HT Hydrotechnik GmbH

What HT Hydrotechnik GmbH does

HT Hydrotechnik GmbH is a privately held German Mittelstand manufacturer specializing in groundwater and surface water monitoring instrumentation, founded circa 1979-1980 and headquartered in Obergünzburg, Germany. The company designs, manufactures, and assembles its own product line, including water level meters, dataloggers, LTE telemetry loggers, multiparameter probes, pressure sensors, and well caps, and operates the HT Analytics cloud software platform for telemetry data management. Vertical integration is a defining feature: the firm runs in-house CNC machining (including a Traub TNX65 machining center), on-site production and assembly within an expanded 900+ m² facility, and its own software stack, financed entirely without outside investors or external debt. Customers are predominantly public-sector water authorities and intergovernmental programs, evidenced by reference projects such as the 456-well monitoring network for Regional Council Karlsruhe (2012), the 800-well Doha, Qatar deployment (2017), and participation in the WMO/IGAD-HYCOS hydrological monitoring program across nine African countries (2016).

The business model combines one-time hardware sales of probe and logger systems with a recurring software/data layer through HT Analytics, sold predominantly via direct sales into government and intergovernmental procurement channels. The catalog is migrating toward integrated multi-parameter monitoring stations — including titanium probe variants for aggressive media — and the LTE Funkdatenlogger Typ 255 launch marks a generational shift to 4G-LTE telemetry to extend product life against legacy 2G/3G carrier sunsets. Operations were further upgraded in 2022-2023 with a 99.63 kWp photovoltaic installation, 44 kWh battery storage, and biomass heating to reduce energy cost exposure and decarbonize production.

HT Hydrotechnik occupies a niche where it competes against larger generalist environmental instrument vendors by combining specialized hydrogeology engineering, proprietary hardware designs, and a tightly integrated cloud platform. Its moat rests on 45+ years of domain specialization, in-house manufacturing depth, and an installed base that creates real switching costs for utilities and authorities that have standardized on HT hardware plus HT Analytics. The principal strategic question for investors is whether the company can scale its software/analytics layer into a meaningful recurring revenue stream — and whether it can embed AI-driven analytics — before larger platform competitors commoditize the underlying hardware.

Name

HT Hydrotechnik GmbH

Legal name

HT Hydrotechnik GmbH

Website

https://ht-hydrotechnik.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HT Hydrotechnik GmbH is a privately held German Mittelstand manufacturer, founded circa 1979-1980 in Obergünzburg, that designs and produces groundwater and surface water monitoring instruments — water level meters, LTE dataloggers, multiparameter probes, and well caps — bundled with its HT Analytics cloud platform, sold directly to public-sector water authorities and intergovernmental programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Monitoring Equipment

NAICS

Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)

SIC

Totalizing Fluid Meters & Counting Devices (3824)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Quality Monitoring (Surface Water, Stormwater, Drinking Water) (EUAHACAC)

Keywords

• Groundwater monitoring equipment
• Water level measurement
• Water quality sensors
• Telemetry data loggers
• Hydrological monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Obergünzburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Sale of measuring instruments including water level meters, dataloggers, telemetry loggers, multiparameter probes, pressure sensors, and well caps. Products range from simple handheld devices to complete monitoring stations.
2. Software/SaaS: HT Analytics cloud platform for data management and device control. Web-based subscription with server hosting and updates included.
3. Rental Equipment: Short-term equipment rental for projects or testing purposes. Factory-tested equipment provided with fair terms.
4. Professional Services: Equipment installation, commissioning, monitoring support services, and maintenance/repair services. Includes on-site installation, training, and ongoing measurement site support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

HT Hydrotechnik GmbH develops and manufactures groundwater and surface water monitoring instruments at its Obergünzburg, Germany facility. The product portfolio spans handheld water level meters, autonomous dataloggers, 4G-LTE telemetry data loggers, multiparameter water quality probes (including titanium variants for high-salinity and high-temperature environments), hydrostatic pressure probes, well caps, and the HT Analytics cloud software platform for data management and remote device control. Products are designed for long-term autonomous battery-powered operation in extreme outdoor conditions.

Product overview

HT Hydrotechnik GmbH develops and manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of groundwater and surface water monitoring instruments, ranging from handheld devices to automated telemetry systems. The product portfolio includes: (1) Handheld measurement devices—Kabellichtlot, Temperaturlichtlot, and Typ 120-LTC for water level, temperature, and conductivity measurement; (2) Autonomous dataloggers—Datensammler Typ 575-II, 575-LTC, 575-MP1, and Arteserdatensammler Typ 570-II for long-term data recording; (3) LTE cellular telemetryloggers—Typ 255, 255EB, and 255U for remote automatic data transmission; (4) HT Analytics cloud software for data management and device control; (5) Prozessmesstechnik including Druckmesssonde Typ 655W2 pressure probe; and (6) Well caps (standard aluminum and plastic) for securing monitoring installations. Key measured parameters include water level, temperature, electrical conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and redox potential. Products are engineered for demanding environments including extreme temperatures, high salinity (with titanium probes), and long-term autonomous battery-powered operation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HT Analytics: Cloud solution for data management and remote device control, providing web-based access to water data and device management capabilities.

