrichshafen) Testing services delivered at KS Engineers' facilities in Graz and Friedrichshafen, addressing complex problems around drive technology and energy systems, including in-house vehicle testing under real driving conditions.
• Building Technology Solutions (Gebäudetechnik) Building technology solutions combining comfort, efficiency, and sustainability for modern and future-proof indoor climate in industrial and test facilities.
• Media Supply Infrastructure Infrastructure solutions for media supply across all power classes, supporting complete test facilities and production environments.
• Media Conditioning Systems Conditioning systems delivering safe, realistic, and reproducible conditions for testing tasks across automotive and industrial applications.
• Model-Based Control Engineering and Simulation Services Engineering services developing real-time-capable simulation models and robust control concepts for demanding applications in the automotive and semiconductor industries.
• Maintenance Services Maintenance and support services characterized by customer proximity, fast response times, and solution-oriented action for installed test and automation systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• End-to-end project execution capability from single test rigs to complete test facilities including building technology and media supply
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature13 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Large Engines Competence Center (LEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration with LEC for joint development projects. This partnership led to the development of the KS-LEC OilTracer, a novel measurement device for live tracking of oil consumption in combustion engines. The collaboration combines LEC's research expertise with KS Engineers' practical engineering capabilities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ETAS (Bosch subsidiary): Bosch-owned provider of automotive test and measurement solutions, including HIL tools and ECU validation. Comparable as a broader automotive test-stack incumbent with overlapping powertrain and e-mobility validation capabilities.
• National Instruments (NI, now Emerson): Broad-based provider of data acquisition, automated test, and measurement hardware/software used widely in automotive and aerospace test cells. Comparable as a platform-level measurement incumbent that competes on test-software and DAQ layers.
• ABB: Global electrification and motion company supplying drives, power electronics, and industrial automation used in test rigs and energy infrastructure. Comparable to KS Engineers' KS-AMPS, KS-R2R Frequenzumrichter, and KS-H2GEN electrolyzer offerings.
• Siemens Industry (test systems): Industrial automation and digital-twin giant offering automotive test solutions, manufacturing digitalization, and building/HVAC technology. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlap on automated test systems and the building-technology side of KS Engineers' portfolio.

Direct peers

• Kistler Group: Swiss measurement technology specialist providing sensors, calibration, and dynamic measurement systems for engines, vehicles, and industrial applications. Comparable in precision measurement and combustion/drivetrain test instrumentation.
• AVL List GmbH: Austria-headquartered developer of powertrain, vehicle, and energy test systems, with a similar portfolio of engine, e-motor, and battery test rigs. Highly comparable as a direct competitor serving the same European automotive OEMs and suppliers with overlapping test-cell offerings.
• Vector Informatik: Developer of software tools and test systems for automotive embedded systems, ECU development, and vehicle networking. Comparable as a Tier-1 European automotive testing specialist and a likely complement or competitor in ECU/test integration work.
• HORIBA: Global supplier of test and measurement systems for engine, drivetrain, and emissions applications. Comparable in automotive and heavy-duty powertrain test cells, and a direct competitor on ICE and emissions test rigs across European OEMs.
• dSPACE GmbH: Specialist in hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation and validation for automotive and aerospace embedded systems. Comparable to KS Engineers' PowerHIL inverter testing and T-SIM real-time model integration for e-mobility and ADAS development.
• FEV Group: Independent engineering services provider for powertrain and vehicle development, with its own test equipment and test-cell offerings. Comparable customer base across automotive OEMs and suppliers, with similar powertrain, e-drive, and battery testing capabilities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ksengineers.at/?locale=de_DE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/36273923/admin/dashboard

Compliance7 records

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 KS ENGINEERS