HORA eTec

What HORA eTec does

HORA eTec GmbH is a German manufacturer of low-voltage electrical connection and power distribution components, headquartered in Bünde, East Westphalia, with operations dating to 1919. The company operates two business divisions: (1) Customised Turned Parts — customer-specific precision-machined components for the electrical industry including PCB terminal inserts, meter and circuit breaker connection terminals, plugs and sockets, aluminium connector terminals, and N/PE rails, produced in small series to mass production volumes; and (2) Electrical Components — a standard catalog portfolio spanning the RKA aluminium terminal block series (16–300 mm², up to 1000 V AC/DC), PDB distribution blocks, UVB sub-distribution blocks, HLAK main line branch terminals, SSAK finger-safe conductor connection terminals, NPES N/PE rails, and busbars including the new SlimRail system.

The technology base combines proprietary designs such as thread brakes for terminal rails and market-unique finger-safe busbar tapping terminals with VDE-, UL-, CSA-, and IEC 60947-7-1-certified products. Manufacturing is anchored in Germany across two Bünde sites and the Eberdingen subsidiary (HORA eTec Connectivity GmbH, acquired 2021 from Rebmann GmbH), with low-cost brass machining in India through a production joint venture with Shiv Om Brass Industries (15,000 m², 440 employees) and busbar production through a Chinese partner (9,000 m², 70 employees, VDE-monitored). The company processes approximately 575 tonnes of brass per year and serves more than 300 customers globally across building installation, measurement and control technology, industrial automation, e-mobility, and renewable energy (PV and wind) applications.

HORA eTec generates revenue through direct enterprise B2B sales on a quote-based, project-specific pricing model with multi-year contracts, supported by a multilingual sales organization covering English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Turkish, and Chinese. Distribution is augmented by the EPLAN Data Portal integration for digital product data access by engineers worldwide, and by the global production partnership network delivering European quality at best-cost pricing. Ownership is held 90% by BWK GmbH Unternehmensbeteiligungsgesellschaft and 10% by CEO Dirk Niestrat, reflecting a private equity-style holding structure with management participation following the 2017 exit from the Leipold Group and 2018 rebrand to HORA eTec.

Name

HORA eTec

Legal name

HORA eTec GmbH

Website

https://hora-etec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HORA eTec GmbH is a German manufacturer founded in 1919 that produces low-voltage electrical connection and power distribution components — including terminal blocks, distribution blocks, busbars, and custom precision turned parts — for electrical engineering, building installation, e-mobility, and renewable energy customers across more than 300 accounts worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bunde

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Customised Turned Parts: Customer-specific precision machined components including PCB terminals, meter connection terminals, circuit breaker terminals, plugs and sockets, aluminium connector terminals, and N/PE rails. Manufactured in small series to mass production volumes.
2. Standard Electrical Components: Standard electrical components including distribution blocks (PDB), sub-distribution blocks (UVB), main line branch terminals (HLAK), terminal blocks (RKA), busbars, conductor connection terminals (SSAK), and N/PE rails (NPES).
3. Best-Cost Solutions: Production partnership arrangements offering European quality standards at competitive pricing through manufacturing partnerships in India and China.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HORA eTec is a manufacturer and solution provider for the electrical industry, specialising in low-voltage power supply and distribution technology. The company produces precision-machined custom turned parts (PCB terminals, meter connection terminals, circuit breaker terminals, plugs and sockets, aluminium connector terminals, N/PE rails) and standard catalog electrical components including terminal blocks (RKA), distribution blocks (PDB), sub-distribution blocks (UVB), main line branch terminals (HLAK), conductor connection terminals (SSAK), N/PE rails (NPES), and busbars (including the SlimRail system). All products are designed for low-voltage applications up to 1000V AC/DC and serve the building installation, industrial automation, e-mobility, and renewable energy sectors.

