KEBA grows again and focuses on Industrial AI with KEBA Digital

The foundation for this success is the broad positioning of the KEBA Group across diverse markets, industries, and regions. It provides resilience in an environment characterized, particularly in Europe, by weak economic conditions, cautious investment decisions, as well as geopolitical and trade policy uncertainties. At the same time, positive momentum came from the Asian markets and the United States.

A key strategic focus during the past fiscal year was the expansion of the software and digital business. With KEBA Digital, the Group launched a new strategic growth area: Industrial Intelligence – the application of AI in value-creating industrial processes. KEBA combines decades of experience in industrial-grade software with the expertise of the integrated AI company 7LYTIX and its own practical experience in applying AI within operational processes. This expands KEBA’s portfolio with digital solutions, services, and AI-based applications for both existing and new industries.

In the past fiscal year 2025/26 (April 2025 to March 2026), the KEBA Group generated total revenue of EUR 544.4 million, achieving solid growth of around 6% compared to the previous year. Against the backdrop of a persistently challenging economic environment, this performance underscores the stability and strength of the Group.

The international share of business remained at a high level of around 89%. Approximately 64% of revenue was generated within the EU excluding Austria, around 17% in Asia, and roughly 8% in the rest of the world. Austria contributed just over 11% to the Group’s total revenue. The Group’s international orientation therefore continues to be both a key success factor for the KEBA Group and an important foundation for maintaining close relationships with customers in its target markets.

At the end of the past fiscal year, the Group employed around 2,100 people on a full-time equivalent basis. More than half of the employees are based in Austria, while just under 30% work in Germany. Austria and Germany therefore continue to represent the Group’s largest locations. Around 10% of employees are based in Asia. KEBA currently trains 74 apprentices and vocational trainees in Austria and Germany.

For a technology company like KEBA, investments in research and development as well as in innovation are of central importance – both for the company’s long-term success and its technological positioning. Accordingly, in fiscal year 2025/26, the KEBA Group once again invested a significant share of its revenue in R&D. R&D expenditure amounted to EUR 91.8 million, corresponding to an R&D ratio of approximately 16.9%.

The KEBA Group’s three business areas – Industrial Automation, Handover Automation, and Energy Automation – faced different market dynamics during fiscal year 2025/26, while each made important contributions to the Group’s overall development. Across all three areas, product and innovation initiatives were advanced, customer relationships were strengthened, and key technological trends were further developed.

The KEBA Industrial Automation business area maintained its position in a persistently challenging market environment. While investment activity in the European machinery and plant engineering sector remained subdued, international markets proved to be more stable. KEBA continued to demonstrate its expertise as an automation partner for machine and plant manufacturers. Key priorities included the further development of core control and drive platforms, as well as digital tools and solutions. Artificial intelligence is also becoming increasingly important in industrial automation. KEBA is developing solutions that enable machines and production systems to operate precisely, flexibly, and efficiently, even under complex requirements. Thanks to on-device AI, this is achieved with digital sovereignty and in real time.

The KEBA Handover Automation business area developed very positively. Key growth drivers came from the Banking Automation and Logistics Automation segments. In the banking sector, KEBA further strengthened its market position by winning new customers and introducing its new generation of cash recycling systems (KePlus F20), which places a particular focus on accessibility. In logistics, the strong demand for automated handover solutions supporting efficient and flexible parcel delivery and returns processes was once again confirmed. During the past fiscal year, KEBA also launched a new generation of parcel lockers (loxmate), enabling autonomous operation for the first time through integrated photovoltaic technology and battery storage. The segment of AI-supported assistance solutions was also further expanded. With its KeBob solution, KEBA demonstrates how artificial intelligence can create tangible added value in self-service areas and other sensitive environments – from improved security and service quality to new application possibilities, including logistics.

