Späni Elektro-Mechanik

What Späni Elektro-Mechanik does

SPÄNI Elektro-Mechanik AG is a privately held Swiss industrial automation company headquartered in Altendorf on Lake Zurich, founded in 1972 by Josef Späni and family-owned under second-generation management since 2010. It designs and delivers custom automation solutions — engineering, software development, control cabinet manufacturing, on-site installation, and commissioning — to industrial customers in Switzerland and selectively abroad, with one publicly visible reference project of note being the Lonstroff AG refrigeration system retrofit (six compressors, 200kW cooling capacity, redundant PLC, alarm management). The company sells project-based services alongside proprietary hardware products: the SMS 2000 electronic safety monitoring system (top-speed and brake-process monitoring for machines and plant, on the market since 1988), the SAZ410 LED signaling display (drop-in compatible with discontinued ELOTECH AZ-series units), and the SVI-160-320 RGB LED matrix display (IP65, FDA-compliant silicone, IP65 stainless steel, targeted at food and pharmaceutical hygiene-sensitive environments). Integration is built around the dominant industrial control ecosystems, with PLC function blocks released for Siemens and Rockwell controllers, and the company is listed on the Siemens Industry Reference Center. SPÄNI generates revenue from two streams — custom professional-services automation projects and stock or configured hardware sales — at quote-based pricing (the SVI-160-320 had a CHF 1,500 introductory unit price including training). The company has been ISO 9001 certified since 1997 and is run by Nadja Mächler-Späni, Iris Glaus-Späni, and Ralph Kessler under founder Josef Späni's advisory role.

Name

Späni Elektro-Mechanik

Legal name

SPÄNI Elektro-Mechanik AG

Website

https://elektro-spaeni.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Späni Elektro-Mechanik AG is a family-owned Swiss industrial automation SME in Altendorf that delivers custom control systems and proprietary safety-monitoring and LED display hardware (SMS 2000, SAZ410, SVI-160-320) to industrial manufacturers, with integrations for Siemens and Rockwell PLCs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Services

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Control Cabinets & Power Distribution (Panels, Switchgear for Automation) (IMAHAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Process Control & Automation Electronics Manufacturing Services (PLCs, I/O, DCS/SCADA hardware) (IMAGAGAK), Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian) (IMAHAHAJ), Embedded & HMI Electronics Manufacturing (Industrial PCs, HMIs, Panel PCs) (IMAGAGAD)

Keywords

• Industrial automation solutions
• Control systems engineering
• Safety monitoring systems
• Control cabinet manufacturing
• PLC visualization systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Altendorf

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Automation Solutions and Control Systems: Complete automation solutions including engineering, software development, control cabinet manufacturing, installation, and commissioning. Revenue generated from custom automation projects for industrial applications.
2. Proprietary Hardware Products: Sale of proprietary products including SMS 2000 safety monitoring systems, SAZ410 LED display units, and SVI-160-320 LED matrix displays. Products available as stock items or custom configurations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SPÄNI Elektro-Mechanik AG delivers complete industrial automation solutions from engineering and software development through control cabinet production and on-site installation/commissioning. The company also manufactures proprietary hardware products including the SMS 2000 safety monitoring system, SAZ410 LED display units, and SVI-160-320 RGB LED matrix displays for industrial process visualization, with stock availability and custom configurations.

Product overview

Späni Elektro-Mechanik AG is a Swiss automation company offering a portfolio of industrial monitoring and display products alongside comprehensive engineering services. Core products include the SMS 2000 safety monitoring system for speed and braking control, SAZ410 LED display units for signaling operation and fault states, and SVI-160-320 RGB LED matrix displays for industrial process visualization. The company provides complete automation solutions including control cabinet manufacturing (prototype, individual, variant, and serial production), engineering and software development, visualization systems, installation, and commissioning services both domestically in Switzerland and abroad. The product line focuses on industrial monitoring, control, and visualization applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SMS 2000: Electronic monitoring system for checking top speed and braking processes in various movement sequences in machines and plant
• SAZ410
• SVI-160-320

