NET-Automation
NET-Automation GmbH is an Austrian industrial automation company that manufactures IoT-enabled brake force measurement systems (NETBEE ForceBEE) and related industrial IoT hardware and cloud solutions, serving railway operators, heavy industry, and municipalities through direct enterprise sales and an international channel partner network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersJudenburg, Austria
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What NET-Automation does
NET-Automation GmbH is a privately held Austrian industrial automation and IoT company headquartered in St. Peter ob Judenburg, Styria, founded in 2007 and formally registered in 2011. The company manufactures the NETBEE product family of IoT hardware and cloud solutions, with ForceBEE — a thin-film sensor brake force measurement system for rail vehicles — as its flagship product and primary growth engine. ForceBEE won the ERCI Innovation Award 2023 and is deployed with major railway operators including ÖBB, Stadler, INKA, GWR, SNCF, RATP, Trenord, and CP, enabling Condition Based Maintenance and extending brake caliper service intervals from 6 to 8 years. Adjacent products include LightBEE (street lighting control), WaterBEE (water supply monitoring), BrakeBEE (wireless pneumatic brake testing), DigiPro Loadmaster (loading optimization), AELA (wood defect correction), and ScaleTRAY (digital inventory tracking co-developed with SKF).
The company operates across multiple verticals — railway, heavy industry, wood, automotive, municipalities, gas, and plastics — with a vertically-segmented go-to-market approach. Revenue is generated through hardware sales (proprietary IoT devices manufactured in Austria), custom automation and engineering services (test rigs, robot cells, special machines), and recurring software/cloud subscriptions (CloudControl, ForceBEE Cloud, DigiPro Loadmaster). Distribution combines direct enterprise field sales for major operators with an international channel partner network of 10 named distributors covering 17+ countries across Europe, Asia, and Southeast Asia.
The business is led by two managing directors: Dipl.-Ing. Walter Rieger (commercial managing director, R&D focus) and Ing. Gernot Theuermann (trade managing director, CTO, IoT and cloud focus). The company is founder/management-owned with no external institutional investors disclosed. A €3.5 million High-Tech production facility co-financed by EFRE and SFG is under construction to scale NETBEE IoT production capacity and support stated internationalization and export growth objectives.
NET-Automation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NET-Automation
- Legal name
- NET-Automation GmbH
- Website
- https://net-automation.at
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- NET-Automation GmbH is an Austrian industrial automation company that manufactures IoT-enabled brake force measurement systems (NETBEE ForceBEE) and related industrial IoT hardware and cloud solutions, serving railway operators, heavy industry, and municipalities through direct enterprise sales and an international channel partner network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NET-Automation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Automation & IoT Measurement Systems
- NAICS
- Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Motion & Machine Control (CNC, Robotics Controllers, Servo/Motion Controllers) (IMAGABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK), Precision Agriculture & Farm Technology Equipment (IMAHACAH)
Keywords
Where NET-Automation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Judenburg
- HQ country
- Austria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
NET-Automation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Products: Sale of proprietary IoT hardware including NETBEE product family (ForceBEE, LightBEE, WaterBEE, BrakeBEE), sensors, and measurement equipment. Hardware is manufactured in Austria.
- Custom Automation & Engineering: Design, planning, and implementation of custom automation solutions, test rigs, robot cells, and special machine construction for industrial customers.
- Software Solutions: Software development, cloud services, and SaaS solutions including CloudControl, DigiPro Loadmaster, and ForceBEE Cloud platform.
- Industry 4.0 Solutions: IIoT solutions, process optimization, and data acquisition systems for industrial automation including OEE determination and ERP integration.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | International Sales Position - 4 day work week |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
NET-Automation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NET-Automation designs, manufactures, and sells IoT hardware and cloud-connected measurement systems under the NETBEE brand, with flagship products including the ForceBEE thin-film brake force measurement system for rail vehicles, the LightBEE street lighting control platform, and the WaterBEE water supply monitoring system. The company also delivers custom automation engineering, test rigs, robot cells, and special machine construction for industrial customers across railway, heavy industry, wood, automotive, and municipal segments.
