TFI Aachen

What TFI Aachen does

TFI Aachen is a German research and service institute operating under a dual legal structure: the registered association TFI - Institut für Boden- und Raumsysteme an der RWTH Aachen e.V. founded in 1964, and its wholly-owned commercial subsidiary TFI Aachen GmbH. Headquartered in Aachen at Charlottenburger Allee 41, the institute is an affiliated institute of RWTH Aachen University and employs 51-100 staff across research, testing, certification, qualification, and production functions. Its core technology spans textile processing (tufting, shearing, coating, calendering, thermobonding, laminating, molding/pressing) and accredited material testing, with a DAkkS-accredited laboratory under DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and Notified Body status (NB 1658) under the EU Construction Products Regulation. The institute also holds ISO 17065 certification body accreditation and is recognised by DIBt, TÜV Hessen (PROFiCERT-product INTERIOR), and GUT.

TFI generates revenue across six streams: per-test accredited testing fees, certification and surveillance fees under CE/EU CPR/DIBt/TÜV PROFiCERT, paid training workshops (€175-€1,200 per participant), publicly co-funded pre-competitive research (AiF, BMWi, EU, state of NRW), commissioned industry R&D, and prototype/production services (including standardised dirt dust). GTM is sales-led through a dedicated sales team, supported by a website with customer portal, a member network of 20+ industry companies, standards-body representation (CEN/ISO), and presence at trade fairs such as Techtextil and the SME Innovation Day. Customers are predominantly European manufacturers of interior building products (textile floor coverings, resilient flooring, laminates, parquet, screeds, wall and ceiling systems) plus an adjacent membership, retailer, and tradesperson segment served through training.

The institute's pipeline includes ongoing research projects (CISUFLO, Helixgarne, Acoustic Yarns, ModuLeiT, InFlameTex, ELSAfloor, BioTurf), the proprietary Product Passport Sustainability system (mapped to DGNB, LEED, BREEAM, BNB, QNG, Cradle to Cradle), and the 2026 R.A.U.M.-Labor Euregio-Maas-Rhein virtual-real competence centre.

Name

TFI Aachen

Legal name

TFI - Institut für Boden- und Raumsysteme an der RWTH Aachen e. V.

Website

https://tfi-aachen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

TFI Aachen is an accredited German research institute and Notified Body (NB 1658) providing testing, certification, qualification, and pilot production services for European manufacturers of interior building products, especially floor coverings, with operations tied to RWTH Aachen University.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Aachen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Testing and Inspection Services: Accredited testing of building products for interiors including fire behaviour, emissions, chemical properties, acoustics, and functional/qualitative properties. Revenue is generated through per-project or per-test fee arrangements based on TFI's service schedule.
2. Certification and Surveillance Services: Product certification under CE/EU CPR, DIBt/MVV TB, TÜV PROFiCERT-product INTERIOR, and health/quality criteria. Certification and ongoing surveillance/monitoring fees are charged according to the service schedule.
3. Qualification and Training: Fee-based workshops, seminars, and qualification formats covering topics such as EU Construction Products Regulation, textile technology, fire testing, floor covering classification, CSR management, organizational development and leadership coaching. Fees range from €175 to €1,200 per participant or daily rates.
4. Research Project Funding: Pre-competitive research funded through the Forschungskuratorium Textil e.V., financed by the AiF and Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), as well as the European Union and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Additionally commissioned R&D contracts with industry customers.
5. Production and Manufacturing Services: Custom prototype and sample development (tufting, coating), standardized dirt dust sales, test carpet development, and special machine/test equipment construction support. Revenue generated through project-based manufacturing fees.
6. Room Rental: Rental of large and small meeting rooms to external parties, providing additional revenue from facilities not in full internal use.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

TFI Aachen delivers integrated research, DAkkS-accredited testing, EU CPR certification, qualification workshops, and prototype production services for European manufacturers of interior building products, with a specialisation in floor and wall coverings. As a DAkkS-accredited testing laboratory and EU Construction Products Regulation Notified Body (NB 1658), it issues CE marking, TÜV Interior, DIBt, and GUT signet certifications. The institute's portfolio also includes the proprietary Product Passport Sustainability verification system mapped to DGNB, LEED, BREEAM, BNB, QNG, and Cradle to Cradle, plus custom training seminars and on-site pilot manufacturing of test carpets and prototypes.

