VMT

What VMT does

VMT GmbH (Gesellschaft für Vermessungstechnik) is a German private company founded in 1994 and headquartered in Bruchsal, operating as a subsidiary of the Herrenknecht Group. The company specializes in navigation, measurement, and data management technology for mechanized tunnel construction and industrial production. Its core offering is the TUnIS navigation software platform, with specialized modules for tunnel boring machines (TBMLaser, Gripper, Double Shield, TBMGyro, Roadheader, Rockbolter) and for microtunnelling (MTLaser, MTHydroLevel, MTGyro, MTLaserTotalstation, MTGyroEMS). The product portfolio extends across the full tunnel construction lifecycle: navigation, production and logistics management (Segment Documentation System SDS), real-time quality and safety monitoring (SLuM tailskin clearance, RCMS ring convergence, Ring Planarity Check), data visualization (Herrenknecht.Connected and 3D.ON), and high-precision industrial measurement services using laser tracker technology (LIS).

VMT serves contractors operating tunnel boring machines, microtunnelling and pipe jacking crews, precast concrete segment manufacturers, and industrial enterprises requiring submillimetre measurement. Named deployments include large infrastructure projects such as the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension for Metrolinx and Cairo Metro Line 4 for the Cairo Metro Authority, alongside segment production deployments for manufacturers such as Röser Firmengruppe. The company distributes through direct enterprise sales supplemented by international trade fair presence (bauma, Intergeo, World Tunnel Congress) and runs the annual Projektdialog Microtunnelling industry event, now in its 15th edition.

Revenue mechanics are predominantly one-time license/hardware sales of navigation systems, supplemented by professional services for industrial measurement, subscription revenue for SDS, and modest event registration fees. The company maintains offices in Germany (Bruchsal HQ), Australia (Melbourne), China (Shanghai), USA (Seattle), Singapore, and Spain (Madrid), and reports over 2,700 completed tunnel drives documented worldwide across its 30-year operating history.

Name

VMT

Legal name

VMT GmbH

Website

https://vmt-gmbh.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

VMT GmbH is a German subsidiary of Herrenknecht that develops navigation, monitoring, and data management systems (TUnIS platform, SDS, SLuM, RCMS) for tunnel boring machines and microtunnelling, serving tunneling contractors, precast manufacturers, and infrastructure clients across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tunnel Construction Navigation and Measurement Systems

NAICS

Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Tunnels & Underground Rail Civil Construction (IMAFAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Asset Inspection, Monitoring & Digital O&M (Sensors/SHM, Drones, CMMS/EAM) (TLAJAAAK)

Keywords

• Tunnel boring navigation
• Microtunnelling guidance
• Tunnel segment documentation
• Industrial laser measurement
• Tunnel deformation monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Bruchsal

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Navigation Systems and Equipment Sales: Sale of proprietary navigation systems (TUnIS) for tunnel boring machines and microtunnelling equipment, including hardware components and software licenses.
2. Industrial Measurement Services: High-precision measurement services using laser tracker technology for quality control in tunnel segment production and industrial manufacturing.
3. Monitoring and Process Management Systems: Sale and deployment of monitoring systems including SLuM, RCMS, and TUnIS Ring Planarity Check for construction quality assurance.
4. Segment Documentation System SDS: Production and logistics management software for tunnel segment tracking and documentation.
5. Event Registration (Projektdialog): Paid attendance for the annual Projektdialog Microtunnelling industry event, with tiered pricing from EUR 140-195 per person.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VMT GmbH develops and supplies navigation, monitoring, and data management systems for mechanized tunnel construction and industrial production. Its TUnIS platform guides tunnel boring machines and microtunnelling equipment with submillimetre precision across large-diameter tunnelling, pipe jacking, and small-diameter drives. Complementary products handle tunnel segment production and logistics (SDS), real-time construction quality and safety monitoring (SLuM, RCMS, Ring Planarity Check), data analysis and visualization (Herrenknecht.Connected, 3D.ON, TUnIS Navigation Office), and submillimetre industrial measurement for precast and manufacturing processes (LIS laser tracker and IMS services).

Product overview

VMT offers an integrated portfolio of navigation, monitoring, and data management products for mechanized tunnel construction and industrial measurement. The core TUnIS platform provides multiple specialized navigation systems (TUnIS Navigation TBMLaser, MTLaser, etc.) for guiding tunnel boring machines and microtunnelling operations. Production and logistics are managed through the Segment Documentation System SDS, while quality assurance relies on the Laser Tracker LIS system. Real-time monitoring is handled by SLuM (tailskin clearance), RCMS (ring convergence), and Ring Planarity Check systems. Data analysis and visualization are centralized in Herrenknecht.Connected (including 3D.ON module) and TUnIS Navigation Office, enabling project-wide visibility. Industrial measurement services provide submillimetre-precise measurements for manufacturing processes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VMT Innovationen: Innovation platform showcasing latest developments before they go underground.
• VMT Industrievermessung
• VMT Microtunnelling
• TUnIS Navigation
• SDS (Segment Documentation System)
• Herrenknecht.Connected
• LIS Laser Tracker
• SLuM
• RCMS

