Hottinger Brüel & Kjær

Name

Hottinger Brüel & Kjær

Legal name

Hottinger Brüel & Kjær

Website

https://hbkworld.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Test and Measurement Instrumentation

NAICS

Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches) (IMAGAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Weighing & Force Measurement (Load cells, scales, torque, strain measurement) (IMAGAFAF), Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services) (IMAGAFAH)

Keywords

• Data acquisition systems
• Precision measurement sensors
• Acoustic vibration testing
• Power analysis instrumentation
• Fatigue durability software

Headquarters

HQ city

Nærum

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Sale of precision sensors (strain gauges, load cells, torque sensors, microphones, transducers) and DAQ systems. One-time capital expenditure model typical of industrial equipment sales with long replacement cycles.
2. Software Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from analysis software platforms including BK Connect, PULSE, nCode, and ReliaSoft. Annual maintenance and license fees provide predictable revenue stream.
3. Professional Services: Implementation, system integration, training, and consulting services for complex measurement solutions. Includes custom engineering and application support.
4. Calibration Services: Accredited calibration services for sensors and measurement equipment ensuring accuracy and regulatory compliance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hottinger Brüel & Kjær (HBK) designs, manufactures, and sells precision measurement hardware — including data acquisition (DAQ) systems, sensors (strain gauges, load cells, torque, force, microphones, inertial, pressure, current), power analyzers, and shaker systems — together with associated test, analysis, and monitoring software, calibration, and engineering services. The offering is sold across the product lifecycle from laboratory characterisation to in-vehicle and in-production/operational measurement use cases.

Product overview

HBK (Hottinger Brüel & Kjær) offers a comprehensive portfolio of precision measurement solutions across three critical domains: mechanical, sound and vibration, and electrical testing. The company was formed in 2019 by merging HBM and Brüel & Kjær, both with over 80 years of experience. The product portfolio centers on data acquisition systems (QuantumX, Genesis HighSpeed/GenHS, SomatXR, MGCplus, CANHEAD, eDAQ, LAN-XI, Fusion-LN) for mechanical-structural and sound-vibration testing; power analyzers (eDrive, eGrid, Remote Probe based Power Analyzers) for electric drive and power testing; extensive sensor lines (load cells, torque sensors, force sensors, strain gauges, microphones, inertial sensors, current transducers, pressure transducers, smart IO-Link sensors); integrated systems (LDS shakers, HATS, acoustic EOL test systems); and software (BK Connect/PULSE, Tescia, Catman, Perception, nCode durability, ReliaSoft reliability, Aqira test data management, HBK Monitor360 AI monitoring, inertial sensor software). Services include calibration, installation, maintenance, repair, and materials testing consultancy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HBM: Precision measurement technology brand focusing on load cells, strain gauges, transducers, and data acquisition systems
• Brüel & Kjær
• nCode
• ReliaSoft
• MicroStrain
• Discom
• LDS

Products and services

• QuantumX Data Acquisition System Universal, modular DAQ system for laboratory and test bench measurement of mechanical, electrical, and thermal quantities; targeted at engineers performing structural, fatigue, and performance tests.
• Genesis HighSpeed (GenHS) High-speed DAQ system for transient recording and high-bandwidth signal capture in automotive, aerospace, energy, and research applications.
• SomatXR Rugged, mobile DAQ system designed for harsh-environment vehicle, field, and industrial testing.
• MGCplus Laboratory-grade DAQ system for high-precision measurement of mechanical and electrical quantities.
• CANHEAD DAQ System Modular CAN-bus based DAQ system for distributed measurement networks in vehicle and machinery testing.
• eDAQ Compact, distributed DAQ system for in-vehicle and mobile data capture.
• LAN-XI System Modular sound and vibration DAQ platform for multi-channel acoustic and vibration measurements.
• Fusion-LN Sound and vibration DAQ system with integrated processing for laboratory and field acoustic/vibration testing.
• Fusion MX Latest-generation sound and vibration DAQ system from HBK's Fusion product family.
• Fusion RX Sound and vibration DAQ system in HBK's Fusion product family.
• eDrive Power Analyzer Power analyzer designed for electrical and mechanical power measurements on electric and hybrid vehicle drivetrains.
• eGrid Power Analyzer Power analyzer for high-voltage grid, renewable energy, and power conversion testing.
• Remote Probe based Power Analyzer Remote-probe power analyzer for distributed electrical power measurement applications.
• BK Connect Software platform for sound and vibration data acquisition, analysis, and reporting.
• PULSE Software Multi-analyzer sound and vibration data acquisition and analysis software platform.
• Tescia Software Software for high-channel-count data acquisition and analysis.
• Catman Data Acquisition Software Software for data acquisition, visualization, and analysis, particularly for mechanical and structural testing.
• Perception High Speed DAQ Software Software for high-speed transient data recording, review, and analysis.
• nCode DesignLife Durability and fatigue life prediction software for CAE and test-based engineering.
• nCode GlyphWorks Signal processing and data analysis software for durability and reliability engineering workflows.
• nCode VibeSys Software for simulating and analyzing vibration, acoustic, and durability behavior of products.
• ReliaSoft BlockSim Reliability, availability, maintainability (RAM) and system reliability simulation software.
• ReliaSoft Weibull++ Life data analysis software using Weibull and other reliability distributions.
• ReliaSoft XFMEA Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) software for product and process risk analysis.
• Aqira Cloud-based test data management and analytics platform for test and measurement workflows.
• HBK Monitor360 AI-based monitoring platform for operational asset health and condition monitoring.
• InertialConnect Software for configuring and operating HBK inertial sensors.
• SensorConnect Software for configuring, calibrating, and operating HBK strain-gauge and related sensors.
• Strain Gauges Bonded and weldable strain gauges for measuring strain on mechanical structures and components.
• Load Cells Force measurement load cells for industrial weighing, force testing, and process monitoring.
• Torque Sensors and Transducers Rotating and reaction torque sensors for drivetrain, powertrain, and component testing.
• Force Sensors and Transducers Force sensors for static and dynamic force measurement applications.
• Microphones and Acoustic Transducers Measurement microphones and acoustic transducers for sound level, acoustic testing, and NVH applications.
• Inertial Sensors (Accelerometers, IMUs) Accelerometers and inertial measurement units for vibration, motion, and tilt measurement.
• Current Transducers (Fluxgate) High-precision fluxgate and Hall-effect current transducers for electrical power and EMC test applications.
• Pressure Transducers Pressure transducers and sensors for industrial, hydraulic, and test cell applications.
• Smart Sensors with IO-Link IO-Link enabled smart sensors for Industry 4.0 / IIoT condition monitoring and process automation.
• LDS Shaker Systems Electrodynamic shaker systems for vibration, shock, and modal testing of components and structures.
• Head and Torso Simulator (HATS) Manikin system for realistic acoustic measurement of headsets, telephones, and audio devices.
• Acoustic End-of-Line Test Systems Production-line acoustic test systems for quality assurance of audio products such as speakers, microphones, and hearing instruments.
• Calibration Services Accredited calibration services for measurement instruments across force, torque, pressure, electrical, and acoustic domains.
• Materials Characterisation & Test Lab Services Fee-for-service materials and component testing, characterisation, and engineering consultancy delivered through HBK's test laboratories.

