IoT Infrastructure.From the Heart of the Ruhr Region.

We bring the 'Internet of Things' to SMEs and industry along the Rhine and Ruhr. No empty promises, just working technology. Your partner for digitalization and LoRaWAN in NRW.

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Industrielandschaft im Ruhrgebiet

Why a Local Partner?

IoT projects are complex. It helps to have a partner who speaks your language and can be on-site quickly. We're not an anonymous cloud company from overseas, but engineers from the neighborhood.

Short Distances

We can be at your location quickly - whether in the Port of Duisburg or a mid-sized company in Sauerland.

Straight Talk

We don't sell buzzwords, we deliver solutions.

Industry Understanding

We know how important legacy equipment (retrofit) is for NRW's economy.

Potential for the Ruhr Metropolis.

How we can support local key industries:

Duisburg / Dortmund

For Logistics & Ports

The Ruhr region is Europe's logistics hub.

Robust tracking solutions for containers and assets, plus parking management for truck areas. We provide the LoRaWAN infrastructure to make goods flows transparent - without expensive cabling across large premises.

Milesight GPS Trackers & Outdoor Gateways.

Essen / Bochum

For Industry & Production

SMEs have machines that run forever - but don't 'talk'.

Retrofit. We equip old presses, pumps, and motors with sensors. We measure vibration and power consumption to prevent downtime (condition monitoring), without interfering with the machine's PLC.

Current transformers & vibration sensors.

Smart City

For Municipalities & Utilities

Cities in transition need efficient management.

Digital water level measurement for rivers (Emscher/Ruhr), irrigation management for urban greenery, or remote meter reading. We build the city-wide network that securely transports this data.

Ultrasonic level sensors & ChirpStack Server.

Technology That Gets Things Done.

Why do we rely on LoRaWAN in the Ruhr region? Because it works where WiFi fails. LoRaWAN penetrates the thick concrete walls of old industrial halls, transmits from basements, and covers huge factory grounds with just one gateway.

Together with our IP67-certified hardware (dust and waterproof), we build systems that withstand the harsh realities of production and outdoor environments.

15+ km

Reichweite

10+ Jahre

Batterie

IP67

Schutzklasse

868 MHz

EU-Frequenz

Active On-Site in NRW.

Our core area covers the entire Ruhr metropolitan region and adjacent industrial areas:

Dortmund & Unna
Bochum & Essen
Duisburg & Oberhausen
Gelsenkirchen & Recklinghausen
South Westphalia & Sauerland

We're happy to come to you for a technical assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers to typical questions from the Ruhr region

Yes, that's exactly our specialty (retrofit). We don't need to access your machine's control system (PLC). We use external sensors (e.g., current transformers, vibration sensors) that are attached magnetically or with clamps. This way, we can make even a 30-year-old stamping press 'smart' without voiding the warranty.
Yes. WiFi and LTE often fail with typical Ruhr region architecture (bunkers, steel halls, deep basements). LoRaWAN uses a lower frequency (868 MHz), which physically penetrates concrete and steel much better. We're happy to conduct a test measurement at your site to prove the coverage.
Definitely. Especially for energy-intensive companies in NRW, this is a main reason. We digitize your main and sub-meters. You see exactly when which system consumes how much electricity, water, or gas. This is the basis for any energy audit and helps avoid peak loads.
The data belongs 100% to you. We build you an infrastructure where the data resides on secure servers (dedicated on request) in Germany. You have full access at all times via open interfaces (API, MQTT) and can export the data to your own systems.
Yes. We want you to understand the system. Since we're 'just around the corner', we're happy to come by for a workshop and show your team how to register new sensors, change batteries, or interpret dashboards. Helping you help yourselves is part of our approach.
No worries. Our industrial gateways have an internal buffer storage. If the internet connection is interrupted (e.g., excavator cuts the line), they store the sensor data locally and send it once the connection is restored. No gaps in the log.
Yes. Since LoRaWAN sensors are battery-powered (years of runtime), you don't need power at the storage location. For the gateway (receiver), we offer self-sufficient solar kits. This way, you can seamlessly monitor even remote container yards or scrap yards at the Port of Duisburg.
Yes. We see ourselves as a 'feeder'. We ensure that the measurement value arrives cleanly in the database. From there, we push the data via modern interfaces (REST API, webhooks) into your warehouse management or ERP system.
Very quickly. Since we rely on standard hardware and are on-site in the Ruhr region, we can often install an initial 'Proof of Concept' (PoC) at your location within 14 days. No months of consulting phases - we set up the gateway and the first data starts flowing.
No. Since we mostly use battery-powered wireless sensors, no cables need to be run. Installation takes place during ongoing operations ('non-invasive installation'). A sensor is often mounted in 5 minutes.
We primarily use Milesight - a Taiwanese manufacturer with excellent quality and a broad portfolio (sensors, gateways, controllers). Milesight is our standard for professional deployments. However, our infrastructure is hardware-agnostic: as long as devices speak open standards like LoRaWAN, MQTT, or HTTP, we can integrate them. This protects you from vendor lock-in.

We work across industries.

IoT projects in every sector. Have a project in mind? Get in touch.

Manufacturing & Production
Logistics & Transport
Healthcare & Care
Agriculture & Farming
Retail & Commerce
Real Estate & Facility
Energy & Utilities
Public Sector & Municipalities
Ports & Maritime Logistics
Cold Chain & Pharma

Don't see your industry? Contact us anyway.

Let's discuss your infrastructure. Digital and on-site.

Whether it's IoT platform development, hardware selection, managed hosting for ChirpStack, ThingsBoard, Grafana or NetBird VPN, or migration from a self-hosted setup - we'll find the right solution for your use case. Book a free 30-minute consultation, no commitment required.

Timo Wevelsiep

Your contact

Timo Wevelsiep

Founder, merkaio

15 minutes, no commitment, directly with Timo.

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