althen controls

What althen controls does

Althen Controls (legally ALTHEN BV Sensors & Controls) is a Netherlands-based private manufacturer of industrial joystick controllers, foot pedals, and position feedback sensors used in machinery, automation, and specialized OEM equipment. The product portfolio spans mini, finger, hand, multi-operational cobra, marine, and ATEX-certified joysticks; industrial foot pedals; linear position sensors (potentiometers, magnetic Hall sensors, incremental encoders, magnetostrictive, draw-wire); rotary position sensors (encoders, Hall sensors, multi/single-turn potentiometers, oil-filled, Sin/Cos, motor, turns-counting dials); and propeller shaft earthing systems for maritime vessels. Underlying technologies span contact (potentiometer) and non-contact (Hall effect, magnetostrictive, magnetic incremental) sensing principles, with products rated for IP67 sealing, 3–5 million mechanical cycles on joysticks, and 10 million cycles on position sensors, plus ATEX/IECEx certification for hazardous zones.

The company operates a sales-led, direct enterprise go-to-market model through five wholly-owned regional subsidiaries in the Netherlands (HQ, Rijswijk), Germany (Kelkheim), France (Carpentras), the USA (Oceanside), and Sweden (Norrtälje, opened May 2026). Technical sales engineers provide application-level advice and quotation-based pricing; the company does not publish list prices. Revenue is generated almost entirely from hardware sales, including standard catalog products and fully customized OEM solutions in small series. The customer base spans industrial automation (ABB, Alstom, Liebherr, ASML), medical and pharmaceutical (Sunrise Medical, Philips Healthcare, Robocath), aerospace and defence (Airbus Defence and Space, Grabba), automotive (Audi, Goodyear), maritime and offshore (BlueNav, IHC-IQIP, MARIN), and research (TNO). The company holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, JOSCAR, and ATEX/IECEx certifications supporting its claims of over 75 years of proven track record in industrial controls and measurement solutions.

Name

althen controls

Legal name

ALTHEN BV Sensors & Controls

Website

https://althencontrols.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Althen Controls is a Netherlands-based manufacturer of industrial joystick controllers, foot pedals, and position feedback sensors, serving OEMs in maritime, medical, aerospace/defence, industrial automation, and automotive sectors across Europe and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Control Equipment

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

Motion & Machine Control (CNC, Robotics Controllers, Servo/Motion Controllers) (IMAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Game Controllers, Joysticks & Flight/Driving Sim Controls (HDACAFAC)

Keywords

• Industrial joystick controllers
• Linear position sensors
• Rotary position sensors
• Propeller shaft earthing systems
• Custom OEM control solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Rijswijk

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Industrial Joystick Controllers: Sale of standard and customized industrial joystick controllers including mini joysticks, finger joysticks, hand joysticks, multi-operational cobra joysticks, marine joysticks, and ATEX-certified joysticks for hazardous environments.
2. Position Feedback Sensors: Sale of linear and rotary position sensors including linear potentiometers, linear magnetic Hall sensors, incremental linear encoders, magnetostrictive sensors, draw-wire sensors, rotary encoders, and multi-turn/single-turn potentiometers.
3. Propeller Shaft Earthing Systems: Sale of PSE (Propeller Shaft Earthing) system components for maritime vessels to protect propellers and shaft bearings from spark erosion damage.
4. Customized Solutions: Tailor-made or fully customized joystick controllers and position feedback sensors for specific OEM applications, including small series production.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Althen Controls manufactures and supplies industrial joysticks, foot pedals, and linear and rotary position sensors for machinery and automation systems. Its portfolio also includes propeller shaft earthing systems, hazardous-area certified components, and fully customized joystick and sensor solutions for OEM applications, including small-series production.

Product overview

Althen Controls provides industrial joystick controllers and position feedback sensors. The product portfolio consists of industrial joysticks (including mini, finger, hand, multi-operational cobra, marine, and ATEX variants), industrial foot pedals, linear position sensors (potentiometers, magnetic Hall sensors, incremental encoders, magnetostrictive, draw-wire), rotary position sensors (encoders, Hall sensors, multi/single-turn potentiometers, oil-filled, Sin/Cos, motor, turns-counting dials), propeller shaft earthing systems, and custom-tailored solutions. Products range from standard off-the-shelf components to fully customized designs, with certifications including ATEX/IECEx for hazardous environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Metesco: Weighing and dosing solutions including load cells, modules, and electronic weighing transmitters
• SmartBrick
• Althen Academy

