ROTEC GFA Automation

What ROTEC GFA Automation does

ROTEC-GFA Automation GmbH is a privately-held German engineering bureau (Ingenieurbüro) headquartered in Bad Schwalbach, Germany, specializing in industrial automation for mechanical engineering, process and plant technology, and the automotive sector. The firm was formed in 2009 through the merger of ROTEC Automation (a process-industry engineering bureau founded in 1994 by Lars Rothhaar) and GF Automation (an automotive/special-machinery firm founded in 1999 by Guido Fleissner), both of whom serve as co-managing directors. The company delivers end-to-end automation services — project planning, engineering, software development, control cabinet construction (Schaltschrankbau), on-site commissioning (Inbetriebnahme), and technical documentation — under the "Alles aus einer Hand" (everything from a single source) model. The firm is small (1–10 employees) and founder-led, with no external investors and no publicly disclosed revenue.

The technical stack is built on Siemens industrial automation: S5 and S7 PLC families (including F/H fail-safe systems), distributed periphery via SINEC-L1/L2 PROFIBUS, AS-i, and Ethernet networks, with visualization through WinCC, ProTool, and HMI panels. A distinct service line covers Safety Technology, including factory safety (IEC 62061), process safety (IEC 61511), and fail-safe control systems compliant with IEC 61508 up to SIL 3, with redundant architectures (1oo1, 1oo2, 2oo3) and PROFIsafe communication. Integration capabilities extend to Bosch CL400/CL500, AEG, GE Fanuc 90-30, Indramat drives, WinCC, and third-party instrumentation (Endress+Hauser, Vega, Jumo, etc.), supporting complex multi-vendor automation environments.

The business model is professional services on a project basis, with revenue generated through direct enterprise engagement (no channel partners) and project-by-project quoting. The customer base spans blue-chip OEMs across Automotive (BMW, Daimler Chrysler, VW, VOLVO, OPEL, FIAT, GM, Saab), Process Industry (Krupp Polysius, CEMEX, Kali&Salz, Humboldt Wedag, Saldhana Steel), Water/Wastewater (Technische Werke Kaiserslautern, RWE, Karmann), Special Machinery (Behr, Fichtel&Sachs, Raab Karcher, Kurz, Fritz Werner), and Building Automation (University of Mainz). Projects have been delivered across Germany, Austria, Sweden, Hungary, Poland, Italy, France, the UK, South Africa, and China. No AI/ML capabilities, no public APIs, no patents, no awards, and no funded scale-up are present in the record.

Name

ROTEC GFA Automation

Legal name

ROTEC-GFA Automation GmbH

Website

https://rotec-gfa.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ROTEC-GFA Automation GmbH is a privately-held German engineering bureau (1–10 employees) delivering end-to-end industrial automation, including PLC programming, commissioning, control cabinet construction, and SIL 3 safety technology, to automotive, process, and water-industry clients across Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Engineering Services

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (811210), Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance (811310)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Safety Instrumented Systems & Machine Safety Control (SIS, Safety PLCs, Relays) (IMAGABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian) (IMAHAHAJ), Instrumentation, Controls & Automation (DCS/PLC/SCADA, SIS, Metering) (EUAEAFAC)

Keywords

• Industrial automation services
• PLC programming
• Process safety engineering
• Control systems integration
• Factory automation commissioning

Headquarters

HQ city

Bad Schwalbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Automation Engineering Services: Project-based engineering services including project planning, engineering, software development, and commissioning for industrial automation systems. Services cover the complete project lifecycle from initial consultation through to operational support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

ROTEC-GFA Automation is an engineering bureau (Ingenieurbüro) delivering end-to-end industrial automation services: project planning, engineering, PLC software development, control cabinet construction, on-site commissioning, and technical documentation for mechanical engineering, process and plant technology, and the automotive sector. A dedicated safety technology practice covers factory safety (IEC 62061), process safety (IEC 61511), and fail-safe control systems up to SIL 3 per IEC 61508, based on Siemens Safety Integrated platforms.