Product overview
NET-Automation offers a portfolio of industrial automation, IoT, and measurement products organized under the NETBEE brand umbrella. The core offerings include ForceBEE (brake force measurement for rail vehicles), LightBEE (street lighting control), WaterBEE (water supply monitoring), and various autonomous IoT systems for environmental monitoring, road diagnosis, and water level measurement. Software products include DigiPro Loadmaster (loading optimization) and the ScaleTRAY inventory tracking system developed with SKF. The PHI platform serves as the underlying IIoT infrastructure connecting all NETBEE hardware products to the cloud. The company also offers specialized automation solutions including AELA (wood defect correction), UAM V2 (agricultural flow measurement), and Clipmontage-Automat (automated mounting). Most products feature cloud connectivity, data visualization, and alerting capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NETBEE: IoT product brand encompassing hardware and cloud solutions for industry and municipalities. Product lines include ForceBEE (brake force measurement for rail vehicles), LightBEE (street lighting control), WaterBEE (drinking water supply monitoring), and supporting software/cloud platforms.
- NETBEE ForceBEE
- NETBEE LightBEE
- NETBEE WaterBEE
- BrakeBEE
- ScaleTRAY
- DigiPro Loadmaster
- AELA
Products and services
- NETBEE ForceBEE Brake force measurement system for rail vehicles using thin-film sensors placed directly between the brake pad and disk or block and wheel. Captures unaltered measurement data across the entire brake block surface and controls up to 45 measurement points simultaneously via tablet with wireless data transfer. Winner of the ERCI Innovation Award 2023. Used by railway operators and rolling stock manufacturers.
- NETBEE LightBEE Street lighting control system with flexible network selection (NB-IoT, LTE-M/Cat1 via ArgoNET or 450connect). Includes CloudControl for multi-tenant cloud-based control, EdgeControl for failover operation, OTA firmware updates, and storage of up to 60,000 switch operations. Designed for municipalities and infrastructure operators.
- NETBEE WaterBEE
Quantifiable outcome
- 75% reduction in brake testing time
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use NET-Automation
Customer profileNamed customers23 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
NET-Automation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability5 records
Feature8 records
NET-Automation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key, regional, support, infrastructure and technical.
- PT Cipta Bersama Prima (CBP)coreIndonesian distribution partner supporting ForceBEE deployment at PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA). Essential partner for bringing ForceBEE to Southeast Asian railway market. Provided deep market understanding and industry connections for international tender success.
- ASTROS CorporationkeySales partner for South Korea. Established player in railway components and rolling stock services. Brings deep expertise in delivering high-quality solutions to rail operators.
- TMT Part & ServicekeySales partner for Thailand. Railway components supplier and rolling stock service provider. Represented ForceBEE at Asia Pacific Rail exhibition.
- AWI Maskin ABkeySales partner for Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Represents best railway maintenance products from world-leading brands. ForceBEE fits perfectly into innovative product range.
- MechankeySales partner for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. Industry leader in handling equipment for rail depots and workshops. Conducted joint demonstrations with Harsco Rail and NetWorkRail.
- ANDiMANcoreDistribution partner for Benelux countries and France. Visits NET-Automation headquarters for strategic planning, market updates, and joint product presentation strategies. Active in customer visits: RATP Paris, SNCF, TPF.
- Superutensili (Marco Rossi)coreDistribution partner for Italy. Presented ForceBEE at EXPO Ferroviaria Milan. Conducted customer demonstrations at ATM Milano, Trenord.
- ATESTOR (Ádám Nosztrai)regionalPartner in Hungary facilitating ForceBEE demonstrations at MÁV-START.
- SUTECregionalPartner in Portugal. Facilitated ForceBEE demonstration at Comboios de Portugal (CP).
- Toneli (Luka Gržina)regionalPartner in Slovenia. Facilitated ForceBEE demonstration at SZVIT.
- DPB Rail Infra Service GmbHsupportProvided support during INKA Factory Acceptance Test by supplying a locomotive for testing.
- SKF Sealing Solutions AustriacoreJoint development of ScaleTRAY digital inventory management system. API integration between SKF ERP system and NET-Automation cloud platform. Funded by BMIMI and SCHIG mbH under logistics promotion program.
- ArgoNET GmbHinfrastructureAustrian 450mHz LTE-M network provider for critical infrastructure. NETBEE products use ArgoNET for blackout-resistant connectivity.
