What Ertec does

Ertec GmbH Elektronik und Automatisierung is a privately held German industrial equipment manufacturer founded in 1980 and headquartered in Erlangen. The company specializes in electronic component programming solutions, covering microcontrollers, Flash memories, and ASICs through three integrated pillars: on-board programming systems integrated directly into customer production lines (ertius family, PGS8X, PGS85, PGS8P), off-line programming systems including the BEAVER II automated parallel programming robot, and outsourced premium programming services performed at the company's Erlangen facility. Its proprietary smartJET high-speed technology combines FPGA and microcontroller architectures to achieve programming rates exceeding 5 billion bits per second, while the BEAVER II robot handles up to 64 parallel sockets at 650-700 devices per hour with integrated 3D inspection and laser marking.

The company operates a sales-led, enterprise field sales motion targeting automotive manufacturers and tier-1 suppliers, electronics manufacturers, and industrial automation companies. Its customer base includes Siemens, Bosch, ABB, Toshiba, Hella, Diehl Controls, and other European industrial firms. Revenue is generated through hardware sales of programming systems, outsourced programming services, and support contracts, with a no-license-fee pricing model and multi-year service agreements. Distribution is conducted directly with no channel intermediaries, supported by certified Alliance Program partnerships with NXP (Freescale) and Renesas that drive qualified leads through semiconductor manufacturer endorsements. Ertec holds continuous ISO 9001 certification (currently ISO 9001:2015) audited by DEKRA across all divisions and is described as Europe's only manufacturer offering a complete portfolio of programming technology spanning manual, automated off-line, and on-board systems. The company is wholly owned by FBB Fleckenstein Beratungs- und Beteiligungs GmbH following a 2019 share transfer, with Frank Grobe and Ludwig Fleckenstein serving as Managing Directors and Peter Preisner leading the development function.

Name

Ertec

Legal name

ertec GmbH Elektronik und Automatisierung

Website

https://ertec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ertec is a German privately held industrial equipment manufacturer that designs and sells electronic component programming systems (on-board flashers, off-line programmers, BEAVER II robots) and provides outsourced IC programming services to automotive, electronics, and industrial automation manufacturers across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Erlangen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Programming Systems and Equipment Sales: Sale of programming hardware including onBOARD systems (PGS8X, ertius, PGS85), offline programming systems (PGS67), and the BEAVER automated programming robot. Systems are sold with associated software and support.
2. Premium Programming Services: Full-service programming center offering outsourced IC programming. Customers deliver blank ICs with programming data and receive programmed, tested, marked, and repacked devices. No capital investment required for customers.
3. Support and Service Contracts: Service vouchers for long-distance (phone/email) or on-site support, maintenance, and technical assistance for customers using ertec systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ertec designs, manufactures and sells chip and module programming systems — covering on-board (in-line) flashers (ertius family, PGS8X, PGS85, PGS8P), offline programming systems (PGS67) and the fully automated BEAVER II parallel programming robot — together with proprietary programming algorithms (smartJET, Huge Memory Flashing, NAND bad-block management). The company also runs an in-house Premium Programming Service (fullSERVICE) that programs, tests, marks and packages customer ICs without requiring capital investment from the buyer.

Product overview

Ertec is Europe's only manufacturer offering a complete portfolio of programming technology spanning three pillars: (1) Programming Systems including onBOARD solutions (ertius family, PGS8X, PGS85, PGS8P) for inline programming within production lines, offline systems (PGS67, BEAVER II robot) for automated mass programming; (2) Programming Services providing outsourced IC programming via their programming center with All-In-Process capability; and (3) Additional Products including PROFEA-II event recorders and needle bed adapters. The company specializes in electronic component programming for automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics sectors, with key technologies including smartJET high-speed programming achieving 5+ billion bits/second and Huge Memory Flashing for NAND Flash devices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• onBOARD: On-board programming system for programming within the manufacturing line
• offLINE
• fullSERVICE
• ertius
• BEAVER
• PROFEA-II
• Flashzelle

