FRABA Group in 2024: Major Investments Support Growth in Changing Markets
June 3, 2025
After facing challenging market conditions in 2024, the FRABA Group, a leading manufacturer of sensors for industrial motion control applications, is positioning itself for future growth with investments in innovative technologies and new business ventures.
The company experienced a modest reduction in sales in 2024, with revenues slipping from €46 million in 2023 to €43 million in 2024. Christian Leeser, CEO and majority shareholder explains: “We saw a significant sales increase in 2023 as customers re-filled inventories after pandemic-induced supply chain disruptions. However, once warehouses were filled, order volumes decreased. This situation, which was shared by many in the industry, was particularly evident in the early months of 2024. However, orders have rebounded since then across product lines and the company anticipates healthy growth in 2025.”
The sales slowdown experienced in Europe and North America was less evident in Asian markets and FRABA increased production of their popular POSITAL kit encoders at their Malaysian manufacturing facility. This operation now employs approximately 70 people. In addition, a trading company was established in Shanghai to enable better service for POSITAL and UBITO customers.
In response to increasing barriers to international trade, FRABA is considering opportunities to leverage the strength of its digitally enabled production system by establishing new factories in the U.S.A. and China. These facilities would enable the company to reduce delivery times and enhance customer support in these markets.
In 2024, the FRABA group made significant investments in R&D and product development. The UBITO business unit created excitement with its redesigned Wiegand sensors, a new automated production facility for Wiegand wire, and a new ASIC module for event sensing and counting applications. (This ultra-efficient chip can operate with the energy generated by a Wiegand sensor, creating a self-powered system that does away with the need for backup batteries.) Meanwhile POSITAL saw increased sales volumes for its kit encoder products. FRABA remains confident that its combination of leading-edge products, innovative production technologies and engagement with global markets will provide a solid basis for future growth.
About FRABA
The FRABA group is made up of a closely integrated set of business units that provide technically advanced products and services for industrial customers. The group’s history dates to 1918, when its predecessor, Franz Baumgartner elektrische Apparate GmbH, was established in Cologne, Germany, to manufacture electrical relays.
Since then, the company has played a trendsetting role in the development of motion control sensors such as rotary encoders and inclinometers (sold by the POSITAL business unit) and Wiegand sensors for motion sensing and energy harvesting (UBITO), The CREDEMUS business unit provides a digital platform and support services for high-complexity, low-volume manufacturing operations. FRABA has a global reach with subsidiaries in Europe, North America and Asia, along with and sales and distribution partners worldwide.
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FRABA Group Announces New China-Based Business Unit
The FRABA Group, an international supplier of sensors for industrial motion control and safety systems, has announced the opening of a new business unit in China. The new company, named the FRABA Industrial Automation (Shanghai) Company, Limited ((福瑞博工业自动化（上海）有限公司), will serve the rapidly expanding Chinese industrial automation market. The company was established in March 2024 as a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE).
When selecting a way to express the acronym “FRABA” in Chinese characters, the launch team chose characters that convey a commitment to customer satisfaction and success, a dedication to innovation, and an ambition to succeed in this dynamic environment.