- 450connect GmbHinfrastructureGerman 450mHz LTE-M network provider for critical infrastructure. NETBEE products use 450connect for blackout-resistant connectivity in Germany.
- AEF (Atelier d'Etudes et de Fabrications)technicalFrench testing authority that verified ForceBEE sensor accuracy with SNCF to obtain approval for French market.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
NET-Automation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Kistler Group: Global supplier of dynamic measurement technology including piezoelectric sensors, force, pressure, and acceleration instrumentation. Competitor to ForceBEE thin-film sensors and broader NET-Automation measurement portfolio, with much larger scale and broader industrial coverage.
- ABB: Industrial automation and rail electrification/motion leader. Competes with NET-Automation across PLC-based automation, drives, and condition-monitoring offerings in rail depots and heavy industry.
- HBK (Hottinger Brüel & Kjær): Major industrial measurement and test instrumentation provider covering force, strain, pressure and acoustic sensing. Overlaps with NET-Automation's measurement instruments and test rig offerings across industrial and rail customers.
- Bosch Mobility / Bosch IoT: Large industrial IoT and sensor provider with solutions for manufacturing, mobility, and connected devices. Overlaps with the broader NETBEE IoT family (LightBEE, WaterBEE, environmental stations) at a much larger scale.
- SICK AG: Global manufacturer of sensors and sensor-based industrial automation solutions, including rail automation and condition monitoring. Broad incumbent competing with NET-Automation's sensor and measurement products.
- Siemens Mobility: Global rail technology and rolling stock OEM/solutions provider, including train diagnostics, condition monitoring, and automation. Overlaps with ForceBEE's condition-based maintenance value proposition in depot and fleet operations.
Direct peers
- duagon: Swiss supplier of embedded computing, communication, and control solutions for rail vehicles. Comparable in serving rail OEMs and integrators with on-board measurement and control technology.
- Schenck RoTec: Long-established manufacturer of balancing and brake test stands for rail vehicles and industrial applications. Direct competitor to NET-Automation's ForceBEE brake force measurement offering, addressing the same railway maintenance depots and OEMs with measurement hardware and services.
- Frauscher Sensortechnik: Austrian-headquartered provider of rail sensor systems including wheel detection, axle counting, and train integrity. Direct competitor in railway sensing with overlapping European customers and similar geographic strengths.
- HaslerRail: Specialist in rail vehicle data acquisition, telematics, and brake performance monitoring. Comparable to NET-Automation's ForceBEE and BrakeBEE offerings, targeting the same fleet operators and maintenance depots.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
NET-Automation social profiles
Digital presenceNET-Automation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NET-Automation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
NET-Automation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NET-Automation 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 NET-Automation
What does NET-Automation do?
NET-Automation designs, manufactures, and sells IoT hardware and cloud-connected measurement systems under the NETBEE brand, with flagship products including the ForceBEE thin-film brake force measurement system for rail vehicles, the LightBEE street lighting control platform, and the WaterBEE water supply monitoring system. The company also delivers custom automation engineering, test rigs, robot cells, and special machine construction for industrial customers across railway, heavy industry, wood, automotive, and municipal segments.
Is NET-Automation a public or private company?
NET-Automation is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was NET-Automation founded?
NET-Automation was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is NET-Automation based?
NET-Automation is headquartered in Judenburg, Austria, in the Europe region.
How does NET-Automation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hardware Products are the primary driver. The others are custom Automation & Engineering, software Solutions and industry 4.0 Solutions.
Who are NET-Automation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Kistler Group, ABB, HBK (Hottinger Brüel & Kjær), Bosch Mobility / Bosch IoT, SICK AG and Siemens Mobility. Direct peers are duagon, Schenck RoTec, Frauscher Sensortechnik and HaslerRail.
Does NET-Automation have an API?
No public API is recorded for NET-Automation.
What industry is NET-Automation in?
NET-Automation's product category is Industrial Automation & IoT Measurement Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGABAG, Motion & Machine Control (CNC, Robotics Controllers, Servo/Motion Controllers), with a secondary code of BPABAJAK, Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors). Its NAICS code is 334519 and its SIC code is 3823.