Products and services

• TUnIS Navigation TBMLaser Laser-based TUnIS navigation system for guiding Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) in large-diameter tunnelling projects, providing submillimetre alignment accuracy. Intended for tunnel boring contractors on transportation, water, and mining tunnels.
• TUnIS Navigation MTLaser Laser-based TUnIS navigation system for microtunnelling operations and small-diameter pipe-jacking drives. Designed for contractors performing pipe jacking and small-diameter tunnel installations requiring alignment accuracy in confined, often non-accessible diameters.
• Segment Documentation System (SDS) Production and logistics management software for tunnel segments (Tübbinge), tracking segment production, inventory, and delivery logistics for tunnel construction projects. Sold as a recurring software subscription. Aimed at segment producers and tunnel contractors coordinating just-in-time supply.
• Herrenknecht.Connected Data management platform for analysing and displaying process data from tunnel construction projects across jobsites. Includes the 3D.ON visualization module for 3D tunnel model rendering. Built for tunnel construction project teams requiring consolidated cross-project visibility.
• Automatic Tailskin Clearance Measurement System (SLuM) Automatic measurement system that determines the diameter of every installed tunnel ring and supports centric ring build by measuring ring position relative to the tailskin axis with millimetre accuracy. Sold to tunnel contractors seeking to optimize ring build and avoid damage to concrete segments.
• Ring Convergence Measurement System (RCMS) Wireless camera-based measurement system providing real-time automatic detection of ring deformations during tunnel construction. Small, reusable sensors deliver data with minimal delay between measurement and evaluation. Used by tunnel contractors for deformation and safety monitoring.
• TUnIS Ring Planarity Check System monitoring the planarity of the leading-edge ring during tunnel construction by tracking thrust cylinder extensions, with automatic alerts when uneven ring planes are detected. Deployed on TBM projects to improve installation quality.
• Laser Tracker Industrial Measurement System (LIS) Portable semi-automatic quality control system for tunnel segment production. Checks mould and segment basic geometry and detects design and production deviations in the submillimetre range. Targets precast concrete manufacturers of tunnel segments needing in-line quality assurance.
• TUnIS Navigation Office Real-time navigation and ring data monitoring system allowing one or more TBMs to be monitored from site offices. Provides navigation visualization, ring management, mapping, reporting, and user management accessible from multiple terminals simultaneously. Used by tunnel construction project teams for project-wide visibility.
• Industrial Measurement Services (IMS) Professional measurement services combining laser-tracker measuring technology with experienced staff for installation, adjustment, and quality assurance of components, machinery, and plant equipment in industrial manufacturing environments. Delivered on a professional-services basis to manufacturing plants.
• TUnIS.pipelight Dedicated navigation system for microtunnelling applications launched in September 2023. Built for pipe jacking and small-diameter utility tunnel contractors requiring precise alignment control, presented as part of VMT's microtunnelling portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,700 successful tunnel drives documented worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Jackcontrol AGminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 October 2024Jackcontrol AG, based in Glarus, Switzerland, co-organizes the annual Projektdialog Microtunnelling event alongside VMT. The partnership combines VMT's navigation expertise with Jackcontrol's tunnel jacking control systems for joint industry events and knowledge sharing in the microtunnelling community.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Normet: Normet manufactures equipment, vehicles, and services for underground mining and tunnel construction. It serves similar contractor customers to VMT and offers underground construction solutions that intersect with tunnel workflow optimization.
• Amberg Technologies: Amberg Technologies is a Swiss provider of tunnel and infrastructure surveying systems, including TBM guidance, rail surveying, and tunnel scanning solutions. It is one of the most direct competitors to VMT in tunnel navigation and measurement.

Emerging players

• Senceive: Senceive provides wireless structural health monitoring sensors for rail, tunnel, and infrastructure applications. Its wireless deformation monitoring solutions compete with VMT's RCMS product line in the construction monitoring segment.
• GeoSLAM: GeoSLAM provides handheld 3D mobile mapping technology using SLAM algorithms for indoor and underground surveying. Its technology represents an emerging, lower-cost alternative for tunnel and underground space scanning that could disrupt traditional laser-based navigation approaches used by VMT.
• Geokon: Geokon manufactures geotechnical and structural monitoring instrumentation, including vibrating wire sensors and data acquisition systems used in tunnel and infrastructure projects. Its monitoring products serve the same customer needs as VMT's RCMS and SLuM systems in the deformation and convergence monitoring segment.

Broad incumbents

• Trimble Inc. Trimble provides positioning, modeling, and machine control technology across construction and geospatial markets. Its machine guidance and monitoring solutions compete in adjacent spaces to VMT's TBM navigation and construction monitoring offerings.
• Topcon Positioning Systems: Topcon designs and supplies positioning, measurement, and machine control solutions for construction, agriculture, and geospatial professionals. Its machine guidance products overlap with VMT's tunnel navigation and monitoring offerings at a broader industry level.
• Leica Geosystems (Hexagon): Hexagon's Leica Geosystems division is a global leader in surveying, geospatial, and industrial measurement instruments. Its laser trackers, total stations, and machine guidance systems overlap directly with VMT's TUnIS and LIS product families, though from a much broader portfolio.

Others

• Sika AG: Sika is a global specialty chemicals company serving the construction industry, including tunnel and underground construction with waterproofing, concrete, and sealing solutions. While not a direct competitor, it operates in the same tunnel construction ecosystem with overlapping end customers.
• Herrenknecht AG: Herrenknecht is the world's leading manufacturer of tunnel boring machines and VMT's parent company. It is included as a peer because VMT's products are tightly integrated into Herrenknecht's TBM ecosystem and share the same end-customer base, though Herrenknecht itself manufactures the machines rather than the navigation systems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vmt-gmbh---gesellschaft-f%C3%BCr-vermessungstechnik

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 VMT