About us
For more than 80 years
“Endlessly striving to improve things brings fresh wind into our company” – Peter Habersatter
Always further. Always better.
IDEAL AKE is a company with great tradition. We have standing for customer-oriented thinking, fresh ideas and trendsetting technology for more than 80 years. Our products and innovations are successful worldwide and have decisively shaped our industry.
The driving force behind our success is our enthusiasm – enthusiasm for technology and materials. It motivates us to design intelligent solutions for tomorrow. Always with the utmost attention to quality, durability and sustainability.
The high satisfaction of our customers is the reward for our work. We are thankful for this and assure that we will tackle our work in the future with the same enthusiasm and passion that has distinguished us to this day.
Everyone has ideas
Whether viewed globally or in the microcosm, these ideas form the basis of all change, development and innovation. In our company, too, it is the ideas that continuously inspire us to further develop products, devices and technologies, to improve their handling or to optimize their energy efficiency.
Our entire team is involved in this process with great enthusiasm. Over the decades we have developed what we call a culture of ideas in which every thought is welcome.
Lateral thinking is not only allowed, it is desired and has become an integral part of the world of IDEAL AKE.
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More InformationMade in Austria
Our products are not only developed and manufactured 100% in Austria, the use of materials and the production conditions are also based on a general awareness of sustainability and are therefore a fixed component of our corporate orientation.
We are therefore well aware of our responsibility towards the environment and the next generation, and we therefore attach great importance to the avoidance of CO2 emissions and the sensible use of materials and energy.
More than 1,500 tons of C02 avoidance and more every year.
In the last 8 years we have set several activities especially in Bad Mitterndorf with a long-term impact on the environment. Already in 2010 we invested in a heat recovery plant, which makes use of the waste heat of our production machines and converts it into energy = 30 tons C02 avoidance per year.
In 2012, we invested in a biomass heating plant whose operation with burning materials (primarily wood) saves over 200 tonnes of CO2 annually. By converting the lighting equipment to continuous LED lighting in the entire AKE plant in 2015, an additional 20 tons of CO2 can be saved annually. Thus, the sustainable implementation of these activities has already enabled 1,500 tons of C02 to be avoided, which corresponds to an emission of approx. 230 single-family houses.
Investments for the future. For our company, our employees and the next generations! They will thank us!
Our History
Everything started in Gmunden – Schörihub. From here the pioneer of ice cream machines and dispensing equipment started to conquer Austria and following the presentation at the International Refrigeration Engineering Exhibition, expanded into Europe.
Growth followed development and vice versa, – until full capacity was reached and thus AKE was founded in 1998. Since then, they have shaped refrigeration and heating engineering – even in the American market.
In 2012 IDEAL and AKE combined their strength in development, distribution and marketing under one umbrella brand and set a milestone in customer focus and service quality.
2025
80 years of IDEAL AKE. A remarkable milestone in our company’s history, which we celebrated in style on September 13, 2025, together with around 400 guests.
We look back with pride on 80 years of IDEAL AKE. At the same time, we are looking ahead and look forward to many more years of innovation, collaboration, and shared success.
2024
We are setting the course for the future and investing 2 million euros in our production site in Gmunden.
The main focus is on the construction of a new canteen, sanitary facilities and social rooms as well as the remodelling of some production halls.
2022
The NordCap Group, being a trusted partner for
decades, takes the majority stake of IDEAL AKE.
2020
The training centre at the Bad Mitterndorf location becomes an academy, redesign of the showroom.
2018
20 years of AKE, Expansion at IDEAL & AKE: New production hall in Gmunden and a new office building in Bad Mitterndorf.
2017
Construction of a new warehouse at the Bad Mitterndorf site.
2016
Business expansion at the Bad Mitterndorf location: new production hall with 3,000 m².
2014
New construction of the training centre and show room at the Gmunden location.
2013
AKE business expansion: training workshop, Sky Restaurant and logistics centre.
2012
Bundling of the strengths under one common brand umbrella.
2012
Purchase of another commercial property through IDEAL in Gmunden.
2009
High-end manufacturing ensures high quality and leads to success.
2007
The new build: Showroom and training centre in Bad Mitterndorf.
2005
Technological progress through purchase of top end laser cutter.
2002
Due to the enormous growth, the expansion of the IDEAL production site to more than 8,000 m² of manufacturing space takes place.
2000
Construction of the new AKE site in Bad Mitterndorf.
1998
Foundation of AKE in Bad Aussee: Production of cooling wells and refrigeration display cases.
1981
Appearance in the IKK Exhibition in Nürnberg opens distribution to the whole of Europe.
1960
Beginning of stainless steel fabrication within the range of counters and refrigeration systems for catering.
1945
Herzog Kühlung, Company foundation in Gmunden. Pioneer of cooling cabinets.