Kathrein Digital Systems GmbH

What Kathrein Digital Systems GmbH does

KATHREIN Digital Systems GmbH is a German technology company headquartered in Rosenheim that designs, develops, and manufactures digital reception, signal distribution, and — increasingly — eMobility and indoor mobile-coverage products under the 100-year-old KATHREIN brand. The company was spun out of the legacy Kathrein group's SAT product division in 2019 and completed insolvency proceedings in February 2026 before being acquired by Megasat Holding GmbH on 1 March 2026 under new shareholder Sven Melzer; management continues under Andreas Wimmer and Michael Auer. Operating geographies span the DACH region, with a wholly-owned Austrian sales subsidiary (KATHREIN Digital Systems Vertriebs GmbH, Salzburg) and a Dubai sales office covering the Middle East and Africa.

The portfolio is organized into six product divisions: TV reception and distribution (parabolic antennas, LNBs, single-cable/Unicable systems per EN 50494/EN 50607, SAT-ZF distribution, terrestrial antennas, receivers, headends, and measurement instruments); camping and caravaning (mobile satellite reception); DAB+ digital radios; network technology; passive DAS components for indoor mobile coverage; and eMobility wallboxes (KWB-AC40/60 in 11 kW and 22 kW variants, including Eichrecht-compliant versions for billable charging). Supporting software includes the SAT BK planning tool with ELBRIDGE 2.0 wholesaler-cart integration, USW 30/800 headend programming software, the ESU app for programmable outlets, and three wallbox apps (easyInstall, easyOperate, easyCheckIn). Products are developed and manufactured in Germany.

KATHREIN generates revenue primarily through B2B hardware sales into the German electrical wholesale channel (Elektro-Großhandel) and to installation companies (Installationsbetriebe), with a secondary stream of professional planning services and paid repairs (€25.50 base service fee). The go-to-market combines a postal-code-segmented field sales force of Area Sales Managers and Key Account Managers in Germany, dedicated sales organizations in Austria and the Middle East/Africa, and selective trade-fair presence at events such as Caravan Salon Düsseldorf and GET NORD Hamburg. End consumers are reached indirectly through the trade channel, with the corporate website serving as a product information portal rather than a transactional storefront.

Name

Kathrein Digital Systems GmbH

Legal name

KATHREIN Digital Systems GmbH

Website

https://kathrein-ds.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KATHREIN Digital Systems GmbH is a Rosenheim-based German B2B manufacturer of digital satellite reception, signal distribution, passive DAS, DAB+, and eMobility wallbox products, sold primarily through the German electrical wholesale trade and installation companies across DACH and MEA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Reception and Signal Distribution Equipment

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (33422)

SIC

Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment (3663), Communications Equipment, Nec (3669)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Radio Broadcasting (DAB/DAB+, HD Radio) (MPAIAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Site Security, Monitoring & Remote Operations (NOC/IoT) (HDAIAKAH)

Keywords

• Satellite reception equipment
• Signal distribution technology
• Electric vehicle charging
• Passive DAS infrastructure
• Digital radio products

Headquarters

HQ city

Rosenheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Product Sales: Primary revenue from selling physical hardware products including satellite reception equipment, signal distribution components, DAB+ radios, eMobility wallboxes and accessories, passive DAS components, camping/caravan antennas, and networking equipment. Products sold through B2B wholesale distribution and direct sales channels.
2. Professional Services (Planning & Support): Revenue from technical planning services, on-site service appointments for camping antennas, and repair services for products. Planning team supports large projects and tender specifications.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kathrein Digital Systems develops, manufactures and sells physical reception, signal-distribution and connectivity equipment, including satellite and terrestrial reception systems, headends, network components, passive DAS products, camping antennas and DAB+ radios. It also sells EV charging wallboxes, supporting apps and accessories, and earns fees from technical planning, on-site service and repair work.