Products and services

• BEAVER II Programming Robot Fully automated parallel programming robot capable of handling up to 64 programming sockets simultaneously with throughput of up to 650-700 devices per hour. Performs handling, programming, verification, laser marking, 2D/3D inspection and repackaging in a single closed process. Sold to electronics manufacturers and used internally in ertec's programming service center.
• ertius OnBoard Programming System Fast, interference-free on-board programming system for direct integration into production/assembly lines. Supports parallel flashing of multiple microcontrollers with CRC checksum verification. The ertius family includes alpha (base), delta, delta 2 and gamma variants for varying integration requirements.
• PGS8X Inline Flashers Family of inline flashers (including PGS80) integrated directly into customer production lines for on-board programming of memories and microcontrollers on assembled PCBs. Features include galvanic separability, cascadability, voltage monitoring and traceable programming.
• PGS85 Inline Flasher Space-saving 19-inch rack inline flasher with network operation, DLL-API for process coupling with MES/production software, voltage monitoring, galvanic separability for ICT integration and cascadeability. Up to 10 units can fit in a single 19-inch rack.
• PGS8P Parallel Onboard Programmer
• PGS67 Offline Programming System
• Flash Site / Flashzelle Complete Solution
• PROFEA-II Event Recorder
• Premium Programming Service (fullSERVICE) Outsourced IC programming service operated from ertec's Erlangen programming center. Customers deliver blank ICs with programming data and receive programmed, tested, marked (laser/colour dot/label) and repacked devices. Uses BEAVER, MH240E and other automated equipment with 3D inspection; no capital investment required from the customer; ISO 9001:2015-conform quality assurance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 650-700 devices programmed per hour with BEAVER parallel system
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bavarian Chips AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Ertec joined the Bavarian Chips Alliance, a regional industry alliance for semiconductor and electronics companies, strengthening local ecosystem connections and collaboration opportunities.
• RENESAS ElectronicscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2009RENESAS Alliance Partner recommended for on-board programming in assembly lines. Ertec In-Circuit Flash Programmer PGS80 supports RENESAS MCs of R8C, R32C, and SH families. Ertec is also listed as one of RENESAS' enlisted Programming Houses for MC programming services. Features include remote controllability, compact dimensions, modularity, and combinability.
• Freescale Semiconductor (now NXP)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 May 2009Alliance Program partner since May 2009, featured as 'Hardware/Software Provider' on Freescale's website for international electronics engineers. Ertec programming systems support Freescale microcontrollers including S08, S12, S12X families with manual and automated offline programming as well as inline onBOARD solutions. Smart-JET technology ensures minimum programming times.
• HTV GmbH (HTV-Firmengruppe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008HTV GmbH (Halbleiter-Test und Vertriebs GmbH), based in Bensheim, Germany, is the parent company of ertec GmbH. Integration into HTV group since 2008 provides broader basis for future activities and stability. Peter Nickel (MEEng) became Managing Director following the integration.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cohu: US-based semiconductor test and inspection equipment provider, serving automotive, industrial, and mobility end-markets. Adjacent to Ertec through semiconductor back-end equipment, though Cohu focuses on test handlers and interface solutions rather than dedicated IC programming.
• ASMPT (ASM Pacific Technology): Hong Kong-headquartered global supplier of semiconductor and electronics assembly equipment, including packaging and SMT solutions. Broad incumbent serving similar semiconductor back-end manufacturing customers as Ertec, though focused on adjacent equipment categories.

Direct peers

• Elnec: Slovakia-based manufacturer of universal and specialized IC programmers, with broad device coverage. Competes with Ertec in universal programming equipment and gang programmers, particularly in European mid-market and development segments.
• Data I/O Corporation: US-based leading manufacturer of IC programming equipment and security provisioning solutions, serving automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics manufacturers globally. Directly competes with Ertec in onBOARD, offline, and automated programming systems, with comparable product categories (PSV family, SentriX security provisioning).
• BPM Microsystems: US-based manufacturer of automated IC programming systems for microcontrollers, memory, and logic devices. Competes directly with Ertec's BEAVER II and PGS67 in the high-throughput automated offline programming segment, serving similar automotive and industrial EMS customers.
• Xeltek: China-based manufacturer of universal IC programmers and gang programmers. Directly competes with Ertec in universal programming equipment, with strong presence in Asia-Pacific electronics manufacturing — a geographic segment where Ertec has limited coverage.
• SMH Technologies: Italy-based manufacturer of IC programming solutions including FlashRunner and Gang programmers. Directly competes with Ertec in onBOARD inline programming systems and serves overlapping European automotive and industrial customers.
• Leap Electronics (Hi-Lo Systems): Taiwan-based manufacturer of IC programmers and automated programming systems with strong APAC presence. Competes with Ertec in automated offline and inline programming equipment for the contract electronics manufacturing market.

Emerging players

• Production Solutions Inc. (PSi): US-based provider of automated programming and tape-and-reel services for OEMs and CMs. Comparable to Ertec's Premium Programming Service offering, though PSi focuses on North American markets and complements rather than directly competes with Ertec's equipment line.

Regional players

• Phytec Messtechnik: Germany-based embedded module and SBC manufacturer with in-house programming and flash services. Comparable to Ertec's Premium Programming Service offering and serves overlapping German Mittelstand industrial customers, though from the OEM module side rather than as a programming equipment vendor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ertec-gmbh

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Ertec