herco

What herco does

Herco Kühltechnik Hermanns & Co. GmbH is a privately held German industrial plant engineering company headquartered in Wesel, Nordrhein-Westfalen, founded in 1978 by Dr. Peter Hermanns around cooling-technology needs of the German mining industry. The company is structured as a Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH), operates with a small specialist team of roughly 28 employees, and is currently led by Managing Director Alexander Kusenberg with Elisabeth Walter-Dennig as authorised representative.

The product portfolio spans five engineered-technology groups: mine air cooling plants for mining and tunnel construction (air cooling machines 230-460 kW, cold water machines, longwall air coolers, re-coolers, and 160-bar high/low pressure heat exchangers); solvent recovery systems using both condensation (including proprietary Cryo Condap cryogenic condensation) and adsorption (activated carbon, molecular sieves) for VOC abatement in chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical exhaust streams; two-stage cooling unit recycling systems (refrigerant separation plus propellant recovery, deployed in 40+ operations worldwide); Natura Foodtec food-processing applications including CO2-based pressure disinfestation and a nitrogen low-pressure curing process co-developed with the MRI Kulmbach; and large-scale heat pumps supported by in-house carbon and stainless-steel equipment manufacturing (Apparatebau). Notable proprietary technologies include the Cryo Condap system, the CO2 pressure disinfestation method consuming up to 90% less CO2 than conventional technologies, and 160-bar-rated heat exchangers.

Revenue is generated through bespoke, one-time engineered plant sales priced per project, recurring professional services for commissioning and maintenance of the installed base, and a licensing-manufacturing stream for ammonia cooling units produced under a Dometic Group license. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales to global customers across mining, chemical/petrochemical/pharmaceutical, coating/recycling, food processing, and waste-disposal end markets. Quality and market-access credentials include ISO 9001:2020 (2020), ASME Certificate of Authorization for pressure equipment (2021-2024), and TRCU certification (2023); the nitrogen low-pressure process has been recognised with the Meat Vision Award for sustainable technological innovation.

Name

herco

Legal name

Herco Kühltechnik Hermanns & Co. GmbH

Website

https://herco-gmbh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Herco Kühltechnik is a privately held German industrial plant engineer, founded 1978 in Wesel, that designs, manufactures, and commissions bespoke cooling, solvent recovery, cooling-unit recycling, and food-processing systems for mining, chemical, pharmaceutical, and food industry customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Cooling and Process Plant Equipment

NAICS

Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (33241), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Heating Equipment, Except Electric & Warm Air Furnaces (3433)

akta.pro primary industry

Heat Transfer Equipment (Heat Exchangers, Boilers, Condensers) (IMAHAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Waste Heat Recovery & Heat Integration (HRSG/ORC, Pinch Analysis, Heat Exchangers) (EUABAJAF)

Keywords

• Industrial cooling systems
• Mine air cooling equipment
• Solvent recovery plants
• VOC emission control
• Refrigerant recycling equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Wesel

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Plant Construction and Manufacturing: Custom-built cooling plants for mining and tunnel construction, solvent recovery systems, cooling unit recycling equipment, and Natura Food processing equipment. Revenue is generated through one-time project-based sales of bespoke industrial equipment.
2. Maintenance and Service: Ongoing maintenance services provided by specialist teams for installed equipment, including commissioning on-site.
3. Licensed Equipment Manufacturing: Production of ammonia cooling units under license from Dometic Group.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Herco designs, manufactures, and commissions custom-built industrial cooling, solvent recovery, and process plants for mining, chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and waste recycling applications. The company sells bespoke project-based equipment — including mine air cooling systems, condensation/adsorption plants for VOC recovery, two-stage cooling unit recycling systems, Natura Foodtec food processing equipment (CO2 pressure disinfestation and nitrogen low-pressure curing), and large-scale heat pumps — together with on-site commissioning and lifecycle maintenance services.

