What ZPA Smart Energy does

ZPA Smart Energy a.s. is a Czech-based manufacturer of electricity meters, ripple control (HDO) receivers, and automated meter reading/management (AMR/AMM) solutions, operating from Trutnov in Eastern Bohemia with a software development office in Prague and a sales branch in Berlin. The company was formally established in 1958 on the basis of a nationalized production facility that had operated since 1945, and has been a privately held subsidiary of Egypt's El Sewedy Electrometer Group since 2010. Its product architecture is a platform-plus-modules model: (1) hardware — the AM series of single- and three-phase smart meters (AM160, AM163, AM165, AM170, AM360, AM363, AM365, AM370), basic electronic meters, and the FMX-series ripple control receivers; (2) software — the ReadEn suite comprising MDMS for data management, HES for head-end automated reading, By for mobile reading, and Commander for device configuration, with REST/SOAP integrations to SAP and accounting systems; and (3) accessories including the CAM65 data concentrator, OneMeter cloud reader, and optical/Bluetooth communication heads. A distinguishing technical feature is the adaptive predictor engine implemented in the smart meter's processor core, which captures measurement data at short intervals to model consumption behavior and drive automated load management in coordination with utility control centers.

The business model is B2B direct sales combined with a 1,240-partner channel network, selling hardware under multi-year customized contracts (no public price list) into distribution companies, energy utilities, industrial/commercial submetering customers, and municipalities across eleven European countries — Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Kosovo. Revenue derives primarily from hardware unit sales with a growing recurring software component from ReadEn subscriptions. The company is MID-certified for the EU market, holds additional German metrology certification, and operates under integrated ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, and 27001 management systems, which together constitute a regulatory entry barrier supporting its position as the only Czech manufacturer of electricity meters and ripple control receivers. Commercial activity is reinforced by participation in European energy-industry trade shows (Enlit Europe in Milan 2024 and Bilbao 2025), regional sports and educational sponsorships, and a stated focus on expanding local representation partnerships in target European markets.

Name

ZPA Smart Energy

Legal name

ZPA Smart Energy a.s.

Website

https://zpa.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZPA Smart Energy, founded 1958 in Trutnov, Czech Republic, manufactures smart electricity meters, ripple control receivers, and the ReadEn AMR/AMM software platform. A subsidiary of El Sewedy Electrometer Group since 2010, it serves 1,240 utility and distribution-company partners across eleven European countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Smart Electricity Meters

NAICS

Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)

akta.pro primary industry

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) & Smart Metering (EUADAPAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Meter Installation, Exchange & Field Services (EUADAFAF), Standards, Interoperability & Certification (DLMS/COSEM, ANSI C12, IEEE 2030.5) (EUADAFAO)

Keywords

• Smart electricity meters
• Ripple control receivers
• Meter data management
• Smart grid solutions
• Load management systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Trutnov

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 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. Smart Electricity Meters: Sale of electronic and smart electricity meters including single-phase and three-phase models with various communication protocols and features
2. Load Control Devices (HDO Receivers): Ripple control receivers and load management devices supporting all major communication protocols used in energy worldwide
3. ReadEn Software Solutions: Family of specialized software programs for meter reading, configuration, automatic meter reading and data transfer. Includes MDMS, HES, Mobile, and Commander modules.
4. Accessories and Components: Communication equipment, test equipment, and accessories including CAM65 concentrator, optical sensors, load simulators, and test terminal boards

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ZPA Smart Energy is a Czech manufacturer of electronic and smart electricity meters, ripple control receivers (HDO), and the ReadEn software platform for meter data management and automated meter reading. The company delivers modular, customized solutions integrating hardware (smart meters with adaptive predictors) and software (MDMS, HES, mobile and configuration tools) to energy utilities, distribution companies, industrial facilities, and municipalities across Europe.

Product overview

ZPA Smart Energy is a Czech manufacturer of electricity meters and energy management solutions with over 70 years of industry experience. The product portfolio is organized as a platform-plus-modules architecture consisting of: (1) Hardware Products - Smart Meters (AM series including AM160, AM163, AM165, AM170, AM360, AM363, AM365, AM370) and basic electronic electricity meters for measurement; Ripple Control Receivers (FMX series) for load management; (2) Software Platform - ReadEn family comprising MDMS (data management and analysis), HES (automated meter reading), By (mobile reading), and Commander (device configuration); (3) Smart Grid Solutions integrating smart meters with adaptive predictors, load management systems, and distributed optimization for regional grid management; (4) Accessories including CAM65 data concentrator, OneMeter cloud reader, S10-BT/BY/IR communication heads, USB optical sensors, SZE load simulators, and ZS test terminal boards. The products work together as an integrated ecosystem from single meter measurement to unlimited scalable systems for utilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ReadEn: A family of specialized software programs providing meter and network status overview and fully automated processes, enabling more efficient management of work teams.

