Herga Technology

What Herga Technology does

Herga Technology (legal entity Herga Technologies Limited) is a UK-based manufacturer of foot and hand switching controls, founded in 1947 and headquartered in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, with a registered office in Guildford. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes a broad portfolio of footswitches, hand controls, pneumatic switches, pressure/vacuum switches, Bluetooth switches, infrared switches, USB switches, micro switches, and accessories, organized into Medical, Industrial, and Push-to-Talk product families. Its technology platform spans electrical, pneumatic (air-operated with full electrical isolation), Bluetooth (sub-100ms latency, closed-network), infrared (non-contact, IP67), and USB-connected switching, with a modular footswitch architecture supporting multi-pedal, heavy-duty, joystick, bellows, and puck variants. Medical-grade products carry UL 60601-1 approval, ISO 13485:2016 certification, and IPX7/IPX8 protection ratings for sterile and wet environments.

Herga operates a sales-led, distributor-mediated go-to-market model, selling to medical device OEMs, industrial OEMs, and end-users across Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and India via regional channel partners (Acal BFi, World Magnetics Distribution, Control Devices, OEM Automatic, Alcyon, Cenvalsa, K.MECS, Sonepar, Amironic) and its Variohm Group sister companies. Pricing is quote-based and customization-driven, with standard stock models available for fast delivery and bespoke engineering for OEM integrations. The company holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485:2016, ISO 14001:2015, UL 60601-1, CSA, and CE/UKCA certifications, maintains a triple A financial rating, and employs approximately 85 people. Herga became part of Variohm Holdings in 2013, which itself sits within the discoverIE Group PLC (LSE: DSC) diversified sensor and switch group.

Name

Herga Technology

Legal name

Herga Technologies Limited

Website

https://herga.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Herga Technology is a UK-based manufacturer of medical, industrial, and Push-to-Talk foot and hand switching controls, including pneumatic, Bluetooth, infrared, and USB variants. Founded 1947, it supplies OEM customers globally via distributors and is a subsidiary of discoverIE Group PLC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bury Saint Edmunds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Switch and Control Product Sales: Design, manufacture and distribution of foot and hand switching controls. Products include footswitches, hand controls, pneumatic switches, pressure/vacuum switches, Bluetooth switches, infrared switches, and accessories. Revenue generated through direct product sales via distributors globally

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Herga Technology designs, manufactures, and distributes foot and hand switching control products — including footswitches (pneumatic, Bluetooth, USB, modular, heavy duty, light industrial, multi-pedal, joystick, puck, bellows, foot potentiometers), hand controls (electrical, pneumatic, USB, wireless, infrared), pressure and vacuum switches, infrared non-contact switches, micro switches, push-to-talk switches, and associated accessories — serving medical device OEMs, industrial OEMs, transport and communications operators worldwide, alongside custom OEM design and engineering services built around in-house mechanical, electronic, and prototype manufacturing capability at its Bury St. Edmunds facility.

