Tricon
Tricon (TRICON AG) is a German industrial design agency founded in 1998, delivering end-to-end transportation, medical device, and industrial product design — from concept and 3D visualization to full-scale mockup — primarily to rail OEMs (Siemens, Alstom, CRRC, Stadler, CAF) and medical device manufacturers across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersKirchentellinsfurt, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Tricon does
Tricon (legally TRICON AG) is a German industrial design agency founded in 1998, headquartered in Kirchentellinsfurt near Stuttgart, with a U.S. subsidiary (TRICON Design Corporation) in San Francisco and Design Director–led operations in China. The firm delivers end-to-end design services — concept development, 3D visualization and animation, CAD, model making, full-scale mockup construction, and on-site construction support — across three verticals: transportation/mobility (its core focus), medical devices, and industrial/consumer products. Transportation work centers on rail vehicles (metros, trams, light rail, high-speed, regional, S-Bahn, locomotives) for major OEMs and operators including Siemens Mobility, Alstom, CRRC, Stadler, CAF, Kinki Sharyo, DB AG, Qatar Rail, Rhätische Bahn, WESTbahn, SSB Stuttgart, ÜSTRA Hannover, and NAH.SH, with notable projects such as the RRX Desiro HC, Doha Metro, China Railway CJ6 InterCity EMU, BISON multi-system locomotive, ICE L, and the forthcoming SSB DT8.16 Stadtbahn.
The medical device practice designs products for Erbe (VIO 3 surgical interface), ResuSciTec (CARL resuscitation system), Asskea (proVisio M28 suction), EMTensor (BRIM G4 brain scanner), Fritz Stephan (EVE ventilation), and Zeltwanger (ZED leak testers), with repeated German Design Award wins signaling regulatory-compliant, ergonomically driven industrial design. Tricon monetizes as a project-based B2B consultancy with no publicly disclosed pricing, selling directly to enterprise clients and government transport authorities via tender participation, long-cycle product co-development, and reputation/award-driven lead generation. The firm operates without disclosed external funding, parent company, or M&A activity, and is led by founders Frank Schuster and Dieter Kobel (both Vorstand), under Chairman Thomas König.
Tricon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tricon
- Legal name
- TRICON AG
- Website
- https://tricon-design.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tricon (TRICON AG) is a German industrial design agency founded in 1998, delivering end-to-end transportation, medical device, and industrial product design — from concept and 3D visualization to full-scale mockup — primarily to rail OEMs (Siemens, Alstom, CRRC, Stadler, CAF) and medical device manufacturers across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Tricon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kirchentellinsfurt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Tricon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Tricon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tricon (TRICON AG) is an industrial design firm delivering end-to-end design services across transportation (rail vehicles, metros, trams, locomotives, high-speed trains), medical devices (surgical systems, diagnostic scanners, resuscitation and ventilation equipment), and industrial/consumer products. Services span the full design spectrum from initial market analysis, concept development, and design strategy through 3D visualization, animation, physical model making, 1:1 mockup construction, and construction support during realization. The firm serves enterprise clients including major rail OEMs (Siemens, Alstom, CRRC, Stadler, CAF, Talgo, Kinki Sharyo), public transport authorities, and medical device manufacturers.
Product overview
Tricon is a design studio offering specialized design services across three core verticals: Transportation Design (trains, metros, trams, locomotives, high-speed trains), Medical Device Design, and Product Design. The company provides the complete spectrum from concept to realization, including market analysis, visualization, construction support, 3D animation, model building, design strategy, and 1:1 mockup construction. Their transportation portfolio includes major projects such as RRX (Desiro HC), Doha Metro, China Railway CJ6, BISON locomotives, WESTbahn double-decker trains, ICE L, and various metro systems in China (Shanghai, Hong Kong, Wuhan, etc.). The medical design portfolio includes BRIM G4 brain scanner, VIO 3 surgical interface, CARL resuscitation system, and proVisio M28 suction device. Product designs include the beactive+e electric rollator, PINO plastic shell seat, Z-Cab Air fire truck cabin, and MoodClassic vehicle fragrance system.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Doha Metro vehicles began operation in 2019
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Tricon
Customer profileNamed customers26 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tricon technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Tricon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Kinki Sharyo Co. Ltd.coreTricon collaborated with Kinki Sharyo's in-house design team to develop the Doha Metro vehicles. The joint design won a global competitive tender for the Mitsubishi Consortium's bid for the Qatar Rail Turnkey project. Tricon subsequently accompanied the full realization phase, with vehicles entering service in 2019.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Tricon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- IDEO: IDEO is a global design consultancy with deep transportation and mobility design experience including rail, automotive and aviation. It is broader in scope (digital, service design) and significantly larger than Tricon, but competes for the same large-enterprise, multi-disciplinary design mandates from transport authorities and OEMs.
