Z + M Zeit-und Messgeräte Vertriebs-gmbh

What Z + M Zeit-und Messgeräte Vertriebs-gmbh does

Z+M Zeit- und Messgeräte GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned German metalworking and clock manufacturer founded on August 1, 1981 in Esslingen am Neckar, now operated in its second generation by brothers René, Rafael, and Rolf Ziller as a privately held GmbH & Co. KG (HRB 211439 / HRBA 211629, registered in Stuttgart). The company emerged from the Simplex Timerecorder business after Simplex's withdrawal from the European market and added CNC laser technology in 1991, which seeded its industrial metal-processing capability. It employs approximately six people and operates from a single facility at Einsteinstraße 1, 73730 Esslingen-Zell.

The company runs three interconnected business lines: contract metal manufacturing services (Metallbearbeitung) covering laser cutting, CNC bending, drilling, turning, milling, welding, sandblasting, and painting of steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, and Corten steel; industrial clock systems (Uhrenanlagen) including outdoor clocks, V4A stainless-steel clocks for healthcare/food-service environments, indoor Profi and Business lines, decorative clocks, and control-panel-embedded clocks; and consumer sheet-metal design products (Blechdesign / Blechdesign und Uhrenanlagen) such as balcony railings, Corten-steel flower boxes, fire bowls and domes, BBQ hardware, signs, privacy screens, stainless-steel doors and gates, shopping-cart chips, seasonal decorations, and custom belt buckles. A proprietary product line, the Maultaschen-Maschine (sub-branded "Mauldaschamachmaschee"), is a stainless-steel device for producing filled Swabian pasta pockets in eight sizes and is protected by German utility model registration Nr. 20 2018 102 984 (filed June 6, 2018).

Commercial model is dual-track: direct B2B sales for industrial contract manufacturing and institutional clock projects targeting automotive suppliers, machine builders, event-technology firms, schools, hospitals, train stations, sports facilities, and laboratories; and direct-to-consumer e-commerce through an integrated online shop for the Blechdesign catalog, with shipping available within Germany and to the EU and Switzerland on a weight-based fee schedule. All pricing is per-unit; B2B contracts are project-based. Marketing relies on the company website, Google Analytics, and Google AdWords. The Zeiterfassungssysteme (time recording systems) division — historically covering ARGUS terminals and ZMWIN/ZMUNIVERS/ZMMAX/ZMTIMY/ZMCODA software — was discontinued at the end of 2024, narrowing the portfolio to metalworking, clocks, and consumer sheet-metal design.

Name

Z + M Zeit-und Messgeräte Vertriebs-gmbh

Legal name

Z+M Zeit- und Messgeräte GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://zundm.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Family-owned German metal manufacturer in Esslingen founded in 1981, offering CNC laser contract manufacturing, industrial clock systems, and consumer sheet-metal design products (fire bowls, BBQ, belt buckles, decorations), plus a patented Maultaschen-making machine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Esslingen-Zell

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Metal Manufacturing Services: Custom metal processing and small-series manufacturing for industrial customers including construction, prototyping, and special components for automotive suppliers and machine builders.
2. Industrial Clock Systems: Manufacturing and sale of industrial clocks for outdoor areas, indoor facilities, and specialized environments including stainless steel V4A clocks for sensitive environments.
3. Consumer Metal Products: Online shop sales of metal design products including belt buckles, fire bowls, flower boxes, barbecue accessories, Christmas/Easter decorations, and shopping cart tokens.
4. Maultaschen Machine Sales: Sale of patented Maultaschen-making machines in various sizes (5er to 14er), produced in Germany with stainless steel construction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Z+M is a family-owned German manufacturer offering precision metal processing (CNC laser cutting, bending, drilling, welding, surface treatment) for industrial B2B customers, a range of industrial and institutional clock systems, proprietary consumer sheet metal design products (fire bowls, belt buckles, flower boxes, decorations), and a patented Maultaschen-making machine. Operations span contract manufacturing, in-house clock assembly, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce via an integrated online shop.

