Cofinair Group

What Cofinair Group does

Cofinair Group is a French-headquartered industrial manufacturer of evaporative and adiabatic cooling systems serving HVAC, industrial process cooling, nuclear, and tertiary building applications. The group operates three regional brand-subsidiaries—JACIR S.A.S. in France, GOHL-KTK GmbH in Germany, and DECSA Srl in Italy—under a holding entity (COFINAIR S.A.S.) headquartered in Pontault Combault, France, with a fourth production subsidiary, COFINAIR INDUSTRIE, in Normandy. Founded in 1985 by Pierre Sézille de Mazancourt, the group has grown through serial acquisitions to approximately 300 employees across 27 countries, with Vincent Spohonhauer appointed CEO effective July 1, 2025, succeeding Doïc Hordern after a 22-year tenure.

The product portfolio centers on evaporative and adiabatic cooling technology and includes open-circuit cooling towers, closed-circuit cooling towers, hybrid towers, adiabatic coolers, evaporative and adiabatic condensers, and custom-engineered cooling solutions. A specialized line of premium air handling units is designed and manufactured for the nuclear sector, integrating expertise from feasibility study through fabrication. Production is distributed across three European sites (Pontault Combault, Durmersheim, and Voghera) operating under Lean Manufacturing principles with latest-generation machine tools, and the group holds tightly integrated design-to-fabrication capability rather than acting as a systems integrator of third-party components.

Revenue is generated primarily through project-based B2B equipment sales with custom quote-based pricing per installation, supplemented by a recurring services layer covering renovation, compliance, rental, inspections, and maintenance contracts. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales executed through wholly-owned direct subsidiaries in each major European market—Germany being identified as the largest European cooling tower market—supplemented by an international network of distributors and qualified specialist sales agents. The customer base spans commercial HVAC, general industrial process cooling, nuclear facilities, and tertiary buildings, with no individual customer logos publicly disclosed.

Name

Cofinair Group

Legal name

COFINAIR S.A.S.

Website

https://cofinair-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

French-headquartered industrial manufacturer of evaporative and adiabatic cooling systems—cooling towers, condensers, adiabatic coolers, and nuclear-qualified air handling units—serving HVAC, industrial process, and tertiary customers through three European brand-subsidiaries across 27 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Cooling Equipment

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413), Heating Equipment (except Warm Air Furnaces) Manufacturing (333414)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580), Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564)

akta.pro primary industry

HVAC Equipment (Heating, Cooling & Air Handling) (IMAHAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chillers & Cooling Plant Equipment (IMAHAKAE), Heat Exchangers, Coils & Hydronic HVAC Components (IMADANAF), Chillers, Boilers & Central Plant Operations (BPABACAG), Compressors, Refrigeration Components & Condensing Units (IMADANAG)

Keywords

• Evaporative cooling systems
• Adiabatic cooling systems
• Cooling tower manufacturing
• Industrial HVAC equipment
• Air handling units

Headquarters

HQ city

Combault

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cooling Equipment Sales: Sale of cooling towers (open, closed, hybrid), adiabatic coolers, condensers, and custom cooling solutions. Equipment sales are one-time transactions with project-based procurement cycles.
2. Air Handling Units: Sale of air handling units, particularly premium units for nuclear applications
3. Services: Renovation, compliance, rental, inspections and maintenance contracts. Services provide recurring revenue through maintenance contracts and compliance services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Cofinair Group designs and manufactures evaporative and adiabatic cooling systems for industrial and HVAC applications, including open, closed, and hybrid cooling towers, adiabatic coolers, evaporative and adiabatic condensers, and premium air handling units for nuclear applications. The group sells this equipment through three regional brand subsidiaries (JACIR in France, GOHL-KTK in Germany, and DECSA in Italy) and provides related services including renovation, compliance, rental, inspections, and maintenance contracts.

Product overview

Cofinair Group is an international industrial group founded in 1985 with expertise in evaporative and adiabatic cooling solutions. The group operates three production sites in France, Germany, and Italy under the brands JACIR, GOHL-KTK, and DECSA. The product portfolio centers on cooling towers (open, closed, and hybrid), adiabatic coolers, adiabatic and evaporative condensers, and custom cooling solutions. A key differentiator is the premium air handling units for nuclear applications manufactured by JACIR. The group also provides comprehensive services including renovation, compliance, rental, inspections, and maintenance contracts. The products are designed and manufactured in Europe using Lean Manufacturing principles, incorporating noise reduction solutions, various ventilation types, and materials adapted to specific requirements of industrial and commercial sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JACIR: Brand covering French market for cooling towers and adiabatic coolers for air conditioning and industrial applications, plus services including renovation, compliance, rental, inspections and maintenance contracts
• GOHL – KTK
• DECSA

Products and services

• Open Towers (Tours ouvertes)

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• VKT (Verdunstungskühlturm) / Kühlturm specialist SMBs: German regional cooling tower specialist focused on DACH industrial and HVAC projects, competing directly with GOHL-KTK in the German market.
• Enexio (now part of Dürr): Former European specialist in cooling towers and dry/wet cooling systems for industrial and power generation markets; cited as previous employer of Cofinair's CEO and now integrated into Dürr, competing across DACH markets.

Direct peers

• EVAPCO: Global manufacturer of evaporative heat transfer products including cooling towers, closed-circuit coolers, adiabatic and condensers for industrial, refrigeration, and HVAC markets; directly competes with Cofinair's product range and has a strong European footprint.
• Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC): World-leading manufacturer of evaporative cooling towers, adiabatic coolers, and condensers for HVAC, industrial, and process applications; closest head-to-head competitor to Cofinair's open/closed/hybrid tower and condenser lines across Europe.
• SPX Cooling Technologies: Major global supplier of cooling towers (including Marley, Recold, and Hamon brands), adiabatic and evaporative condensers, and air-cooled heat exchangers serving industrial and HVAC customers similar to Cofinair's segments.
• Hamon (Cooling division): European specialist in cooling towers and heat exchangers for power, industrial, and HVAC applications, with installed base comparable to Cofinair's legacy French and Italian business.

Broad incumbents

• GEA Group: Large German industrial group with heat exchanger and cooling technology solutions for HVAC, refrigeration, and process industries; a previous employer of Cofinair's new CEO and a broad incumbent competitor.
• Alfa Laval: Global supplier of heat exchangers, air-cooled and plate-based cooling equipment for HVAC and industrial customers; adjacent competitor to Cofinair's heat-transfer-intensive adiabatic and condenser products.
• Kelvion (formerly GEA Heat Exchangers): Global thermal exchange equipment manufacturer with a broad portfolio that includes evaporative cooling towers, adiabatic coolers, and condensers directly competing with Cofinair's core range; the prior employer of incoming Cofinair CEO Vincent Spohonhauer.
• Ciat (part of Carrier Global): European HVAC manufacturer offering chillers, air handling units and cooling solutions for commercial/industrial buildings; overlaps with Cofinair's commercial HVAC cooling-tower and AHU offerings within Carrier's broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cofinair-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Cofinair Group