GIWEP

What GIWEP does

GIWEP (Gesellschaft für industrielle Wärme, Energie- und Prozeßtechnik m.b.H.) is a privately held German engineering company founded in 1987 and headquartered in Mülheim an der Ruhr. The firm specializes in the optimization of thermal-metallurgical processes at industrial furnaces, serving large plant operators and manufacturers in the steel, foundry, non-ferrous metals, and aluminum industries. Its customer base includes ArcelorMittal, SSAB, voestalpine, SMS Group, Salzgitter, Erdemir, Shougang, and Mobarakeh Steel, alongside non-ferrous players such as Wieland-Werke and Vallourec Tubos do Brasil, with installed references across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

The company's core offering is a portfolio of PC-based Level-2 process control systems grounded in mathematical-physical (thermophysical) models, complemented by offline simulation models, atmosphere control subsystems, quality data analysis, measurement technology, and modular waste-heat-recovery heat storage (100 kW to 10 MW). These systems integrate horizontally and vertically into existing plant automation (Level-1 and Level-3) and are tailored to customer-specific certification regimes (AMS, CQI-9, API, NORSOK). Since 2023, GIWEP has layered AI modules onto its Level-2 platform — including neural-network-based discharge temperature optimization and energy efficiency monitoring — and is currently participating in BMWK- and consortium-funded R&D projects (FlexHybHeat, FlameH2, R3skaling) targeting hybrid heating, hydrogen combustion control, and rolling-process optimization.

GIWEP monetizes primarily through custom engineering services, one-time licenses for Level-2 systems, performance testing and certification, plant modernization project work, and after-sales/remote-maintenance contracts. Go-to-market is direct field sales with project-based engagements and lead generation via trade fairs (THERMPROCESS, GIFA/METEC), the FOGI industrial furnace research association, the biennial RWTH Aachen Ofenbau-Kolloquium, and its own 'GIWEP Innovation Dialogue' customer events. The company is led by two Dr.-Ing. managing directors (technical and commercial), is privately held with no disclosed external funding, and operates as an autonomous GmbH with a reported core headcount of ~5 alongside an extended engineering and partner ecosystem.

Name

GIWEP

Legal name

Gesellschaft für industrielle Wärme, Energie- und Prozeßtechnik m.b.H.

Website

https://giwep.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GIWEP is a privately held German engineering company that builds PC-based Level-2 process control systems and thermophysical modeling software to optimize heating, heat treatment, and melting furnaces for steel, non-ferrous metals, foundry, and aluminum plant operators worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Process Control Software for Thermal-Metallurgical Plants

NAICS

Heating Equipment (except Warm Air Furnaces) Manufacturing (333414), Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (33241)

SIC

Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Furnaces, Kilns & Thermal Processing Equipment (IMAHAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers) (IMAHAEAC), Process Skids & Modular Process Systems (Packaged Units) (IMAHAEAH), Boilers, Furnaces & Process Heating Equipment (IMAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Industrial furnace process control
• Thermophysical process modeling
• Steel heat treatment optimization
• Waste heat recovery systems
• Thermal metallurgical engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Mülheim an der Ruhr

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering Services: Thermotechnical calculations, plant dimensioning, studies on thermotechnical problems, and optimization/modernization potential determination for plant operators and manufacturers.
2. Process Control Systems (Level-2 Systems): Supply and implementation of PC-based process control systems for thermal-metallurgical plants including reheating furnaces, heat treatment furnaces, melting furnaces, and cooling plants. Systems are customized per plant requirements.
3. Measurements and Examinations: Temperature measurement tests, atmospheric measurements, process control inspection, and plant examinations. Includes data analysis and evaluation with optimization suggestions.
4. Performance Tests and Certifications: Performance testing for plant acceptance after modernization or new furnace installation, including energy and mass balance documentation. Furnace certifications according to international or customer-specific standards.
5. Software Development: Custom software solutions for industrial applications including calculation tools, data interfaces, visualization systems, PC-based process control systems, and database/analyzing systems (data mining).
6. Plant Modernizations: Comprehensive modular services from analysis of current plant state, planning and conception, requirement specifications, project support, execution with partners, to maintenance and spare parts service.
7. After Sales Services and Remote Maintenance: Maintenance, spare parts service, and remote maintenance agreements for application software including telephone support, remote status examination, troubleshooting, and annual software updates.
8. Trainings: System trainings for operating, maintenance, and technological personnel; customer-specific trainings on thermotechnical problems at industrial furnaces.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GIWEP develops and supplies PC-based Level-2 process control systems, offline thermophysical models, quality data analysis platforms, atmosphere control systems, measurement technology, and waste-heat recovery heat storage units for optimizing thermal-metallurgical processes at industrial furnaces used by steel, non-ferrous metals, foundry, and aluminum producers. The company complements these products with engineering services, measurements and examinations, performance tests, plant modernizations, custom software development, trainings, and after-sales/remote-maintenance support.

