metraTec
metraTec GmbH is a German RFID and RTLS hardware manufacturer serving industrial, logistics, medical device OEM, and retail customers with HF and UHF readers, OEM modules, antennas, multiplexers, and complete identification systems.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersMagdeburg, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What metraTec does
metraTec GmbH is a privately held German manufacturer of RFID and RTLS (Real-Time Location Systems) hardware, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Magdeburg, Germany, with a US sales office in Chicago. The company designs and builds wireless identification and indoor localization products spanning HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF (860-960 MHz) RFID technologies, and sells primarily to industrial manufacturing, logistics, medical device OEMs, retail, facility management, and library/education customers.
Its product portfolio is organized around two lines — Identify/RFID and Localize/RTLS — and includes industrial readers (QuasarMX, QuasarLR, PulsarMX, PulsarLR), OEM modules (DwarfG2 series, PLRM, Dwarf15, QR15, QR-NFC, RR15), antennas (Echo series, PCB-based), multiplexers (hfMux and hyperMux in 4/8/16-port variants), complete systems (RFID gates, tunnels, Kanban boxes), and developer starter kits including a Raspberry Pi HAT. UHF products are built on Impinj E310, E510, and E710 chipsets via the Impinj Connected partner program. The company provides SDKs in Python, Java, .NET, and C with an AT command protocol for low-level device control, and holds CE, FCC, and ISED certifications on key reader products.
The business model is hardware-centric, generating revenue through direct enterprise sales, a formal Partner Program for system integrators and resellers, and OEM volume relationships with manufacturers embedding RFID modules into their own devices; custom development and integration engineering services are also offered. Pricing is quote-based with no public list prices, and volume discounts apply for OEM production quantities. The company is founder/management-controlled, with two managing directors (Klaas Dannen and Dr.-Ing. Frank Steyer) and 1-10 employees, and has not raised institutional capital beyond a ~$340K 2005 seed and a 2006 round led by bmp Ventures and IBG Beteiligungsgesellschaft Sachsen-Anhalt.
metraTec firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- metraTec
- Legal name
- metraTec GmbH
- Website
- https://metratec.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- metraTec GmbH is a German RFID and RTLS hardware manufacturer serving industrial, logistics, medical device OEM, and retail customers with HF and UHF readers, OEM modules, antennas, multiplexers, and complete identification systems.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
metraTec industry classification
Industry- Product category
- RFID & RTLS Hardware
- NAICS
- Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing (334290), Communications Equipment Manufacturing (3342)
- SIC
- Computer Communications Equipment (3576), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial IoT/Edge Electronics Manufacturing (Gateways, Edge Controllers) (IMAGAGAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- RF & Wireless Components/Modules (RF front-end, antennas, industrial wireless modules) (IMAGAJAG)
Keywords
Where metraTec is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Magdeburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
metraTec business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- RFID Hardware Sales: MetraTec generates revenue through the sale of RFID hardware products including readers, OEM modules, antennas, multiplexers, and complete RFID systems. Products are sold directly and through channel partners to industrial customers.
- OEM Module Integration: Sale of embedded RFID OEM modules to manufacturers for integration into their own products and devices. Volume pricing available for production quantities.
- Custom Development Services: Technical consultation, custom development support, and integration engineering assistance for OEM customers developing RFID-enabled products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Standard product pricing - quote-based |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
metraTec product offering
Product offeringCore offering
metraTec designs and manufactures wireless identification and localization hardware, offering HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF (860-960 MHz) RFID readers, antennas, OEM embedded modules, multiplexers and complete turnkey systems (gates, tunnels, Kanban), as well as indoor Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS). Its products enable industrial customers to automate object tracking, inventory management, picking, access control and container management across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and retail operations. The company also provides OEM integration support and SDKs for embedding RFID into third-party devices.
