Kohlbach Group
Kohlbach Group is an Austrian, family-owned industrial manufacturer founded in 1946 that designs, builds, and services proprietary biomass-fired combustion and boiler systems (550 kW to 19.8 MW) for industrial process heat, district heating, and cogeneration customers across 30 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersWolfsberg, Austria
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kohlbach Group does
Kohlbach Group (legal entity KOHLBACH Holding GmbH) is an Austrian, family-owned industrial equipment manufacturer founded in 1946 in Wolfsberg, Kärnten. The company designs, engineers, manufactures, installs, and services biomass-fired combustion and boiler systems for industrial process heat, district heating, and cogeneration applications. Its core technology portfolio comprises five proprietary combustion systems (K8, K12, K13, K15, K16) spanning 550 kW to 19.8 MW thermal output, plus a complete boiler line covering warm/hot water (0.4–17 MW), saturated steam (0.8–12 MW), superheated steam in fire-tube and water-tube variants (3–17 MW), and thermal oil boilers (5.14–12.2 MW) with ORC-turbine compatibility. All significant components — from fuel logistics and de-ashing through combustion and boiler systems — are produced in-house at Kohlbach's Wolfsberg and Bleiburg facilities and commissioned by Kohlbach staff.
The company operates a project-based, enterprise direct-sales model in which every system is custom-engineered to customer requirements with dedicated project-manager support from initial inquiry through commissioning. Kohlbach has installed more than 1,500 systems across 30 countries, with an export quota exceeding 80%. Distribution is delivered through five wholly-owned international subsidiaries (Germany, France, Croatia, Switzerland, Russia) and a network of representative offices spanning Hungary, Finland, Poland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Spain, Latvia, the Czech Republic, the USA, and Japan. The business is complemented by an aftermarket service stream — annual maintenance, spare and wear parts, plant optimization, and 24/7 repairs with remote diagnostics — that monetizes the installed base over multi-decade plant lifetimes. Customer end-markets are diversified across wood industry, food and agriculture, industrial manufacturing, and municipal district heating, with reference projects ranging from ~1 MW to 14 MW per installation.
Kohlbach Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kohlbach Group
- Legal name
- KOHLBACH Holding GmbH
- Website
- https://onekohlbach.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kohlbach Group is an Austrian, family-owned industrial manufacturer founded in 1946 that designs, builds, and services proprietary biomass-fired combustion and boiler systems (550 kW to 19.8 MW) for industrial process heat, district heating, and cogeneration customers across 30 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kohlbach Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Biomass Energy Systems
- NAICS
- Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (33241), Industrial Process Furnace and Oven Manufacturing (333994), Biomass Electric Power Generation (221117)
- SIC
- Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991), Steam & Air-Conditioning Supply (4961), Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial Biomass Boilers & Steam Systems (Process Heat) (EUAAAGAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biomass Combustion & Boiler Island Technology (Grates, Fluidized Bed, Burners) (EUAAAGAG), Biomass CHP & Cogeneration Plants (Industrial & Utility) (EUAAAGAA), Biomass Plant Operations, Maintenance & Performance Services (O&M) (EUAAAGAI)
Keywords
Where Kohlbach Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wolfsberg
- HQ country
- Austria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
Kohlbach Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Biomass Energy Systems Manufacturing and Sales: Custom-designed and manufactured biomass energy systems including combustion systems, boiler systems, and complete plant solutions. Systems are produced and assembled by KOHLBACH employees in their own production facilities.
- After-sales Service and Maintenance: Comprehensive service including annual servicing, spare and wear parts supply, plant optimisation, and repairs for all makes and manufacturers of biomass heating plants.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Kohlbach Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kohlbach Group designs, manufactures, and assembles custom-engineered biomass energy systems — including five proprietary combustion system lines (K8, K12, K13, K15, K16) and a full portfolio of warm water, hot water, saturated steam, superheated steam, and thermal oil boiler plants — for industrial process heat, district heating, and cogeneration customers worldwide. Every system is adapted to individual customer requirements, with all significant components produced in Kohlbach's own factories and supported by a comprehensive after-sales service offering (annual maintenance, spare parts, plant optimization, and repairs).
