Optical Control Systems
Optical Control Systems GmbH (OCS), founded in 1990 in Witten, Germany, develops custom-configured optical inspection and measurement equipment — including the flagship OLPA® Online Polymer Analyser and FSP600 Web Inspection System — for enterprise customers in the polymer, petrochemical, oil, gas, and packaging industries worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersWitten, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Optical Control Systems does
Optical Control Systems GmbH (OCS), founded in 1990 and headquartered in Witten, Germany, develops and manufactures optical inspection and measurement equipment for the polymer, petrochemical, oil, and gas industries. The company's product portfolio spans raw material inspection (Pellet Scanners PS25C/PS200C/PS800C, XP7 X-Ray Pellet Scanner), online process analysis (the flagship OLPA® Online Polymer Analyser with an automated Pellet Transport System), web inspection (FSP600 with Multi Channel Evaluation technology enabling up to 6 simultaneous channels from a single camera), film and surface analysis (FSA100V2/FSA200V2, SQA100, TQA100), and turnkey laboratory solutions (cast, blown, and tape film lines including TCA® and SSA®). Underlying the hardware is OCS Software 4.0, which correlates material, raw material, and process parameters with quality ratings to enable long-term statistical process control and automated quality decisions, and which integrates with customer PDA/BDE systems and third-party AI platforms (e.g., Windmöller & Hölscher's Ruby AI).
OCS earns revenue through four streams: (1) hardware sales of custom-configured inspection and analysis systems, (2) turnkey laboratory design and implementation projects (e.g., Shell), (3) recurring service, support, and spare-parts contracts with dedicated hotlines, and (4) software and integration revenue. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with a dedicated Head of Sales for Raw Materials Inspection, an in-house Customer Centre for factory acceptance tests, and global shipping of bespoke systems under multi-year contracts. The customer base consists of enterprise polymer producers, petrochemical players, license holders, cable and packaging manufacturers (named customers include Shell, Borealis, Baystar / Bayport Polymers, Mondi Gronau, SEPARATION AG / GREIWING, TDE), plus universities and research institutes. The company holds DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 certification and multiple registered trademarks (OLPA®, TCA®, SSA®, APLAIRS®), and is currently constructing a new 5,800 sqm headquarters at the Mark 51°7 innovation quarter in Bochum, with move-in planned for end of 2026.
Optical Control Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Optical Control Systems
- Legal name
- OCS Optical Control Systems GmbH
- Website
- https://ocsgmbh.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Optical Control Systems GmbH (OCS), founded in 1990 in Witten, Germany, develops custom-configured optical inspection and measurement equipment — including the flagship OLPA® Online Polymer Analyser and FSP600 Web Inspection System — for enterprise customers in the polymer, petrochemical, oil, gas, and packaging industries worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Optical Control Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Polymer Quality Control & Inspection Equipment
- NAICS
- Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)
- SIC
- Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial Vision & Quality Inspection (HDAAAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Machine Vision & Optical Sensing (Cameras, 3D vision, LiDAR, illumination) (IMAGAFAB), Inspection, Checkweighing & Detection Systems (Vision, Metal, X-ray) (IMALAOAH)
Keywords
Where Optical Control Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Witten
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Optical Control Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Systems and Devices: Sale of inspection and analysis equipment including pellet scanners, web inspection systems, film analysers, spectrometers, and complete measurement systems. Custom-configured to customer specifications.
- Turnkey Laboratory Solutions: Complete laboratory design, planning, and implementation services for quality control and polymer testing facilities
- Service and Support: Technical support, maintenance services, spare parts, and customer service hotline (+49 2302 95622-222)
- Software and Integration: Analysis software, system integration, and connectivity solutions for production and process control systems
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom industrial inspection and analysis systems |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
Optical Control Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Optical Control Systems manufactures and supplies optical, spectroscopic, and X-ray-based measurement and inspection systems for polymer, petrochemical, oil and gas, and plastics processing industries. Its portfolio spans incoming raw-material inspection (pellet scanners), inline process measurement (OLPA), web inspection (FSP600), film surface analysis (FSA, MFA), and complete turnkey laboratory film lines (cast film, blown film, tape lines), all integrated with OCS Software 4.0 for real-time quality control and process optimization.
