Baumer

Manufacturer information and published contact details

Baumer contact details

Headquarters

Hummelstrasse 17
8501 Frauenfeld
Switzerland

Telephone +41 52 728 11 55

Email info@baumer.com

Website baumer.com

Baumer Ltd (UK)

Shrivenham Hundred Business Park, Majors Road 33/36
Watchfield, Swindon SN6 8TZ
United Kingdom

Telephone +44 1793 783839

Email sales.uk@baumer.com

Web baumer.com/gb/en

Show Baumer headquarters on the map Open in Google Maps →

Contact details as published by Baumer Group, checked 2026-10-30. Specify Motion is not affiliated with Baumer Group.

Baumer product lines

Who Baumer is

Baumer is a Swiss, family-owned group that makes sensors, encoders, measuring instruments and components for image processing. It describes itself as having 39 subsidiaries in 19 countries. For motion engineers, Baumer matters mainly as one of the broadest encoder suppliers in Europe: compact 58 mm industrial encoders at one end, and some of the heaviest-duty encoders and tacho generators on the market at the other.

History and ownership

Herbert Baumer, an ETH Zurich engineer, founded Baumer electric in Frauenfeld in 1952 to make micro-switches. Helmut Vietze, who joined as a toolmaker in 1962, took over the management in 1964 after the founder’s death, and the business became Baumer Electric AG in 1966. Its first inductive proximity switch followed in 1969, and by 1987 it was making encoders for the aviation industry.

Baumer Holding AG was formed in 1991 as the legal basis of the group. Two acquisitions built the motion control side: the IVO Group (Irion & Vosseler) in 1996, and the Hübner Berlin Group in 2002, which brought HeavyDuty encoders and tacho generators. Baumer Hübner in Berlin is still the group’s competence centre for HeavyDuty sensors. Dr Oliver Vietze became CEO and Chairman in 2007, when all companies moved to the single Baumer brand. Recent additions include Manas Microsystems in India (2024) and X-Sensors AG (2025).

The group remains family-owned. Its imprint lists Baumer Holding AG in Frauenfeld with a board of Dr Oliver Vietze, Dr Axel Vietze and Ronald Fehlmann.

Product portfolio: encoders

Baumer’s encoder overview splits the range into industrial absolute and incremental encoders, bearingless encoders, encoders for synchronous motors, HeavyDuty absolute and incremental encoders, tacho generators and resolvers, speed switches, programmable encoders, functional-safety encoders, real-time Ethernet encoders and offshore versions with DNV-GL approval.

Industrial absolute encoders

• The OptoTurn EAL580 is the optical 58 mm multiturn model with Ethernet on board. The EtherCAT version gives 18-bit single-turn plus 13-bit multiturn resolution (31 bits) with ±0.01° accuracy, and supports cycle times down to 62.5 µs. PROFINET versions support MRP and IRT, and EtherNet/IP versions support DLR.
• The MAGRES EAM580 is the magnetic equivalent, and the MAGRES EAM580R is a robust analogue-output version rated for 500 g shock.

Industrial incremental encoders

The optoPulse EN580E.IL is a 58 mm optical encoder with 1,024 to 4,096 pulses per revolution and TTL/RS422, HTL or SinCos 1 Vpp outputs. It runs to 6,000 rpm over -25 to +100 °C, with solid-shaft and 12 mm through-hollow versions.

HeavyDuty encoders (Hübner Berlin)

HeavyDuty products put bearings at both ends of the shaft, which gives them far more load capacity than a standard encoder.

• The HOG10 / POG10 incremental encoder has a 105 mm housing, an HTL power line driver for cables up to 350 m, IP66 sealing, -40 to +100 °C operation, 300 g shock rating and corrosion protection to CX (C5-M). Options include LowHarmonics SinCos signals and insulated bearings against shaft currents.
• The HMG10 / PMG10 absolute encoder counts turns with MicroGen energy harvesting, with no gear and no battery. It gives 13-bit single-turn and 16-bit multiturn resolution over PROFINET, EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, CANopen, Profibus DP or SSI, plus extra incremental outputs and an integrated speed switch.

Technologies and standards

A few Baumer features are worth knowing when you compare encoders:

• Energy-harvesting multiturn. Both the MAGRES and HeavyDuty absolute ranges count revolutions without batteries or gear trains, which removes a common maintenance item.
• Industrial Ethernet built in. PROFINET, EtherCAT and EtherNet/IP are native on the EAL580 and HMG10 rather than added through a bus cover.
• Functional safety. Baumer offers encoders certified to EN IEC 61508 and EN ISO 13849.
• HeavyDuty mechanics. Insulated or hybrid bearings, EURO flange B10 mounting and C5-M corrosion protection suit motors on frequency inverters, offshore cranes and mills.

