Lauda Dr. R. Wobser GmbH & Co. KG

Lauda Dr. R. Wobser GmbH & Co. KG, trading as LAUDA, is a German manufacturer of temperature control equipment and systems headquartered in Lauda-Königshofen, Baden-Württemberg. Founded in 1956 by Dr. Rudolf Wobser, the company describes itself as the world market leader for exact temperatures and supplies thermostats, circulation coolers, process cooling and secondary circuit systems, and laboratory equipment such as water baths, shaking machines and deep-freeze units. Its devices are used in research, production and quality control across electromobility, hydrogen, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, semiconductors and medical technology. The company is a family-owned business. According to its own corporate principles, it is committed to its tradition as a modern family enterprise, makes long-term decisions, is led by a family member, and keeps its shares in family hands over the long term. LAUDA operates through a worldwide sales and service network and, by its own account, has 15 production and sales companies, around 570 employees and revenue of about 100 million euros. Its portfolio spans laboratory thermostats and water baths, process thermostats, industrial circulation coolers, calibration baths, deep-freeze equipment and temperature control systems for large-scale industrial plants. LAUDA has expanded internationally since the mid-2000s, establishing subsidiaries in France, Russia, Singapore, the Americas, China and the United States, and acquiring businesses such as the industrial circulation cooler operations of Donaldson (Lauda Ultracool in Terrassa, Spain), Noah Precision in the United States and GFL Gesellschaft für Labortechnik. In the 2020s the company has focused on electromobility and hydrogen applications, launched the mobile battery-powered ultra-low-temperature freezer Mobifreeze, and founded Lauda Medical to address the medical market. It remains a private, family-controlled group.

Lauda Dr. R. Wobser GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1956 in Lauda, today part of Lauda-Königshofen, by Dr. Rudolf Wobser together with two partners, as the Messgeräte-Werk Lauda Dr. R. Wobser KG. Wobser had previously been technical director and chief designer at the East German VEB Prüfgerätewerk in Medingen near Dresden and fled to the West in August 1955. After initial experiments with suitcase-sized recording devices for lacquer-coated postcards (Cartavox), the company produced thermostats and cryostats. By 1963 it employed 50 people. In 1976 the company offered its first digital temperature sensors for retrofitting. In 1988 it was converted into a GmbH & Co. KG with the founder's two sons as managing directors; the designation "Messgerätewerk" was dropped and the place name Lauda was registered as a brand. Three years later the company recorded losses for the first time; after developing new, more cost-effectively produced simple devices, sales rose again. In 2000 new thermostats for process technology were introduced, filling the gap between laboratory and large-scale systems. For industrial systems, a new technology was patented that enabled a temperature range from −150 to +550 °C. In 2003 Karlheinz Wobser left the company for reasons of age. His brother bought his shares and sold part of them to his son Gunther Wobser, who had been with the company since 1997 and was now appointed managing director. In 2005 the company opened its first foreign subsidiary, Lauda France, followed in 2006 by Lauda Wostok in Moscow. Lauda Singapore was founded in 2007, and in 2008 Lauda America-Latina, Lauda China and Lauda-Brinkmann in the USA followed. With effect from 1 April 2010, Gerhard Wobser stepped down as managing partner and moved to the advisory board. Group revenue grew to around 56 million euros, with more than 300 employees. In January 2011 the company acquired the industrial circulation cooler business of the American filter manufacturer Donaldson. The former Donaldson company Ultrafilter S.L. in Terrassa, Spain, had been founded in 1966 and today produces industrial circulation coolers with up to 500 kW cooling capacity under the name Lauda Ultracool with around 50 employees. It supplies manufacturers of printing machines, injection molding machines, laser processing equipment and sorting machines, among others. In the same year, a new building with an investment volume of more than 6 million euros was begun at the Lauda-Königshofen site. In 2013 Lauda opened another development and production site in Shanghai, China, employing around 30 people there together with the sales company. In September 2014 the company acquired the US manufacturer of temperature control equipment Noah Precision, renamed Lauda-Noah from 2014. In March 2015 Lauda Scientific GmbH was spun off as a wholly owned subsidiary for the development, sales and service activities of Lauda Messgeräte. The company focuses on measuring instruments for polymers, surfaces, oils and surfactants. In 2018 GFL Gesellschaft für Labortechnik mbH was added through acquisition. GFL employs 50 people in Burgwedel. This increased Lauda's revenue to around 90 million euros and the number of employees to 500. With Lauda Medical GmbH & Co. KG, founded in 2021, the company expanded its engagement in the medical market. The first development project was a hypothermia device for controlling patient temperature during heart surgery. In 2022 the company recorded revenue of 120 million euros. In October 2022 a new production site was opened in Terrassa near Barcelona, enabling a doubling of production and storage space for industrial circulation coolers. In addition, the new US headquarters of Lauda-Brinkmann in Marlton, New Jersey, and, one year later, the new business premises in Singapore were inaugurated. In 2024 Lauda launched Mobifreeze, according to the company the world's first mobile, battery-powered ultra-low-temperature freezer. Since the beginning of the 2020s, Lauda has been active in the electromobility and hydrogen energy carrier markets. In 2023 the company participated in an EU research project on hydrogen refueling in the heavy-duty sector. In 2025, 570 employees work for the company worldwide. On 29 August 2025, Lauda Dr. R. Wobser GmbH & Co. KG announced that it would "cautiously" reduce its headcount by not renewing expiring contracts, without making layoffs. The company continues to expect growth and positive business development. Beyond its core business, the Wobser family promotes regional art and culture through purchases and exhibitions of contemporary art. Since 1995, the LAUDA FabrikGalerie on the factory premises has presented mainly solo exhibitions of regional and international artists. The approximately five exhibitions per year are aimed under the motto "Art after work" at culturally interested audiences as well as business partners and employees of the company. Artists exhibited to date include Sigrid Artmann, Sabine Dehnel, Christiane Kaufmann, Leo Leonhard, Sibylle Möndel, Jürgen Moos, Erich Rauschenbach, Thomas Reichstein, Gertrude Reum, Viola Schöpe, Paul Swiridoff and Ben Willikens.

