Bitzer SE
German manufacturer of compressors and other equipment for refrigeration and air-conditioning systems.
Last updated August 22, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Bitzer SE is a German manufacturer of refrigeration and air-conditioning technology headquartered in Sindelfingen. Its principal business is the development and production of compressors used in commercial, industrial, transport and air-conditioning applications. The company also supplies related components, including heat exchangers and pressure vessels, allowing it to serve equipment manufacturers, system integrators, contractors and service organizations across the refrigeration value chain. The business was established in 1934 by Martin Bitzer under the name Apparatebau für Kältetechnik. Its early products included expansion valves and two-cylinder direct-current piston compressors. From this initial focus on refrigeration components and compressor technology, Bitzer developed into a multinational specialist with production and sales operations on several continents. By 1959, the company had 206 employees and exported to 56 countries, indicating that international business was already central to its development before the creation of its later subsidiary network. A major transition took place in 1961, when graduate engineer Ulrich Schaufler assumed control of Bitzer Kühlmaschinenbau GmbH. After his death in 1979, his son Peter Schaufler succeeded him. Under Peter Schaufler, Bitzer expanded its international footprint substantially, establishing more than 40 subsidiaries across all five continents. Production and operating locations were developed in countries including Germany, Portugal, China, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia and the United States. This network enabled the company to combine centralized engineering and manufacturing expertise with local market support. Bitzer's product portfolio centers on reciprocating, screw and scroll compressors. These products address different system architectures and capacity requirements, from smaller commercial refrigeration installations to larger industrial and air-conditioning systems. The company also manufactures heat exchangers and pressure vessels, broadening its role from compressor supplier to provider of important system components. Its products are generally sold through business-to-business channels rather than directly to consumers. The group has also expanded through investments and acquisitions. Referenced transactions include the acquisition of Danish control-solutions manufacturer Lodam electronics a/s in 2007, the purchase of the transport-cooling division of Finnish company Lumikko in 2011, and the acquisition of Armaturenwerk Altenburg GmbH in 2013. These moves extended Bitzer's capabilities into controls, transport refrigeration and pressure-vessel-related manufacturing. In 2008, the parent company was reorganized as a European Company, or Societas Europaea, and adopted the legal form Bitzer SE. Environmental and resource-conservation considerations are described as an important part of the company's approach across its subsidiaries. Bitzer has maintained a range of certifications and presents resource-efficient operation as a group-wide principle. The company remains privately held or otherwise not publicly listed according to the available reference material. In 2024, the reference material reported approximately 4,500 employees, 75 locations and sales of approximately €1.12 billion. Those figures describe the scale of the operating group at that time and should not be treated as a current forecast.
History
Bitzer's history began in 1934, when Martin Bitzer founded Apparatebau für Kältetechnik in Germany. The young company manufactured expansion valves and two-cylinder direct-current piston compressors. These products placed the business within the developing refrigeration-equipment industry and established compressor engineering as a central capability. The company expanded beyond its domestic market during its first decades. By 1959, it had 206 employees and exported products to 56 countries. This early export activity became the foundation for the international organization that Bitzer would later build. The company subsequently operated under the Bitzer Kühlmaschinenbau GmbH name and experienced a significant change in leadership in 1961, when graduate engineer Ulrich Schaufler took over its direction. Ulrich Schaufler led the company until his death in 1979. His son, Peter Schaufler, then succeeded him. During Peter Schaufler's leadership, Bitzer pursued an extensive internationalization strategy. The company established more than 40 subsidiaries across all five continents and developed production or operating locations in Germany, Portugal, China, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia and the United States. The subsidiary structure enabled Bitzer to support local customers while maintaining a common group identity and technical base. The group expanded not only geographically but also through acquisitions and business investments. In 2007, it acquired Lodam electronics a/s, a Danish manufacturer of control solutions. In 2011, it acquired the transport-cooling division of the Finnish company Lumikko. In 2013, it acquired Armaturenwerk Altenburg GmbH. Together, these transactions added capabilities in controls, transport refrigeration and related industrial equipment, complementing Bitzer's established compressor activities. In 2008, the parent company was reorganized as a European Company, adopting the legal form Societas Europaea and the name Bitzer SE. The change formalized the group's multinational character while preserving its identity as a specialist manufacturer rather than a broad-based consumer brand. Bitzer's current business is built around components for refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Its main compressor families are reciprocating, screw and scroll compressors. It also manufactures heat exchangers and pressure vessels. These products serve professional and industrial customers in refrigeration, air conditioning and transport-cooling applications. The company operates through a global network of locations and subsidiaries and emphasizes resource conservation and environmental policies throughout that network. The available reference material reports that Bitzer had 75 locations and approximately 4,500 employees in 2024. It also reports sales of approximately €1.12 billion for that year. No current executive roster, ownership structure or official website URL is provided in the source material used for this dossier.
- 2024
Reported global operating scale
[1]Reference material reported 75 locations, approximately 4,500 employees and sales of approximately €1.12 billion.
