KEBA grows by 8.5 % in fiscal year 2024/25

Once again, the strategic foundation of the KEBA Group – the targeted diversification of business across different markets and industries – proved to be a pillar of stability. With now 28 subsidiaries in 16 countries as well as production sites in Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and China, KEBA benefits from a broad, cross-border network and is correspondingly well established in its target markets. Local-for-local remains the guiding principle.

Professionalism, innovative strength, strong collaboration, and vibrancy. This is how KEBA defines its values. Combined with its international orientation and focus on future-oriented topics, these values form the basis for economic success and sustainable growth.

The KEBA Group, headquartered in Linz/Urfahr, is an expert in the automation of various industries and is therefore structured into three operational business areas that operate under the common KEBA brand: Industrial Automation, Handover Automation, and Energy Automation. The characteristics of these business areas differ significantly: KEBA Industrial Automation focuses on automation solutions for manufacturers (OEMs) of machinery and equipment. KEBA Handover Automation develops and produces self-service solutions and handover systems, for example in the banking and logistics sectors, and operates with a strong project orientation. KEBA Energy Automation is active in the end-customer-oriented series business and offers solutions in the field of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (cars and trucks) as well as controls for sustainable heating systems.

This breadth and diversity form an important basis for the stability of the Group. The focus on different industries in different markets, which are subject to various market and economic cycles, results in a structure that enables KEBA to respond autonomously and flexibly to changing conditions.

This advantage also became clearly apparent in the last fiscal year, in an environment that in many markets continued to be characterized by inflation, rising personnel costs, as well as geopolitical and economic uncertainties.

In fiscal year 2024/25 (April 2024 to March 2025), the KEBA Group achieved total revenue of EUR 514.9 million, thus realizing revenue growth of 8.5 % compared to the previous year (EUR 474.6 million).

The international share of business remained consistently high at 90 %. Around 66 % of revenue was generated in the EU (excluding Austria) and approximately 15 % in Asia.

The Group’s headcount remained stable at 2,100 employees at the end of the fiscal year (based on full-time equivalents). More than half of the employees are still based in Austria, a third in Germany, and over 200 employees in Asia.

For a technology company like KEBA, investments in research and development (R&D) and innovation areas are of central importance – both for long-term business success and for technological positioning. Accordingly, the KEBA Group once again invested a significant share of its revenue in R&D this year. A total of EUR 83.2 million was allocated to the development and further development of products and solutions, corresponding to an R&D ratio of 16.2 %.

In the past fiscal year, all three business areas – Industrial Automation, Handover Automation, and Energy Automation – succeeded in acquiring new customers, deepening existing customer relationships, and implementing targeted strategic measures to further strengthen their future viability.

KEBA is a full-range supplier of AC and DC charging solutions
A major milestone in the past year was the acquisition of the insolvent Austrian charging infrastructure manufacturer EnerCharge, with its sites in Kötschach-Mauthen (Carinthia) and Oberlienz (East Tyrol). With this acquisition, KEBA has expanded its existing product portfolio in the area of AC charging solutions (wallboxes), which are primarily used where an electric vehicle is parked for longer periods of time (e.g., at home, in underground garages, or at the workplace), to include powerful fast-charging solutions in the DC sector. As a result, KEBA now covers all charging infrastructure application areas. The DC fast chargers are specifically designed to enable the shortest possible charging stops on longer routes, such as on highways – both for passenger cars and for the rapidly growing segment of electric trucks. All products and solutions of EnerCharge have been consolidated under the KEBA brand. The sites have been retained, and the new, modern office in Kötschach-Mauthen will be opened shortly.

KEBA strengthens AI expertise through the acquisition of 7LYTIX
With the acquisition of the Upper Austrian AI specialist 7LYTIX in April 2025, the KEBA Group took an important strategic step to strengthen its digital capabilities and consistently drive the expansion of its digital business. Founded in 2016, the company brings in-depth expertise in the development and application of AI technologies in the banking, retail, and industrial sectors, ideally complementing KEBA’s many years of AI competence in automating various industries. The pooling of expertise strengthens KEBA’s position as a forward-looking technology provider in international competition and accelerates the implementation of ongoing developments around the meaningful use of artificial intelligence. This step also reinforces the further establishment and expansion of software and digital business activities across all KEBA business areas. Organizationally, the former 7LYTIX team was integrated into the Digital Business division of the KEBA Group. All employees were retained.