Products and services

• Kabellichtlot (Water Level Meter) Handheld water level meter for measuring groundwater depth in wells, used by hydrogeologists and field technicians in groundwater monitoring applications.
• Temperaturlichtlot (Level & Temperature Meter) Handheld device combining water level and temperature measurement in a single probe for groundwater monitoring field use.
• Kabellichtlot Typ 120-LTC (Water Level Meter Type 120-LTC) Water level meter with low-temperature conductivity measurement capability for challenging conditions, targeted at hydrogeological field measurements.
• Wasserprobennehmer / Bailer (Water Sampler) Device for collecting water samples from wells for subsequent laboratory water quality analysis.
• Datensammler Typ 575-II (Groundwater Datalogger Type 575-II) Groundwater datalogger for long-term autonomous recording of water level and temperature data in observation wells.
• Datensammler Typ 575-MP1 (Datalogger Type 575-MP1) Groundwater datalogger for water quality measurement including water level, temperature, conductivity, and pH, with integrated battery for at least 10 years of operation and 3 million measurements.
• Datensammler Typ 575-LTC (Datalogger Type 575-LTC) Groundwater datalogger with Level-Temperature-Conductivity measurement capability for comprehensive water quality monitoring.
• Arteserdatensammler Typ 570-II (Artesian Well Datalogger Type 570-II) Artesian well datalogger designed specifically for monitoring pressurized artesian groundwater conditions.
• LTE Funkdatenlogger Typ 255 (LTE Telemetry Datalogger Type 255) 4G-LTE cellular telemetry datalogger with automatic fallback to 2G/3G, enabling remote automatic data transmission from measuring sites in the field.
• LTE Funkdatenlogger Typ 255EB LTE telemetry datalogger designed for use with multiparameter probes, enabling battery-powered remote monitoring of water quality parameters with over 1 year battery life.
• LTE Funkdatenlogger Typ 255U LTE telemetry datalogger for pulse-based flow measurement applications, summing pulses from water meters to calculate flow rates.
• HT Analytics (The Hydrocloud) Cloud-based web application for water data management and remote device control, providing 24/7 access to hydrological measurement data without installing local software, with user rights management and remote telemetry control.
• Druckmesssonde Typ 655W2 (Pressure Probe Type 655W2) Hydrostatic pressure probe for continuous water level measurement with 4-20 mA output signal, optionally equipped with temperature measurement, suitable for permanent installation with barometric compensation via vented cable and stainless steel 316Ti housing.
• Pegelkappe Standard (Well Cap — Standard Aluminum) Aluminum alloy well cap for securing and closing groundwater observation wells, featuring UV-resistant surface treatment, plastic coating to prevent freezing, and a prefabricated recess for datalogger mounting.
• Pegelkappe Kunststoff (Well Cap — Plastic) UV-resistant plastic well cap for temporary sealing of groundwater observation wells during construction phases, available in 1¼, 1½, and 2 inch sizes.
• Professional Services (Installation, Commissioning, Monitoring Site Support, Maintenance & Repair) Equipment installation, commissioning, monitoring site support, and maintenance/repair services for HT Hydrotechnik products, including on-site installation, training, ongoing measurement site support, and short-term rental of factory-tested equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Battery life exceeding 1 year with daily data transmission using 3 standard alkaline batteries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• OTT HydroMet: OTT HydroMet (now part of Veralto/Danaher) manufactures water level, discharge, and water quality instruments for hydrology and meteorology. It is the most direct competitor to HT Hydrotechnik in groundwater and surface water monitoring instrumentation, with overlapping product categories including level sensors, dataloggers, and telemetry.
• In-Situ Inc. In-Situ Inc. manufactures water quality monitoring instruments including multiparameter sondes, level sensors, and telemetry systems for groundwater and surface water. Direct competitor in the multiparameter probe and water quality monitoring space with overlapping applications.
• METER Group: METER Group (formerly Decagon Devices) manufactures environmental sensors and dataloggers for soil, water, and atmospheric monitoring. Closely comparable in terms of field-deployed sensor systems, data logging, and environmental monitoring focus, although with broader agricultural and soil science applications.
• Eijkelkamp: Royal Eijkelkamp is a Dutch manufacturer of equipment for soil and groundwater research, including water level meters, samplers, and monitoring systems. Direct competitor in groundwater monitoring instrumentation with comparable target customers (environmental consultants, water authorities) and overlapping product lines.
• Stevens Water Monitoring Systems: Stevens Water Monitoring Systems manufactures water quality sensors, data loggers, and telemetry for environmental monitoring applications. Comparable in offering integrated monitoring solutions to water authorities and environmental agencies.
• AquaCheck: AquaCheck (South Africa) manufactures water level and soil moisture monitoring probes and data loggers. Direct peer in groundwater level monitoring with comparable product architecture and emerging-market exposure similar to HT Hydrotechnik's African footprint.
• Solinst: Solinst is a Canadian manufacturer of groundwater and surface water monitoring instruments, including water level meters, dataloggers, and multi-parameter probes. Direct competitor in HT Hydrotechnik's core groundwater monitoring niche with similar product offerings and customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Xylem: Xylem is a major global water technology company with a portfolio spanning water meters, networked monitoring, and analytics. Relevant as a broad incumbent in the water monitoring space with significantly larger scale and broader product portfolio than HT Hydrotechnik.
• Endress+Hauser: Endress+Hauser is a German global leader in industrial process instrumentation including level, flow, and water quality measurement. While primarily focused on industrial customers, it offers products that compete with HT Hydrotechnik in municipal water and wastewater applications.
• Campbell Scientific: Campbell Scientific is a US-based established manufacturer of environmental measurement systems, including dataloggers, sensors, and telemetry for hydrology, meteorology, and water quality. Overlaps with HT Hydrotechnik on dataloggers and remote monitoring but serves a broader environmental monitoring market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ht-hydrotechnik-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 HT Hydrotechnik GmbH