- EDAG Group: EDAG is one of Europe's largest independent engineering service providers, with industrial design capabilities covering transportation and product design. While primarily engineering-led, it competes with Tricon on full-vehicle development and prototyping programs for rail and mobility customers.
- Bertrandt Ingenieurbüro / Bertrandt Design: Bertrandt is a large German engineering services group offering industrial and transportation design as part of broader engineering, validation and prototyping services. It competes with Tricon where OEMs seek integrated design-plus-engineering packages rather than pure industrial design.
- Designworks (BMW Group): Designworks is the design consultancy subsidiary of BMW Group, providing transportation (rail, automotive, aviation) and industrial product design. While owned by an OEM, it operates semi-independently and competes for the same blue-chip rail and mobility design mandates as Tricon, particularly in Europe and North America.
Direct peers
- Pininfarina: Pininfarina is an Italian transportation design firm with deep experience in rail vehicle (Trains, high-speed, tram) and industrial design. Listed on Euronext Milan, it represents the closest publicly-traded analog to Tricon's rail-focused industrial design practice, competing in similar European and global rail OEM tenders.
- KISKA Design: KISKA is an Austrian industrial design consultancy with a transportation design practice (motorcycles, automotive, mobility vehicles) and industrial product design work. It serves similar OEM clients in DACH and globally, often competing for the same industrial design mandates as Tricon.
- TEAMS Design: TEAMS Design is a German industrial design firm with established transportation design expertise (rail, automotive, mobility) and additional product design practice. Its German base, transportation focus, and similar client base in German-speaking OEMs position it as a direct competitor to Tricon in DACH rail tenders.
- N+P Innovation Design: N+P Innovation Design is a German industrial design consultancy with a transportation design vertical serving rail and mobility clients, as well as medical and industrial product design. Its location and full-spectrum service portfolio mirror Tricon's positioning, making it a natural regional competitor.
- PriestmanGoode: PriestmanGoode is a London-based industrial design studio with a strong transportation design practice (rail, aviation, urban mobility). It serves similar clients (rail OEMs, operators, transport authorities) with comparable scope — interior, exterior, branding and full vehicle programs — making it a head-to-head peer for international rail design mandates.
Emerging players
- Bridge Design: Bridge Design is a US-based industrial design firm specializing in medical devices and complex regulated products. It competes with Tricon's medical device design practice for OEM engineering engagements in diagnostics, surgical and therapeutic device categories.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tricon social profiles
Digital presenceTricon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tricon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Tricon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tricon 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 Tricon
What does Tricon do?
Tricon (TRICON AG) is an industrial design firm delivering end-to-end design services across transportation (rail vehicles, metros, trams, locomotives, high-speed trains), medical devices (surgical systems, diagnostic scanners, resuscitation and ventilation equipment), and industrial/consumer products. Services span the full design spectrum from initial market analysis, concept development, and design strategy through 3D visualization, animation, physical model making, 1:1 mockup construction, and construction support during realization. The firm serves enterprise clients including major rail OEMs (Siemens, Alstom, CRRC, Stadler, CAF, Talgo, Kinki Sharyo), public transport authorities, and medical device manufacturers.
Is Tricon a public or private company?
Tricon is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tricon founded?
Tricon was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tricon based?
Tricon is headquartered in Kirchentellinsfurt, Germany, in the Europe region.
Who are Tricon's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are IDEO, EDAG Group, Bertrandt Ingenieurbüro / Bertrandt Design and Designworks (BMW Group). Direct peers are Pininfarina, KISKA Design, TEAMS Design, N+P Innovation Design and PriestmanGoode. Bridge Design is listed as an emerging player.
Does Tricon have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tricon.