Karl E. Brinkmann GmbH

Karl E. Brinkmann GmbH, operating commercially as KEB Automation, is a German manufacturer of drive and automation technology headquartered in Barntrup, North Rhine-Westphalia. Founded in 1972 by Karl E. Brinkmann, the company remains family-owned and is one of the established mid-sized German specialists in industrial motion control. Its product portfolio spans four main pillars: drive technology (frequency inverters and servo drives, marketed under the COMBIVERT name), control and automation technology (PLC and motion controllers, HMI software such as the HELIO tool, and the NOA automation platform), brakes and clutches, and motors and gearboxes. This breadth allows KEB to position itself as a single-source system supplier for machine and plant engineering rather than a component-only vendor. KEB serves a wide range of application sectors. Its official website lists electromobility, packaging and food machinery, intralogistics, medical technology, plastics processing, robotics and automation, turboblowers and radial compressors, wind energy, and woodworking machinery among its target industries. The company markets itself under the slogan "#rethinkAUTOMATION" and describes its offering as a complete solution "from IIoT to the brake." Recent product communications highlight the COMBIVERT F6 drive controller receiving marine certification for offshore applications and ships, and a whitepaper on brakes and motors without rare earths. Internationally, KEB operates through subsidiaries and a global service network. Its support organization covers the full product lifecycle, including commissioning, series commissioning, optimization, repairs, spare-part supply, retrofit solutions, and project planning or simulation of motor models using hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) methods. Customers can submit repair requests and track processing status through an online service portal. With decades of engineering heritage, a broad in-house product range, and a family-owned structure, KEB Automation occupies a stable niche among European drive and automation suppliers, competing with larger automation groups while emphasizing application-specific engineering and long-term customer relationships.

Karl E. Brinkmann GmbH was founded in 1972 by Karl E. Brinkmann in Barntrup, Germany, initially focused on electromagnetic brakes and clutches for industrial applications. Over the following decades the company expanded into electronic drive technology, developing and manufacturing frequency inverters under the COMBIVERT brand name. This move from mechanical components into power electronics and control technology transformed KEB from a brake specialist into a broader drive and automation supplier. During the 1980s and 1990s, KEB grew its product range to include servo drives, PLC-based control systems, and application-specific software. The company established subsidiaries and sales partners across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, building the global service network that it still emphasizes today. Its engineering focus on customized solutions for machine builders — rather than mass-market components — helped it secure long-term relationships in sectors such as packaging, plastics, woodworking, and materials handling. In the 2000s and 2010s, KEB extended its portfolio into wind energy, intralogistics, medical technology, and electromobility applications. The company introduced the NOA automation platform and the HELIO HMI engineering tool, positioning itself in the software and IIoT layer of industrial automation. It also continued to develop its traditional brake and clutch business, including work on rare-earth-free magnetic materials. Recent developments highlighted on KEB's official website include the marine certification of the COMBIVERT F6 drive controller for offshore and shipboard use, and the publication of a whitepaper on brakes and motors that avoid rare earth elements. The company remains family-owned and headquartered in Barntrup, operating under the commercial brand KEB Automation and marketing itself with the slogan "#rethinkAUTOMATION." Its service organization supports customers worldwide through commissioning, repair, retrofit, and simulation services, including hardware-in-the-loop motor model simulation.

• 1972

  Karl E. Brinkmann GmbH founded in Barntrup, Germany, by Karl E. Brinkmann.

• Expansion into electronic drive technology with the COMBIVERT frequency inverter brand.

• Introduction of the NOA automation platform and HELIO HMI engineering tool.

• COMBIVERT F6 drive controller receives marine certification for offshore applications and ships.

• Publication of whitepaper on brakes and motors without rare earths.

Mid-sized German family-owned specialist in drive and automation technology, positioned as a single-source system supplier for machine and plant engineering under the slogan "#rethinkAUTOMATION".

• COMBIVERT F6 drive controller

  Drive controller with marine certification for offshore applications and ships.

• COMBIVERT frequency inverters

  Range of frequency inverters for industrial drive applications.

• NOA automation platform

  Automation platform for machine and plant engineering.

• HELIO HMI tool

  HMI engineering tool for visualization and operation.

• Brakes and clutches

  Electromagnetic brakes and clutches, including rare-earth-free designs.

• Motors and gearboxes

  Electric motors and gearboxes for drive systems.

1. 1Ihr Partner für Automatisierungstechnik | KEB Automation KGkeb-automation.com
2. 2KEB Services und Support | KEB Automation KGkeb-automation.com
3. 3Karl E. Brinkmann GmbH - Wikidatawikidata.org