Product overview
Kohlbach Group manufactures biomass energy systems comprising combustion systems and boiler systems as its core product lines. The combustion systems portfolio includes five models (K8, K12, K13, K15, K16) ranging from 550 kW to 19,800 kW thermal output, designed for different fuel types including wood chips, bark, sawdust, pellets, landscaping residues, and agricultural fuels. The boiler systems include warm water boilers (0.4-17 MW), hot water boilers, saturated steam boilers (0.8-12 MW), superheated steam boilers in both fire tube (3-12 MW) and water tube (5-17 MW) variants, and thermal oil boilers (5.14-12.2 MW) with ORC turbine capability. All main components are developed, planned, designed, and manufactured by KOHLBACH in their own factories. The product portfolio is complemented by comprehensive after-sales services including annual maintenance, spare parts supply, plant optimisation, and repairs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- System K8 Combustion System Counter flow furnace with moving grate and water cooled compression zone, furnace thermal output 550 - 10,260 kW. Designed for very wet and dirty fuels with high ash content, including 100% wet bark, for industrial biomass combustion customers.
- System K12 Combustion System Central flow furnace with vertical afterburning zone, moving grate and water-cooled compression zone, furnace thermal output 5,850 - 19,800 kW. Suitable for very wet and dirty fuels with very high ash content (up to A15), 100% wet bark, landscaping residues, and Nawaro wood.
- System K13 Combustion System Co-current flow furnace with moving grate, upstream recess and auger stoker, furnace thermal output 900 - 6,800 kW. Designed for pellet combustion in industry and any process applications, also suitable for very fine grain fuel material.
- System K15 Combustion System Counter flow furnace with moving grate, water cooled compression zone and primary combustion chamber cooling, furnace thermal output 1,250 - 5,800 kW. Designed for optimum efficiency and lowest emissions.
- System K16 Combustion System Central flow furnace with vertical afterburning zone, moving grate, water cooled compression zone and primary combustion chamber cooling. Designed for optimum efficiency and lowest emissions.
- Warm Water Boiler (WW) 2-path and 3-path boiler system for warm water heating applications, boiler thermal output 0.4 - 17 MW, designed for long operating life. Used by industrial and district heating customers for warm water biomass-fired heating.
- Hot Water Boiler (HW) 2-path boiler system for hot water generation, designed for long operating life, for industrial and district heating process heat applications.
- Saturated Steam Boiler (SD) Saturated steam boiler for industrial process applications, boiler thermal output 0.8 - 12 MW, designed for long operating life.
- Superheated Steam Boiler Fire Tube (HDDRR) Fire tube superheated steam boiler for high temperature industrial applications, boiler thermal output 3 - 12 MW, designed for long operating life.
- Superheated Steam Boiler Water Tube (HDDWR) Water tube superheated steam boiler for large capacity industrial applications, boiler thermal output 5 - 17 MW, designed for long operating life.
- Thermal Oil Boiler (TO) Thermal oil boiler for electricity and heat using an ORC turbine or for process heat at high temperature levels, boiler thermal output 5.14 - 12.2 MW, designed for long operating life.
- Annual Service Preventative annual maintenance service including precise and reliable checking of all makes of boiler plants using the KOHLBACH service checklist to maximize plant availability. For owners of biomass heating plants.
- Spare and Wear Parts Supply Smooth and fast spare and wear parts supply, available even decades later, using KOHLBACH's own manufacturing facilities and selected market-leading suppliers.
- Plant Optimisation and Modernisation Plant optimisation and modernisation services including biomass fuel logistics upgrades, combustion chamber improvements, emission optimisation, heat exchanger cleaning systems, and control system modernisation for increased efficiency. For operators of existing biomass plants.
- Repairs and 24/7 Service Fleet Repair services with 24/7 service fleet availability, remote diagnostics via KOHLBACH remote access, and the ability to program additional functions remotely. For operators of all makes and manufacturers of biomass heating plants.
