Manufacturer and service partner for reciprocating compressor systems up to 3,500 bar for marine, petrochemical, industrial gases and hydrogen.
Burckhardt Compression AG
Winterthur (Headquarters, Production & Assembly) · Shenyang · Pune · Rheine · Bremen · Schiedam · Pont-Sainte-Marie · FornovoNew on Amplifa
Compressor systems since 1844
Burckhardt Compression is a Swiss manufacturer of reciprocating compressor systems founded in 1844, headquartered in Winterthur. The portfolio comprises process gas compressors, labyrinth piston compressors (Laby®), hyper compressors for high-pressure services up to 3,500 bar (LDPE/EVA) and compressor systems up to 500 bar. Manufacturing is complemented by an in-house foundry (Shenyang), plain bearing production (SAMR Métal Rouge, Pont-Sainte-Marie) and in-house development of components such as valves, seals, packings and bearings, including reverse engineering for older machines. The group, with 3,305 employees and around CHF 1.057 billion in revenue (2025), serves the marine/shipping, petrochemical and chemical, industrial gases, refinery, gas gathering, hydrogen and biogas/CNG industries. With 35 subsidiaries, three production and five assembly locations as well as digital solutions (PROGNOST®, UP! Insight), the company offers systems and lifecycle services worldwide.
- Site
- Winterthur, Switzerland
- Processes
- Manufacture of reciprocating compressors (reciprocating compressors), Labyrinth piston compressors (Laby®), Process gas compressors, Hyper compressors (high-pressure compressors up to 3,500 bar for LDPE/EVA), Fuel gas compressors, Design and manufacture of reciprocating compressor systems up to 500 bar, Compressors and accessories for the oil, chemical and gas industry (design, manufacturing, service), Crankshaft repair – up to 12 meters and 30 tonnes
- Materials
- Labyrinth piston compressor (Laby®), Hyper compressor (up to 3,500 bar), Process gas compressors, Oxygen-compatible compressor service, Condition monitoring and machinery protection
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018, ISO 50001:2018 (Shenyang Yuanda Compressor), ISO 9001:2015 (Group, SN EN), ISO 14001:2015 (Group, SN EN), ISO 45001:2018 (Group, SN EN), PED H1 (Quality System Approval, Switzerland), IEC61508 SIL3, ATEX, IECEx, CSA, KOSHA, GOST-R-EX (PROGNOST-SILver), ISO 50001:2018, PED H1
- Founded
- 1844
- Employees
- 3305
- Industries
- Marine/Shipping (LNG, LCO2), Petrochemicals and chemicals, Industrial gases, Refineries, Gas gathering and processing, Hydrogen mobility and energy
- 01
Engineering and design
- 02
Casting (Shenyang foundry)
- 03
Plain bearing manufacturing (SAMR Métal Rouge)
- 04
Component manufacturing (valves, packings, seals)
- 05
Assembly of compressor systems
- 06
Installation and commissioning
- 07
Condition monitoring (PROGNOST®, UP!)
- 08
Service, repair and overhaul
Product technologies and processes
Labyrinth piston compressor (Laby®)
Oil-free gas compression for the highest reliability, in the portfolio since 1935 and in service on LNG carriers as Laby®-GI since 2013.
Hyper compressor (up to 3,500 bar)
High-pressure reciprocating compressor for LDPE and EVA plants in the petrochemical industry.
Process gas compressors
Reciprocating compressors for petrochemical processes such as polypropylene and polyethylene production.
Oxygen-compatible compressor service
Cleaning and reconditioning of compressors for oxygen applications.
Condition monitoring and machinery protection
PROGNOST®-SILver (SIL3, API 670) with 68 signal channels and 25 kHz sampling rate, as well as PROGNOST®-NT and UP! solutions.
