Argus
Argus designs and manufactures oceanographic instruments and monitoring systems for ship-induced wave detection and coastal protection, selling hardware, custom development, and monitoring-project services primarily to German waterway authorities, research institutions, and engineering consultants since 1990.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersRitterhude, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Argus does
ARGUS Gesellschaft für Umweltmeßtechnik mbH is a German privately-held engineering firm founded in 1990 in Oldenburg and relocated to Ritterhude near Bremen in 2001. It designs and manufactures oceanographic instruments and monitoring systems specialized in shallow-water and coastal applications, with a particular focus on detecting ship-induced waves and currents at shorelines and estuaries. The company is wholly owned and managed by Jörg R. Gutkuhn, who became a 30% shareholder and technical manager in 1995 and subsequently the sole manager and 100% owner. Argus operates as both an instrument manufacturer and a monitoring-project contractor, with no external investors and no parent company.
The product portfolio comprises an integrated set of hardware components designed to function as complete monitoring systems: the AWG IV wave gauge for ship-induced wave and current detection; the ASM-IV and ASM-V suspension meters using backscatter infrared sensors to measure suspended sediment concentrations and detect erosion/re-sedimentation at seabed; the DAC-IT submersible data acquisition system with GPRS/CDMA telemetry; the PSC submersible battery container rated to 10 bar; the SWIVEL/DPS data-power rotary joint providing wireless optical data transfer with galvanic isolation above 4 tons tension; and the ADD bus adapter and CTERM cable termination supporting modules. Acquisition and control software is developed in-house using LabVIEW, C++, MFC, PIC Microchip, and Atmega. Differentiation rests on niche specialization in ship-induced wave measurement and on proprietary instrument designs developed over the 1995–2016 period.
Commercially, Argus runs a sales-led B2B model selling directly to German federal and state waterway authorities (BAW Hamburg; Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsämter Bremerhaven, Hamburg, Emden), port authorities (Hamburg Port Authority), research institutions (CNRS, IFREMER, HR Wallingford, TUHH, UGent, LUFI Hannover), and engineering consultants (Ramboll IMS). Revenue is generated from four streams: custom sensor and controller development, instrument manufacturing and sales, execution of monitoring projects for coast protection (specializing in shallow water and tidal flats), and consultancy services on monitoring systems. International reach is supported by a network of distributors in South Korea, Australia, Belgium, China, and Austria; pricing is contact-based and not publicly disclosed. Marketing is minimal, anchored on biennial attendance at Oceanology International in London and direct client engagement.
Argus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Argus
- Legal name
- ARGUS Gesellschaft für Umweltmeßtechnik mbH
- Website
- https://argusnet.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Argus designs and manufactures oceanographic instruments and monitoring systems for ship-induced wave detection and coastal protection, selling hardware, custom development, and monitoring-project services primarily to German waterway authorities, research institutions, and engineering consultants since 1990.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Argus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Oceanographic Instruments
- NAICS
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine Sensors, Instrumentation & IoT (Condition Monitoring) (IMAJAJAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Navigation & Aids-to-Navigation Works (Beacons, Buoys, Markers) (IMAFAJAH), Navigation, Communications & Integrated Bridge Systems Engineering (IMAJAGAH)
Keywords
Where Argus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ritterhude
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Argus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom Development Services: Custom sensor and controller development for oceanographic instruments and systems
- Instrument Manufacturing: Manufacturing and sale of oceanographic instruments including ASM turbidity profilers, wave gauges, data acquisition systems, and accessories
- Monitoring Projects: Realization of monitoring projects for coast protection, specializing in shallow water applications and tidal flats
- Consultancy Services: Consulting partner on systems and applications for monitoring project realization
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Argus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Argus designs, develops, and manufactures oceanographic instruments and monitoring systems for shallow-water and coastal applications, with a focus on ship-induced wave and current detection at shorelines and estuaries. It sells its own hardware (wave gauges, turbidity profilers, data acquisition systems, submersible battery containers, and rotary data/power swivels) and also delivers contract monitoring services, custom sensor and controller development, and consulting for coast protection projects.
Product overview
Argus designs and manufactures oceanographic instruments and monitoring systems for coastal protection, shallow water applications, and ship-induced wave detection. The product portfolio consists of integrated hardware components: wave measurement instruments (AWG IV wave gauge), data acquisition systems (DAC-IT), power management (PSC battery container), signal/power transmission components (SWIVEL Data Power Swivel, ADD bus adapter, CTERM cable termination), and suspended sediment monitoring instruments (ASM-IV and ASM-V suspension meters). These products work together as complete monitoring systems for coast protection projects at tidal flats and estuaries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AWG IV – Argus Wave Gauge Wave gauge instrument for measuring wave activity in harbors and coastal environments, designed for deployment in ship-induced wave and current monitoring projects.
- DAC-IT – Submersible Data Acquisition System Submersible Campbell-based data acquisition system with integrated GPRS/CDMA modem for underwater data collection and wireless telemetry in oceanographic monitoring applications.
- ASM-IV – Argus Suspension Meter Suspension meter using 920nm backscatter infrared sensors for detecting erosion and re-sedimentation processes at seabed locations, measuring suspended particle concentrations at high turbidity (50–2000 NTU).