Quantifiable outcome
- High up-time of plants
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kohlbach Group
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kohlbach Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Kohlbach Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Schmidmeier NaturEnergie GmbHmajorStrong partnership for the Avangard Malz AG biomass-heated steam plant with cogeneration project at the Port of Bremen. KOHLBACH realized this challenging project together with Schmidmeier NaturEnergie GmbH, delivering 9,000 kW nominal heat output and 12,500 kg/h steam output.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kohlbach Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Polytechnik Luft- und Feuerungstechnik GmbH: Austrian manufacturer of biomass combustion systems for industrial heat and district heating, with moving-grate furnaces similar to KOHLBACH's K-series. Direct competitor in mid-sized biomass boilers across Europe.
- Mawera Holzfeuerungsanlagen: Austrian manufacturer of biomass combustion plants for industrial process heat and district heating. Closely comparable in scale, geography, and product range to KOHLBACH.
- Valmet Oyj: Finnish process technologies provider with a strong biomass-fired boiler and heat/CHP plant portfolio serving pulp, paper, and energy customers. Directly comparable in biomass combustion and industrial heat generation.
- Andritz Group: Global supplier of biomass-fired boiler islands and power plant equipment for industrial and utility customers. Competes directly with KOHLBACH in large-scale biomass combustion and boiler systems for process heat and CHP.
Emerging players
- Reka Bituminous / Reka Heating Systems: Austrian manufacturer of biomass-fired and conventional heating systems for industrial and municipal heat applications. Comparable in product category and regional positioning.
- Binder Energietechnik GmbH: Austrian producer of biomass fired boilers and combined heat/power units for industrial and district heating customers. Smaller in scale but competes in the same fuel-flexible industrial biomass segment.
- Weiss Bioenergie GmbH: German manufacturer of biomass heating systems and combined heat/power plants for industrial and municipal customers. Overlaps with KOHLBACH in fuel-flexible biomass combustion for the German-speaking market.
Regional players
- Justsen Energiteknik A/S: Danish manufacturer of biomass boiler plants and incineration technology for district heating and industrial customers. Comparable product offering but primarily serves Scandinavian markets.
Broad incumbents
- Bosch Industriekessel GmbH: Large industrial boiler manufacturer offering biomass-fired and conventional steam/hot water boilers. Overlaps with KOHLBACH's industrial boiler portfolio but as part of a much broader industrial heating portfolio.
- Viessmann Industrial Solutions: Major German heating technology group with industrial biomass and heat pump solutions. Comparable in industrial heat generation but operates across a much wider residential and commercial portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kohlbach Group social profiles
Digital presenceKohlbach Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kohlbach Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Kohlbach Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Kohlbach Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kohlbach Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kohlbach Group
What does Kohlbach Group do?
Kohlbach Group designs, manufactures, and assembles custom-engineered biomass energy systems — including five proprietary combustion system lines (K8, K12, K13, K15, K16) and a full portfolio of warm water, hot water, saturated steam, superheated steam, and thermal oil boiler plants — for industrial process heat, district heating, and cogeneration customers worldwide. Every system is adapted to individual customer requirements, with all significant components produced in Kohlbach's own factories and supported by a comprehensive after-sales service offering (annual maintenance, spare parts, plant optimization, and repairs).
Is Kohlbach Group a public or private company?
Kohlbach Group is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kohlbach Group founded?
Kohlbach Group was founded in 1946. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kohlbach Group based?
Kohlbach Group is headquartered in Wolfsberg, Austria, in the Europe region.
How does Kohlbach Group make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Biomass Energy Systems Manufacturing and Sales are the primary driver. The others are after-sales Service and Maintenance.
Who are Kohlbach Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Polytechnik Luft- und Feuerungstechnik GmbH, Mawera Holzfeuerungsanlagen, Valmet Oyj and Andritz Group. Emerging players are Reka Bituminous / Reka Heating Systems, Binder Energietechnik GmbH and Weiss Bioenergie GmbH. Justsen Energiteknik A/S is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Bosch Industriekessel GmbH and Viessmann Industrial Solutions.
Does Kohlbach Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kohlbach Group.
What industry is Kohlbach Group in?
Kohlbach Group's product category is Industrial Biomass Energy Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAAAGAC, Industrial Biomass Boilers & Steam Systems (Process Heat), with a secondary code of EUAAAGAG, Biomass Combustion & Boiler Island Technology (Grates, Fluidized Bed, Burners). Its NAICS code is 33241 and its SIC code is 4991.