Stefan Reuther
Member of the Executive Board at COPA-DATA Headquarters
COPA-DATA, developer and supplier of the zenon software platform for industrial automation, highlights the continued momentum of its global partner ecosystem. The COPA-DATA Partner Community (CDPC) welcomed more than 100 new partner registrations in 2025, alongside 57 partner upgrades. This reflects not only the great commercial growth, but a deeper trend: system integrators and engineering firms around the world are choosing to build long-term business strategies.
14 new Gold partner, 18 Silver and 25 Bronze upgrades – the CDPC is built on a simple but powerful principle: shared growth. Partners gain access to technical expertise, certification programs, joint go-to-market opportunities and a global community of peers. In return, COPA-DATA benefits from partners who bring deep industry knowledge, local market presence and the engineering talent to deliver complex automation projects.
“The COPA-DATA Partner Community is one of our most valuable assets. Not just because of its size, but because of the quality of the relationships and the great work our partners deliver. When a partner succeeds on a project, we succeed together. That is the foundation everything is built on,” says Stefan Reuther, Member of the Executive Board at COPA-DATA Headquarters.
New expertise badges raise the bar for partner qualification
One significant structural change to the CDPC is the introduction of Industry & Application Expertise badges, available to Silver and Gold level partners. Rather than assessing partners solely on their knowledge of the zenon software platform, these badges recognize deep domain expertise – whether that is in pharmaceutical manufacturing, energy and critical infrastructure or food and beverage production.
“For end customers, this creates a faster and more reliable path to finding the right integration partner for a specific project. For partners, it is an opportunity to differentiate themselves and make their specialist capabilities visible at a global level,” examines Manuela Rettenbacher, Business Development Manager and responsible for Global Partners & Alliances at COPA-DATA Headquarters.
The badges are awarded through a structured, collaborative process designed to ensure credibility and relevance.
Partner Awards 2025: Recognizing innovation across energy and manufacturing
The CDPC Partner Awards were celebrated for the first time during zenonIZE25. In the energy and critical infrastructure category, the first place went to SPIE Energotest. The system integrator from Poland engineered a scalable platform for hybrid renewable energy automation – called ECONTROLoze. The system integrates divers renewable energy sources, enables production prediction based on weather and market data and automates cooperation with the Polish power exchange.
Michał Zając from SPIE Energotest receives first place at the CDPC Partner Award at zenonIZE25.
In the manufacturing category, first place went to Memo3, a startup from Switzerland. Their project – a dealcoholizing plant at the Rugenbräu brewery – is using the MTP (Module Type Package) standard natively within zenon. The project reduced engineering and commissioning time by up to 30 percent. This is why it was possible to have the production ready by just two weeks after project start.
The winners were selected by a jury comprising COPA-DATA’s industry management as well as the support and partner management teams with evaluation criteria including innovation, use of the full zenon platform, sustainability impact and engineering efficiency. Further, in the energy category, PROTASIS secured second place, followed by Nidec Conversion in third. In the manufacturing category, Appliant ranked second and Retel Neuhausen third.
Partners delivering impact beyond the award stage
Our partners continue to deliver projects that push the boundaries of what industrial automation software can achieve. Actemium delivered a centralized plant data collection solution for Krombacher, one of Germany’s most recognized breweries. Al-Ojaimi partnered with Saudi Electricity Company to transform electricity supply infrastructure using zenon in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These projects span continents, industries and scales. What they share is a common foundation: partners who combine their own domain expertise with the capabilities of the zenon software platform to deliver measurable, lasting results for their customers.
“What makes me proud is not only the number of partners we have – it is the diversity and ambition of what they are building. From renewable energy clusters in Poland to pharmaceutical digitalization in Spain to cold-ironing ports in Italy. The CDPC is present wherever automation matters,” says Rettenbacher.
Looking ahead
With a growing global network, a more structured partner qualification framework, and a strong track record of award-winning projects, the COPA-DATA Partner Community is entering its next phase from a position of strength. COPA-DATA will continue to invest in tools, programs, and relationships that help partners grow their businesses – and enable customers to find exactly the expertise they need.
The CDPC Partner Award ceremony at zenonIZE25 hosted by Manuela Rettenbacher and Verena Glück.
More information: COPA-DATA Partner Community
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Manuela Rettenbacher
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About COPA-DATA
COPA-DATA is an independent software manufacturer that specializes in digitalization for the manufacturing industry and energy sector. Its zenon® software platform enables users worldwide to automate, manage, monitor, integrate and optimize machines, equipment, buildings and power grids. COPA-DATA combines decades of experience in automation with the potential of digital transformation and a strong drive for sustainability-enabling solutions. In this way, the company supports its customers to achieve their objectives more easily, faster and more efficiently.
The family-owned business was founded by Thomas Punzenberger in 1987 in Salzburg, Austria. In 2024, with more than 450 employees worldwide, it generated revenue of EUR 99 million. A sales network of international distributors and 14 subsidiaries ensures that the software is marketed worldwide. More than 350 certified partner companies further support end users with the efficient implementation of the software, particularly in the key industries of food & beverage, energy & infrastructure, automotive and pharmaceutical.
