Nussdorf-Traunstein / Mülheim an der Ruhr, October 31, 2025
Thyssen’sche Handelsgesellschaft m.b.H. (THG), a renowned German family office based in Mülheim an der Ruhr, has acquired a majority stake in h/p/cosmos sports & medical gmbh (“h/p/cosmos”) effective October 31, 2025. The founder and previous sole owner, Franz Harrer, will remain with the company as a long-term co-shareholder.
Founded in 1988 by Franz Harrer and Manfred Pelz, h/p/cosmos is today one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-quality treadmill systems for diagnostics, rehabilitation, and competitive sports. With an export share of approximately 80% and annual sales of around €17 million, h/p/cosmos operates in over 90 countries and has established itself as a global technology leader. The product portfolio encompasses a wide range of treadmills, ergometers, gait trainers, and other systems for ergometry, rehabilitation, cardiopulmonary and performance diagnostics, biomechanics and sports science. As a pioneer in this field, the company has significantly shaped the global technological development of treadmill systems over the past 37 years. Numerous innovations have contributed to this success, including the Virtual Split-Belt, perturbation functions, the MDR-certified gaitway 3D treadmill and the patented Robowalk gait trainer.
THG is a long-term, family-oriented investor with holdings in Germany and abroad. While THG provides strategic support and resources for the future development of h/p/cosmos, operational management will remain in the capable hands of the existing management team.
Together with THG, h/p/cosmos plans to further expand its global presence, tap into new markets, and drive the development of innovative products. The subsidiary established in China in 2024 and the planned new DALA Campus in Traunstein, scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, are further important milestones for the company's continued and successful growth.
Franz Harrer, founder of h/p/cosmos, explains:
“For me, this isn’t the end of something, but rather the starting signal for a new and larger dimension that has been in the planning stages for years. With THG as a strong partner, we can accelerate our international expansion and implement innovations even faster. This marks the beginning of a new growth phase, both in our operations and at the new headquarters of h/p/cosmos sports & medical as well as h/p/cosmos holding: the Diagnostics And Locomotion Alliance Campus (DALA for short) in Traunstein.”
Richard Schmidt and Alexander Böck, Managing Directors of h/p/cosmos, add:
“This partnership means far more than just a milestone for the management and the entire h/p/cosmos team – it is a powerful signal of stability, trust, and a shared future. With the THG Group at our side, we look forward to continuing our success story, sustainably expanding our growth, and further consolidating our leading market position.”
Benedikt Boucke, Managing Director of THG, commented:
“We are delighted to welcome h/p/cosmos to the THG Group. The company has a long history of financial stability and profitability and has developed exceptionally well in recent years. We see great potential for further profitable growth and increased internationalization. With h/p/cosmos, we are expanding our healthcare industry business and thus consistently pursuing our strategic goal of further growth in this sector.”
Thomas Prangemeier, Managing Director of THG, adds:
“We look forward to a close and collaborative partnership with the h/p/cosmos team to support the company on its future growth path and to sustainably strengthen its competitive position.”