Product overview
OCS Optical Control Systems offers a comprehensive portfolio of quality control and quality assurance solutions for the polymer and petrochemical industries. The product architecture consists of three main pillars: (1) Turnkey Laboratory Film Lines for cast and blown film production testing including TCA® and SSA® tape lines; (2) The Modular Film Analyser (MFA) system combining multiple measurement modules including FTM (thickness), OGM (gloss), OHM (haze/transmission), VRM (resistance), APLAIRS® (spectroscopy), and camera-based surface analysis (FSA, SQA, TQA); and (3) The OLPA® Online Polymer Analyser as the flagship automated system featuring integrated Pellet Transport System (PTS) for continuous real-time quality monitoring. Pellet and powder analysis is covered through the XP7 X-Ray Scanner and PS series (PS25C, PS200C, PS800C) Pellet Scanners, while the FSP600 Web Inspection System provides wide web surface inspection with MCE technology. Physical property testing includes LA20, OP5, MPA100, FNCT, BCT100, and rheological testers. The portfolio is complemented by turnkey laboratory solutions, comprehensive service & support, and OCS Software 4.0 for data integration and statistical process control.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- OLPA®: Online Polymer Analyser - a registered trademark for real-time polymer analysis in production processes
- FSP600
- TCA®
- SSA®
- APLAIRS®
Products and services
- OLPA (Online Polymer Analyser) Inline spectroscopic online polymer analyser that continuously measures polymer properties on the production line for raw-material manufacturers, petrochemical operators, and plastics processors.
- FSP600 Web Inspection System Web inspection system for cast film, blown film, and tape extrusion lines that detects, classifies, and visualizes defects in real time using OCS's MCE technology.
- Modular Film Analyser (MFA) Modular laboratory film analyser for research institutes and processors, combining multiple OCS measurement modules in a configurable system for film property analysis.
- XP7 X-Ray Pellet Scanner X-ray fluorescence pellet scanner that automatically analyzes elemental composition of polymer pellets for raw-material manufacturers, compounders, and research institutes.
- PS Series Pellet Scanners (PS25C, PS200C, PS800C) Family of optical pellet scanners for color, contamination, and visual defect inspection of polymer pellets across different throughput requirements.
- Film Surface Analyser (FSA100V2 / FSA200V2) Film surface analyser using line cameras and lighting modules to detect and classify surface defects on film and sheet products for processors and converters.
- OCS Software 4.0 OCS's integrated software platform that visualizes, analyses, and controls OCS measurement systems, providing real-time process and quality data to operators and quality teams.
- Turnkey Laboratory Film Lines (Cast Film, Blown Film, Tape Line TCA, Tape Line SSA) Turnkey laboratory film extrusion lines (cast film, blown film, tape lines TCA and SSA) delivered as complete, factory-acceptance-tested systems for processors and research institutes.
- Turnkey Laboratory Solutions (Service) Service offering that delivers complete, customized laboratory environments — including planning, equipment integration, and acceptance testing — for customers needing ready-to-operate polymer testing labs.
- Service & Support After-sales service and support offering covering maintenance, hotline support, spare parts, and remote diagnostics for installed OCS measurement systems.
Quantifiable outcome
- Significant scrap reduction through real-time quality control and automated film roll locking
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Optical Control Systems
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Optical Control Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability4 records
Feature6 records
Optical Control Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Otto Quast GmbHcoreConstruction partner for the new OCS headquarters at Mark 51°7 site in Bochum. Involved in groundbreaking ceremony and construction execution.
- Runkel Bau GmbHcoreConstruction partner for the new OCS headquarters project, contributing to building execution.
- msp architekten GmbHcoreArchitecture firm responsible for designing the new headquarters building, featuring sustainable and modern architecture.
