Barth + Höpfinger GmbH - Behälter- und Apparatebau

What Barth + Höpfinger GmbH - Behälter- und Apparatebau does

Barth + Höpfinger GmbH is a family-owned German manufacturer specializing in custom container and apparatus construction (Behälter- und Apparatebau), operating from a single site in Niefern-Öschelbronn near Pforzheim since 1923. The company designs, engineers, and fabricates custom welded constructions from stainless steel and specialty alloys including Hastelloy, Duplex, and Titanium. Its core product portfolio comprises six lines: apparatus and complete plant systems with piping, individual pressure vessels and vacuum containers built to ASME and AD standards, shell-and-tube heat exchangers (including surface condensers and evaporators), experimental plants and prototypes for R&D, reducers and connection cones, and small series / contingency production. Each product is individually calculated, designed, and manufactured to customer specifications, without any mass production.

The company serves B2B industrial customers across six verticals: chemical and petrochemical, filtration, food processing, environmental technology, hydrogen, and research institutions/startups. Its technical differentiation rests on 100 years of craft expertise, TÜV-certified welders and qualified mechanical engineers, international certifications (ASME, AD), and comprehensive material certification documentation delivered with each product. The business model is project-based custom manufacturing with individually quoted pricing in Euro (ex-works), standard 30-day net payment terms, and direct B2B sales engagement. The company is led by Managing Director Frank Höpfinger, operates without external investors or parent company, and explicitly positions itself as a long-term partner for demanding industrial applications including special media exposure and extreme mechanical or thermal requirements.

Name

Barth + Höpfinger GmbH - Behälter- und Apparatebau

Legal name

Barth+Höpfinger GmbH

Website

https://barth-hoepfinger.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Barth + Höpfinger GmbH is a family-owned German manufacturer, founded in 1923, that custom-engineers pressure vessels, heat exchangers, apparatus, and experimental plants from stainless steel and specialty alloys for chemical, petrochemical, food, environmental, hydrogen, and research-industry B2B customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Niefern-Öschelbronn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Custom Manufacturing Contracts: The company manufactures custom containers, apparatus, and heat exchangers to customer specifications. Revenue is generated through project-based orders with individual pricing. No mass production - each piece is manufactured individually according to customer requirements and drawings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Barth + Höpfinger manufactures custom-engineered containers, pressure vessels, vacuum vessels, shell-and-tube heat exchangers, experimental plants, reducers and cones, and small series from stainless steel and special alloys such as Hastelloy, Duplex, and Titanium. Each piece is individually calculated, designed, and produced to customer specifications in compliance with international ASME and AD standards, with full documentation and material certificates delivered together with the product.

Product overview

Barth + Höpfinger GmbH is a traditional manufacturing company specializing in custom container and apparatus construction. The company offers a portfolio of six core product lines: Apparate und Anlagen (custom apparatus and complete plant systems with piping), Behälter (pressure vessels and vacuum containers meeting ASME and AD standards), Rohrbündelwärmetauscher (shell-and-tube heat exchangers including surface condensers and evaporators), Versuchsanlagen (experimental plants and prototypes for R&D), Reduzierstücke/Konen (reducing pieces and connection cones), and Kleinserien (small series production). All products are individually calculated, designed, and manufactured from stainless steel and specialty stainless steel alloys such as Hastelloy, Duplex, and Titanium, primarily serving chemical, filtration, food, environmental technology, and hydrogen industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apparate und Anlagen (Apparatus and Plants) Custom-manufactured apparatus and complete plant systems including piping for industrial applications, built from stainless steel and specialty alloys to customer specifications.
• Behälter (Pressure and Vacuum Vessels) Individual pressure vessels and vacuum containers made from stainless steel in compliance with ASME and AD standards, custom-built for industrial customers.
• Rohrbündelwärmetauscher (Shell-and-Tube Heat Exchangers) Custom shell-and-tube heat exchangers including surface condensers and evaporators for industrial thermal processes.
• Versuchsanlagen (Experimental Plants and Prototypes) Custom experimental plants and prototypes built for research and development applications, typically for research institutions and start-ups.
• Reduzierstücke/Konen (Reducers and Connection Cones) Custom reducing pieces, connection cones, and cones for connecting different vessel and pipe diameters in process equipment.
• Kleinserien (Small Series Production) Small series production and contingency orders for custom container and apparatus components.

Quantifiable outcome

• Just-in-time delivery of products and documentation together

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ziemann Holvrieka: Manufacturer of stainless steel process vessels and tanks for beverage, chemical, and pharmaceutical customers. Closely comparable in stainless-steel custom vessel fabrication for industrial process applications.
• De Dietrich Process Systems: Manufacturer of corrosion-resistant process equipment including reactors, pressure vessels, and heat exchangers in glass-lined steel and stainless alloys. Comparable in pressure-vessel/apparatus scope and specialty alloy processing for chemical/pharma applications.
• Kelvion: Specialist manufacturer of heat exchangers, pressure vessels and process equipment serving chemical, petrochemical, and industrial customers globally. Closely comparable to Barth + Höpfinger in product scope (shell-and-tube heat exchangers, pressure vessels) and customer verticals.
• API Heat Transfer (APICAL Group): Manufacturer of industrial heat exchangers and thermal management equipment for chemical, petrochemical, and process industries. Comparable in shell-and-tube exchanger technology and custom-engineered thermal equipment offerings.
• GMM Pfaudler: Provider of glass-lined and alloy-based process equipment, including pressure vessels and heat exchangers for chemical applications. Comparable in corrosion-resistant, specialty-alloy apparatus for demanding chemical service.
• Joseph Oat & Sons: U.S.-based fabricator of custom pressure vessels, heat exchangers, and process equipment in stainless and exotic alloys. Comparable in custom-engineered pressure equipment scope and alloy-processing capability for industrial customers.
• Funke Wärmetauscher und Apparatebau GmbH: German manufacturer of shell-and-tube heat exchangers, plate heat exchangers, and pressure vessels. Same regional footprint, similar custom-engineered focus, and directly comparable mid-sized German Mittelstand competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Alfa Laval: Global industrial leader in heat transfer, separation, and fluid handling — including brazed, gasketed, and shell-and-tube heat exchangers. Overlaps with Barth + Höpfinger's heat-exchanger and process-equipment offerings but operates at much greater scale and breadth.
• SPX FLOW: Supplier of process equipment including heat exchangers, mixers, and fluid handling for food, beverage, and chemical industries. Comparable in industrial heat-transfer equipment but with substantially larger scale and global footprint.
• GEA Group: Global engineering group supplying heat exchangers, separators, and process equipment for food, chemical, and industrial customers. Overlaps with Barth + Höpfinger in heat-exchanger and process-equipment scope but serves a far broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/barth-h%C3%B6pfinger-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Barth + Höpfinger GmbH - Behälter- und Apparatebau