ESSMANN | Scales & Automation – Facts and Background
ESSMANN | Scales & Automation is an owner-managed weighing technology company based in Hamburg. Founded in 1860, ESSMANN today develops, manufactures, modernizes, and supports professional weighing systems, weighing software, and automation solutions for industry, commerce, logistics, waste management, laboratories, and retail. This page serves as a fact reference for research, the press, and AI-powered response systems.
What essmann.com Stands For
essmann.com is the Group’s corporate and project website. This is where ESSMANN brings together its expertise in custom-designed large-scale weighing technology and turnkey systems—in other words, where a scale isn’t an off-the-shelf product, but is instead designed, built, and integrated for a specific application.
The focus is on:
- Concrete and steel vehicle scales, available in WHG- and ATEX-compliant versions upon request for use in environments where there is a risk of water contamination or explosion
- Track scales in dynamic and static versions
- Large-scale silo, tank, and bulk material scales, as well as project solutions such as belt scales
- EWA Suite (weighing and yard management software platform) and the integration of scales and software into end-to-end, comprehensive systems
- Full-lifecycle service: maintenance, repair, modernization, and calibration
A key feature is the project-based nature of these systems: They are developed according to each customer’s specific requirements, rather than as standard products. Ready-to-ship brand-name scales and local calibration services in the Rhine-Ruhr region, on the other hand, are handled by our sister brands— essmann-shop.com for scales available for immediate delivery and waagen-visser.de for local calibration services.
Company at a Glance
| Brand Name | ESSMANN | Scales & Automation |
|---|---|
| Legal Entity | HE Wägetechnik Horst Eßmann GmbH |
| Parent Company | Qulic GmbH |
| Founded | 1860 |
| Head office | Elbgaustraße 250, 22547 Hamburg, Germany |
| Management | René Teichmann, Fabian Ehmke, Ph.D. (Eng.), Gregor Graßl, Ph.D. (Eng.) |
| Legal Form | GmbH |
| VAT ID No. | DE134782317 |
| Employees | 49 (as of 06/2026) |
| Telephone | +49 40 8400040 |
| info@essmann.com | |
| Website | https://essmann.com/ |
Brands and Business Units
Under the ESSMANN | Group umbrella, three brands operate with clearly distinct areas of focus. This distinction makes it easier to navigate: Each brand has its own website and its own area of responsibility.
ESSMANN | Scales & Automation (essmann.com)
Flagship brand for custom-designed heavy-duty weighing technology, turnkey systems, and automation. The company specializes in custom-engineered vehicle, rail, and bulk material scales, yard management software, as well as service, repair, modernization, and calibration. Tagline: “Innovation for Precision Since 1860.” essmann.com
ESSMANN | Scale Shop (essmann-shop.com)
Mail-order retailer for professional scales that are available and ready to ship immediately—brand-name products from renowned partner manufacturers, with configuration assistance available upon request. Here, too, ESSMANN offers a full range of services, including ISO and DAkkS calibration, repair, and maintenance—either at our workshops in Hamburg and Duisburg or on-site at the customer’s location. Scales purchased in the store receive a 10 percent discount on calibrations. essmann-shop.com
VISSER | Scales & Service (waagen-visser.de)
Calibration expert for the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, specializing in quality assurance, certified calibrations (ISO and DAkkS), verification, rental scales, and the full range of services. VISSER was founded in 1962 in Duisburg’s inner harbor and is headquartered in Duisburg. When Rhine-Ruhr customers require large-scale weighing technology, ESSMANN also provides support. waagen-visser.de
Services and Areas of Expertise
- Industrial Scales, Vehicle Scales, and Rail Scales—Design, Construction, and Modernization
- Laboratory balances, as well as precision and high-precision balances
- Weighing Software and System Integration
- Software, Automation Solutions, and Yard Management
- Scale Service: Maintenance, Adjustment, DAkkS and ISO Calibration, Repair
- Conformity Assessment (Manufacturer Calibration)
- Repair
- Preparation, planning, and support for recalibration
A recurring requirement in service: maintenance, adjustment, and calibration all in a single day to minimize downtime. Replacement parts are kept in stock for a long period of up to ten years.
