BST
BST GmbH is a German industrial QA systems provider for web-processing industries, offering 100% inspection, surface inspection, web guiding, register control, color management, and SMARTData software to battery, tire, printing, packaging, and converting manufacturers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersBielefeld, Germany
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What BST does
BST GmbH, headquartered in Bielefeld, Germany, is a private manufacturer of quality assurance systems for continuous web-processing industries, founded in 1979 and operating as part of the elexis AG industrial group. The company's portfolio spans 100% print inspection (TubeScan, iPQ-Check), surface inspection (iPQ-Surface, SurfaceScope Pro), web guiding (ECOGuide, COMPACTGuide, SMARTGuide, FRAMEGuide with CLS CAM/CCD CAM sensors), video web monitoring (POWERScope 5000, PROView, iPQ-View, LaserTrack Pro), register control (eltromat regi_star 20, eltromat TWINStar, AR4400), color management and measurement, and the SMARTData production data-management platform. New 2026 products such as LaserTrack Pro 600 (3D profile monitoring) and SurfaceScope Pro (line-scan cameras for cutting machines) target tire production, while the Voyantic integration extends the offering into RFID smart-label Q&A. BST sells through direct enterprise field sales globally, with subsidiaries including elexis BST Korea Inc. and a BST Istanbul office, and generated revenue through capital equipment sales, service contracts, and professional services. The company targets battery, fuel cell, film extrusion, printing and packaging, converting, pharmaceutical, nonwoven, tire and rubber, printed electronics, and narrow web/label printing customers, with a clear strategic emphasis on lithium-ion battery production supported by partnerships with Samsung SDI, Fraunhofer, KIT, TU Braunschweig, PEM RWTH Aachen, and Siemens.
BST firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BST
- Legal name
- BST GmbH
- Website
- https://bst.elexis.group
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- BST GmbH is a German industrial QA systems provider for web-processing industries, offering 100% inspection, surface inspection, web guiding, register control, color management, and SMARTData software to battery, tire, printing, packaging, and converting manufacturers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BST industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Quality Assurance Systems
- NAICS
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Inspection, Checkweighing & Detection Systems (Vision, Metal, X-ray) (IMALAOAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Labeling, Coding & Marking Equipment (Labelers, Inkjet, Laser) (IMALAOAD), Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches) (IMAGAFAC)
Keywords
Where BST is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bielefeld
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
BST business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Quality Assurance Hardware Systems: BST generates revenue primarily through the sale of quality assurance hardware systems including inspection systems, web guiding solutions, color management equipment, and related measurement devices. These are typically high-value capital equipment sold to manufacturing companies.
- Service and Support: Comprehensive service offerings including helpdesk support, installation and commissioning, maintenance contracts, troubleshooting and optimization, training, repairs, and spare parts. Service contracts provide recurring revenue from existing customer base.
- Professional Services: Installation, commissioning, training, and ongoing technical support services provided alongside hardware installations
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
BST product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BST manufactures and sells industrial quality assurance systems for web-processing industries, including 100% print inspection systems, surface inspection equipment, web guiding solutions, register control systems, color management/measurement devices, video web monitoring systems, and data management software. Products are sold primarily as capital equipment to manufacturing companies in sectors such as battery production, tire and rubber, film extrusion, printing and packaging, converting, pharma, nonwoven, and printed electronics.
Product overview
BST is a leading provider of quality assurance systems for web-processing industries, offering a comprehensive portfolio of hardware and software solutions organized into application solutions (COATINGControl, SLITTINGControl, CELLInspection), automation, web guiding (ECOGuide, COMPACTGuide, SMARTGuide, FRAMEGuide with sensors CLS CAM 100/200, CCD CAM 100), surface inspection (iPQ-Surface, iPQ-Surface ENERGY, SurfaceScope Pro), 100% inspection (TubeScan, iPQ-Check, iPQ-Check Digital), video web monitoring (POWERScope 5000, PROView, iPQ-View, LaserTrack Pro), register control (eltromat regi_star 20, eltromat TWINStar, AR4400), color management, color measurement, and data management (SMARTData). Products serve industries including battery, fuel cell, film extrusion, printing & packaging, converting, pharma, nonwoven, tire & rubber, printed electronics, and narrow web/label printing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TubeScan: 100% print inspection system for web-processing industries
- iPQ-Surface
- SMARTData
- LaserTrack Pro
- SurfaceScope Pro
- CLS CAM 200
- FRAMEGuide
- BST COATINGControl
- BST SLITTINGControl
- POWERScope 5000
- PROView
- iPQ-View
Products and services
- TubeScan 100% print inspection system for web-processing industries, monitoring print quality at high web speeds and performing visual inspection of print images and RFID inlay presence/position verification. Targeted at printing, packaging, and label manufacturers.
- iPQ-Surface Surface inspection system that reliably detects typical errors in lamination and coating processes during production. Designed for surface quality control in web-processing operations.
- iPQ-Surface ENERGY Variant of iPQ-Surface designed for energy sector applications including battery production quality assurance. Detects defects in coating processes for battery cell manufacturing.