Through the targeted use of artificial intelligence in its own product portfolio as well as in its internal process landscape, KEBA is assuming a trailblazing role, which manifested itself in various ways over the past year.

On the one hand, KEBA presented new AI-based products and innovations and made targeted investments in digital transformation as well as in building the skills of its own employees. On the other hand, the company engaged in various committees, initiatives, and exchange formats to actively strengthen the digital hubs of Linz, Upper Austria, Austria, and Europe. For example, since the beginning of 2025, KEBA has been a member of the Digital Mile in Linz, which aims to bundle digital expertise at the location. In addition, KEBA CEO Christoph Knogler, together with Thomas Arnoldner, Deputy CEO of A1, serves as chairman of the AI Task Force of the Industriellenvereinigung, which works to remove various entry barriers to the use of artificial intelligence. Around 130 leading companies from the industrial ecosystem of the Federation have joined this AI Task Force to date.

In the product portfolios of all three business areas, the use of artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role. Above all, the potential of local AI, known as on-device AI, which enables machines and devices to use AI models locally without any connection to cloud infrastructure, is unlocking new and, above all, cyber-secure functions in automation technology.

KEBA has been working with artificial intelligence for around seven years in control solutions for machinery and self-service devices and already introduced its first series-ready AI module for industrial automation in 2023, which leverages the advantages of on-device AI.

He continuously analyzes the activity in spaces such as bank foyers and detects security-relevant situations like suspicious behavior, medical emergencies, or unusual movement patterns in real time. If necessary, the system automatically activates existing security equipment or alerts the police or security service. In addition, KeBob can interact directly with people, for example by issuing warnings about insufficient distance or requesting the removal of a helmet in the foyer. In doing so, KeBob processes video data exclusively locally and does not store any personal data.

AI-Based Voice Assistance for Even More Intuitive Operation
Furthermore, KEBA developed and presented a AI-powered, multilingual voice assistance system last year, which is intended for use at self-service terminals, such as the KEBA citizen service terminals or e-vehicle charging stations.
At present, this is still an innovation project that demonstrates what intuitive, language-independent user guidance could look like in the future. Part of the solution is an animated KEBA-owned multilingual avatar that functions as a visually present, speaking user interface. The animated character provides relevant information in all languages, responds to questions in real time, and offers situational support. A natural, low-threshold approach to human-machine interaction that meaningfully complements conventional touch interfaces, which KEBA has successfully marketed for decades.

Artificial Intelligence Strategically Anchored
As all these examples show, artificial intelligence is not a trend for KEBA – it is a crucial key to strengthening competitiveness in the global environment. A tool to be used – with both enthusiasm and a sober sense of responsibility. Therefore, KEBA applies AI not only purposefully in its own products but also increasingly in internal processes.

Open Innovation Remains Key to Success
KEBA’s open innovation approach was once again a central part of KEBAs innovation strategy in the past fiscal year. Close cooperation with research institutions, universities, start-ups, and international expert committees enables access to a diverse network that strengthens innovative capacity far beyond the company’s own boundaries. Around 80 internal and external experts are continuously working on around 20 innovation projects, thereby actively shaping the future of the company. The central element and physical hub of open innovation at KEBA continues to be the KEBA InnoSpace, which again attracted hundreds of enthusiastic visitors this year to discuss future topics using prototypes.

With its three business areas, KEBA is broadly and diversely positioned and active in relevant growth markets. The company assumes that there will continue to be sustained demand for automation solutions and that this will result in growth potential. For this reason, the company will also continue to consistently invest in research and development in the current fiscal year.

At the same time, international presence will be systematically expanded in order to strengthen KEBA’s global network and tap into new markets. The goal is to gradually build up new strategically relevant markets, expand the global production and development network, and thereby further enhance the company’s performance capabilities in the interests of its customers. AI and open innovation will continue to be the essential drivers.