Products and services

• Smart Meters (AM Series) Intelligent electricity meters (AM160, AM163, AM165, AM170, AM360, AM363, AM365, AM370) that measure and store consumption data in real time, featuring adaptive predictors for consumption behavior prediction and support for multiple communication protocols (DLMS, PLC, NB IoT, LTE CatM1, GPRS, RS485). Targeted at distribution companies and energy utilities.
• Electronic Electricity Meters (Basic) Digital electronic meters providing precise electricity measurement with advanced functionality, high reliability, and competitive pricing, significantly outperforming outdated mechanical meters. Targeted at energy utilities and industrial/commercial facilities.
• Ripple Control Receivers (HDO - FMX Series) Load management devices (FMX510, FMX520, FMX550, FMX560, FMX590, FMX623) enabling remote control of electrical loads via ripple control signals. Modern versions support all major communication protocols used in the energy sector worldwide. Targeted at distribution companies and energy utilities.
• ReadEn Software Platform Client/Server software platform providing comprehensive energy management. Includes MDMS (Meter Data Management System for data management and analysis), HES (Head End System for automated reading of metering devices), ReadEn By (mobile application for reading meters on the go), and ReadEn Commander (configuration and testing of metering devices). Targeted at distribution companies, maintenance companies, and testing/certifying bodies.
• Smart Grid Solutions Integrated solutions for distributed grid management combining smart meters with adaptive predictors, load management devices, and ReadEn software for energy optimization at local and regional levels. Targeted at distribution companies and energy utilities.
• Load Management Systems Solutions for controlling electrical load from traditional ripple control to modern smart grid approaches, supporting all major communication protocols used in energy worldwide. Targeted at distribution companies and energy utilities.
• Metering Accessories and Components Accessories including CAM65 data concentrator (Linux-based industrial mono-board computer for automated meter management), OneMeter cloud-connected meter reading device (reads every 15 minutes via mobile network), S10-BT Bluetooth communication head, S10IR and USB-1 optical sensors, SZE-12 electricity meter load simulator, and ZS1b/ZS1c/ZS4 test terminal boards. Targeted at distribution companies, utilities, and maintenance companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 68,416 TWh of energy measured by products delivered
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ABBcoreTechnology or IntegrationMajor multinational technology company co-located in the Trutnov region. ZPA operates in an area dubbed the 'Krkonoše Silicon Valley' where ABB and other tech companies have established presence, enabling collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• SiemenscoreTechnology or IntegrationMajor multinational technology company in the energy sector. Co-located in the Trutnov region with ZPA, facilitating technological development and cooperation in the regional tech ecosystem.
• TE ConnectivitycoreTechnology or IntegrationGlobal technology company and component provider. Part of the technology ecosystem in Trutnov region that ZPA cooperates with for technological development.
• ČVUT Praha (Czech Technical University in Prague)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for joint development, student internships in ZPA development centers, and cooperation on technical education and future talent development.
• VUT Brno (Brno University of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for research collaboration, student internships, and technical education programs supporting future engineers.
• Technical University in LiberecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional university partnership for talent development and educational programs.
• El Sewedy Electrometer GroupcoreOthersOne of the largest global players in the energy sector. Acquired ZPA Smart Energy in 2010, enabling massive expansion and integration into global energy market portfolio.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Itron: US-listed global AMI and smart infrastructure provider offering electricity, gas and water meters plus meter data management software. Direct overlap with ZPA on smart electricity meters and MDM software, but at vastly greater scale and broader geographic reach.
• Landis+Gyr: Global leader in smart metering and grid management solutions headquartered in Switzerland, publicly listed. Competes with ZPA in European AMI tenders at much larger scale; same DLMS/COSEM standards-based product category and same utility customer base.
• Sagemcom: French-headquartered manufacturer of smart energy and telecom solutions, including a significant smart metering business. Competes with ZPA in European AMI deployments with broader product portfolio and larger scale.
• Elster Group (Honeywell): Historic smart metering brand now part of Honeywell, offering electricity, gas and water AMI solutions globally. Direct competitor in the smart electricity meter category with established utility relationships across Europe.
• Wasion Holdings: Chinese-listed manufacturer of smart metering, smart energy management and AMI solutions with growing international presence. Competes with ZPA globally in the AMI category, particularly on price in emerging markets.

Direct peers

• Kamstrup: Danish manufacturer of smart metering solutions for electricity, heat, water and gas with strong European utility customer base. Comparable mid-sized European smart meter competitor with comparable product breadth and software platform.
• Iskraemeco: Slovenian-headquartered smart electricity meter and AMI solutions manufacturer serving European utilities. Closest comparable to ZPA: similar CEE European heritage, similar B2B utility customer base, similar product portfolio of smart meters and MDM software, and similar scale (a few hundred employees).
• EMH Metering (Heinrich Eichenauer GmbH): German manufacturer of electronic and smart electricity meters and load management devices for utilities and industrial customers. Highly comparable mid-sized European peer with overlapping product categories (smart meters, load control) and similar B2B utility go-to-market.
• Aclara (Hubbell): Smart infrastructure and AMI solutions provider owned by Hubbell, serving electric, gas and water utilities primarily in North America and the UK. Comparable product offering to ZPA's smart meter and MDM portfolio but with different geographic focus.
• EDMI (owned by Osram): Singapore-headquartered designer and manufacturer of smart electricity meters and AMI solutions serving utilities across Asia-Pacific, EMEA and the Americas. Comparable scale and product portfolio to ZPA, with stronger APAC presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ZPASMARTENERGY
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCGLhgPQS2iAszTJhDTKxPw
• Facebookfacebook.com/zpasmartenergy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zpa-smart-energy/?originalSubdomain=cz

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 ZPA Smart Energy