Product overview
MetraTec is an RFID and RTLS technology company offering a comprehensive portfolio of wireless identification and localization products. The product portfolio is organized into two main product lines: Identify/RFID for wireless identification of people and objects, and Localize/RTLS for real-time location systems. The RFID portfolio includes multiple reader families (QuasarMX, QuasarLR for HF; PulsarMX, PulsarLR for UHF), diverse antenna options (Echo series, Lambda40, PCB-based antennas), complete systems (tunnels, gates, Kanban boxes), and multiplexer solutions (hfMux for HF, hyperMux for UHF) in 4/8/16-port variants. The OEM module lineup features the DwarfG2 v2 series (Mini, Standard, XR) and PLRM for UHF, plus Dwarf15, Dwarf14, QR15, QR14, RR15, QR-NFC, UM15, and UM14 for HF/NFC applications. Starter kits provide development platforms with various form factors and read ranges. The company also offers OEM integration services for embedding RFID into third-party devices. All products support development through SDKs for Python, Java, .NET, and C with AT protocol for low-level device communication.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Identify / RFID Product Line Full line of wireless identification products based on RFID technology, including HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF (860-960 MHz) readers, antennas, OEM modules, multiplexers and complete systems. Targeted at industrial, logistics, healthcare, retail, library and OEM integration customers.
- Localize / RTLS Product Line Real-Time Location Systems for indoor localization of people and objects within buildings, used for personnel safety, evacuation, hospital asset tracking, rental equipment tracking, container tracking, and guest tracking in hospitality.
- QuasarMX HF RFID Reader Industrial HF RFID reader operating at 13.56 MHz, supporting ISO15693 with up to 100 tag-IDs/sec read/write speed, Ethernet/USB connectivity and 24V optically isolated IOs for PLC integration. Used in industrial automation environments.
- QuasarLR HF RFID Reader Long-range industrial HF RFID reader at 13.56 MHz with output power up to 4W and up to 60cm read range, Ethernet/USB connectivity and 24V isolated IOs for industrial automation.
- Echo-6P UHF RFID Antenna Compact circularly polarized UHF RFID antenna for the European 868 MHz frequency range, with 6.5 dBi gain, 84-degree beamwidth, IP65 rating and VESA mount compatibility.
- hfMux and hyperMux RFID Multiplexer Family Family of HF and UHF RFID multiplexers (hfMux-4/8/16 for 13.56 MHz and hyperMux-4/8/16 for 868/915 MHz) allowing a single reader to connect to multiple antennas, reducing system cost and supporting industrial 24V optically isolated IOs.
- DwarfG2 / PLRM / QRG2 UHF RFID OEM Module Family Family of compact UHF RFID SMD and embedded OEM modules based on Impinj E310/E510/E710 chipsets, including DwarfG2 v2 (Standard, Mini, XR variants), QRG2 with integrated patch antenna, and PLRM long-range module up to 12m, for embedding RFID into OEM products.
- HF/NFC RFID OEM Module Family (QR15, QR14, RR15, QR-NFC, Dwarf15, Dwarf14, UM15, UM14) Family of HF and NFC RFID OEM modules supporting ISO15693, ISO14443, MIFARE Classic/Ultralight/DESFire and NFC protocols, including QR15, QR14, RR15, QR-NFC dual-protocol, Dwarf15/Dwarf14 SMD modules, and USB-powered UM15/UM14 modules for OEM integration.
- Complete RFID Systems (Gates, Tunnels, Kanban) Turnkey RFID systems combining readers, antennas, middleware and software: UHF RFID Gates (people/logistics/forklift), UHF RFID Tunnels (360-degree coverage on conveyors), HF RFID Tunnels (QuasarLR-based), and RFID Kanban Boxes (motorized slot for lean manufacturing replenishment).
- RFID Starter Kits (HF Mini/Midi/Maxi, UHF Mid-Range, QR15, Dwarf15, Dwarf14, RR15, RFID-HAT for Raspberry Pi) Development and evaluation kits for HF and UHF RFID integrating readers, antennas, transponders and demo software (e.g. QuasarMX-based HF Mini/Midi/Maxi, PulsarMX-based UHF Mid-Range, embedded QR15/Dwarf15/Dwarf14/RR15 kits, and RFID-HAT add-on for Raspberry Pi).