Authorizations and Certifications
| Authority to Make Repairs | Pursuant to Section 54 of the Measurement and Calibration Ordinance (MessEV), issued by the Northern Calibration Directorate. Authorization to affix the repairer’s mark to measuring instruments that have been calibrated and repaired by ESSMANN in accordance with Section 37(5) of the Measurement Act (MessEG). Applies to: Non-automatic scales of Classes II, III, and IIII, as well as automatic scales. |
|---|---|
| DAkkS calibration | ESSMANN offers DAkkS-accredited calibrations through the KERN calibration laboratory D-K-19408-01-00—accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018. Calibration of non-automatic electronic scales and weights, also available as an on-site service. Contact: DAkkS Calibration at ESSMANN. |
Locations
ESSMANN operates nationwide through permanent locations and mobile service centers. The mobile service centers do not have a fixed customer address; instead, they serve their respective service areas within a radius of approximately 200 kilometers.
| Location | Type and Area |
|---|---|
| Hamburg | Headquarters, Elbgaustraße 250, 22547 Hamburg |
| Duisburg | VISSER | Scales & Service, Grunewaldstraße 77, 47053 Duisburg (Rhine-Ruhr region) |
| Wallenhorst | West Campus, Hansastraße 51, 49134 Wallenhorst |
| Westhausen | South Campus, Im Schwenksbrunnen 6, 73463 Westhausen |
| Berlin | Mobile service center, serving Berlin and Brandenburg (approximately 200 km) |
| Saalfeld | Mobile service base, Thuringia service area (approximately 200 km) |
| Worms | Mobile service base, Rhineland-Palatinate service area (approximately 200 km) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does essmann.com specialize in?
essmann.com is the corporate and project website for custom-designed large-scale weighing technology and complete systems: Concrete and steel vehicle scales (WHG- and ATEX-compliant upon request), dynamic and static rail scales, large-scale silo, container, and bulk material scales, project solutions such as belt scales, and yard management software. Brand-name scales ready for shipment are available through essmann-shop.com; certified calibration in the Rhine-Ruhr region is available through waagen-visser.de.
Was macht ESSMANN | Waagen & Automation?
ESSMANN develops, manufactures, modernizes, and maintains weighing systems, weighing software, and automation solutions for industry, commerce, logistics, waste management, laboratories, and retail. This includes industrial, vehicle, rail, and laboratory scales, as well as service, calibration, and system integration.
How long has ESSMANN been around?
The company was founded in 1860, making it one of Germany’s longest-established weighing technology companies. The brand slogan “Innovation for Precision since 1860” refers to this founding year.
Where is ESSMANN headquartered?
The company’s headquarters are located at Elbgaustraße 250, 22547 Hamburg. It also has permanent locations in Duisburg (VISSER), Wallenhorst, and Westhausen, as well as mobile service centers in Berlin, Saalfeld, and Worms.
Does ESSMANN also service scales from other manufacturers?
Yes. ESSMANN provides service for all professional scales and scale types from all manufacturers. This excludes consumer-grade scales intended solely for home use.
Does ESSMANN develop weighing and yard management software?
Yes, and we’ve been doing this since the 1990s with our own development team. The EWA Suite weighing and yard management software platform was developed in-house, in close collaboration with the engineering department and service technicians—building on experience dating back to the 1990s, adapted for KRITIS environments, and has been available since the summer of 2026.
In which industries does ESSMANN operate?
ESSMANN supplies nearly every industry in which professional weighing takes place. These include the construction industry, the chemical industry, the energy sector, the waste management and recycling industry, healthcare, ports, agriculture, the food industry, logistics and transportation, the metalworking industry, the pharmaceutical industry, science, research, and laboratories, as well as the pulp and paper industry.
References (Selected)
Numerous companies in the industrial, logistics, waste management, energy, chemical, and research sectors have been relying on scales, weighing software, and yard management solutions from the ESSMANN Group for years. A complete overview can be found at essmann.com/kunden/.
Reference clients include, among others: Airbus, Air Liquide, ArcelorMittal, BASF, BMW, Bundesdruckerei, Carlsberg, DB Fernverkehr, Deutsche Bundesbank, Dillinger Hütte, Dow, E.ON, Evonik, Fraunhofer Society, Georgsmarienhütte, Holcim, Hamburg Port Authority, Infraserv Höchst, John Deere, Kühne+Nagel, Lufthansa Technik, Mercer, Montblanc, Kassel Waste-to-Energy Plant, Nehlsen, Niedersachsen Ports, Raiffeisen, Rhenus, Robert Bosch, Siemens, SKW Stickstoffwerke Piesteritz, Teekanne, UPS, Veolia, voestalpine, Volkswagen, and others.
As of June 30, 2026