Product overview

TFI Aachen operates as a research institute and service company offering an integrated portfolio of five core services for the floor and interior industry: Research (Forschung), Testing (Prüfung), Certification (Zertifizierung), Qualification (Qualifizierung), and Production (Produktion). The institute is accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 for testing and DIN EN ISO/IEC 17065 for certification, serving as a Notified Body (NB 1658) under the EU Construction Products Regulation. Additional offerings include the Product Passport Sustainability certification system and the R.A.U.M.-Labor research infrastructure project. Services span from material development and product testing to training programs and prototype production, targeting manufacturers, retailers, and tradespeople in the building products industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research (Forschung) Research services developing innovative materials, products, technologies, and testing procedures for the floor and interior industry, focusing on sustainability, circular economy, health, safety, comfort, and design. Targeted at manufacturers, industry network members, and research partners.
• Testing (Prüfung) DAkkS-accredited testing services (DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025) for building and interior products covering health, safety, and quality aspects including acoustic, thermal, chemical, fire behaviour, and functional property testing. For European manufacturers of interior building products.
• Certification (Zertifizierung) Product certification services for interior building products including CE marking under EU CPR, TÜV PROFiCERT-product INTERIOR, DIBt approvals, and sustainability certifications. For manufacturers requiring market access and compliance.
• Qualification (Qualifizierung) Training and seminar services for manufacturers, retailers, and tradespeople covering sustainability, digitalization, testing, certification, and research topics, including organizational development and leadership coaching. Workshops on EU Construction Products Regulation, textile technology, fire testing, floor covering classification, CSR management, EPD, and organizational development.
• Production (Produktion) Custom prototype and sample development including test carpets, standardized dirt dust for testing, special machine construction, and test equipment development. Uses pilot tufting, coating, calendering, and thermobonding facilities for customers.
• Product Passport Sustainability Sustainability certification system verifying product sustainability performance and mapping to international certification systems including DGNB, LEED, BREEAM, BNB, QNG, and Cradle to Cradle. TFI acts as independent third party examining documents and evaluating criteria.
• Room Rental (Raumvermietung)