- 2013
Acquisition of Armaturenwerk Altenburg
[1]Bitzer acquired Armaturenwerk Altenburg GmbH as part of its expansion in related refrigeration equipment.
- 2011
Acquisition of Lumikko transport-cooling division
[1]Bitzer acquired the transport-cooling division of Finnish company Lumikko.
- 2008
Conversion to a European Company
[1]The parent company was reorganized as Bitzer SE, a Societas Europaea.
- 2007
Acquisition of Lodam electronics
[1]Bitzer acquired Danish control-solutions manufacturer Lodam electronics a/s.
- 1979
Peter Schaufler succeeds Ulrich Schaufler
[1]Following Ulrich Schaufler's death, his son Peter Schaufler took over leadership of the company.
- 1961
Ulrich Schaufler takes over
[1]Graduate engineer Ulrich Schaufler assumed leadership of Bitzer Kühlmaschinenbau GmbH.
- 1959
Early international expansion
[1]The company had 206 employees and exported its products to 56 countries.
- 1934
Company founded as Apparatebau für Kältetechnik
[1]Martin Bitzer founded the business, which initially manufactured expansion valves and two-cylinder direct-current piston compressors.
Products and positioning
A specialized global supplier of compressor technology and related components for professional refrigeration, air-conditioning, transport-cooling and industrial applications.
Refrigeration compressors · 1934
Reciprocating compressors
Reciprocating compressors are one of Bitzer's foundational product categories, tracing back to the company's early two-cylinder compressor production. The category serves refrigeration and air-conditioning systems that require positive-displacement compression across a range of commercial and industrial applications. Bitzer's reciprocating compressor business forms part of its core professional equipment portfolio.
Refrigeration compressors
Screw compressors
Bitzer manufactures screw compressors for refrigeration and air-conditioning applications. Screw technology is used in systems requiring continuous compression and substantial capacity, including larger commercial and industrial installations. The products reinforce Bitzer's position as a supplier of engineered compressor solutions rather than a consumer-facing appliance brand.
Refrigeration compressors
Scroll compressors
Scroll compressors are part of Bitzer's compressor portfolio for refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Their inclusion gives the company a technology option suited to applications where compact equipment and efficient operation are important design considerations. The available source identifies the product family but does not provide model-level specifications or launch dates.
Refrigeration-system components
Heat exchangers
Bitzer manufactures heat exchangers as complementary components for refrigeration and air-conditioning technology. They extend the company's offering beyond compression and allow it to participate in additional parts of the thermal-management system. Specific product models, capacities and launch dates are not identified in the available reference.
Refrigeration-system components
Pressure vessels
Pressure vessels are another component category manufactured by Bitzer for refrigeration and air-conditioning technology. They support the safe handling and storage of refrigerant within engineered systems. The source material does not specify individual product lines or technical ratings.
Brand decisions
2013
Acquire Armaturenwerk AltenburgM&ABackground
Bitzer continued to extend its portfolio of refrigeration-related manufacturing capabilities.
Action taken
The company acquired Armaturenwerk Altenburg GmbH.
Aftermath
The transaction added another established manufacturing business to the Bitzer group. The available source does not state the purchase price or integration results.
2011
Acquire Lumikko transport-cooling divisionM&ABackground
Transport cooling represented an adjacent application area for Bitzer's refrigeration technology.
Action taken
Bitzer acquired the transport-cooling division of Finnish company Lumikko.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Bitzer's activities in transport refrigeration. No transaction value is provided in the available source.
2008
Reorganize the parent company as Bitzer SEStrategyBackground
Bitzer had developed a multinational subsidiary network and was operating across all five continents.
Action taken
The parent company was converted into a European Company, or Societas Europaea, and became Bitzer SE.
Aftermath
The new legal form reflected the group's international structure. The source does not indicate a change in ownership or listing status.
2007
Acquire Lodam electronicsM&ABackground
Bitzer was expanding beyond its traditional compressor base into adjacent refrigeration and air-conditioning technologies.
Action taken
The company acquired Denmark-based control-solutions manufacturer Lodam electronics a/s.
Aftermath
The transaction broadened Bitzer's capabilities in control solutions. The available source does not provide financial terms or subsequent operating results for the acquisition.
Recent events
- 2024
Bitzer reports approximately €1.12 billion in sales for 2024[1]
Other
The available reference material describes Bitzer as having approximately 4,500 employees and 75 locations in 2024, with reported sales of approximately €1.12 billion.
- 2013
Bitzer acquires Armaturenwerk Altenburg[1]
M&A
Bitzer acquired the long-established Armaturenwerk Altenburg GmbH, broadening its manufacturing portfolio in refrigeration-related equipment.
- 2011
Bitzer acquires Lumikko transport-cooling division[1]
M&A
Bitzer acquired the transport-cooling division of Finnish company Lumikko, extending its presence in transport refrigeration.
- 2007
Bitzer acquires Lodam electronics[1]
M&A
Bitzer acquired Denmark-based control-solutions manufacturer Lodam electronics a/s, expanding the group's activities in control technology.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/bitzer-se · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled