HMi Elements

What HMi Elements does

HMi Elements Limited, founded in 1980 and headquartered in Malton, North Yorkshire, manufactures rugged Human Machine Interface (HMI) computers, data acquisition systems, intrinsically safe keyboards, and mounting accessories certified for operation in explosive and corrosive industrial environments. The product portfolio is structured in three certification tiers: Zone 1 (intrinsically safe units such as the 1301-Z1 panel PC, 490-Z1 portable computer, and 1801-Z1 Data Acquisition System), Zone 2 (the 1302-Z2 and the 2025-launched 1402-Z2 widescreen), and Safe Area (the 1302-SA and the 1700-SA fibre-optic media converter). Units operate across -40°C to +60°C with IP66/NEMA 4X ingress protection, 1000-nit sunlight-readable displays, glove-friendly multi-touch screens, and Intel Core i7 processors; the 1801-Z1 adds customisable digital and analogue I/O and MODBUS MQTT connectivity, and every design incorporates in-built health-monitoring firmware for asset diagnostics.

The company is a private subsidiary of HMI Elements Holdings Limited and operates a dual direct/channel go-to-market: direct field-sales teams in the UK (Malton) and US (Houston), supplemented by a network of channel partners and distributors with dedicated relationships in Norway, the UAE, and the Netherlands. Revenue is generated primarily from hardware sales, with accessories (desk stands, panel mounts, yoke stands, sunshields, Bluetooth and wired intrinsically safe keyboards) as a recurring attach stream and a $56/day equipment rental option targeting capex-constrained customers. Primary end markets are multinational oil and gas operators and oilfield services companies; secondary verticals span chemical, pharmaceutical, power generation, marine, mining, food and beverage, and emerging new-energy (hydrogen, battery, renewable) applications across more than 85 countries.

The firm holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ATEX, IECEx, UKCA, and NEC 505 (AEx) certifications, and subjects itself to ten prescribed third-party audits annually against hazardous-equipment-manufacturer standards. Leadership was restructured in August 2025, with Howard Gould assuming the CEO role and Paul de Beer joining as Managing Director from the nuclear sector. Reported scale signals include a multi-million pound order book entering 2023, a planned 35% increase in R&D and production capacity that year, and six new jobs added across Malton and Leeds, against a headcount band of 11-50.

Name

HMi Elements

Legal name

HMi Elements Limited

Website

https://hmielements.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HMi Elements, founded 1980 in the UK, manufactures ATEX/IECEx/UKEX-certified rugged HMIs, data acquisition systems, and accessories for hazardous industrial environments. It primarily serves multinational oil and gas operators and oilfield services companies across more than 85 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rugged Industrial Hazardous Area Computing

NAICS

Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (33411), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Electronic Components, Nec (3679)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Panel PCs & HMI Terminals (HDACALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Embedded & HMI Electronics Manufacturing (Industrial PCs, HMIs, Panel PCs) (IMAGAGAD), Ruggedized/Harsh-Environment Electronics Manufacturing (IP-rated, shock/vibration, wide-temp) (IMAGAGAF), Industrial Embedded Computers (Box PCs) (HDACALAF)

Keywords

• Hazardous area computers
• Explosion-proof HMIs
• ATEX certified displays
• Rugged industrial PCs
• Zone 1 panel computers

Headquarters

HQ city

Malton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. HMI Hardware Sales: Sale of rugged hazardous area HMIs including Zone 1 and Zone 2 certified panel PCs, data acquisition systems, and accessories. Revenue generated from product sales to enterprise customers in oil & gas and industrial sectors.
2. Rental Program: Equipment rental option starting at $56/day, offering flexible terms without long-term commitment for customers managing capex and cashflow pressures.
3. Accessories and Mounting Solutions: Sale of accessories including desk stands, panel mounts, yoke stands, sunshields, and Bluetooth keyboard trays for HMI products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HMi Elements designs, manufactures and sells rugged Human Machine Interface (HMI) hardware — including Zone 1 and Zone 2 panel PCs, data acquisition systems, intrinsically safe keyboards, and mounting/accessory solutions — certified for use in explosive, corrosive, and harsh industrial environments. Products carry ATEX, IECEx, UKEX, NEC 505 (AEx), and CSA certifications and are sold primarily to operators in oil & gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, power, marine, mining, and new energy industries across 85+ countries.

Product overview

HMi Elements manufactures certified rugged HMIs (Human Machine Interfaces) for hazardous environments. The product portfolio includes three categories of computing solutions: Zone 1 certified computers (1301-Z1, 490-Z1, 1801-Z1 DAQ system) for the most hazardous areas requiring stringent protection concepts like flameproof or intrinsic safety; Zone 2 certified computers (1302-Z2, 1402-Z2) for less hazardous areas using increased safety concepts; and Safe Area products (1302-SA, 1700-SA media converter) for non-hazardous environments. Supporting accessories include intrinsically safe keyboards (ATEX Z1 Keyboard, Z2 Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard), mounting solutions (Desk Stands, Panel Mounts, Yoke Stands), and sun protection (Sunshield, Bluetooth Keyboard Tray). The products are used primarily in oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, power, marine, mining, food and beverage, and new energy industries across 85+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 1301-Z1 Zone 1 Computer High-performance Zone 1 certified stand-alone computer with 19-inch 1000 nit multi-touch glove-friendly touchscreen and Intel Core i7 processor, certified to ATEX, IECEx, UKEX, AEx and ordinary location standards for enterprise industrial operators in explosive environments.
• 490-Z1 Zone 1 Portable Computer Lightweight, portable, fanless, fully sealed Zone 1 computer suitable for mobile applications such as driller display on oil and gas rigs. ATEX Zone 1 certified.
• 1801-Z1 Data Acquisition System Zone 1 certified portable and rugged Data Acquisition System with customisable digital and analogue I/O (up to 24 Namur digital inputs and 16 4-20mA analogue inputs), used for torque turn, mud logging, EDR, casing running systems and automation. Supports MODBUS MQTT communication protocol.
• 1302-Z2 Zone 2 PC Zone 2 PC with 19-inch sunlight-viewable 1000 nit multi-touch glove-friendly touchscreen, slim and lightweight design with ATEX, IECEx, UKEX, AEx and NEC 505 certifications. Features Intel Core i7 processor options for enterprise industrial customers in less hazardous areas.
• 1402-Z2 Widescreen Zone 2 PC Zone 2 PC with 15.6-inch widescreen 1080 display, 1000 or 400 nit brightness options, multi-touch glove-friendly touchscreen. ATEX, UKEX, IECEx, NEC 505 certified for enterprise customers in hazardous industrial areas.
• 1302-SA Safe Area Rugged PC Lightweight Safe Area rugged PC with 19-inch 1000 nit multi-touch glove-friendly touchscreen designed for non-hazardous environments that still require industrial-grade ruggedness.
• 1700-SA OP-IS Media Converter Safe Area OP-IS Media Converter with two fiber-optic ports designated 'Ex op is' (inherently safe to IEC 60079-28:2015), functioning as an un-managed Ethernet switch for hazardous-area network bridging applications.
• ATEX Z1 Intrinsically Safe Keyboard Intrinsically safe Zone 1 and Zone 2 keyboard with touchpad mouse control, MF2 layout with 102 keys, PS/2 interface, IP66 rated, ATEX Zone 1 and 2 certified.
• Z2 Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard ATEX Bluetooth intrinsically safe wireless Zone 2 keyboard with touchpad mouse control, designed for mounting on HMIs or desk use in hazardous industrial settings.
• Equipment Rental Program Rental of HMi Elements hazardous area computing equipment starting at $56/day with no long-term commitment, providing flexible access to certified HMIs for enterprise customers managing capex or short-term project needs.
• Mounting and Accessory Solutions Rugged accessory and mounting solutions for HMI products including desk stands, panel mounts, yoke stands, sunshields, and Bluetooth keyboard trays (compatible with 1302-Z2 and 1801-Z1 systems).

Quantifiable outcome

• Products in use across 85+ countries worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Norway PartnercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSignificant partnership in Norway for Scandinavian market coverage. Partnership announced as part of company's global expansion strategy.
• UAE Distribution PartnercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLandmark distribution partnership for UAE market expansion announced as part of company's geographic growth strategy.
• Dutch DistributorminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Dutch distributor to expand global reach and serve European markets.
• Made Smarter ProgrammeminorOthersUK government initiative providing £19,000 grant to HMi Elements for technology investment in automating production precision measurements.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley): Rockwell Automation's Allen-Bradley portfolio includes industrial HMIs, panel PCs, and process control hardware used in oil & gas and chemical plants. Comparable customer base and broader automation portfolio, with hazardous-area variants through partners.
• Advantech: Advantech produces industrial panel PCs, embedded computers, and HMIs for factory automation and process control. Comparable in industrial panel PC and embedded computing categories; competes for non-certified industrial HMI slots but lacks deep hazardous-area specialization.
• Panasonic Toughbook: Panasonic's Toughbook line is a global leader in rugged computing for field service, defense, and industrial customers. Comparable end customers (oilfield services, utilities), though Panasonic focuses on rugged mobility rather than ATEX/IECEx Zone 1 certified panel PCs.
• Getac Technology: Getac is a major manufacturer of rugged laptops, tablets, and handheld computers serving industrial, military, and field-service markets. While broader in scope and not specifically hazardous-area certified, it competes for the same end-user budgets and increasingly offers ATEX-rated variants.
• Siemens (SIMATIC / RUGGEDCOM): Siemens offers SIMATIC HMI panels and RUGGEDCOM industrial networking for hazardous and harsh-environment applications. Competes indirectly as an incumbent with bundled automation solutions that often displace niche hazardous-area PC specialists in process plants.

Direct peers

• Bartec: Bartec designs and manufactures explosion-protected HMIs, panel PCs, and mobile computing devices for hazardous zones globally. Closely comparable product portfolio (Zone 1/Zone 2 computers and accessories) and customer base in oil & gas, chemical, and process industries.
• Aegex Technologies: Aegex manufactures intrinsically safe Windows tablets and 2-in-1 devices certified for hazardous areas (ATEX/IECEx Zone 1). Comparable in mission and certification approach, though focused on portable tablets versus HMi Elements' panel PC and DAQ systems.
• Extronics: Extronics specialises in rugged, ATEX/IECEx-certified tablets, handheld computers, and wireless infrastructure for hazardous environments. Directly competitive in the same niche of explosion-proof HMI hardware with overlapping industrial verticals.
• Pepperl+Fuchs (incl. ECOM Instruments): Pepperl+Fuchs, including its ECOM Instruments brand, manufactures explosion-protected mobile computers, tablets, and HMI devices for hazardous areas. Directly comparable to HMi Elements' Zone 1/2 certified panel PCs and intrinsically safe peripherals across oil & gas, chemical, and pharma.

Emerging players

• AAEON Technology: AAEON designs industrial panel PCs, fanless embedded systems, and rugged edge computing platforms. Comparable in industrial-grade form factors and embedded computing; overlaps with HMi Elements in the broader rugged industrial PC market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hmielements

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HMi Elements