What Köhler & Hörter does

Köhler & Hörter GmbH (KOHO Kompressosysteme) is a German manufacturer of customer-specific, oil-free reciprocating process gas compressors and gas-tight bulkhead shaft passages, founded in 1948 in Hagen, Germany, and operated in its third generation by managing directors André Hörter and Björn Hörter until its November 2025 acquisition by ITT Inc.'s Svanehøj business. The company's core technology is oil-free piston compression for process gas applications, including cryogenic gas compression for LNG and ethylene boil-off (down to -163°C), hydrogen and H2S service up to 250 bar, and gas-tight bulkhead shaft passages (15 kW to 4000 kW, 100 to 4000 min⁻¹) that allow explosion-proof machinery rooms to be separated from non-hazardous motor rooms. All products are designed to API 618, ASME, and ATEX standards and hold approvals from DNV, Germanischer Lloyd, Lloyd's Register, Bureau Veritas, and TÜV.

The product portfolio consists of two main lines: (1) Process Gas Compressors — single- and multi-stage, 1-3 cylinder configurations in vertical and horizontal layouts, power range 18.5 kW to 420 kW, with variants for hydrogen, natural gas, LNG boil-off, CO2, nitrogen, ethylene, hydrocarbon mixtures, and steam; and (2) Bulkhead Shaft Passages — gas-tight shaft seals in five sizes, supplemented by containerized "Compact Plant" skid solutions and an independent aftermarket modernization, repair, and refurbishment service. The business sells exclusively through direct, sales-led engagement to enterprise customers in chemical, petrochemical, marine/LNG, natural gas, steel, and industrial gas sectors, with named references including BASF, Dow Chemical, Shell, A.P. Møller-Maersk, Sasol, Lotte Chemical, Vattenfall Europe, Sinopec, Baoshan Iron & Steel, and Linde-KCA-Dresden. Pricing is quote-based on custom specifications; revenue is generated primarily from one-time capital equipment sales with a recurring aftermarket services stream. Operations are run from a single Hagen facility with ~40 staff (25 production, 15 construction/engineering) and a global delivery footprint spanning Germany, China, Malaysia, Trinidad, Switzerland, and Russia.

Name

Köhler & Hörter

Legal name

Köhler & Hörter GmbH

Website

https://koho-kompressor.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Köhler & Hörter GmbH (KOHO) is a Hagen, Germany-based manufacturer of custom, oil-free reciprocating process gas compressors and gas-tight bulkhead shaft passages for chemical, petrochemical, marine/LNG, natural gas, and industrial gas customers worldwide, now owned by ITT Inc.'s Svanehøj business following a November 2025 acquisition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Process Gas Compressors

NAICS

Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing (333912), Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391)

SIC

Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro primary industry

Process Gas & High-Pressure Compressors (IMAHANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Air & Gas Compressors (General Purpose) (IMAHANAE), Pump & Compressor Packages (Skids, Booster Sets) (IMAHANAG)

Keywords

• Process gas compressors
• Oil-free reciprocating compressors
• Bulkhead shaft passages
• Cryogenic compression systems
• Custom compressor manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Hagen

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, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Compressor Manufacturing: Revenue primarily from manufacturing custom industrial compressors and complete compressor systems. Sale of capital equipment with long sales cycles to industrial customers.
2. Aftermarket Services: Modernization, repair, and refurbishment services for compressors independent of brand, including overhaul of components and efficiency optimization.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Köhler & Hörter designs, engineers, and manufactures custom reciprocating process gas compressors — including oil-free units for corrosive, toxic, and explosive gases — as well as bulkhead shaft passages. The company delivers project-engineered compressor systems and related sealing technology to chemical, petrochemical, refinery, and marine customers worldwide.

