Walter Roller

What Walter Roller does

Walter Roller GmbH & Co. is a privately held German manufacturer of heat exchangers, air coolers, and climate units for commercial and industrial refrigeration, founded in 1946 and headquartered in Gerlingen. The company produces both custom-engineered and series-produced units across a portfolio that includes cubic and flat ceiling air coolers (HVS/T MultiRef, FHV/FHVT, DLK/DLKT, DHN), climate chests, heat pump evaporators, condensers, display case coolers, and counter evaporators. Its underlying technology stack is built around three proprietary refrigerant platforms: MultiRef, which supports A1, A2L, and A3 refrigerants in a single unit to align with the EU F-Gas phase-down; CO2OLer, rated for transcritical and subcritical CO2 systems up to 80 bar; and H2OCooler, an indirect water/brine system that removes refrigerant from the cooled space. Performance is validated in an in-house double-chamber test cell (3-15 kW, -31C to 0C), and the company complements its hardware with the Roller EasySelect web-based thermodynamic sizing tool and a factory-preconfigured EVD-ice electronic expansion valve with superheat control. A 1:1 replica service allows Roller to manufacture exact-dimension aftermarket replacements for competitors' heat exchangers.

The business model is direct B2B hardware sales: regional sales representatives (Vertrieb Nord and Vertrieb Süd), the company website contact channel, and the EasySelect self-service configuration tool drive inquiries, while a logistics center holding up to 2,000 units supports 2-3 day delivery within Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and 3-5 day delivery across the EU. Pricing is project-based unit pricing disclosed only after login or via direct quote, consistent with custom-engineered industrial equipment. Customers are refrigeration contractors, system integrators, and end users across food retail (Migros Switzerland), food processing, cold-chain logistics, commercial kitchens, beverage production, building HVAC, and process cooling. Headcount sits in the 51-100 band and ownership appears family-held, with managing directors Joachim Reule and Wolfgang Krenn; no private equity, venture, or public-market ownership signals are present in the disclosed data.

Name

Walter Roller

Legal name

Walter Roller GmbH & Co.

Website

https://walterroller.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Walter Roller GmbH & Co. is a German manufacturer, founded 1946 in Gerlingen, of custom and series-produced heat exchangers, air coolers, and climate units for commercial and industrial refrigeration contractors, system integrators, and end users in food retail, food processing, logistics, and HVAC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Refrigeration Equipment

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAHAKAC

Heat Exchangers & Thermal Transfer Equipment

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment/Refrigeration, HVAC & Thermal Equipment

SECONDARYIMAHAKAE

Chillers & Cooling Plant Equipment

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment/Refrigeration, HVAC & Thermal Equipment

Keywords

• Commercial refrigeration equipment
• Industrial heat exchangers
• Air cooler manufacturing
• Refrigeration components
• Heat transfer technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Gerlingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Heat Exchangers and Air Coolers (B2B Manufacturing): Custom-designed and series-produced heat exchangers, air coolers, and climate equipment sold directly to refrigeration contractors, system integrators, and commercial end users. Revenue generated through one-time equipment sales with potential for replacement parts and accessories. Company manufactures in Germany with stock program enabling rapid delivery of standard units.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Walter Roller manufactures and sells heat exchangers, air coolers (evaporators), condensers and dry coolers, climate chests, heat pump evaporators, and refrigerated display case coolers for commercial and industrial refrigeration applications. Products are custom-designed or series-produced in Gerlingen, Germany, with compatibility across multiple refrigerants including CO2 (R744) up to 80 bar, A1, A2L/A3, HFC, and water/brine systems. The offering also includes the Roller EasySelect web-based sizing software and a 1:1 replica replacement service for any competitor's heat exchangers.

Product overview

Walter Roller is a manufacturer of heat exchangers, air coolers, and climate units offering a comprehensive product portfolio for commercial and industrial refrigeration. The core products include several air cooler series: HVS/T MultiRef (for A1/A2L/A3 refrigerants), FHV/FHVT (compact flat design), DLK/DLKT (flat ceiling coolers), and DHN (dual-sided ceiling coolers). Supporting products include HKN climate chests, WPV heat pump evaporators, KVN condensers, LE/LK heat exchangers, VW/VM/VD display case coolers, and UT/FK/GS/V countertop evaporators. The company provides the Roller EasySelect web-based sizing software for thermodynamic calculation across the product range. Accessories include the EVD-ice electronic expansion valve with integrated superheat control, and a comprehensive spare parts catalog. Additional services include 1:1 replica heat exchanger manufacturing for any brand. All products are manufactured in Gerlingen, Germany with a focus on quality standards, defrost efficiency (up to 75% energy savings), and corrosion protection options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MultiRef: Product line for air coolers compatible with A1, A2L, and A3 flammable refrigerants. Replaces the Euro-Line S and Euro-Line Plus series.
• H2OCooler
• Roller EasySelect
• CO2OLer
• Roller 1:1 Nachbau