Products and services

• Industrial Joysticks Precision joystick controllers for industrial applications, offered in mini, finger, hand, multi-operational cobra, marine, and ATEX-certified variants, including options for hazardous environments.
• MHS Series 5-way switching joystick A compact joystick for demanding environments with 4-way or 8-way control, an optional top pushbutton, and IP67 sealing above the panel.
• HE2 Series Hall-effect fingertip joystick A robust multi-axis Hall-effect fingertip joystick with up to three axes, IP67 sealing, a service life of up to five million cycles, and USB or analog output options.
• RT1 Series sealed toggle switch An industrial single-axis mini joystick with an SPDT switch for machine control, featuring IP67 sealing, an operating range from -30°C to +85°C, and a minimum of 50,000 mechanical and electrical operations.
• SS1 Series miniature Hall effect mini joystick A compact contactless Hall-effect switching joystick with IP67 sealing and a service life of up to five million cycles.
• SS2 Series compact mini joystick switch A compact panel-mount joystick switch available with two, four, or eight switching positions and IP67 sealing above the panel.
• Industrial Foot Pedals Reliable industrial foot pedals designed for heavy-vehicle control applications.
• Linear Position Sensors Sensors for measuring position, displacement, and distance, including linear potentiometers, magnetic Hall sensors, incremental encoders, magnetostrictive sensors, and draw-wire sensors.
• MPS Magnetic Linear Incremental Encoder A magnetic non-contact linear incremental encoder for press brakes with a 150-2000mm measuring range, 5µm standard resolution, and LED status indicators.
• Rotary Position Sensors Compact rotary sensors including rotary encoders, magnetic Hall sensors, multi-turn and single-turn potentiometers, oil-filled potentiometers, Sin/Cos potentiometers, motor potentiometers, and turns-counting dials.
• Propeller Shaft Earthing Systems Systems for ships and vessels that protect propeller shafts and bearings from electrical damage by preventing spark erosion and reducing maintenance requirements.
• Customized Industrial Joystick Controllers Tailor-made or fully customized joystick controller solutions designed for specific OEM applications.
• Customized Position Feedback Sensors Custom sensor solutions for position-feedback applications, including single or multiple stacked potentiometers designed for at least 10 million mechanical cycles.

Quantifiable outcome

• MHS Series joystick provides up to 3 million mechanical cycles
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ABBminorOthersIndustrial automation partner appearing in Althen's customer/partner showcase section.
• Airbus Defence and SpaceminorOthersAerospace and defence partner appearing in Althen's customer/partner showcase section.
• AlstomminorOthersTransportation and rail partner appearing in Althen's customer/partner showcase section.
• ASMLminorOthersSemiconductor equipment partner appearing in Althen's customer/partner showcase section.
• Sunrise MedicalcoreOthersHealthcare equipment partner for joystick controls in powered wheelchairs. Collaboration on Micro-Guide joystick reengineering project.
• BlueNavcoreOthersMaritime electric propulsion partner. Collaboration integrating HE2 joystick into BlueSpin electric propulsion system.
• GrabbacoreOthersDefence and industrial technology partner. Integration of dual TSD joysticks into Mozzie UAS Ground Control Station.
• RobocathcoreOthersMedical robotics start-up partner. Dual joystick integration in R-One robotic catheterization system.
• Philips HealthcareminorOthersMedical imaging partner appearing in Althen's customer/partner showcase section.
• LiebherrminorOthersHeavy machinery partner appearing in Althen's customer/partner showcase section.
• IHC-IQIPminorOthersOffshore and maritime equipment partner appearing in Althen's customer/partner showcase section.
• AudiminorOthersAutomotive partner appearing in Althen's customer/partner showcase section.
• GoodyearminorOthersAutomotive and tire partner appearing in Althen's customer/partner showcase section.
• MARINminorOthersMaritime research institute partner appearing in Althen's customer/partner showcase section.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RAFI: RAFI manufactures electromechanical human-machine-interface components, switches, control panels, and joysticks for industrial and medical equipment. Its customized operator-control offering closely overlaps Althen's joystick and OEM integration model.
• Elobau: Elobau supplies operator controls, joysticks, sensors, and safety products for machinery, mobile equipment, and medical applications. Its combination of joysticks and machine-control components is directly comparable to Althen's core portfolio.
• APEM: APEM develops human-machine interface components, including industrial joysticks, switches, keypads, and control devices for industrial, medical, and transportation applications. It is a close product-category peer to Althen's industrial joystick portfolio.
• SICK: SICK provides industrial sensors, encoders, safety systems, and automation solutions across factory and process environments. Its position-sensing and automation portfolio overlaps with Althen's sensor and control-integration offering, although SICK operates at broader scale.
• Novotechnik: Novotechnik specializes in linear and rotary position sensors, angle sensors, and measurement solutions for industrial automation. It is a direct technology and application peer for Althen's position-feedback sensor business.

Broad incumbents

• TE Connectivity: TE Connectivity offers sensors, connectors, and harsh-environment electronics for industrial, aerospace, and medical applications. It is a broader incumbent whose position-sensing and rugged-connectivity products overlap with Althen's control and sensing portfolio.
• Curtiss-Wright: Curtiss-Wright provides aerospace and defence control systems, sensors, and motion-control products for mission-critical platforms. It is a broad incumbent and a useful comparator for Althen's JOSCAR, defence, and safety-critical applications.
• Pepperl+Fuchs: Pepperl+Fuchs specializes in industrial sensors and intrinsic-safety and hazardous-area automation components. Its hazardous-area certification and sensor portfolio make it a strong adjacent incumbent for Althen's ATEX-certified controls and offshore applications.
• Balluff: Balluff manufactures industrial sensors, position sensors, encoders, and connectivity products for factory automation. It is relevant to Althen's position-feedback and machinery-control applications, although its portfolio is broader.
• Baumer: Baumer supplies industrial sensors, encoders, process instrumentation, and automation solutions. Its rotary and linear measurement and machinery-sensing products provide a relevant product and customer-set comparison to Althen.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/althensensors
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@althensensors
• Facebookfacebook.com/althengroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/althensensors
• Instagraminstagram.com/althensensors

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries7 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 althen controls