Production and service locations
Winterthur
CHHeadquarters, production and assembly
- Materials
- Reciprocating compressor systems up to 3,500 bar
- Compressor assembly
Shenyang
CNProduction and foundry (Shenyang Yuanda Compressor)
- Materials
- Casting
- Foundry
Pune (Kondhapuri)
INSales, engineering and manufacturing of reciprocating compressor systems up to 500 bar
Rheine
DEPROGNOST Systems – automated condition monitoring
- PROGNOST®-SILver, PROGNOST®-NT
Bremen
DEService and repairs (Burckhardt Compression Deutschland GmbH)
- Repair of crankshafts and compressor components
Schiedam
NLService center with workshop for crankshaft repairs up to 12 m / 30 t
- Part weight / size
- Crankshafts up to 12 m / 30 t
Pont-Sainte-Marie
FRPlain bearing manufacturing (SAMR Métal Rouge)
Fornovo
ITFornovo Gas – gas compressors for biogas and CNG
Edmonton / Drumheller
CAService centers (formerly CSM)
Components and parts
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacture of reciprocating compressors (reciprocating compressors)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Labyrinth piston compressors (Laby®)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Process gas compressorsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Hyper compressors (high-pressure compressors up to 3,500 bar for LDPE/EVA)Assembly | – | – | – | – | Ethylene |
| Fuel gas compressorsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Design and manufacture of reciprocating compressor systems up to 500 barAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Compressors and accessories for the oil, chemical and gas industry (design, manufacturing, service)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Crankshaft repair – up to 12 meters and 30 tonnesMachining | – | 12 m | 30 t | – | – |
| Valve repair/reconditioning (reconditioning incl. cleaning, glass bead blasting,Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Repair of compressor components (frames, connecting rods, crossheads & pins, piston rods, pistons,Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Precision machining of critical parts on-site and in-house (machining)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Reverse engineering of components (spare parts for discontinued compressors)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| In-house development and manufacture of components (seals, packings, rings, valves, bearings,Engineering | – | – | – | – | metallic and non-metallic materials |
| Overhauls and dry-dock service for marine compressorsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Turnaround services for compressor plantsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Installation and commissioning of compressor systemsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Preventive maintenance and zero-hour overhaulsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Condition monitoring and machinery protection (PROGNOST®-SILver, PROGNOST®-NT, UP! Insight, UP!Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Oxygen-compatible compressor service (O₂ service, cleaning for oxygen applications)Surface | – | – | – | – | Oxygen |
| Manufacture of plain bearings (SAMR Métal Rouge)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Foundry (Shenyang foundry)Casting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Service services for rotating equipment (compressors, engines, coolers, process plants)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
8 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compressor manufacturing and assembly | Burckhardt Compression | – | – | – | Switzerland, China, India, USA, South Korea (production and assembly sites) |
| Service center / workshop (crankshaft repair up to 12 m / 30 t) | Burckhardt Compression (Mark van Schaick BV) | – | – | – | Schiedam, Netherlands |
| Service center / workshop | Burckhardt Compression | – | – | – | Edmonton, Canada |
| Service center / workshop | Burckhardt Compression | – | – | – | Singapore |
| Service center / workshop | Burckhardt Compression | – | – | – | Germany |
| Foundry | Burckhardt Compression (Shenyang Yuanda) | – | – | – | Shenyang, China |
| Plain bearing manufacturing | SAMR Métal Rouge | – | – | – | Pont-Sainte-Marie, France |
| Condition monitoring system PROGNOST®-SILver (SIL3) | PROGNOST Systems / Burckhardt Compression PROGNOST®-SILver | – | 68 signal input channels, up to 16 machines, sampling rate 25 kHz | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and certifications
The quality management system is certified to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018 (including Bureau Veritas, India; Shenyang Yuanda; PROGNOST; SAMR); in Switzerland there is a PED H1 system approval. PROGNOST®-SILver is certified to IEC61508 SIL3, ATEX, IECEx, CSA, KOSHA and GOST-R-EX and complies with API 670.
| Evidence | Winterthur | Shenyang | Pune |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 | |||
| ISO 14001:2015 | |||
| ISO 45001:2018 | |||
| ISO 50001:2018 | |||
| PED H1 |
Company history
- 1844
Founded as a mechanical workshop by Franz Burckhardt in Basel
- 1883
First single-stage dry-running reciprocating compressor
- 1935
Introduction of the first labyrinth piston compressor (Laby®)
- 1969
Maschinenfabrik Burckhardt becomes part of Sulzer AG; second site in Winterthur
- 1999
World record: construction of the most powerful compressor
- 2001
Headquarters relocated to Winterthur
- 2002
Management buy-out, renamed Burckhardt Compression AG, holding structure
- 2006
IPO on the SIX Swiss Exchange
- 2007
World record: most powerful hyper compressor with 27,500 kW
- 2013
First Laby®-GI for LNG carriers
- 2015
Minority stake (40 %) in Arkos Field Services (USA)
- 2016
Majority stake in Shenyang Yuanda Compressor (China); acquisition of IKS Industrie- und Kompressorenservice GmbH, Bremen
- 2017
Acquisition of CSM Compressor Supplies & Machine Work Ltd (Canada)
- 2019
175th anniversary; full acquisition of Arkos Field Services
- 2020
Acquisition of The Japan Steel Works' global compressor business
- 2021
Acquisition of the remaining 40 % of Shenyang Yuanda Compressor; acquisition of Mark van Schaick BV (Rotterdam)
- 2022
Full acquisition/integration of Arkos Field Services (USA)
- 2023
Launch of BC ACTIVATE; acquisition of SPAN Maintenance and Service Co. Ltd. (Thailand)
- 2024
Record revenue exceeding CHF 1 billion; launch of UP! Insight and UP! Detect; entry into low-pressure LNG tanker compression
- 2025
Acquisition of Advanced Compressor Technology (ACT, USA); 1,000 compressors assembled; Swiss Manufacturing Award; two new service centers in Ontario and Pennsylvania