Product overview

Herga Technology designs, manufactures, and distributes switching solutions primarily focused on foot and hand control switches. The product portfolio spans Medical Switches (including UL 60601-1 approved footswitches and Bluetooth switches), Industrial Switches, Push-to-Talk Switches, Footswitches (with variants including pneumatic, USB, heavy duty, multi-pedal, and joystick), Hand Control Switches (electrical, pneumatic, USB, infrared, and wireless), Pneumatic Switches, Pressure and Vacuum Switches, Infrared Switches, Bluetooth Switches, Micro Switches, and Accessories. The company also offers Customised Solutions leveraging in-house design engineering, mechanical engineering, and electronic engineering capabilities. Products serve medical, industrial, security, transport, and custom application markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medical Switches A range of switches designed for healthcare environments, including footswitches, hand controls, and Bluetooth variants intended for medical device OEMs and clinical use, with products carrying UL 60601-1 approval and protection ratings up to IPX8.
• Medical Footswitches (UL 60601-1 Approved) UL 60601-1 approved footswitches for operating theatres, wards, and doctors' surgeries, available in single and multi-pedal configurations with IPX7/8 protection, for medical device OEMs and clinical end-users.
• Medical Bluetooth Switches (UL 60601-1 Approved) Wireless Bluetooth footswitches for medical applications using secure closed-network connectivity, under 100 ms response time, and IPX7/8 protection, with UL 60601-1 approval.
• Push-to-Talk Switches Footswitches and hand controls for hands-free push-to-talk communication in emergency response, air-traffic control, security, surveillance, broadcast, and control room environments.
• Industrial Switches Robust and durable switches for extreme industrial environments, covering industrial footswitches, hand switches, pneumatic switches, pressure/vacuum switches, and infrared switches, for industrial OEM customers.
• Footswitches A broad range of footswitches including pneumatic, Bluetooth, foot potentiometers, modular platforms, bellows, general purpose, joystick, heavy duty, light industrial, puck switches, multi-pedal, and USB variants for medical, industrial, and communications customers.
• Hand Control Switches Hand controls in electrical, infrared, pneumatic, USB, and wireless configurations with 2–8 button options, for medical beds, patient hoists, bath/stair lifts, and industrial applications.
• Pneumatic Switches Air-operated switches including air switches, bellows, pneumatic footswitches, and push button switches, designed to use air pressure rather than electricity for safety in wet environments.
• Pressure and Vacuum Switches Pressure and vacuum switches for monitoring and control applications, including air pressure/vacuum switches, double diaphragm pressure switches, and miniature variants, for medical and industrial monitoring use.
• Infrared Switches Non-contact infrared switches for industrial applications, including the 6461 Infra-Red Non-Contact Switch with a 75–100 mm range and IP67 protection rating.
• Bluetooth Switches Wireless Bluetooth-enabled switches operating on smart closed networks with long battery life, available in single and multi-pedal configurations for medical and industrial use.
• Micro Switches Precision micro switches for various switching applications across industrial and OEM equipment.
• Accessories Supporting accessories for the switch portfolio including air switch accessories, footswitch accessories, USB dongles, guards, pedal bases, and latching safety guards.
• Customised Solutions Custom design, engineering, and manufacturing service for bespoke switching solutions to meet specific OEM application requirements, leveraging in-house mechanical, electronic, and design engineering capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lean Manufacturing enables competitive pricing comparable to Asian markets
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Acal BFicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropean technology distributor with offices in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Nordic countries (Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden), and United Kingdom. Provides complete knowledge and support for Herga switching applications across these regions.
• World Magnetics DistributioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic partnership for North American distribution covering USA, Canada and Mexico. Enables Herga to offer enhanced support to OEM customers in these markets. Formerly known as Royal Distributors Inc.
• Control DevicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAsia-Pacific and Australia distributor with operations in Philippines, China, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia/Laos. Comprehensive coverage for switching applications in these regions.
• OEM AutomaticminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropean distributor with presence in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland, Poland, and Slovakia. Provides local support for Herga products in Central and Northern European markets.
• Variohm Eurosensor LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSister company and group partner operating in Germany, Switzerland, and Turkey markets. Also part of the Variohm Holdings group under discoverIE plc.
• Alcyon ElectroniqueminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrench distributor covering France market for Herga switching products.
• Amironic LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIsraeli distributor covering Israel market for Herga switching products.
• Cenvalsa Industrial S.L.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpanish distributor covering Spain market for Herga switching products.
• K.MECS Co. LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapanese distributor covering Japan market for Herga switching products.
• SoneparminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndian distributor covering India market for Herga switching products.
• Variohm HoldingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company that brought together companies with similar interests and complementing product lines in 2006. Herga became part of Variohm Holdings in 2013. Variohm Holdings is part of discoverIE plc group of companies.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bernstein AG: German industrial switch and sensor maker offering foot switches, safety switches, and enclosures for industrial OEMs. Comparable to Herga in heavy-duty and safety-oriented industrial switching.
• Schmersal Group: German safety switch manufacturer with a footswitch and command-device range used in industrial machinery. Overlaps with Herga in industrial footswitches, machine guarding, and safety-rated switching.
• Steute Technologies: German specialist in industrial switches, foot switches, and wireless medical switches. Competes directly with Herga in pneumatic, Bluetooth, and safety-rated switching for medical and industrial OEMs across Europe.
• Linemaster Switch Corporation: US-based specialist manufacturer of foot switches, hand controls, and air switches for medical, industrial, and OEM applications. Closest direct competitor to Herga in medical and industrial footswitches, with comparable UL 60601 medical-grade products.
• Marquardt GmbH: Global switch and mechatronics specialist supplying medical-grade foot and hand controls to OEMs. Comparable to Herga in medical switching, custom OEM designs, and modular footswitch platforms.

Emerging players

• Crouzet (Custom Sensors & Technologies): French manufacturer of control components including switches and snap-action switches. Partial overlap with Herga in industrial switching, particularly pneumatic and micro switches.

Broad incumbents

• Omron Industrial Automation: Large Japanese industrial automation vendor with a broad switch and footswitch portfolio. Competes with Herga in industrial switching but does not focus on the medical footswitch niche.
• Honeywell Sensing & Control: Global sensor and switch incumbent offering limit switches, pressure switches, and basic footswitches. Broader portfolio than Herga but overlaps in industrial pressure/vacuum and safety switching.
• Eaton (Industrial Control): Diversified industrial conglomerate with a switch and control device range. Adjacent rather than direct competitor to Herga, but competes in industrial footswitch and pressure switch categories.

Regional players

• SCHELLING + COMPANY: Swiss/British distributor and converter of footswitches and switching solutions. Functionally a route-to-market peer rather than a manufacturer, but serves the same European customer base as Herga's distributor-led model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HergaTechnology

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Herga Technology