Product overview

KATHREIN Digital Systems GmbH is a German technology company offering a diversified portfolio of digital reception and signal distribution products under the KATHREIN brand, with operations organized into six product divisions: (1) TV Reception and Distribution — covering SAT reception, signal distribution technology, terrestrial antennas, receivers, headend systems, and measurement instruments; (2) Camping and Caravaning — mobile reception solutions for recreational vehicles; (3) DAB+ Radios — digital radio receivers; (4) Network Technology — structured cabling and network components; (5) Passive DAS — indoor mobile coverage enhancement using passive distributed antenna systems; and (6) eMobility — a wallbox product line (KWB-AC40, KWB-AC60, KWB-AC40 E, KWB-AC60 E) complemented by smartphone apps (easyInstall, easyOperate/easyCharging, easyCheckIn) and accessories (charging cables, RFID key fobs, surge protection, mounting poles, foundations, weather roofs). The company also distributes third-party measurement and splicing instruments under the KWS and INNO Instrument brands through exclusive partnerships. Software tools including the SAT BK Planning Tool, S.M.A.R.T PC Software, EXI 700, USW 30/800, and KOneCableCommand support installation, configuration, and system planning. Products are developed and manufactured primarily in Germany, with the company headquartered in Rosenheim and a logistics center in Ulm. Since March 2026, KATHREIN Digital Systems has been part of the Megasat Holding GmbH.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KWB-AC40 Wallbox for private, commercial and semi-public applications, available in 11 kW and 22 kW variants with WLAN, LAN, TCP/IP, PV excess charging, OCPP backend connectivity, integrated load management and RFID access control.
• KWB-AC60 Wallbox for private, commercial and semi-public applications that adds LTE connectivity for sites requiring cellular access, with the same 11 kW and 22 kW charging, PV, OCPP, load-management and RFID capabilities as KWB-AC40.
• KWB-AC40 E Legally compliant wallbox for transparent and traceable recording of billable charging sessions in hotels, businesses, rental properties and semi-public charging applications, with LAN/WLAN connectivity.
• KWB-AC60 E Legally compliant LTE-connected wallbox for professional and billable charging, with an MID energy meter, OCPP 1.6, PV excess charging, load management and optional Plug & Charge under ISO 15118.
• easyInstall App Mobile application for trained professionals that guides the installation, configuration and commissioning of compatible KATHREIN wallboxes and generates electronic installation reports.
• easyOperate App Application for real-time monitoring, configuration and management of KATHREIN charging infrastructure, including charging-point management, RFID administration, OCPP settings, smart-meter integration and PV excess charging configuration.
• easyCheckIn App Application for hotels, restaurants, fitness studios and other venues that lets guests start and stop charging through check-in and check-out while providing traceable charging administration.
• Type 2 Charging Cable 7.5 m Type 2 charging cable for 11 kW and 22 kW charging, with IP44 protection and halogen-free, flame-retardant, cold-flexible, UV-, ozone- and weather-resistant construction.
• KAZ 23 Compact surge protection device for wallboxes and connected electric vehicles, with an optical status indicator, remote signaling contact and Push-In installation terminals.
• Ready-Made Foundation Pre-manufactured concrete foundation for permanently anchoring KATHREIN wallbox steles in outdoor installations.
• Wallbox Stele Freestanding weather-protected mounting pole for outdoor KATHREIN wallboxes where wall mounting is not possible, including Twin variants for two wallboxes.
• Weather Protection Roof Roof accessory for protecting KATHREIN wallboxes from rain and snow, made from powder-coated stainless steel in signal white RAL 9003 or anthracite grey RAL 7016.
• RFID Key Fob MIFARE Classic 1K RFID key fob operating at 13.56 MHz under ISO 14443A to authorize compatible KATHREIN wallbox charging sessions and assign users.
• Kathrein ESU App Professional configuration application for KATHREIN single-cable antenna outlets, supporting wireless configuration, user-band management and PIN protection against unauthorized changes.
• SAT BK Planning Tool Free web-based planning application for SAT-ZF, single-cable and cable networks with up to 32 subscriber connections, including level and cable calculations, material lists, PDF output, ELBRIDGE 2.0 integration and GAEB export.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully completed insolvency proceedings as of 28 February 2026, with legal transfer to Megasat Holding GmbH on 1 March 2026.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Megasat Holding GmbHflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Megasat Holding GmbH acquired KATHREIN Digital Systems following successful completion of insolvency proceedings on 28 February 2026. Sven Melzer, founder and CEO of Megasat Werke GmbH, is the new shareholder and has roots at KATHREIN dating back over 20 years. The company continues as KATHREIN Digital Systems GmbH under the Megasat Holding umbrella. Andreas Wimmer and Michael Auer continue in the management.
• KWS (measurement equipment)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 July 2025KATHREIN began exclusive distribution of selected KWS measurement instruments for satellite, cable, and IP measurement technology exclusively for electrical wholesale and trade. KWS products are described as 'Made in Germany' and have set standards in professional measurement technology for decades. KWS Managing Director Philipp Schenk stated the partnership leverages KATHREIN's strong presence in the trade market.
• INNO InstrumentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 July 2025KATHREIN began exclusive distribution of INNO Instrument splicing devices and accessories for electrical wholesale and trade. INNO Instrument is internationally known for compact and powerful splicing devices ideal for fiber optic installations on construction sites or in network operations. The partnership expands KATHREIN's offering in the installation technology segment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Mennekes Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG: German industrial plugs, sockets, and EV charging solutions manufacturer with wallbox portfolio. Comparable to KATHREIN's eMobility product division on EV charging hardware category, though Mennekes is substantially larger and competes globally across commercial and industrial charging deployments.

