Pill

What Pill does

Pill GmbH is a German privately held systems manufacturer that has been developing and designing modular technology for wet chemical process lines employed in PCB production since 1972. The company, headquartered in Auenwald, Germany and family-managed under Managing Directors Dietmar Seifert and Evelyn Pill-Seifert, supplies PCB manufacturers of all sizes with horizontal process lines, combined systems (DES for inner layers, SES for outer layers), brushing systems, laboratory and benchtop units, and accessories such as dosing units, cyclone filters, recovery systems, and dryers. Pill was the first company in Germany to develop modular systems for wet chemical process lines in PCB production, and holds patented vacuum etching technology in which suction nozzles extract the etching medium from PCBs, producing steeper line edges and better etching rates than conventional methods. The Clean-Master sub-brand (Models 500, 1000, and 1200) addresses CFC-free cleaning of electronic components, assemblies, and assembled PCBs.

The company generates revenue primarily through one-time sales of new equipment, complemented by spare parts and pre-owned equipment lines, with all pricing provided on request and delivered through direct sales from its German headquarters supplemented by a network of country-specific distributors and representatives across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. Customers span PCB manufacturers from small operations to large-scale facilities, with Dr. O.K. Wack Chemie GmbH cited as a named Clean-Master user; in-line module cleaning of assembled PCBs is the documented use case. Marketing is conducted through the company website, downloadable product documentation, and industry press coverage including electronic fab and PLUS magazine publications. No funding rounds, M&A activity, or institutional investors are disclosed.

Name

Pill

Legal name

Pill GmbH

Website

https://pill-germany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pill GmbH is a family-managed German manufacturer, founded in 1972, of modular wet chemical process lines and brushing systems for PCB production and cleaning, serving PCB manufacturers worldwide through direct sales and a global distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

PCB Manufacturing Equipment

NAICS

Printed Circuit Assembly (Electronic Assembly) Manufacturing (334418)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), Printed Circuit Boards (3672)

akta.pro primary industry

PCB Assembly (PCBA/EMS) (HDAHAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

PCB & Electronics Manufacturing Chemicals (Desmear, micro-etch, plating, fluxes) (IMAEAKAL)

Keywords

• PCB manufacturing equipment
• Wet chemical process lines
• PCB cleaning systems
• Brushing systems
• Vacuum etching technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Frauenwald

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. PCB Manufacturing Equipment Sales: Sale of wet chemical process lines, horizontal lines, combined systems, brushing systems, laboratory and benchtop units, and accessories for PCB manufacturing. Equipment includes development, etching, stripping, oxide treatment, desmearing, direct metallisation, and passivation lines.
2. Spare Parts Sales: Sale of replacement parts for PILL lines, cleaning systems, brushing systems, laboratory and benchtop units. All necessary spare parts are kept in stock for quick delivery.
3. Pre-owned Equipment Sales: Sale of good-quality pre-owned systems including etching lines, stripping lines, fine line developers, and laboratory units.
4. Engineering and Custom Solutions: Custom engineering solutions for wet chemical process lines and cleaning systems for assembled PCBs, leveraging high production depth for flexible response to customer requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Pill GmbH designs, manufactures, and sells modular wet chemical process lines and equipment for PCB production. The product range includes horizontal lines (developer, etching, stripping, oxide treatment, desmearing, direct metallisation, passivation), combined DES/SES systems, brushing systems, Clean-Master cleaning systems, laboratory and benchtop units, and accessories such as dosing units, cyclone filters, recovery systems, and dryers. The company also supplies spare parts and pre-owned equipment.

Product overview

Pill GmbH is a systems manufacturer that has been developing and designing modular technology for wet chemical process lines for PCB production since 1972. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of manufacturing equipment including Horizontal Lines (Developer, Pre-treatment, Post-treatment, Etching, Stripping, Oxide treatment, Desmearing, Direct metallisation, and Passivation lines), Combined Systems (DES Line for inner layers and SES Line for outer layers), and Cleaning Systems under the Clean-Master sub-brand (Models 500, 1000, and 1200). The product range also includes Brushing Systems for deburring and surface finishing, Laboratory and Benchtop Units for prototyping, and various Stand-alone Periphery Units (Dosing Units, Filter Systems, Recovery Systems, Dryers). The company provides spare parts, pre-owned equipment, and service support, with operations supported by high production depth for flexible customer response.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Horizontal Lines (Developer, Pre-treatment, Post-treatment, Etching, Stripping, Oxide treatment, Desmearing, Direct metallisation, Passivation) Modular wet chemical process lines for PCB production covering developer, pre-treatment, post-treatment, etching, stripping, oxide treatment, desmearing/chemical through hole plating, direct metallisation, and passivation stages. Used by PCB manufacturers of all sizes for inner and outer layer production.
• DES Line (Developing-Etching-Stripping) Combined modular system for developing, etching, and stripping processes used for the production of inner layers in PCB manufacturing.
• SES Line (Stripping-Etching-Metal resist stripping) Combined modular system for stripping, etching, and metal resist stripping processes used for the production of outer layers in PCB manufacturing.
• Brushing Systems Deburring and surface finishing systems for punching parts, nibbling parts, front plates, decorative plates, press plates, contour-etched parts, films, and belts in PCB production.
• Clean-Master 500
• Clean-Master 1000
• Clean-Master 1200
• Laboratory Units Laboratory-scale units for production of prototypes and mini series, used in research and development projects as well as further training.
• Benchtop Units Compact benchtop units for spray treatment of PCBs, used for cleaning, deoxidising, developing, and etching processes.
• Dosing Units for Chemicals
• Filter Systems (Cyclone Filters)
• Recovery Systems
• High-Performance Dryers
• Spare Parts
• Pre-Owned Lines
• Direct Metallisation Systems Systems supporting common techniques including BlackHole HT, Shadow, Envision HDI and others for direct metallisation processes.
• Passivation Systems