Product overview

ROTEC-GFA Automation GmbH is an engineering services firm offering end-to-end industrial automation solutions. Rather than a packaged software product, its portfolio is organized around service disciplines: project design and engineering (Automatisierungslösungen), instrumentation and control (EMSR Technik), control cabinet construction (Schaltschrankbau), on-site commissioning (Inbetriebnahme), and technical documentation. A distinct service line covers safety technology, encompassing factory safety (IEC 62061), process safety (IEC 61511), and fail-safe control systems (Safety Integrated/SIL 3). These services are offered as an integrated package — "Alles aus einer Hand" (everything from a single source) — serving mechanical engineering, process and plant technology, and automotive customers nationally and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industrial Automation Solutions (Automatisierungslösungen) Project design, engineering, software development, and commissioning of industrial automation systems for mechanical engineering, process and plant technology, and the automotive sector. Core engineering bureau service offered to industrial clients.
• EMSR Technik (Measurement, Control, and Regulation Engineering) Measurement, control, and regulation (EMSR) engineering covering instrumentation, sensor integration, and process control loops for industrial automation applications.
• Schaltschrankbau (Control Cabinet Construction) Design and construction of electrical control cabinets and switchgear assemblies for industrial automation and process control systems.
• Inbetriebnahme (On-Site Commissioning) On-site commissioning and startup of automation systems, including testing, optimization, and handover to production, with focus on short downtimes and rapid production restart.
• Dokumentation (Technical Documentation) Complete technical documentation for automation projects, including as-built drawings, functional descriptions, wiring diagrams, and validation records.
• Safety Technology (Sicherheitstechnik) Comprehensive safety technology services spanning factory safety, process safety, and fail-safe control systems, covering risk analysis, safety concept design, implementation, testing, validation, and full lifecycle support for manufacturing and process industry clients.
• Fail-Safe Control Systems (Fehlersichere Steuerungen) Fail-safe PLC systems (Safety PLC) for factory and process automation, based on Siemens Safety Integrated platform, supporting standard and safety programs on a single CPU with self-testing, diagnostics, and redundancy configurations up to SIL 3 per IEC 61508.
• Factory Safety Services Factory safety consulting and implementation aligned with IEC 61508 and IEC 62061, including risk assessment, machinery directive compliance, CE marking, and documentation for manufacturing machinery.
• Process Safety Services Process safety engineering and lifecycle management in accordance with IEC 61508 and IEC 61511, including hazard and risk analysis, safety instrumented system design, and documentation across all lifecycle phases.

Named customers26 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GF AutomationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerROTEC-GFA Automation GmbH was formed through a cooperation between GF Automation and ROTEC Automation. GF Automation had over 10 years of experience as an automation provider in the automotive industry, special machinery, and wastewater technology sectors, with core competencies in software construction and commissioning.
• ROTEC AutomationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerROTEC Automation had 10 years of experience as an engineering bureau for automation and EMSR tasks, primarily serving the process and plant industry. Key activities included engineering, risk analysis and assessment, and implementation in comprehensive safety technology projects. ROTEC Automation founder Lars Rothhaar established the company in 1994 after completing his electrical engineering studies.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Heitec AG: German automation and systems engineering firm offering PLC programming, control cabinet construction, and commissioning — overlapping service portfolio with ROTEC-GFA in EMSR and automation engineering.
• Pilz GmbH & Co. KG: German safety automation specialist providing IEC 61508/62061 compliant safety controllers, consulting, and lifecycle services — directly comparable in functional safety and SIL-rated control system expertise.
• Teamtechnik Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH: German automation specialist focused on assembly and testing systems for automotive and process industries; comparable in vertical focus and turnkey engineering service delivery.
• HAHN Automation Group: German-based automation integrator delivering turnkey assembly, testing, and production-line automation for automotive and industrial customers — directly comparable in engineering-bureau model and automotive/process customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Dürr AG: Global German-headquartered engineering firm serving automotive and process industries with painting, environmental, and balancing/assembly systems — overlapping automotive customer base and factory automation capability.
• Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG: German industrial automation, connection, and functional safety supplier active in the same process and factory automation integrator ecosystem as ROTEC-GFA.
• ATS Automation Tooling Systems: Large North American-listed automation integrator delivering custom manufacturing automation across automotive, process, and life sciences — same engineering-bureau business model but at materially greater scale.
• Beckhoff Automation GmbH: German PC-based control and automation platform vendor competing for the same Siemens S7 retrofit and brownfield modernization projects ROTEC-GFA targets.
• Siemens AG (Digital Industries): Provider of the S5/S7 PLC platforms, Safety Integrated, WinCC, and SINAMICS drives that form the core of ROTEC-GFA's delivery stack — adjacent incumbent whose partner ecosystem defines ROTEC-GFA's go-to-market.

Emerging players

• SIGMATEK GmbH & Co KG: Austrian/German automation vendor and integrator offering PLCs, safety controllers, and turnkey machine automation — comparable in safety-integrated control offering and mid-market European footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 ROTEC GFA Automation