- OEM Solutions (Integration Services) Engineering services to help OEMs integrate metraTec RFID technology into their own products, including technical consultation, custom development support and integration assistance with volume pricing for production runs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Picks/min productivity improvement over barcode systems
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use metraTec
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
metraTec technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
metraTec partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ImpinjcoreImpinj is a key technology partner providing RFID semiconductor chipsets used in MetraTec's UHF RFID products. Products including DwarfG2 series, PLRM, and QRG2 modules utilize Impinj E310, E510, and E710 front-end ICs. MetraTec is part of the Impinj Partner Program (Impinj Connected).
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
metraTec competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Impinj: Impinj is the dominant supplier of UHF RFID chipsets used in MetraTec's products and also sells finished RFID reader infrastructure and platform software. Directly comparable as an RFID hardware/technology provider to the same industrial and retail end markets.
- Honeywell: Honeywell provides industrial RFID readers, barcode scanners, and warehouse automation hardware for manufacturing and logistics. Comparable as a broad incumbent in industrial identification and tracking hardware.
- Zebra Technologies: Zebra offers a broad portfolio of RFID readers, antennas, and complete enterprise identification solutions for retail, logistics, and manufacturing. Comparable as a one-stop RFID hardware vendor serving MetraTec's target segments at much larger scale.
- HID Global (Asset Tracking): HID Global offers RFID readers, tags, and active RTLS/Bluetooth solutions for access control, asset tracking, and industrial identification. Comparable as a large incumbent in RFID identification hardware with an active presence in RTLS.
Direct peers
- Turck: Turck is a German industrial automation company offering HF/UHF RFID read/write heads, interfaces, and PLC-integrated identification solutions. Directly comparable as an industrial-grade RFID specialist serving factory automation — a core MetraTec segment.
- Alien Technology: Alien Technology designs and manufactures UHF RFID readers, tags, and inlays for retail, logistics, and industrial applications. Comparable as a UHF RFID hardware specialist with similar OEM/reader/integrator GTM.
- Confidex: Confidex is a Finnish RFID specialist manufacturing UHF RFID tags, readers, and industrial identification solutions for logistics and manufacturing. Comparable as a niche European RFID hardware specialist with similar target verticals.
- FEIG Electronic: FEIG Electronic is a German-headquartered manufacturer of HF and UHF RFID readers, antennas, and OEM modules for industrial, payment, and access control applications. Highly comparable as a similarly sized German RFID specialist serving overlapping OEM and integrator customers.
- CAEN RFID: CAEN RFID is an Italian-headquartered manufacturer of UHF and HF RFID readers, modules, and tags for industrial and IoT applications. Directly comparable as a European specialist competing in the same UHF OEM module and reader space as MetraTec.
- Balluff: Balluff provides industrial RFID read/write heads, processors, and IO-Link connectivity for factory automation and material handling. Comparable as an industrial automation incumbent with overlapping PLC-integrated RFID product lines.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
metraTec social profiles
Digital presencemetraTec compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
metraTec financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
metraTec leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
metraTec funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
metraTec M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about metraTec
What does metraTec do?
metraTec designs and manufactures wireless identification and localization hardware, offering HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF (860-960 MHz) RFID readers, antennas, OEM embedded modules, multiplexers and complete turnkey systems (gates, tunnels, Kanban), as well as indoor Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS). Its products enable industrial customers to automate object tracking, inventory management, picking, access control and container management across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and retail operations. The company also provides OEM integration support and SDKs for embedding RFID into third-party devices.
Is metraTec a public or private company?
metraTec is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was metraTec founded?
metraTec was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is metraTec based?
metraTec is headquartered in Magdeburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does metraTec make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. RFID Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are OEM Module Integration and custom Development Services.
Who are metraTec's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Impinj, Honeywell, Zebra Technologies and HID Global (Asset Tracking). Direct peers are Turck, Alien Technology, Confidex, FEIG Electronic, CAEN RFID and Balluff.
Does metraTec have an API?
No public API is recorded for metraTec.
What industry is metraTec in?
metraTec's product category is RFID & RTLS Hardware. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAGAC, Industrial IoT/Edge Electronics Manufacturing (Gateways, Edge Controllers), with a secondary code of IMAGAJAG, RF & Wireless Components/Modules (RF front-end, antennas, industrial wireless modules). Its NAICS code is 334290 and its SIC code is 3576.