Products and services

• SMS 2000 Safety Monitoring System Proprietary electronic monitoring system that checks top speed and the braking process for various movement sequences in machines and plant equipment, also monitoring synchronous operation. Sold to industrial manufacturers for machine and plant safety applications.
• SAZ410 LED Display Unit LED display unit with 10 dual-LEDs independently controllable in red/green, collective fault output, and acknowledgment output, available in 24VUC and 24VDC variants. Sold to industrial operators needing signaling of operating/fault messages and switching states, including as a replacement for end-of-life ELOTECH display units.
• SVI-160-320 RGB LED Matrix Display High-brightness, high-contrast RGB LED matrix display (64 x 128 pixels, 2.5mm pitch) with FDA-compliant silicone seal and IP65 stainless steel housing suitable for food and pharmaceutical wash-down environments, configured via integrated web server and connected over Ethernet TCP/IP with M12 connectors. Sold to food, pharmaceutical, and other process-industry plants for process-data visualization in difficult ambient light.
• Automation and Control Systems Complete automation solution covering prototype, individual, variant, and serial production of control switching cabinets, integrating engineering, software development, control hardware, visualization, installation, and commissioning from one source. Delivered to industrial customers in Switzerland and abroad.
• Engineering and Software (Automation Visualization) Specialist visualization services and software development for industrial automation applications. Delivered as part of custom automation projects to industrial customers.
• Control Systems (Hardware and Control Cabinet Construction) Hardware development and control cabinet construction for industrial automation applications, including prototype, individual, variant, and serial production. Delivered as part of custom automation projects to industrial customers.
• Installation and Commissioning On-site installation of control switching cabinets, wiring of sensors and actuators, and commissioning of automation systems for both big and small machines. Projects delivered in Switzerland and abroad.

Quantifiable outcome

• ISO 9001 certified since 1997
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Siemens: Global automation incumbent whose SIMATIC, TIA Portal, and HMI ecosystem is the primary platform SPÄNI integrates with. Listed as both a reference partner and the dominant incumbent competing against mid-sized system integrators like SPÄNI.
• ABB: Global automation and robotics incumbent offering PLCs, drives, HMIs, and integrated automation suites. Competes for the same Swiss and European industrial automation projects SPÄNI serves, though at materially larger scale.
• Phoenix Contact: Global German-headquartered automation and connectivity specialist with PLC, HMI, and industrial PC offerings. Overlaps SPÄNI on PLC integration and visualization but operates at much larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• Beckhoff Automation: German PC-based control and automation specialist offering TwinCAT, embedded PCs, and I/O systems. Comparable on automation software and integration scope, though materially larger and more global.
• Rockwell Automation: Global US-headquartered automation incumbent (Allen-Bradley, ControlLogix). SPÄNI explicitly offers PLC function blocks for Rockwell controllers, indicating Rockwell as a direct platform competitor and integration partner.
• Wago: German interconnection and automation specialist with PFC200 controllers, HMIs, and I/O systems. Overlaps SPÄNI's PLC integration and cabinet building capabilities, but at larger scale with global distribution.
• Weidmüller: German industrial connectivity and automation vendor offering controllers, signal conditioning, and cabinet-building solutions. Comparable overlap on control cabinet and PLC integration markets served by SPÄNI, but at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Bachmann Electronic: Austrian mid-sized industrial automation specialist offering PLC-based controllers, safety systems, and visualization software. Closely comparable to SPÄNI on size, European Mittelstand profile, and combined hardware-plus-integration service model.
• Pilz: German safety automation specialist with PNOZ, PIT, and PMC product lines. Directly overlaps SPÄNI's SMS 2000 safety monitoring niche and represents the dominant functional-safety specialist SPÄNI competes against in DACH.
• Hesch Industrie-Elektronik: German mid-sized automation and control technology manufacturer with similar scope to SPÄNI: control systems, industrial displays, and engineering services for industrial customers. Directly comparable on size and product breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights2 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spaeniag

Compliance1 record

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 Späni Elektro-Mechanik