Product overview

GIWEP offers a portfolio of PC-based systems for optimization of thermal-metallurgical plants, consisting of Online Process Control Systems (Prozessführungssysteme) that observe and control processes through direct plant connection, and Offline Models that simulate processes without direct connection. The core products include Process Control Systems (Level-2 systems), Quality Data Analysis, Atmosphere Control, Offline Models, Measurement Technology, and Waste Heat Recovery/Heat Storage. The systems use thermophysical models and increasingly incorporate AI modules for data mining and process optimization. All products are designed for steel and non-ferrous metal industry applications including reheating furnaces, heat treatment furnaces, melting furnaces, and cooling plants. GIWEP has been developing and implementing PC-based systems since the end of the 1980s and contributes to Industrie 4.0 objectives through horizontal and vertical integration into existing plant automation structures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Process Control Systems (Level-2 Systems) PC-based Level-2 systems providing fully automatic control of melting, heating, and cooling processes in thermal-metallurgical plants using mathematical-physical thermophysical models. Features include integration with basic automation, Level-3 systems, and production planning systems via network; mobile device applications for operators; comprehensive process history investigation options; modular layout for easy adaptation and extension. Target customers are steel, non-ferrous metals, foundry, and aluminum plant operators.
• Quality Data Analysis Software system that consolidates production data from automation systems, performs automatic quality checks based on customer-specific requirements (AMS, CQI-9, API, NORSOK), generates reports, provides feedback for reexamination/rewoking, and links to maintenance management. Designed for reheating and heat treatment processes at thermal-metallurgical plants serving aerospace, oil, and automotive certification requirements.
• Atmosphere Control System that monitors and regulates oxygen content in gas-fired industrial furnaces using O2 probes, controls gas/air ratio to reduce energy consumption and scale loss, and incorporates CO-content monitoring to prevent substoichiometric operation. Built on PC technology with application software in C++, C#, or Java for industrial furnace operators.
• Offline Models Plant-specific software solutions without direct process connection, using thermotechnical, mathematical and graphic modules. Capabilities include calculation of heating/cooling curves, 3D-temperature distribution calculations, furnace dimensioning, energy consumption calculations, and energy efficiency measure evaluation. Used by plant operators and constructors for planning and optimization before implementation.
• Measurement Technology Reliable measurement technology for thermophysical processes including temperature, flow, calorific value, fuel composition, and waste gas composition. Includes virtual temperature sensors based on mathematical-physical models that determine and monitor temperature fields beyond installed sensors. Deployed at industrial furnaces for monitoring and process control.
• Waste Heat Recovery - Heat Storage Modular heat storage system for waste heat recovery at industrial plants, with capacities from 100 kW to 10 MW and temperature resistance up to 1200°C. Includes automatic GIWEP control for charging and discharging operations and comprehensive reporting for energy management. Used by industrial furnace operators to reduce energy consumption and utilize waste heat.
• Engineering Services Thermotechnical calculations, plant dimensioning, studies on thermotechnical problems, and determination of optimization and modernization potential for plant operators and manufacturers. Includes conception, planning, and requirement specification for plant projects.
• Measurements and Plant Examinations Temperature measurement tests, atmospheric measurements, process control inspection, and plant examinations with data analysis, evaluation, and optimization suggestions for plant operators.
• Performance Tests and Certifications Performance testing for plant acceptance after modernization or new furnace installation, including energy and mass balance documentation. Furnace certifications according to international or customer-specific standards for plant operators.
• Plant Modernizations Comprehensive modular services spanning analysis of current plant state, planning and conception, requirement specifications, project support, execution with partners, and maintenance and spare parts service for plant operators undertaking furnace upgrades.
• Software Development Custom software development for industrial applications including calculation tools, data interfaces, visualization systems, PC-based process control systems, and database/analyzing systems (data mining). Delivered to plant operators and plant constructors.
• After Sales Service and Remote Maintenance Maintenance, spare parts service, and remote maintenance agreements for GIWEP application software including telephone support, remote status examination, troubleshooting, and annual software updates for plant operators.
• Trainings System trainings for operating, maintenance, and technological personnel plus customer-specific trainings on thermotechnical problems at industrial furnaces, delivered to plant operators.