Quantifiable outcome

• Founded in 1964, TFI research results have formed the basis for worldwide quality and use classification of carpeting and the GUT signet for environmentally friendly carpet.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• RWTH Aachen University / ITA (Institute of Textile Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTFI is an affiliated institute of RWTH Aachen University (since 2010) and has a long-standing cooperation with ITA in joint research and teaching. TFI contributes to teaching at ITA to qualify future engineers. The close cooperation is further intensified through the affiliated institute status.
• ITA / RWTH Aachen (Institute of Textile Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation in research projects for many years. ITA and TFI collaborate on textile floor coverings, home textiles, and building products research.
• DWI Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as cooperation partner; joint activities in research on interactive materials for interior applications.
• Hochschule NiederrheinsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner in research, particularly in textile technology. TFI helps establish contact with students from Hochschule Niederrhein as part of member benefits.
• IHD (Institut für Holztechnologie Dresden)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed both as member and cooperation partner. Collaborates with TFI in research on wood-based floor coverings and building products.
• Stfi (Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner in textile research, sharing expertise in testing and research methodologies across German textile research institutions.
• ZUSE (Deutsche Industrieforschungsgemeinschaft Konrad Zuse e.V.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTFI was a founding member in 2016. ZUSE brings together about 130 industry-related research institutions providing a common mouthpiece for SMEs. TFI actively participates in standardization representation at European (CEN) and international (ISO) levels through ZUSE.
• NEB (New European Bauhaus)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as cooperation partner. NEB is a European Commission initiative connecting sustainability, design, and innovation. TFI participates in NEB activities related to sustainable building products.
• TÜV HessencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTÜV Hessen recognises TFI as a testing and monitoring body for TÜV PROFiCERT-product INTERIOR trademark. TÜV Hessen also verified TFI's corporate carbon footprint methodology (2023). In cooperation with TÜV Hessen, management systems for quality (ISO 9001), environment (ISO 14001) and health and safety (ISO 45001) can be certified.
• Forschungskuratorium Textil e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTFI participates in cooperative research financed by Forschungskuratorium Textil e.V. with funds from AiF and Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). The EU and state of North Rhine-Westphalia also support joint projects.
• DIBt (Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik)coreTechnology or IntegrationTFI is a testing, inspection and certification body within the scope of DIBt building inspectorate approvals. Holds DIBt notification for EN 13813, EN 14041, EN 14342, EN 14904, EN 15102, and horizontal notifications for reaction to fire, emission of hazardous substances, and sound insulation properties.
• Gerflor Mipolam GmbHsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of the 'Product Passport Sustainability' with TFI Aachen, Findeisen GmbH and Object Carpet GmbH. Provides industry input for the sustainability product passport framework for floor coverings.
• Findeisen GmbHsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of the 'Product Passport Sustainability' with TFI Aachen, Gerflor Mipolam GmbH and Object Carpet GmbH. Contributed to framework for sustainability product passports for interior building products.
• Object Carpet GmbHsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of the 'Product Passport Sustainability' with TFI Aachen, Gerflor Mipolam GmbH and Findeisen GmbH. Also a board member company, host of TFI board meeting 2026, and long-standing network member.
• GUT (Gemeinschaft umweltfreundlicher Teppichboden)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTFI is the testing and monitoring body for the GUT signet, founded in 1990 based partly on TFI research on emissions and pollutants in carpet. GUT signet evaluates environmental and health aspects of carpet products.
• KlieveriksecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarpet machinery manufacturer with CFC (Carpet Fusing Calender) test installation located on-site at TFI. Enables direct collaboration with carpet producers to optimize product and production process. Membership in TFI network since several years.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Eurofins Scientific: Testing services group with growing exposure to building-product emissions, VOC, and indoor-air-quality testing; partial overlap with TFI's chemistry and emissions testing services.

Broad incumbents

• TÜV Rheinland: Global TIC services group with broad construction-product testing and certification capabilities; overlaps with TFI on CE marking, fire testing, and emissions certification but covers far more product categories and geographies.
• SGS: World's largest TIC company providing testing, inspection and certification for construction materials and interior products; competes with TFI on accredited lab services and certification schemes in Europe.
• TÜV SÜD: Major German-rooted TIC provider with construction product, flooring, and building-material certification services; competes with TFI for accredited testing and Notified Body work in the EU interior-products space.
• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC incumbent offering construction-product testing, CE marking support, and sustainability certification across multiple regions; broad-portfolio competitor to TFI's specialized interior-product offering.

Others

• DIBt (Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik): German building-authority approvals body that grants the national technical approvals under which TFI operates as a testing/certification body; complementary rather than competitive.
• GUT (Gemeinschaft umweltfreundlicher Teppichboden): European carpet environmental-quality association founded on TFI research in 1990; TFI acts as its testing/monitoring body, making GUT a closely-linked scheme owner rather than a direct competitor.
• ITA – Institut für Textiltechnik der RWTH Aachen: RWTH Aachen's textile technology institute and TFI's long-standing academic partner; not a commercial TIC competitor but closely linked via joint research, teaching, and the affiliated-institute relationship.

Direct peers

• STFI (Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut): Cooperation partner of TFI; performs textile research and testing across technical textiles, sharing methodological overlap with TFI's textile floor covering and pilot manufacturing work.
• IHD – Institut für Holztechnologie Dresden: German research institute listed as a TFI cooperation partner; performs testing and R&D for wood-based floor coverings and building products, directly overlapping TFI's wood flooring and laminate testing scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TFIAachen
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Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about TFI Aachen