Product overview

Köhler & Hörter GmbH (KOHO Kompressosysteme) is a German manufacturer of oil-free process gas compressors and bulkhead shaft passages, established in 1948 and now in its third generation of family ownership. The company's core products consist of two main categories: (1) Process Gas Compressors - reciprocating compressors available in various configurations (single-stage to multi-stage, 1-3 cylinders, power ranges 18.5 kW to 420 kW) designed for specific gas applications including hydrogen, natural gas, LNG boil-off, CO2, nitrogen, ethylene, and hydrocarbon mixtures; and (2) Bulkhead Shaft Passages - gas-tight shaft seals in five sizes for power transmission from 15 kW to 4000 kW. The company also offers Compact Plants (containerized, skid-mounted configurations) and Modernization & After Sales services including repair, refurbishment, and efficiency upgrades. All products are designed according to international standards including API 618, ASME, and ATEX, with certifications from classification societies such as DNV, Germanischer Lloyd, and Bureau Veritas. The company employs 40 staff and specializes in nonstandard, custom-built compressors for special applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom reciprocating process gas compressors Project-engineered reciprocating compressors designed and manufactured to customer specifications for industrial process gas duty. Used by chemical, petrochemical, and refinery operators.
• Oil-free process gas compressors Reciprocating compressors engineered for oil-free compression of corrosive, toxic, and explosive process gases, eliminating process contamination and oil carry-over risk.
• Cryogenic process gas compressors Reciprocating compressors designed for cryogenic gas services and low-temperature process duties.
• Hydrogen compressors Reciprocating compressors tailored for hydrogen service, supporting green and blue hydrogen production, transport, and processing applications.
• Bulkhead shaft passages Custom-engineered bulkhead shaft passage seals for marine and industrial applications, providing reliable shaft sealing through vessel or structure bulkheads.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1000th KoHo compressor delivered in 1992
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Tanabe (Japan)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1994License agreement with Japanese firm Tanabe for compressor technology, demonstrating international technology recognition and licensing partnerships in Asian markets.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sulzer: Swiss industrial manufacturer with a substantial pump and compressor division serving oil & gas, petrochemical, and power markets. Overlaps with KOHO on process gas compressor packages, though Sulzer's portfolio is broader (centrifugal, reciprocating) and emphasizes larger-scale applications.
• Ingersoll Rand: US-based industrial conglomerate with a broad compressor portfolio (including Gardner Denver, Sundyne, and Ingersoll Rand legacy brands) serving chemical, petrochemical, oil & gas, and power markets. Overlaps with KOHO on reciprocating process gas compressors via legacy Dresser-Rand / Sundyne product lines.
• MAN Energy Solutions: German-headquartered manufacturer of large reciprocating and turbo compressors for marine, oil & gas, and petrochemical applications. Directly comparable for marine LNG boil-off gas compression and offshore process gas compression, with much broader product portfolio and global service network than KOHO.
• Atlas Copco: Swedish multinational dominating industrial compressors broadly (oil-injected, oil-free rotary screw, centrifugal). Competes with KOHO in the broader oil-free process gas segment and via its Power Technique division, though its focus is more on general-purpose and lower-power compressors than KOHO's custom API 618 reciprocating specialty.
• Siemens Energy (Dresser-Rand legacy): Major industrial OEM with a broad reciprocating and centrifugal compressor portfolio serving oil & gas, petrochemical, and LNG markets via the legacy Dresser-Rand business. Competes with KOHO on large-scale process gas compressor packages, particularly for upstream, midstream, and LNG applications, with significantly greater global footprint.

Direct peers

• Burckhardt Compression: Swiss-headquartered global leader in reciprocating compressors, including oil-free process gas compressors for chemical, petrochemical, and gas applications. Most directly comparable peer — same product family (API 618 reciprocating), overlapping end markets (hydrogen, ethylene, LNG), and similar specialization in high-pressure specialty gas.
• Sundyne (Ingersoll Rand): US manufacturer of API 618 centrifugal and reciprocating compressors for hydrocarbon processing, refining, and petrochemical applications. Direct competitor for process gas compressor packages at similar power ranges to KOHO's specialty units, particularly for hydrogen, ethylene, and natural gas.
• Corken (Atlas Copco): US-based specialist in small-to-medium reciprocating compressors for LPG, propane, and specialty industrial gas applications. Now part of Atlas Copco's Power Technique, Corken competes with KOHO in niche gas compression at similar power scales, particularly for hydrocarbon and LPG applications.
• Howden (Chart Industries): UK-based manufacturer of reciprocating and rotary compressors for process gas, petrochemical, and marine applications. Now part of Chart Industries, Howden's API 618 reciprocating compressor portfolio directly overlaps KOHO's hydrogen, LNG, and specialty gas offerings, with broader scale and global service network.

Regional players

• Shenyang Blower Works (SBC): China's largest manufacturer of turbomachinery and reciprocating compressors, serving domestic chemical, petrochemical, and metallurgical markets. Comparable for process gas compressor applications at the larger end of KOHO's range, primarily competing in the Chinese market where KOHO has had notable references (Baoshan, Sinopec).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Köhler & Hörter