- Bochum Perspektive GmbHminorProject partner involved in the Mark 51°7 development representing local economic development interests.
- Global Gel Meeting Industry PartnersminorCompanies participating in OCS-hosted GGM 2024: Trioworld, Klöckner Pentaplast, Borealis, Coperion, Erema, OQ, IKV (Institute for Plastics Processing), Ecoplast, Windmöller & Hölscher, DOW. Joint knowledge sharing and networking events.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Optical Control Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sikora AG: Hamburg-based manufacturer of online measurement, inspection, and control systems for the wire and cable, plastics, and pipe industries. Closest direct competitor to OCS in polymer and cable production line quality control.
- Steinert Elektromagnetbau: German-headquartered provider of sensor-based sorting solutions for recycling and raw material processing. Overlaps with OCS's pellet and recyclate inspection systems (PS series) serving the same customer base in polymer recycling.
- NDC Technologies (NDC / Beta LaserMike): US-headquartered provider of online gauging, measurement, and process control solutions for plastics, film, and converting applications. Directly competes with OCS's FSP600 and film inspection portfolio in polymer converting lines.
Broad incumbents
- Cognex Corporation: US-listed leader in machine vision and industrial barcode reading used broadly in factory automation including plastics and film inspection. Larger incumbent offering vision platforms that can be configured for polymer QC applications similar to OCS's FSA and FSP600 systems.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global life sciences and laboratory instrumentation leader offering analytical and material characterization instruments used in polymer testing labs. Comparable to OCS in laboratory analytical instruments for petrochemical end markets, though at much larger scale.
- ISRA VISION (Atlas Copco): German machine vision specialist (acquired by Atlas Copco) offering surface inspection and quality inspection systems for film, glass, and metal industries. Direct application overlap with OCS's web inspection and film surface analysis portfolio.
- Bruker Corporation: US-listed manufacturer of scientific instruments including spectrometers and analytical tools used in polymer and materials characterization. Comparable as a broader analytical instrumentation incumbent serving similar end markets, though not a direct competitor to OCS's inline inspection systems.
- Hitachi High-Tech: Japan-based provider of industrial and analytical instruments including electron microscopes, spectrometers, and inspection systems. Comparable to OCS as a broad inspection and analytical instrumentation player serving materials and manufacturing markets.
Market position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Optical Control Systems social profiles
Digital presenceOptical Control Systems compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Optical Control Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Optical Control Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Optical Control Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Optical Control Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Optical Control Systems
What does Optical Control Systems do?
Optical Control Systems manufactures and supplies optical, spectroscopic, and X-ray-based measurement and inspection systems for polymer, petrochemical, oil and gas, and plastics processing industries. Its portfolio spans incoming raw-material inspection (pellet scanners), inline process measurement (OLPA), web inspection (FSP600), film surface analysis (FSA, MFA), and complete turnkey laboratory film lines (cast film, blown film, tape lines), all integrated with OCS Software 4.0 for real-time quality control and process optimization.
Is Optical Control Systems a public or private company?
Optical Control Systems is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Optical Control Systems founded?
Optical Control Systems was founded in 1990. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Optical Control Systems based?
Optical Control Systems is headquartered in Witten, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Optical Control Systems make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hardware Systems and Devices are the primary driver. The others are turnkey Laboratory Solutions, service and Support and software and Integration.
Who are Optical Control Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sikora AG, Steinert Elektromagnetbau and NDC Technologies (NDC / Beta LaserMike). Broad incumbents are Cognex Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific, ISRA VISION (Atlas Copco), Bruker Corporation and Hitachi High-Tech.
Does Optical Control Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Optical Control Systems.
What industry is Optical Control Systems in?
Optical Control Systems's product category is Industrial Polymer Quality Control & Inspection Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAEAG, Industrial Vision & Quality Inspection, with a secondary code of IMAGAFAB, Machine Vision & Optical Sensing (Cameras, 3D vision, LiDAR, illumination). Its NAICS code is 334513 and its SIC code is 3829.