Products and services

• HVS/T MultiRef Air Coolers Cubic high-performance air coolers for commercial and industrial refrigeration, available in a MultiRef version supporting A1, A2L, and A3 refrigerants, with EC fan technology and optimized defrost system for flammable refrigerants, flush tube geometry, and 4–12mm fin spacing.
• FHV/FHVT Compact Flat Air Coolers High-efficiency compact air coolers in flat design for commercial refrigeration and deep-freezing applications, suitable for packaged goods, supermarkets, and CO2 applications, with modular design supporting 1–6 fans.
• DLK/DLKT Flat Ceiling Air Coolers Flat ceiling air coolers for demanding applications featuring robust construction, uniform air distribution, corrosion resistance, and EC fans for energy-efficient operation; available in flatline and Next design variants.
• DHN Dual-Sided Ceiling Air Cooler Flat, dual-sided blowing ceiling air cooler for refrigeration rooms above freezing point, providing draft-free operation, EC fans with energy efficiency up to A+ rating, and easy accessibility for cleaning and maintenance.
• HKN Climate Chests (Klimageräte) Climate chests designed for indoor climate control in building technology, suitable for public and private areas, small commercial and large industrial applications, available as housed or built-in units with heating and cooling operation.
• WPV Heat Pump Evaporators Heat pump evaporators designed for outdoor installation in heat pump systems for heating and cooling applications in commercial and industrial settings.
• KVN Condensers and Dry Coolers Condensers and dry coolers for commercial applications that release heat to ambient air in refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
• LE/LK Heat Exchangers Heat exchangers available in standard and customer-specific configurations for industrial and commercial refrigeration applications.
• VW/VM/VD Refrigerated Display Case Air Coolers Air coolers designed for refrigerated display cases in gastronomy and commercial applications, providing cooling for open refrigerated showcases and counters.
• UT/FK/GS/V Countertop Evaporators Countertop evaporators with precise shapes and sizes for every refrigerated display case application, customizable configurations for retail display cases and commercial refrigeration.
• 1:1 Replica Heat Exchangers (Replacement Service) Custom replica manufacturing service for heat exchangers of any brand, including defect analysis, corrosion-resistant rebuilds, and exact dimensional matching for 1:1 replacement without pipework modifications, manufactured in Gerlingen, Germany.
• Roller EasySelect Selection Software Web-based selection software for thermodynamic calculation and sizing of air coolers, climate units, and heat exchangers, supporting HFCKW, CO2, A2L/A3, and brine air coolers with multi-language support and offline capability.
• EVD-ice Electronic Expansion Valve with Superheat Control Factory-preconfigured electronic expansion valve with superheat controller, pre-parametrized for 40 refrigerants including CO2; features Carel E2V valve, EVD-ice controller, pressure sensor, and optional Ultracap module, enabling rapid commissioning with only three parameters to set on-site.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% reduction in defrost energy costs through optimized defrost system
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kelvion: German heritage (formerly GEA Heat Exchangers) manufacturer of plate heat exchangers, air coolers, and refrigeration components. Direct competitor in industrial and commercial heat exchangers with broader portfolio and global footprint than Walter Roller.
• LU-VE Group: Italian-headquartered manufacturer of heat exchangers, air coolers, and refrigeration components for commercial and industrial refrigeration. Direct peer across refrigerated display, cold room, and CO2 applications served by Walter Roller.
• ECO (Industrie ECO S.r.l.): Italian manufacturer specializing in fin-and-tube heat exchangers and air coolers for refrigeration and air conditioning. Comparable niche manufacturer to Walter Roller in CO2 and HFC air coolers for commercial refrigeration.
• Güntner Group: German-headquartered global manufacturer of heat exchangers, air coolers, condensers, and dry coolers for commercial and industrial refrigeration. Direct overlap with Walter Roller across air coolers, CO2 heat exchangers, and refrigeration evaporators serving food retail and cold storage.

Broad incumbents

• Daikin Refrigeration: Global HVAC and refrigeration leader with CO2 (R744) condensing unit and heat exchanger product lines. Comparable to Walter Roller on refrigerant innovation (CO2, low-GWP) and commercial refrigeration applications.
• Alfa Laval: Global Swedish incumbent in heat transfer, separation, and fluid handling. Overlaps with Walter Roller in plate and brazed heat exchangers and HVAC/refrigeration components, but operates across a far broader industrial portfolio.
• Carrier Refrigeration: Global HVAC and refrigeration OEM offering heat exchangers, condensers, and evaporators as part of integrated refrigeration systems. Broad incumbent that overlaps with Walter Roller's component offerings through system-level solutions.
• Modine Manufacturing: US-headquartered thermal management specialist serving HVAC, refrigeration, and industrial markets. Overlaps with Walter Roller in commercial refrigeration heat exchangers and CO2 applications, but with significantly larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• Heatcraft Refrigeration Products (Lennox): North American manufacturer of commercial refrigeration heat exchangers, unit coolers, and condensers under Lennox International. Overlaps with Walter Roller in commercial refrigeration unit coolers, but at much larger scale and regional focus.

Regional players

• Kirby HVAC&R: Australian manufacturer of heat exchangers and air coolers for commercial refrigeration. Compares to Walter Roller in product scope (air coolers, condensers, heat exchangers) but serves a different geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC81br67H0HYJ4vpAWoYr2yA
• Facebookfacebook.com/RollerWalter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/walter-roller-gmbh-&-co./?viewAsMember=true

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 Walter Roller