Product overview

Z+M Zeit- und Messgeräte GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned German manufacturing company founded in 1981, now in its second generation under brothers René and Rafael Ziller. The company operates as a diversified metalworking business with three core product divisions: (1) Industrial Clock Systems (Uhrenanlagen) comprising outdoor clocks, stainless steel V4A clocks for demanding environments, indoor clocks in Profi and Business lines, decorative clocks in multiple lines, and control panel embedded clocks; (2) Metal Processing Services (Metallbearbeitung) offering CNC laser cutting, bending, drilling, turning, milling, welding, sandblasting, and painting for steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, and Corten steel, supporting construction, prototype development, and small-series production; and (3) Sheet Metal Design Products (Blechdesign) featuring balcony railings, Corten steel flower boxes and planters, fire bowls and fire domes, Z+M BBQ grills and accessories, signs, privacy screens, stainless steel doors and gates, shopping cart chips, Easter and Christmas decorations, belt buckles, and custom special designs. A notable proprietary product is the Maultaschen-Maschine, a stainless steel device for efficient Maultaschen (German filled pasta) production available in 8 sizes, registered as a utility model. The time recording systems division was discontinued at the end of 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mauldaschamachmaschee: The Maultaschen-Maschine (Maultaschen maker), a device for efficiently producing multiple filled pasta pockets (Maultaschen) simultaneously. Available in 8 different sizes. Registered utility model filed in 2018.
• Z+M BBQ
• Mauldaschamachmaschee

Products and services

• Metallbearbeitung (Metal Processing / Contract Manufacturing) Comprehensive B2B metal processing services including laser cutting, CNC bending, drilling, turning, milling, welding, sandblasting, and painting for steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, and Corten steel; supports construction, prototyping, and small-series production for automotive suppliers, machine builders, and event technology companies.
• Außenuhren (Outdoor Clocks) Metal-housed outdoor clocks with triple-layer paint finish and protective glass; available in round or square formats, dial sizes from 30cm to 80cm, in single-sided, double-sided, or four-sided (cube clock) configurations for train stations, sports facilities, parking lots, and public spaces.
• Edelstahluhren V4A (Stainless Steel V4A Clocks) Stainless steel V4A clocks designed for sensitive and demanding environments such as operating rooms, large kitchens, laboratories, indoor swimming pools, and ships; resistant to disinfectants, acids, and seawater for hospitals, commercial kitchens, and food service facilities.
• Innenuhren Profi-3000-Line (Indoor Clocks Profi Line) Metal-housed indoor clocks with protective glass for workshops, offices, and living spaces; features various dial styles including hour/minute bars, Arabic numbers, and Roman numerals.
• Innenuhren Business Line (Indoor Clocks Business Line) Elegant white-housed indoor clocks with Plexiglas cover and non-transparent housing rim for offices and administrative buildings; features special paint options and customizable dial and hand shapes.
• Schmuckuhren (Decorative Clocks) Decorative clocks for reception areas and representative offices, available in Classic-Line (30/40cm), Elegance-Line (25/30cm), ALU-Line (30cm lightweight aluminum), and Edel-Line (brushed/polished stainless steel with custom laser engraving).
• Schalttafel-Einbauuhren (Control Panel Embedded Clocks) Compact embedded clocks for control panels available in 96x96mm or 144x144mm sizes for industrial and panel mounting applications.
• Maultaschen-Maschine (Maultaschen Machine) Stainless steel device for efficient production of Maultaschen (German filled pasta pockets), saving up to 60% time compared to manual production; available in 8 sizes (5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14 units), registered as a German utility model.
• Gürtelschnallen (Belt Buckles) Custom belt buckles made from 2mm V2A stainless steel, laser-cut, bent, and deburred; available in multiple surface finishes (antique silver, sandblasted, brushed, high-gloss polished) with over 40 design motifs for profession, hobby, sport, and animal themes; custom designs with company logos available.
• Feuerschalen / Feuerdom (Fire Bowls and Fire Domes) Conical fire bowls and fire domes made from Corten steel with optional grill insert or fire plate for grilling; fire bowl priced from 310.00 EUR, fire dome from 490.00 EUR, for outdoor garden and patio use.
• Blumenkästen Corten (Corten Steel Flower Boxes) Corten steel flower boxes and planters that develop a protective rust layer preventing through-rusting; available in various sizes from 190x190mm to 490x990mm, with optional lettering for residential and commercial gardens.
• Z+M BBQ Grill und Zubehör (Grills and Accessories) BBQ product line including charcoal grill with lid, Weber grill plate, garden grill oven in Corten steel, table grill, and accessories such as corn cob skewers, burger skewers, fish holders, chicken leg holders, hot dog holders, and spare rib holders made from stainless steel V2A.
• Balkongeländer (Balcony Railings) Individually crafted balcony railings made from high-quality stainless steel, each piece unique and custom-made according to customer specifications with optional decorations.
• Schilder (Signs) Custom signs made from stainless steel, Corten steel, brass, or copper including house numbers, name plates, company signs, and parking signs; available in various colors, layouts, sizes, and forms.
• Sichtschutz (Privacy Screens) Individually designed privacy screens in stainless steel for indoor or outdoor use that combine practical function with aesthetic elegance.
• Türen und Tore aus Edelstahl (Stainless Steel Doors and Gates) Custom-manufactured stainless steel doors and gates combining reliable stability with timeless elegant design, suitable for house entrances, balconies, gardens, and driveways.
• Einkaufswagenchips (Shopping Cart Chips) Shopping cart release chips made from 2mm V2A stainless steel available in various designs including dog paw, horseshoe, smiley, foot, chicken claw, and cat paw; also available as keychain with bottle opener.
• Dekoration (Easter and Christmas Decorations) Metal decorations for Easter and Christmas including garden/flower pot stickers, Christmas tree decorations, angels, bells, snowmen, stars, sleds, Christmas trees, candle flames, and Advent wreaths in stainless steel, Corten steel, brass, and copper.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 60% time savings in Maultaschen production compared to manual methods