• 2025

  570 employees worldwide; announcement of cautious headcount reduction through non-renewal of expiring contracts

• 2024

  Launch of Mobifreeze, the world's first mobile, battery-powered ultra-low-temperature freezer

• 2023

  Participation in EU research project on hydrogen refueling for heavy-duty vehicles

• 2022

  Revenue of 120 million euros; new production site in Terrassa near Barcelona begins operation

• 2021

  Lauda Medical GmbH & Co. KG founded

• 2018

  Acquisition of GFL Gesellschaft für Labortechnik mbH; revenue around 90 million euros, 500 employees

• 2015

  Lauda Scientific GmbH spun off as wholly owned subsidiary

• 2014

  Acquisition of US temperature control equipment manufacturer Noah Precision (Lauda-Noah)

• 2013

  Development and production site opened in Shanghai, China

• 2011

  Acquisition of Donaldson's industrial circulation cooler business (Lauda Ultracool, Terrassa, Spain); new building begun in Lauda-Königshofen

• 2010

  Gerhard Wobser steps down as managing partner, moves to advisory board; group revenue around 56 million euros

• 2008

  Lauda America-Latina, Lauda China and Lauda-Brinkmann (USA) founded

• 2007

  Lauda Singapore founded

• 2006

  Lauda Wostok founded in Moscow

• 2005

  First foreign subsidiary Lauda France opened

• 2003

  Karlheinz Wobser leaves; Gunther Wobser appointed managing director

• 2000

  New process technology thermostats introduced; patent for temperature range −150 to +550 °C

• 1988

  Converted into GmbH & Co. KG; founder's sons become managing directors; Lauda registered as brand name

• 1976

  First digital temperature sensors offered for retrofitting

• 1963

  Company employs 50 people

• 1956

  Dr. Rudolf Wobser and two partners found Messgeräte-Werk Lauda Dr. R. Wobser KG in Lauda

World market leader for exact temperature control; complete provider of temperature control technology for research, production and quality control, with a focus on precision, quality, sustainability and long-term family ownership.

• LAUDA Universa bath circulation thermostats

  Modular, AI-ready, sustainable, high-performance bath circulation thermostats

• LAUDA Mobifreeze

  The first mobile ultra-low-temperature freezer, battery-powered

• LAUDA Proline

  Process thermostats for industrial applications

• LAUDA Integral

  Process thermostats and temperature control systems

• LAUDA Ultracool

  Industrial circulation coolers with up to 500 kW cooling capacity

• LAUDA Variocool

  Circulation coolers for laboratory and industrial use

• LAUDA Alpha

  Entry-level thermostats and water baths

• LAUDA Ecoline

  Economical thermostats and circulation coolers

• LAUDA Hydro

  Water baths and shaking water baths

• LAUDA Puridest

  Water stills and distillation apparatus

• LAUDA Versafreeze

  Ultra-low-temperature freezers

• LAUDA Kryoheater

  Cryostats and temperature control equipment for extreme temperatures

1. 1Temperiertechnik und Kältetechnik für Industrie und Laborlauda.de
2. 2LAUDA – Weltmarktführer für exakte Temperierunglauda.de
3. 35-Jahres Best-Garantie | °LAUDAlauda.de
4. 4Download-Centerlauda.de
5. 5Lauda Dr. R. Wobserwikidata.org
6. 6Lauda Dr. R. Wobserde.wikipedia.org