Quantifiable outcome

• Force sensor market projected to grow from USD 3.2B (2025) to USD 5.2B (2035) at 5.1% CAGR
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability3 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered parent company and core brand.

• Spectrisparent companyOthers · 1 January 2019Spectris is the parent company of HBK. HBK was formed in 2019 by merging HBM and Brüel & Kjær under the Spectris portfolio of precision measurement companies.
• HBM (Hottinger Baldwin Messtechnik)core brandTechnology or IntegrationOne of the two founding companies of HBK, HBM brings over 80 years of experience in strain gauge and load cell technology. Now operated as a brand under HBK.
• Brüel & Kjærcore brandTechnology or IntegrationOne of the two founding companies of HBK, Brüel & Kjær brings over 80 years of expertise in acoustic and vibration measurement. Now operated as a brand under HBK.
• nCodecore brandTechnology or IntegrationnCode provides durability testing and fatigue analysis software, integrated into HBK's software portfolio for comprehensive product testing solutions.
• ReliaSoftcore brandTechnology or IntegrationReliaSoft provides reliability engineering software for accelerated life testing and failure analysis, complementing HBK's measurement solutions.
• MicroStraincore brandTechnology or IntegrationMicroStrain provides inertial and displacement sensing technology for structural monitoring and wireless sensor applications.
• Discomcore brandTechnology or IntegrationDiscom provides acoustic and vibration analysis solutions, integrated into HBK's product portfolio under the Brüel & Kjær brand.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Emerging players

• imc Test & Measurement: Emerging competitor in rugged and mobile DAQ systems for vehicle, e-mobility, and structural testing — directly overlapping HBK's SomatXR and QuantumX product lines in automotive and field test applications.
• Dewesoft: Emerging competitor in modular DAQ systems and data acquisition software for automotive, power, and structural test, with growing direct overlap to QuantumX and SomatXR in mid-market engineering applications.
• Gantner Instruments: Emerging specialist in distributed DAQ, signal conditioning, and data acquisition for structural, fatigue, and endurance testing — competing with HBK in aerospace and energy structural health monitoring use cases.

Broad incumbents

• Fluke Corporation (Fortive): Broad incumbent in handheld and benchtop test instruments, including multimeters, power quality analyzers, and vibration testers. Overlaps with HBK's handheld instruments and condition monitoring offerings as part of Fortive's broader T&M portfolio.
• AMETEK: Broad incumbent in electronic instruments and electromechanical devices, including power analyzers, materials testing, and process instrumentation. Competes with HBK in power analysis and precision measurement as part of a diversified industrial portfolio.
• Keysight Technologies: Broad incumbent in electronic test and measurement with power analyzers, oscilloscopes, and signal analyzers. Overlaps with HBK's electrical measurement, power analysis (eDrive/eGrid), and DAQ offerings as part of a much larger portfolio spanning communications and semiconductor test.

Direct peers

• National Instruments (NI, now part of Emerson): Direct peer in modular data acquisition systems (PXI, CompactDAQ) and graphical test software (LabVIEW) targeting aerospace, automotive, and electronics test applications — overlapping HBK's mechanical, structural, and electrical DAQ franchises.
• MTS Systems: Direct peer in mechanical and structural testing, providing servo-hydraulic test systems and structural test software used in materials and durability testing — overlapping with HBK's structural DAQ, nCode durability software, and materials characterization lab.
• Vishay Precision Group: Direct peer in precision force sensors, load cells, strain gauges, and weighing solutions for industrial and OEM applications — competing directly with HBK's HBM load cell and force sensor product lines.
• Kistler Group: Swiss-headquartered direct peer in piezoelectric sensors, force/pressure/torque measurement, and dynamic measurement systems for engine, drivetrain, and crash testing — closely aligned with HBK's sensor and DAQ portfolio in automotive and aerospace.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/HBKHOTTINGERBR%C3%9CELKJ%C3%86R
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hbkworld-test-and-measurement

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hottinger Brüel & Kjær