ICS Automation AG

What ICS Automation AG does

ICS Automation AG is a privately held Swiss system integrator founded in 1999 by Christian Fraefel and headquartered in Uzwil, Switzerland, with approximately 50 employees. The company delivers customized process and machine automation solutions for industrial customers, anchored by its proprietary ICS Process Control System (PCS) — a modular platform supporting lot/batch tracking, real-time production data management, and integration with SAP, Maximo, and major SCADA systems (Siemens WinCC, Aveva/Wonderware). Service capabilities span the full project lifecycle: process design and consulting, PLC programming on Siemens, Allen Bradley (Rockwell), and Schneider platforms, HMI/SCADA visualization, hardware engineering and UL-certified control cabinet construction, drive and motion control, gapless product traceability, in-house digital twin simulation, commissioning, and 24/7 support.

ICS generates revenue primarily through professional services on project-based engagements (automation projects, retrofits such as Siemens S5-to-S7 migrations, modernization), supplemented by hardware supply of control cabinets (via partner ESS with UL certification for worldwide delivery) and managed services through its MES-focused subsidiary ACS Solution AG (ISO 9001 certified, TQMi/GMP/GAMP qualified for pharmaceutical and chemical industries). The customer base is concentrated in European food manufacturing — including Lindt & Sprüngli (20+ year relationship), Molkerei Biedermann (20+ years), Jowa AG (30+ retrofits since 2011), Sabo, Stadtmühle Schenk, and Nestlé/Sofinol — with additional exposure to non-food process industries via long-running fiber cement projects with MFL Faserzement and international deliveries to the USA and Thailand. GTM is enterprise field sales, consultative and relationship-driven, with go-to-market supported by technology partnerships (Siemens Solution Partner, Rockwell, Aveva, Ignition) and a sister-company joint delivery model with ICS Mechanical AG (>30 jointly implemented projects).

Name

ICS Automation AG

Legal name

ICS Automation AG

Website

https://ics-automation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Process Automation Services

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAGABAK

Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Electrical Equipment & Industrial Electronics/Industrial Automation & Control Systems (PLCs, SCADA, DCS)

SECONDARYIMAHAHAJ

Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment/Industrial Automation & Robotics Equipment

SECONDARYIMAHAHAH

Industrial Controllers & Control Systems (PLCs, PACs, CNC Controllers)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment/Industrial Automation & Robotics Equipment

SECONDARYIMAGABAH

Process & Batch Control Software (Recipe Management, ISA-88)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Electrical Equipment & Industrial Electronics/Industrial Automation & Control Systems (PLCs, SCADA, DCS)

Keywords

• Process automation systems
• Machine automation services
• PLC programming services
• Industrial control systems
• Process control systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Uzwil

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Automation Project Services: Full-service automation projects from requirements analysis through design, implementation, PLC programming, hardware engineering, cabinet construction, commissioning, and ongoing support. Revenue generated through project-based professional services engagements.
2. Retrofit and Modernization: Control system replacement and modernization services including hardware upgrades, software migration (e.g., Siemens S5 to S7), and integration into existing systems.
3. Hardware Supply: Control cabinet construction and supply, including electrical schematics, cabinet panels, spare parts, and worldwide delivery with UL certification.
4. MES Solutions (via ACS Solution AG subsidiary): Manufacturing Execution System solutions including data management, fine planning, job and lot tracking, KPI management, and quality systems integration.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ICS Automation AG is a Swiss system integrator that delivers customized process and machine automation solutions for food and non-food industrial customers. The company provides end-to-end services from requirements analysis and consulting through electrical schematic design (Eplan P8), PLC programming (Siemens, Allen Bradley/Rockwell, Schneider), servo and motion control, HMI/SCADA visualization (WinCC, Wonderware InTouch), and proprietary ICS Process Control System deployment with full lot/batch traceability and ERP integration. It also builds and ships UL-certified control cabinets, delivers MES solutions through subsidiary ACS Solution AG, and provides commissioning, retrofit modernization, and 24/7 support.