Product overview

Herco Kühltechnik is a globally active industrial plant engineering company offering a diversified portfolio of cooling and process technology solutions. The product portfolio comprises five main product groups: (1) Mine air cooling plants for mining and tunnel construction including Wetterkühlmaschinen (air cooling machines, 230-460 kW), Kaltwassermaschinen (cold water machines), Wetterkühler (air cooling units), Strebkühler (longwall air coolers), Rückkühler (re-coolers), and Hochdruck-Niederdruck-Wärmetauscher (high/low pressure heat exchangers, 160 bar rated); (2) Solvent recovery systems including Kondensationsanlagen (condensation plants) and Adsorptionsanlagen (adsorption plants) utilizing Cryo Condap technology; (3) Cooling unit recycling in two stages—Stage 1 (refrigerant recovery, deployed in 40+ operations) and Stage 2 (propellant recovery) plus ammonia cooling unit processing; (4) Natura Foodtec food processing applications including Druckentwesung (pressure disinfestation with CO2, up to 90% less CO2 than conventional) and Stickstoff-Niederdruck-Verfahren (nitrogen low-pressure curing process, Meat Vision Award winner); and (5) Großwärmepumpen (large-scale heat pumps) plus Apparatebau (equipment manufacturing in carbon/stainless steel). The company was founded in 1978 and operates from Wesel, Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mine Air Cooling Systems for Mining and Tunnel Construction
• Condensation Plants for Solvent Recovery
• Adsorption Plants for Solvent Recovery
• Cryo Condap Technology (Cryogenic Condensation)

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 90% less CO2 consumption compared to conventional technologies for pressure disinfestation
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Dometic GroupminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHerco produces ammonia cooling units under license from Dometic Group. These absorption-based cooling units are known for long service life, noiseless operation, and ability to run on various power sources (230V AC, 12V DC, propane).
• Air ProductsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAir Products logo appears in relation to Cryotechnology applications for solvent abatement and VOC recovery. Partnership appears to involve joint promotion and integration of cryogenic solutions.
• Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology at the German Federal Research Centre for Nutrition and Food (MRI) KulmbachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe nitrogen low-pressure process was developed in close cooperation with the Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology at MRI Kulmbach. This government research partnership resulted in a proven technology awarded the Meat Vision Award.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Alfa Laval: Global leader in heat transfer, separation, and fluid handling equipment including plate and brazed heat exchangers. Directly comparable to Herco's high-pressure heat exchanger manufacturing and broader thermal engineering capabilities, but at significantly larger scale and broader product breadth.
• Daikin Applied: Global HVAC and commercial/industrial refrigeration major with strong heat pump and chiller portfolios. Comparable in commercial/industrial cooling and heat pump technology, with significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach than Herco.
• GEA Group: Global large-cap engineering group with a major Refrigeration Technologies division serving food, dairy, marine, and chemical customers. Comparable in industrial refrigeration, heat exchangers, and food processing equipment, but at vastly greater scale and breadth than Herco.
• BITZER: German-based global leader in refrigeration and air-conditioning compressors and condensing units for commercial and industrial applications. Comparable as a German industrial cooling technology specialist, though focused upstream of Herco on compressor/condenser components rather than full plant engineering.
• Johnson Controls: Global building and industrial solutions provider with major HVAC and industrial refrigeration operations. Broadly comparable in industrial cooling and refrigeration technology, though with much greater scale, geographic reach, and digital/controls integration.

Direct peers

• Star Refrigeration: UK-based specialist in industrial refrigeration and heat pump systems serving food processing, cold storage, chemical, and industrial customers. Highly comparable to Herco in business model (bespoke B2B plant engineering, ammonia and CO2 systems, industrial heat pumps) and target verticals.
• Messer Group: World's largest privately-owned industrial, medical, and specialty gases company with a deep cryogenic technology portfolio. Directly comparable to Herco's Cryo Condap cryogenic condensation technology used for solvent recovery and VOC abatement, and a known partner in the data (Air Products/Messer overlap).
• Mayekawa (MYCOM): Japanese industrial refrigeration specialist serving food, chemical, and industrial customers globally with ammonia and CO2 systems. Comparable to Herco as a specialist engineering firm focused on bespoke industrial cooling for harsh and regulated environments.
• ENGIE Refrigeration: German subsidiary of ENGIE specializing in industrial and commercial refrigeration, heat pumps, and cooling solutions. Directly comparable to Herco in industrial refrigeration and large-scale heat pumps, with a similar focus on energy-efficient process cooling for industrial customers.
• Wittemann Kälte- und Klimatechnik: Germany-based specialist in industrial cooling, heat pumps, and process refrigeration. Direct comparable as another German Mittelstand firm engineering bespoke cooling plants and heat pump systems for industrial customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/herco-wesel

Compliance4 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 herco