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• R3skaling Research ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Multi-university and company consortium for resource optimization of steel and copper materials along the rolling process chain through modeling of scaling and descaling. GIWEP supports with own resources and will test results on industrial prototype.
• Ruhr West University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Academic partner in R&D project 'FlameH2' developing new technology for controlling furnace atmospheres when using hydrogen in gas-fired reheating furnaces. Project addresses fluctuating natural gas-hydrogen mixture compositions.
• RWTH Aachen University - Institut für Industrieofenbau und WärmetechnikcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2024Academic research partner in BMWK joint project 'FlexHybHeat' for developing highly flexible and hybrid heating concepts for billet reheating. Project aims to reduce CO2 emissions using CFD simulations, process modeling, and process chain models.
• Elbe-Stahlwerke FeralpiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2024Project partner in BMWK-funded 'FlexHybHeat' project for hybrid heating concept development and implementation testing at their facility in Riesa.
• Netzwerk ZENIT e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1984Exclusive forum representing approximately 200 enterprises with over 50,000 employees in North Rhine Westphalia. Provides direct influence on economic and technology policy, information on German and European business landscape, and contacts to entrepreneurs and financial community. GIWEP is a network partner with Dr.-Ing. Meister representing the company as board member.
• FOGI - Forschungsgemeinschaft Industrieofenbau e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1967Research Association of Industrial Furnace Manufacturers founded by member companies of the Thermo Process Technology Association (TPT) within VDMA. 20 member companies working in heating, melting, casting, heat treatment, ceramics, glass, and combustion technology. Cooperates with 12 university research institutes. GIWEP participates in cooperative industrial research for development and optimization of thermal process technology.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SMS group: Global plant constructor and automation provider for the metals industry. SMS is both a GIWEP customer/partner (specifying Level-2 systems into new furnace builds) and a direct competitor in furnace process automation, making it the most operationally comparable peer.
• Tenova: Plant constructor and automation specialist for metals and mining industries. Tenova delivers Level-2 process control and furnace integration projects overlapping directly with GIWEP's value proposition to steel producers.
• Danieli: Italian plant constructor for steelmaking with strong automation capabilities for reheating and heat-treatment furnaces. Targets the same primary customer segment (steel and non-ferrous metal operators) with comparable furnace-level control offerings.
• Inductotherm Group: Manufacturer of induction melting and heating furnaces with process control systems for metallurgical applications. Operates in the same thermal-metallurgical niche with custom furnace-level automation for metals producers.
• Andritz Metals: Plant constructor for steel and non-ferrous metals processing. Like GIWEP, Andritz delivers process automation solutions integrated into thermal-metallurgical plants, addressing the same end customers in reheating and heat treatment.
• SECO/WARWICK: Manufacturer of heat treatment and metallurgy furnaces with its own automation and process control systems for vacuum, atmosphere, and aluminum heat treatment. Closely comparable in end use cases (heat treatment furnaces with integrated Level-2 control).
• Surface Combustion: US-based manufacturer of industrial heat treatment and atmosphere furnaces with proprietary process control systems. Comparable product breadth in furnace equipment plus Level-2 process automation for metals heat treatment.
• AFC-Holcroft: Global supplier of heat treatment furnaces and integrated process control for steel, aluminum, and non-ferrous metal applications. Competes with GIWEP in the same furnace modernization and Level-2 control niche.

Broad incumbents

• Fives Group: Large industrial engineering group with substantial metals and thermal process technology businesses (including furnace lines). A broader incumbent with overlapping capability but a much wider portfolio than GIWEP's thermal-metallurgical focus.
• Honeywell Thermal Solutions: Major automation vendor offering process control and combustion control for industrial furnaces. Does not specialize in metallurgical Level-2 systems but competes indirectly through broader plant automation suites targeting the same end customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/giwep

Compliance2 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 GIWEP