Product overview

ICS Automation AG offers a proprietary ICS Process Control System (PCS) as its core unified automation platform, which integrates PLC software, Visualization & HMI, and PCS/MES functionalities into a cohesive solution. The system is complemented by specialized modules including Drive and Motion Technology, Dashboarding Solutions, Facility Control System, MES Services, and Gapless Traceability. Supporting services encompass Hardware Engineering (including Cabinet Construction and Spare Parts Management), Process Design & Consulting, Digital Twin/In-House Testing, Commissioning Services, and Retrofit Solutions. The company operates as a system integrator for process and machine automation serving the food and non-food industries with worldwide references.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ICS Process Control System (PCS)
• PLC Software Programming
• Visualization & HMI Solutions
• Drive and Motion Control Technology
• Hardware Engineering and Control Cabinet Construction
• MES Solutions
• Process Design & Consulting
• Digital Twin / In-House Simulation and Testing
• Commissioning Services
• 24/7 Service & Support
• Retrofit and Modernization Solutions

Quantifiable outcome

• Maximum 2 weeks plant downtime achieved during major control system replacements
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration30 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ACS Solution AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary company merged with ICS, providing individual MES solutions for smallest plants up to multi-site solutions. ISO 9001 certified with TQMi system according to GMP/GAMP for pharmaceutical and chemical industry projects. Team of 18 MES specialists, system architects, and project managers.
• SWISCA AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss process equipment partner delivering systems with Swiss quality characteristics for milling, bakery, and brewery industries. Focus on food safety and energy efficiency with highest quality standards. Long-term partnership with lived collaboration.
• ICS Mechanical AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company providing mechanics and control from a single source for conveying and packaging systems. Long-term cooperation with established standards and concepts. >30 jointly implemented projects in national and international markets.
• MFL Faserzement GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for fiber cement plant projects worldwide. Large-scale projects with >100m production lines, >4,000 sensors/actuators, handling difficult conditions. Demonstrates international project management capability and plant efficiency.
• SiemenscoreTechnology or IntegrationSolution Partner status with Siemens. Technology provider for PLC (S7-400, S7-1500 series), WinCC visualization, and process automation platforms. Regular training and certification of employees ensures up-to-date expertise.
• Rockwell AutomationcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for Allen Bradley platform including PLC, HMI, and motion control solutions. Partner for industrial automation solutions in food and non-food industries.
• Aveva (Wonderware)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartner for Wonderware InTouch visualization and system platform solutions. Provides SCADA and visualization expertise for process monitoring and control applications.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ANDRITZ Group: Austrian process equipment and automation integrator serving pulp/paper, metals processing, and industrial customers with turnkey plant automation. Comparable to ICS's non-food (fiber cement, cement processing, large-scale drives/sensor counts) automation practice and its project-based delivery model.
• GEA Group: German-based process technology and automation supplier for food, dairy, and beverage industries. Comparable to ICS because GEA delivers integrated process automation, PLC/SCADA controls, and MES-grade solutions for dairy and bakery customers with similar CIP, traceability, and batch-tracking requirements.
• Glatt Group: German specialist in process technology for pharmaceutical, food, and fine chemicals with integrated plant and automation offerings. Comparable because Glatt delivers GMP-grade process and automation systems with batch/recipe management similar to ICS's PCS plus ACS Solution AG's TQMi-certified MES stack.
• Schubert Group: German packaging automation supplier integrating robotics, PLC, and control systems for food and consumer goods manufacturers. Comparable to ICS because Schubert bundles mechanical packaging with proprietary automation/control software — a model analogous to ICS Mechanical + ICS Automation partnership.
• Marel: Iceland-headquartered provider of processing equipment, software, and services for food (meat, fish, dairy) processors. Comparable to ICS in offering integrated process automation, traceability, and production-management software to mid- and large-scale food manufacturers.
• Krones AG: German manufacturer and integrator of process, filling, and packaging automation for the food and beverage industry. Comparable to ICS because Krones sells integrated mechanical-plus-controls solutions with proprietary IT/MES layers to the same dairy, bakery, and confectionery customers that ICS's PCS serves.
• Bühler Group: Swiss-based global industrial engineering firm specializing in process automation and turnkey plants for food (grain milling, chocolate, bakery, feed) and advanced materials. Directly comparable because Bühler sells the same combination of process technology, control systems, and MES-style solutions to the same European food customers ICS serves (e.g., Lindt, Jowa).

Broad incumbents

• Rockwell Automation: Global automation incumbent whose Allen-Bradley PLC, HMI, and motion control platforms form a core delivery stack for ICS. Comparable as a broad incumbent; ICS acts as a regional integrator for Rockwell in DACH mid-market food and process automation.
• Siemens Digital Industries: Global automation incumbent offering the SIMATIC PLC, WinCC, and PCS 7/Aveva platforms that ICS configures for customers. Comparable as the dominant broad incumbent in the same automation market; ICS is simultaneously a customer (Solution Partner) and a niche competitor in mid-market food/process automation.
• ABB Industrial Automation: Global automation incumbent offering PLC/DCS, drives, and control systems used widely in cement, metals, and process industries — directly comparable to ICS's fiber cement / heavy-industrial practice, but at materially larger scale and geographic breadth.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 ICS Automation AG