The KEBA Energy Automation business area took important steps during the past fiscal year to further strengthen its position in the fields of energy and mobility. In electromobility, the portfolio of AC and DC charging solutions was expanded. A major milestone was the presentation of the new generation of DC fast chargers (KeContact DCA20, DCS20) at the Power2Drive trade fair in June 2026. These solutions are specifically designed to meet the requirements of professional charging infrastructure for passenger cars and trucks across private, commercial, and public applications.

The heating market, which is equally important for the energy transition and where KEBA serves as a control systems partner for manufacturers of biomass heating systems and heat pumps, showed signs of stabilization following a challenging previous year. This development was supported by normalized inventory levels and a cautious recovery of the European market.

Another major strategic milestone during the past fiscal year was the establishment of KEBA Digital. The new business unit was prepared throughout fiscal year 2025/26, formally established towards the end of the fiscal year, and officially introduced to the public in June 2026. For the first time, the KEBA Group is bringing together the commercialization of hardware-independent digital solutions within a dedicated company.

The process, decision-making, and domain expertise that KEBA has built through both its own experience as a manufacturing technology company and its decades of experience as a provider of industrial software and automation solutions forms a key foundation for the new business unit’s ambition: to differentiate itself from other software providers with AI that is genuinely ready for industrial use.

With its solutions, KEBA Digital targets not only manufacturing applications but the entire industrial ecosystem, including the healthcare and financial sectors. KEBA Digital is led by Sulejman Ganibegovic as CEO and Hannes Kaufmann as CTO. Together, they combine extensive experience in building digital products with deep expertise in industrial software and systems. With KEBA Digital, the KEBA Group reinforces its commitment to actively shaping the digital transformation and further strengthening its position as an innovative technology partner.

In addition to establishing KEBA Digital, the Group’s focus on AI is reflected in concrete applications. As early as 2023, the company introduced its first production-ready AI module for industrial automation, which is used in applications such as computer vision, object recognition, and robot guidance. AI is also becoming increasingly important in the Handover Automation business area: with KeBob, KEBA offers an AI-powered assistance system capable of detecting safety-critical situations in self-service zones and other sensitive environments, while also demonstrating potential for a wide range of future applications.

These examples illustrate KEBA’s approach to industrial AI: what matters is not the technology alone, but its practical value in real-world applications. Wherever AI is integrated into machines, equipment, and processes, software and data expertise must be complemented by a deep understanding of industrial operations, safety, and quality. Europe is well positioned in this regard thanks to its strong industrial base, engineering excellence, and decades of experience in mechanical engineering, automation, and manufacturing. As a manufacturing technology company and a long-standing provider of automation and software solutions, KEBA brings this perspective to the development of industrial AI applications.

At the same time, as an AI pioneer, KEBA is increasingly embedding artificial intelligence throughout its own organization. With the AI Insider Community, the company has established an organization-wide platform that brings together expertise, encourages collaboration, and makes AI tangible through external insights and internal best-practice examples. Supported by targeted training, capability-building initiatives, and a dedicated AI Task Force, KEBA empowers its employees to use AI competently and responsibly while continuously expanding the meaningful application of the technology in day-to-day work.

The KEBA Group is broadly positioned internationally: with 28 locations across 16 countries in Europe, the United States, and China, the company has established a strong network in its target markets. This international presence is a key element of the Group’s strategy. It enables close customer relationships, a deeper understanding of regional requirements, and provides the foundation for capitalizing on market opportunities.

The U.S. market continues to gain strategic importance for KEBA. Industrial Automation is already well established there today. Building on this foundation, KEBA intends to gradually expand its market presence—initially through service, sales, and targeted market development, and, in the longer term, through additional local value creation where market size and customer demand justify such investments.

KEBA expects automation, digitalization, energy, and mobility to remain key growth drivers in the years ahead. In the short term, the market environment is expected to remain challenging and vary across regions. In the long term, however, KEBA continues to see strong demand for solutions that make processes more efficient, safer, and smarter.

The Group will therefore continue to invest strategically in research and development, software expertise, artificial intelligence, and international market proximity. The KEBA Group’s broad positioning remains a key factor for stability while also providing the foundation for translating emerging technological opportunities into practical applications at an early stage.