- SurfaceScope Pro 100% surface inspection system for cutting-machines with up to six high-resolution line-scan cameras. Detects holes, rubber inconsistencies, splicing issues, and wire exposures. Supports working widths 500-1500mm with up to three cameras and 0.12mm resolution. Uses OPC protocol and TCP Ethernet.
- LaserTrack Pro 600 High-resolution 3D profile monitoring system combining point-laser resolution with 100% width coverage for tire production. Uses two high-resolution 3D profilers taking measurements every 30mm on both top and bottom sides, eliminating occlusion effects. Full scan completed within seconds.
- ECOGuide Web guiding system for regulating web movement in manufacturing processes, providing reliable and precise control.
- COMPACTGuide Web guiding system offering compact design for space-constrained applications while maintaining precise web control.
- SMARTGuide Web guiding system with intelligent control features for advanced web regulation applications.
- FRAMEGuide Web guiding system combining lowest installation height with maximum guiding precision. Designed for tight manufacturing footprints.
- CLS CAM 200 New camera-based web guiding sensor with automatically controlled LED illumination, supporting bright-field and dark-field operation for reflective surfaces. Operates via BST SMART COM 100 Commander.
- eltromat regi_star 20 Register control system for print mark detection using fiber-optic scanning heads. Provides registration accuracy in printing processes.
- eltromat TWINStar Register control system with dual-side detection capability for comprehensive print mark monitoring in printing processes.
- AR4400 Register control system with CCD matrix camera technology for print mark detection and registration in printing operations.
- POWERScope 5000 Video web monitoring system for efficient observation of print quality at high web speeds.
- PROView Video web monitoring solution for print observation and quality control applications in printing processes.
- SMARTData Quality and data management solution for comprehensive production process monitoring and optimization. Provides data-driven quality management with enhanced transparency for complex production environments.
- COATINGControl Application solution for coating process monitoring and control in web processing applications.
- SLITTINGControl Application solution for slitting process monitoring and quality control in converting operations.
- CELLInspection Inspection system designed for battery cell production quality verification.
- iPQ-Check 100% inspection system for quality verification in various production applications.
- iPQ-Check Digital Digital variant of 100% inspection system for quality verification with digital integration capabilities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Higher yield, less waste, reliable data and quality documentation for every single tag in RFID label production
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use BST
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments10 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BST technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability8 records
Feature12 records
BST partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- VoyanticcoreNew cooperation for integrated RFID quality control. BST TubeScan provides visual 100% inspection while Voyantic Tagsurance 3 handles RFID quality testing, data encoding, and data verification. Joint setup shown live at LOPEC 2026 on SMAG converting machine.
- Samsung SDIcoreBST's SMARTData quality and data management solution was recognized at Samsung SDI's S-NOVA 2025 innovation program. Samsung SDI is a major lithium-ion battery manufacturer, and BST serves as a technology provider for their quality assurance needs.
- Fraunhofer FFB (Fraunhofer Research Centre for Battery Cell Production)coreCollaborating on position-accurate allocation of quality features and process parameters using coating and drying systems. BST contributes web guiding, cell measurement systems, and expertise in battery cell production quality assurance.
- Fraunhofer IEMminorMLPrintInspect project: developing machine learning/AI methods to improve classification of printing defects using defect images from BST's 100% print inspection system.
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)coreProMoBat project focuses on digitalisation of battery production. BST contributes web guiding and cell measurement systems. KIT leads overall equipment effectiveness optimization.
- PEM - RWTH Aachen UniversitycoreChair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components collaborates with BST on battery production research, including joint podcast episodes and VDMA Battery Production guide contributions.
- TU Braunschweig (Technische Universität Braunschweig)coreDuLiPro project: developing positioning systems for deep-drawn pouch bags and optical inspection systems for sealed seams in battery cell production.
- VDMA Battery Production Working GroupcoreBST actively participates in VDMA Battery Production Working Group. Klaus Hamacher serves on the VDMA EMINT Board and was re-elected to VDMA Battery Production Board in April 2025. Provides industry networking and knowledge exchange platform.
- UPCELL ALLIANCEcoreEuropean ecosystem for electric battery development and production. BST contributes web guiding technology and quality assurance systems as a specialist partner working toward Europe's leading position in battery technology.
- R-CycleminorDigital product passport initiative for plastic value chain. BST contributes inspection data to enable data-based management of material flows for circular economy.
- NAATBatt InternationalminorBST North America is a member of this trade association for advanced battery technology in North America.
- VskEminorSupporting member of German association of self-adhesive label manufacturers and narrow web converters. BST contributes expertise in web guiding, register control, video inspection, and 100% print inspection.
- Baker Hughes Digital Solutions GmbH Waygate TechnologiesminorProject partner in DuLiPro research project for continuous battery cell production processes.
- ViscoTec Pumpen- u. Dosiertechnik GmbHminorProject partner in DuLiPro research project for continuous battery cell production processes.
- Jonas & Redmann Automationstechnik GmbHminorProject partner in ProMoBat research project for process modeling in battery cell production.