Direct peers

• Fuba Vertriebs GmbH: German manufacturer of SAT antennas, distribution technology, and signal components with deep DACH trade channel presence. Overlaps with KATHREIN on SAT antennas, LNBs, and signal distribution products serving the same installer and wholesale customer base.
• WISI Communications GmbH & Co. KG: German-headquartered communications equipment manufacturer specializing in headend systems, signal processing, and distribution for broadcast and cable networks. Closely comparable to KATHREIN's UFOcompact/UFOmini/UFOnano headend and signal distribution product range.
• Telestar Digital GmbH: German SAT receiver and DAB+ radio manufacturer with similar product mix and DACH trade/retail distribution. Overlaps with KATHREIN on SAT reception hardware and DAB+ product divisions, addressing the same installer and consumer customer base.
• Polytron Vertrieb GmbH: German manufacturer of signal distribution products for SAT, cable, and terrestrial TV with strong presence in German trade channels. Directly comparable on signal distribution components and B2B trade go-to-market for the installer customer base.
• Selfsat: Mobile satellite antenna specialist serving camping, caravan, and marine markets. Closely comparable to KATHREIN's Camping & Caravaning product division on flat/satellite antenna technology for recreational vehicles and the same specialized trade channel.
• Schwaiger GmbH: German family-owned manufacturer of SAT reception accessories, signal distribution components, and consumer electronics. Directly comparable on B2B trade channel structure and SAT accessories product overlap across the DACH market.
• TechniSat GmbH: German SAT receiver, DAB+ radio, and TV reception equipment manufacturer with deep retail and trade presence across DACH. Directly comparable on SAT/DAB+ product lines, German trade distribution model, and 'Made in Germany' brand positioning.
• Megasat Werke GmbH: Sister company now under common Megasat Holding ownership with KATHREIN Digital Systems; produces satellite reception equipment, DAB+ radios, and caravan/camping antennas in directly overlapping categories. The de facto closest comparable peer, sharing product categories and the German trade channel.

Broad incumbents

• Triax A/S: Scandinavian-headquartered manufacturer of SAT, terrestrial, and cable distribution equipment plus signal infrastructure for multi-dwelling, hospitality, and broadcast applications. Comparable on signal distribution product category with broader European geographic reach than KATHREIN.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kathrein_ds

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Kathrein Digital Systems GmbH