- ASM-V – Argus Suspension Meter Upgraded suspension meter with 850nm backscatter infrared sensors, 100 sensor pairs per meter, integrated inclinometer, pressure gauge, and temperature sensor for comprehensive sediment transport monitoring.
- Contract Monitoring for Coast Protection End-to-end realization of monitoring projects for coast protection, specializing in shallow-water applications and tidal flats, using Argus's own instruments and field teams.
- Custom Sensor and Controller Development Custom sensor and controller development, including system technology for data buoys and landers, tailored to specialized oceanographic and coastal monitoring requirements.
- Oceanographic Monitoring Consultancy Consulting services covering systems and applications engineering to support realization of monitoring projects for government and research clients.
Companies that use Argus
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Argus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Argus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- TAE KWANG ELECTRONICS CORP.minorDistributor for oceanographic instruments in South Korea. Contact: Mr. Dong H. Kim, 5th Flr., K-Bldg., 35-26 Chonho-Dong, Kang Dong-Ku, Seoul 134-020, Korea
- IMBROS Pty LtdminorDistributor for oceanographic instruments in Australia. Contact: 1059 Cambridge Road, Cambridge Tasmania Australia 7170
- ASICON bvbaminorDistributor for oceanographic instruments in Belgium. Contact: André Schallier, Ringlaan Noord 54, 8420 De Haan, Belgium
- LinkOcean Technologies Ltd.minorDistributor for oceanographic instruments in China. Contact: Rm 1-206, Guozhan Caifu Center, Quinling Road, Qingdao, 266061
- Ing. Prager Elektronik GesmbHminorDistributor for oceanographic instruments in Austria. Contact: Traunstrasse 21, 2120 Wolkersdorf i. Weinviertel, Austria
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Argus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Turner Designs: US manufacturer of optical sensors for water quality including turbidity and fluorescence; comparable to Argus's ASM turbidity profiler product line in measuring suspended particles in marine/freshwater applications.
- Sea-Bird Scientific: US-based oceanographic sensor manufacturer specializing in CTD, wave, and water quality instruments for marine research and monitoring; directly comparable product category and customer base.
- Aanderaa Data Instruments (AADI): Norwegian maker of oceanographic sensors (current meters, CTDs, wave sensors) used in coastal monitoring; overlaps with Argus in delivering instruments for waterway, port, and research customers.
- Chelsea Technologies Group: UK designer/manufacturer of optical and acoustic sensors for oceanographic and environmental monitoring; comparable niche instrumentation vendor with similar customer base in research and port authorities.
- OSIL (Ocean Scientific International): UK-based supplier of oceanographic instruments, data buoys, and monitoring equipment; shown as a customer/partner on Argus's website and a directly comparable instrument vendor in the same niche.
- RBR: Canadian designer/manufacturer of precision oceanographic instruments (CTDs, wave, turbulence); closely comparable niche sensor manufacturer serving research and environmental monitoring markets.
- Nortek: Norwegian manufacturer of oceanographic and hydrological instruments including ADCPs and current/wave measurement systems; directly competes with Argus in measuring waves and currents in coastal and shallow water applications.
- Valeport: UK manufacturer of oceanographic and hydrometric instruments including current meters, tide gauges, and wave sensors; competes in shallow-water monitoring instrumentation with similar government/research customer profile.
Broad incumbents
- Teledyne RD Instruments: Subsidiary of Teledyne producing ADCPs (acoustic Doppler current profilers) widely used for waves and current measurements; a much larger incumbent in the same oceanographic monitoring space as Argus.
- SonTek (Xylem): Part of Xylem's instrumentation portfolio, producing acoustic Doppler instruments for hydrology and oceanography; competes in current/wave measurement with significantly larger backing.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Argus social profiles
Digital presenceArgus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Argus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Argus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Argus 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 Argus
What does Argus do?
Argus designs, develops, and manufactures oceanographic instruments and monitoring systems for shallow-water and coastal applications, with a focus on ship-induced wave and current detection at shorelines and estuaries. It sells its own hardware (wave gauges, turbidity profilers, data acquisition systems, submersible battery containers, and rotary data/power swivels) and also delivers contract monitoring services, custom sensor and controller development, and consulting for coast protection projects.
Is Argus a public or private company?
Argus is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Argus founded?
Argus was founded in 1990. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Argus based?
Argus is headquartered in Ritterhude, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Argus make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Development Services are the primary driver. The others are instrument Manufacturing, monitoring Projects and consultancy Services.
Who are Argus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Turner Designs, Sea-Bird Scientific, Aanderaa Data Instruments (AADI), Chelsea Technologies Group, OSIL (Ocean Scientific International), RBR, Nortek and Valeport. Broad incumbents are Teledyne RD Instruments and SonTek (Xylem).
Does Argus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Argus.
What industry is Argus in?
Argus's product category is Oceanographic Instruments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAJAI, Marine Sensors, Instrumentation & IoT (Condition Monitoring), with a secondary code of IMAFAJAH, Navigation & Aids-to-Navigation Works (Beacons, Buoys, Markers). Its NAICS code is 33451 and its SIC code is 3823.