- J. Schmalz GmbHminorProject partner in ProMoBat research project for process modeling in battery cell production.
- Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbHminorProject partner in ProMoBat research project for process modeling in battery cell production.
- Custom Cells Itzehoe GmbHminorProject partner in ProMoBat research project for process modeling in battery cell production.
- Siemens AGcoreProject partner in ProMoBat and ExinosII projects. Pilot system for cell assembly called 'Exinos' was presented at Hannover Messe 2023. BST provides web guiding and cell measurement systems.
- acp systems AGminorProject partner in ExinosII project for series-capable stack formation systems in battery production.
- UniverCell Holding GmbHminorProject partner in TRAICELL research project for traceability and AI in battery cell production.
- Merantix Momentum GmbHminorProject partner in TRAICELL research project for traceability and AI in battery cell production.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BST competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Keyence Corporation: Keyence is a global leader in industrial automation sensors, measuring systems, and vision systems serving automotive, electronics, and packaging markets. Its vision and displacement sensors overlap with BST's web-guiding and inspection product categories.
- Cognex Corporation: Cognex is a leading global provider of machine vision and industrial barcode readers, with significant presence in factory automation and quality inspection across electronics, packaging, and automotive. It is a broad incumbent whose vision systems overlap with BST's inspection offerings for industrial customers.
- Honeywell Process Solutions: Honeywell Process Solutions supplies measurement, control, and quality instrumentation for process industries. As a broad industrial process-control incumbent, its inline analytical and quality instrumentation competes with parts of BST's measurement and quality-management portfolio.
- SICK AG: SICK AG is a global leader in industrial sensors and machine vision used for quality inspection, web guiding, and process control across discrete and process manufacturing. It competes with BST in vision-based inspection and web-guiding sensor categories and serves many of the same automotive, tire, packaging, and battery customers.
- Baumer Group: Baumer is a Swiss sensor and vision-system manufacturer offering industrial cameras, sensors, and image-processing components for factory automation. It overlaps with BST in sensors and machine-vision components used in web inspection and web-guiding applications.
Direct peers
- Erhardt+Leimer: Erhardt+Leimer is a German specialist in web guiding, register control, tension measurement, and web inspection for printing, converting, and tire production. It is one of BST's most direct European peers, offering an overlapping web-guiding and inspection portfolio serving the same industrial customer base.
- ISRA VISION (Atlas Copco): ISRA VISION, now part of Atlas Copco, is one of the closest direct competitors to BST in industrial machine vision and 100% surface inspection for web-processing industries (printing, packaging, film, battery). Both companies compete head-to-head on inline inspection, defect detection, and quality management in continuous manufacturing.
- VITRONIC Dr.-Ing. Stein Bildverarbeitungssysteme: VITRONIC is a German machine vision specialist focused on industrial quality inspection, including surface inspection, 3D measurement, and automated optical inspection for automotive, tire, and packaging customers. It competes directly with BST in surface inspection solutions.
- FSI Technologies (CLS) / Fife Corporation: Fife Corporation (part of Maxcess) is a leading supplier of web guiding, tension control, and inspection systems for converting, printing, and packaging. It is a direct competitor to BST in web guiding solutions like ECOGuide, COMPACTGuide, and FRAMEGuide.
Others
- Emerson Automation Solutions ( Branson / AVENT ): Emerson's automation and sensing portfolio serves similar continuous-manufacturing customers (battery, packaging, industrial QC) with measurement and process-control solutions. It is an adjacent incumbent rather than a head-to-head web inspection competitor, but uses overlapping channels and end customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BST social profiles
Digital presenceBST compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
BST financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BST leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
BST subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
BST funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BST 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 BST
What does BST do?
BST manufactures and sells industrial quality assurance systems for web-processing industries, including 100% print inspection systems, surface inspection equipment, web guiding solutions, register control systems, color management/measurement devices, video web monitoring systems, and data management software. Products are sold primarily as capital equipment to manufacturing companies in sectors such as battery production, tire and rubber, film extrusion, printing and packaging, converting, pharma, nonwoven, and printed electronics.
Is BST a public or private company?
BST is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was BST founded?
BST was founded in 1979. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is BST based?
BST is headquartered in Bielefeld, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does BST make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Quality Assurance Hardware Systems are the primary driver. The others are service and Support and professional Services.
Who are BST's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Keyence Corporation, Cognex Corporation, Honeywell Process Solutions, SICK AG and Baumer Group. Direct peers are Erhardt+Leimer, ISRA VISION (Atlas Copco), VITRONIC Dr.-Ing. Stein Bildverarbeitungssysteme and FSI Technologies (CLS) / Fife Corporation. Emerson Automation Solutions ( Branson / AVENT ) is listed as an others.
Does BST have an API?
No public API is recorded for BST.
What industry is BST in?
BST's product category is Industrial Quality Assurance Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMALAOAH, Inspection, Checkweighing & Detection Systems (Vision, Metal, X-ray), with a secondary code of IMALAOAD, Labeling, Coding & Marking Equipment (Labelers, Inkjet, Laser). Its NAICS code is 3345 and its SIC code is 3823.