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Petromax GmbH: German outdoor fire and grilling brand with cast-iron and steel products sold through DTC e-commerce. Comparable to Z+M's fire bowls, grill plates, and stainless-steel V2A BBQ accessories; overlaps in target buyers and premium positioning.
• Höfats GmbH: German premium outdoor fire/fireplace and BBQ accessory brand using stainless and Corten steel. Compares directly with Z+M's Corten-steel Feuerschalen/Feuerdom and Z+M BBQ grill line on materials, positioning, and German-Mittelstand e-commerce distribution.
• BÜRK MOBATIME: German/Swiss manufacturer of industrial and institutional clock systems for railway stations, schools, hospitals, and outdoor venues — directly overlaps Z+M's Uhrenanlagen product line (Außenuhren, Innenuhren, control panel clocks). It is the main European incumbent in the same niche.
• Moser-Baer AG: Swiss manufacturer of time distribution and synchronization systems, including hospital and industrial clocks. Comparable to Z+M's V4A stainless-steel clinical clocks and control panel embedded clocks.

Broad incumbents

• TRUMPF SE + Co. KG: Global German leader in sheet metal fabrication machines (laser cutting, bending) and adjacent factory automation. Comparable on the laser-cutting technology axis but operates as an equipment OEM/incumbent rather than a small-batch contract fabricator like Z+M.
• Bystronic Laser AG: Swiss/German sheet metal processing equipment manufacturer for laser cutting and bending. Adjacent to Z+M's fabrication capability on the technology side; a potential supplier of the laser equipment Z+M's CNC operation relies on.
• Landmann GmbH & Co. KG: Established German BBQ and outdoor cooking brand with broad product portfolio. Overlaps with Z+M's Z+M BBQ line on target customers and grill-accessory category, though at much larger scale and broader retail distribution.

Emerging players

• Feuerhand GmbH: Specialist in German-made outdoor storm lanterns and fire accessories, primarily metal-based DTC brand. Comparable in niche consumer outdoor metal goods and direct-to-customer retail rather than large-scale industrial supply.

Others

• Steelcase (workplace time/clock systems) and German Mittelstand contract fabricators: Included as a placeholder for the broader Mittelstand precision metal-fabrication and workplace-equipment ecosystem that competes for the same B2B prototyping jobs; many small German family shops occupy a comparable niche to Z+M's contract manufacturing side.

Regional players

• Westerstrand Industriella UR: Swedish producer of industrial and sports-venue clocks and time systems serving Nordic and European markets. Comparable to Z+M in serving train stations, sports facilities, and industrial sites with robust metal-housed clocks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/z-m-zeit-und-messger%C3%A4te-vertriebs-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Z + M Zeit-und Messgeräte Vertriebs-gmbh