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• A. Buisine SA (France)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for France located in Colombes. Contact: Mr. Albine Buisine, 78 Rue Felix Faure, F-92700 Colombes.
• Galvatronic BVBA (Denmark)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Denmark located in Hasselt. Contact: Mr. Rudi Panis, Pallekensbergstraat 37, B-3511 Kuringen Hasselt.
• Circuit Plating Equipment Ltd. (United Kingdom)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for UK located in Wokingham, Berkshire. Contact: Mrs. Vivien Davey and Mr. Terry Roone, P.O. Box 3198, Wokingham, RG40 2HA U.K.
• Petrocummerz GmbH (Russia/former USSR)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Russia and former USSR located in St. Petersburg. Contact: Mrs. Natalia Bartuli and Mr. Alexey Egorov, pr. Shaumyana 4, build. 1A, 195027 St. Petersburg.
• Teknobak LTD.STI (Turkey)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Turkey located in Istanbul. Contact: Mr. Kamil Özcikmak and Mr. Esen Akyl, Sokak H. Saitbey Apt. No:3 Daire:3, 34762 Umraniye Istanbul.
• Suomen PC Trading Oy (Finland)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Finland located in Littoinen. Contact: Mr. Olli Ruonti, Kirjokannenkatu 11, 20660 Littoinen.
• SMC Co., LTD (South Korea)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for South Korea located in Incheon. Contact: Mrs. Jennifer Choi, Yeonsu-Gu, Incheon, Zip 406-800.
• MetalChem. Ltd. (Israel)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Israel located in LOD. Contact: Dr. Marcel Langbeheim, P.O.Box 1097, LOD 711100.
• HiTEC PIONEERS CORP. (Egypt)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Egypt located in Giza. Contact: Mr. Ahmed Kilany, 108 Nile Street, Dokki, Giza.
• Gainford Equipment Limited (China/Hong Kong)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for China/Hong Kong located in Kwai Chung. Contact: Mr. C.K. Tse, Rm. 706, Well Fung Ind. Centre, 68 TA Chuen Ping Street, Kwai Chung, NT Hong Kong.
• MacDermid Enthone (Singapore)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Singapore located at No. 26 Tuas West Road, Singapore 638382. Contact: Carol Ng.
• Olivier Lin (Taiwan)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Taiwan located in Taoyuan. Contact: Mr. Olivier Lin, No. 10, Chung Hsin Rd., Kwei Shan, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
• Currentec Inc. (Japan)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSales representative for Japan located in Tokyo. Contact: Mr. Tadashi Hirakawa, 4-1-5, Minami-Yukigaya, Ota-ku, Tokyo 145-0066.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Technic Inc. US-based manufacturer of specialty chemicals, plating equipment, and process control systems for the PCB, semiconductor, and electronics industries. Direct overlap with Pill in wet-process equipment, dosing systems, and PCB cleaning technology.
• Uyemura: Japanese-headquartered global supplier of plating chemicals and equipment for PCB and electronics surface finishing. Comparable niche as a wet-process chemistry and equipment provider serving PCB manufacturers, with overlapping product categories in metallisation and surface treatment.
• Atotech (historical entity, now part of MKS): Pre-acquisition, Atotech was one of the largest global suppliers of specialty chemicals, equipment, and services for PCB and semiconductor manufacturing. Its wet-process equipment portfolio competed head-to-head with Pill's modular DES, SES, etching, and cleaning lines.
• Kanto PMC: Japanese PCB materials and chemistry supplier serving global PCB manufacturers. Comparable in targeting the same wet-process PCB fabrication steps (developing, etching, stripping, metallisation) that Pill's equipment automates.
• JCU Corporation: Japanese supplier of PCB and electronics chemicals, with associated equipment and process technology. Comparable wet-process focus and global PCB customer base, particularly in Asia.

Broad incumbents

• MKS Instruments (Atotech): Global semiconductor and electronics equipment/specialty chemistry group that acquired Atotech, a leading PCB wet-process chemistry and equipment supplier. Overlaps directly with Pill's PCB wet-chemical process equipment offering, but operates at much larger scale and with bundled chemistry solutions across multiple end markets.
• MacDermid Enthone Electronics Solutions: Major PCB and electronics chemistry supplier that is also listed as one of Pill's Singapore distributors. Provides chemistry, equipment, and process technology for PCB fabrication, including metallisation and surface finishing — directly comparable product overlap with Pill's wet-chemical lines.
• Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials (Dow): Electronics materials and chemistry business within Dow, historically a major supplier of PCB plating, photoresist, and process chemistries. A broad incumbent competing for the same PCB fabricator spend as Pill, primarily through chemistry rather than equipment.
• DuPont (Electronics & Industrial): Global chemicals and materials major with a PCB-focused electronics business spanning laminates, metallisation chemistries, and process support. A much larger incumbent competing with Pill's PCB fabrication customers via chemistry and bundled solutions.

Emerging players

• Eternal Materials: Taiwan-based materials and chemicals supplier expanding its PCB wet-process chemistry portfolio. Comparable target customer base (PCB fabricators in Asia) and growing overlap with Pill's served process steps.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Pill