Product overview

HORA eTec is a manufacturer and solution provider for the electrical industry, specialising in low-voltage power supply and distribution technology. The company operates two core product lines: (1) Customised Turned Parts (Zerspanteile) — precision-machined custom components for electrical connection applications including PCB terminals, meter connection terminals, circuit breaker terminals, plugs and sockets, and aluminium connector terminals; and (2) Electrical Components — standard catalog products including the Terminal Blocks RKA Series, Distribution Blocks PDB Series, Sub-distribution Blocks UVB Series, Main Line Branch Terminals HLAK Series, Conductor Connection Terminals SSAK Series, N/PE Rails NPES Series, and Busbars (including the new SlimRail system). The subsidiary HORA eTec Connectivity in Eberdingen focuses on plug and socket systems for e-mobility and automation. Best-cost solutions leverage international production partnerships in India and China while maintaining German quality standards and customer-facing operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Customised Turned Parts (Zerspanteile) Precision-machined custom turned parts for the electrical industry, covering the full range of machining technology from simple to complex geometries, manufactured in small series or mass production. Includes inserts for PCB terminals, meter connection terminals, circuit breaker terminals, terminal blocks, distribution terminals, plugs and sockets, aluminium connector terminals, N/PE rails, and special parts for electrical engineering.
• Electrical Components (Elektrokomponenten) Standard catalog electrical components characterised by compact and extremely robust design, offering solutions for every feed-in, distribution and connection scenario. Includes distribution blocks, sub-distribution blocks, main line branch terminals, terminal blocks, busbars, conductor connection terminals, and N/PE rails.
• Terminal Blocks RKA Series Aluminium terminal blocks available in cross-sections from 16 mm² to 300 mm², single-pole design for copper and aluminium conductors, with push-through protection, finger-safe operation, and DIN rail or mounting plate installation. Models include RKA 16, RKA 35, RKA 50, RKA 95, RKA 185, and RKA 300, with 1/4 and 1/6 variants for selected sizes. Nominal voltage up to 1000 V AC/DC, current ratings up to 520 A (Cu). Certified to IEC 60947-7-1, VDE, UL-1059 and CSA.
• Distribution Blocks PDB Series Distribution blocks for power feed-in and distribution in control cabinets and junction boxes. Available in models PDB 160, PDB 210, PDB 220, PDB 270, PDB 400, and PDB 490, covering cross-sections from 25 mm² to 185 mm² with current ratings up to 490 A (copper).
• Sub-distribution Blocks UVB Series Sub-distribution blocks for downstream distribution. Models include UVB 100 (up to 101 A, 35 mm²) and UVB 200 (up to 192 A copper, 70 mm²). Compact design for DIN rail mounting.
• Main Line Branch Terminals HLAK Series Main line branch terminals for connecting incoming and outgoing conductors. Available in Type A and Type C variants. Models include HLAK 25, HLAK 25D, HLAK 35, HLAK 35D, and HLAK 70, covering cross-sections from 25 mm² to 70 mm² with current ratings up to 428 A (copper).
• Conductor Connection Terminals SSAK Series Finger-safe conductor connection terminals for straight power tapping from busbars. Features two integrated conductor outlets allowing top or bottom cable exit. Compatible with busbar systems 3-10 mm thickness. Models include SSAK 6 (6 mm², 82 A, 690 V) and SSAK 16 (16 mm², 114 A, 690 V). Available in five cover colours.
• N/PE Rails NPES Series N/PE rails for neutral and protective conductors, available in three standard versions: Neutral conductor rail N (blue, 7/12/15 terminal points), Earthing conductor rail PE (green), and Universal conductor rail U (black). Terminal cross-section 16 mm², nominal current 63 A, nominal voltage 400 V AC. Special thread brakes enable quick assembly without turning back screws.
• Busbars (including SlimRail) Busbars (Phasenschienen) for power distribution, available in pin-type and fork-type versions. Includes the SlimRail busbar system with fixed lengths, closed profile and space-saving design, as well as the standard busbar range. Certified to VDE and relevant IEC standards.
• HORA eTec Connectivity - Plugs and Sockets Subsidiary of HORA eTec GmbH based in Eberdingen, near Stuttgart, specialising in plug and socket systems. Certified to ISO 9001:2015. Manufactures high-quality turned parts with complex geometries for future markets including e-mobility, automation, sensor technology, and control and regulation systems.
• Best-Cost Solutions International production partnerships enabling cost-optimised manufacturing (best-cost solutions) without compromising on HORA quality. Includes production joint venture with Shiv Om Brass Industries in India (15,000 m², 440 employees) and production partner in China (9,000 m², 70 employees, VDE-monitored) for busbars and accessories. Fixed contacts in Germany remain as single point of contact.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 300 customers served globally
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Rebmann GmbH (renamed to HORA eTec Connectivity GmbH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Subsidiary acquired and renamed in 2021. Production site for plug and socket systems in Eberdingen, near Stuttgart. Centre of Excellence for plug and socket systems with modernized premises and upgraded machinery.
• Shiv Om Brass IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction joint venture since 2013. Indian best-cost-country partner for brass articles with exclusive distribution rights for brass parts by HORA eTec in Europe. Production area: 15,000 m² with 440 employees.
• Chinese Production PartnermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist for production of busbars, control voltage bars and feed-in systems. Production area: 9,000 m² with 70 employees. Certified according to CE, RoHS, REACH, TÜV and ISO 9001 (certified in Germany). VDE-monitored production facility.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Altech Corporation: Smaller specialty manufacturer of DIN-rail terminal blocks, distribution blocks, and busbar systems. Comparable mid-market niche player with similar product mix and European quality positioning.
• Wieland Electric: German mid-market specialist in terminal blocks, power distribution, and busbar systems (selos, fasis, taris product lines). Closest comparable in size, German footprint, and product mix to HORA eTec.

Broad incumbents

• TE Connectivity: Global leader in connectivity and sensor solutions including industrial terminals and power distribution blocks. Overlaps with HORA's turned-parts / plug-and-socket subsidiary business.
• WAGO Kontakttechnik: German privately held manufacturer famous for its spring-clamp terminal blocks and interconnection products. Directly comparable in terminal block technology and German specialty manufacturing roots.
• Eaton (Electrical Sector): Major low-voltage electrical components manufacturer offering terminal blocks, distribution blocks, and busbar products. Competes with HORA in industrial and renewable energy applications.
• Schneider Electric: Global leader in low-voltage electrical distribution and energy management. Competes with HORA via TeSys, Acti9, and Linergy distribution blocks and busbar systems across industrial and building markets.
• Weidmüller Interface: German family-owned specialist in industrial connectivity, terminal blocks, and power distribution components. Directly overlaps with HORA's RKA, HLAK, and busbar portfolio serving panel builders and OEMs.
• ABB (Smart Power / Installation Products): Global electrical equipment giant with low-voltage distribution blocks, terminal blocks, and DIN-rail products. Overlaps with HORA's distribution blocks (PDB/UVB) and busbar products at much larger scale.
• Phoenix Contact: Global market leader in industrial electrical interconnection, terminal blocks, and PCB connectors. Closest direct analog in product category (Clipline terminal blocks vs HORA's RKA/SSAK), with vastly larger scale and broader catalog.
• nVent ERIFLEX: Provider of low-voltage power connection and grounding solutions including distribution blocks and busbars. Direct overlap with HORA's HLAK and busbar product lines for industrial panel builders.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCexample
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hora-etec

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 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 HORA eTec