For help deciding between technologies, see absolute vs incremental encoders, encoder interfaces explained and magnetic vs capacitive vs optical encoders.

Industries served

Baumer’s encoder pages point to packaging machines, general automation and electric drives for the compact ranges. The HeavyDuty line targets steel and rolling mills, cranes, wind turbines, marine and offshore drives, paper machines and other places where a standard 58 mm encoder would not survive the shock, shaft loads or corrosion.

Choosing between a 58 mm and a HeavyDuty encoder

As a rule of thumb, a standard encoder suits servo and conveyor axes with low shaft loads and a clean cabinet environment. Move to a HeavyDuty design when the encoder sits on a large motor on an inverter, when the cable run is over about 100 m, or when shock, salt spray or shaft currents are present. On published figures, the HOG10 accepts 600 N radial load against 80 N for the EN580E.IL.

Global and UK presence

Baumer has had a UK subsidiary since 1989, when it took over Britec Ltd in Swindon. Today Baumer Ltd is at Shrivenham Hundred Business Park, Watchfield, Swindon, and handles UK sales on +44 1793 783839 or sales.uk@baumer.com. The UK website lists the full product selector in English with data sheets and CAD.

What to send when specifying an encoder

Send the resolution and whether you need absolute or incremental position, the interface, the shaft or bore size and mounting, the maximum speed, the environment (IP rating, temperature, shock, corrosion class), the cable length and whether the motor runs on an inverter.

Specify Motion is independent of Baumer and is not a distributor for the company. Our engineers can help source Baumer encoders or propose equivalents from our supply network on published figures; see find a replacement or the encoders hub.

Baumer history: key dates

1. 1952Herbert Baumer founds Baumer electric in Frauenfeld, Switzerland, making micro-switches
2. 1964Helmut Vietze takes over management after the founder's death
3. 1987Encoders developed for the aviation industry (Airbus)
4. 1989Takeover of Britec Ltd in Swindon, renamed Baumer Electric Ltd
5. 1991Baumer Holding AG founded as the group's legal basis
6. 1996IVO Group (Irion & Vosseler) acquired, expanding motion control
7. 2002Hübner Berlin Group acquired, adding HeavyDuty encoders and tacho generators
8. 2007Dr Oliver Vietze becomes CEO and Chairman; single Baumer brand introduced
9. 2025Force-sensor specialist X-Sensors AG acquired

Baumer encoders

Magnetic rotary encoder

MAGRES EAM580

58 mm magnetic multi-turn absolute encoder; the SSI blind-hollow-shaft version gives 13-bit single-turn and 12-bit multi-turn (25 bits), ±0.15° accuracy, 6,000 rpm and -40 to +85 °C.

Magnetic rotary encoder

MAGRES EAM580R

Robust R-series version of the 58 mm magnetic absolute encoder; the analogue version outputs 0–10 V, 0.5–4.5 V or 4–20 mA from a 12-bit sensor with a teachable range, IP67, 6,000 rpm and 500 g shock rating.

Optical incremental encoder

optoPulse EN580E.IL

58 mm optical incremental encoder with 1,024 to 4,096 pulses per revolution, TTL/RS422, HTL push-pull or SinCos 1 Vpp outputs, 6,000 rpm and -25 to +100 °C, in solid-shaft and through-hollow-shaft versions.

Optical incremental encoder

HOG10 / POG10 HeavyDuty

HeavyDuty 105 mm incremental encoder (Hübner Berlin line) with bearings at both shaft ends, HTL power line driver for cables up to 350 m, IP66, -40 to +100 °C, 300 g shock rating and CX (C5-M) corrosion protection.

Magnetic rotary encoder

HMG10 / PMG10 HeavyDuty absolute

HeavyDuty 105 mm magnetic multiturn absolute encoder: 13-bit single-turn plus 16-bit multiturn counted by MicroGen energy harvesting (no gear or battery), PROFINET, EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, CANopen, Profibus DP or SSI, IP66/IP67 and -40 to +85 °C.

Optical absolute encoder

OptoTurn EAL580

58 mm optical multiturn absolute encoder with Industrial Ethernet built in: 18-bit single-turn plus 13-bit multiturn (31 bits), ±0.01° accuracy, EtherCAT (62.5 µs cycle), PROFINET IRT or EtherNet/IP, IP65 and -40 to +85 °C.