Palamatic
Palamatic is a UK-based manufacturer of vacuum lifting and powder handling equipment serving pharmaceutical, food and dairy, and industrial manufacturing customers across 50+ countries; now operating as Schmalz Limited following its January 2022 acquisition by Schmalz Group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersChesterfield, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Palamatic does
Palamatic is a UK-based industrial equipment manufacturer founded in 1985 and headquartered in Chesterfield, England. The company designs and manufactures vacuum lifting and powder handling equipment — including industrial vacuum lifters (PalVac series, up to 350kg), hygienic stainless steel vacuum lifters (PalPharmaVac / PalVac Hygienic), dust-free sack opening systems (PalPowder), and gantry crane systems (PalTrac, covering H-Style, Swing Jib, and Articulated configurations). Core technology is electrically driven vacuum pumps producing suction via pads or gripping devices, controlled by a single operator with 360-degree rotation and built-in safety features. In-house stainless steel fabrication supports custom configurations and rapid prototyping using 3D hardware and software.
The company sells primarily through direct enterprise field sales supplemented by a worldwide distributors network covering 50+ countries. Revenue is generated from one-time equipment sales, custom design services, recurring spares supply, and PalCare after-sales service contracts (including LOLER-compliant safety inspections and a 10% spares discount to contract customers). Customer segments are organized by vertical — pharmaceutical and BioPharma, food and dairy, industrial manufacturing, brewery, woodworking, and nuclear/chemical — with named enterprise clients including GSK, Merck, Arla, ICL, Wren Kitchens, and Bailey of Bristol. Compliance is a primary differentiator: ATEX, GMP, FDA 21 CFR Part 11-compatible materials, COSHH, LOLER, CE, and UKCA certifications open access to regulated, high-margin applications.
In January 2022, Palamatic was acquired by Schmalz Group, the global market leader in vacuum automation; effective March 31, 2025, the UK entity officially trades as Schmalz Limited, expanding the available product portfolio to include Schmalz and Binar Handling products.
Palamatic firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Palamatic
- Legal name
- Schmalz Limited
- Website
- https://palamatic.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Palamatic is a UK-based manufacturer of vacuum lifting and powder handling equipment serving pharmaceutical, food and dairy, and industrial manufacturing customers across 50+ countries; now operating as Schmalz Limited following its January 2022 acquisition by Schmalz Group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Palamatic industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Material Handling Equipment
- NAICS
- Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392), Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)
- SIC
- Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers) (IMAHAGAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Vacuum Pumps & Systems (IMAHANAD), Industrial Vacuum Systems (Wet/Dry, Dust Extraction) (IMAHALAC), Lifting Attachments & Material Handling Accessories (Fork Attachments, Slings, Rigging) (IMAHABAJ)
Keywords
Where Palamatic is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chesterfield
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Palamatic business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Material Handling Equipment Sales: Design, manufacture, and supply of industrial vacuum lifting equipment, hygienic stainless steel vacuum lifters, gantry crane systems, and dust-free sack opening systems. One-time hardware sales with equipment capable of handling 50-350kg depending on product type.
- After Sales Services and Maintenance: Comprehensive after-sales support including on-site consultation, installation, commissioning, operator training, safety inspections, preventative maintenance, upgrades and refurbishments. Offers global servicing through authorized distributors.
- Spare Parts Supply: Supply of spare parts post-manufacture and installation. Service contracts include 10% discount on all spares and parts.
- Custom Design Solutions: Bespoke material handling equipment design and manufacturing services tailored to unique customer requirements, focusing on efficiency, safety, and ergonomics.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Palamatic product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Palamatic designs, manufactures, and supplies industrial vacuum lifting equipment, hygienic stainless steel vacuum lifters, gantry crane systems, and dust-free sack opening systems for material handling across pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, woodworking, and general industrial sectors. The company provides end-to-end service from initial sales enquiry through installation, commissioning, operator training, and after-sales support, complemented by custom design capabilities and a worldwide distributor network. Load capacities range up to 350kg for vacuum lifters and 2000kg for PalPharmaTrac gantry systems.
Product overview
Palamatic is a material handling equipment manufacturer offering a unified portfolio of vacuum lifting and powder handling solutions. The core product line centers on the PalVac Industrial Vacuum Lifters (capable of handling up to 350kg) and the PalPharmaVac/PalPharma hygienic stainless steel range for pharmaceutical and food-grade applications. Supporting the vacuum lifters are PalTrac Gantry Crane Systems (H-Style, Swing Jib, and Articulated configurations) and PalPowder Dust-Free Sack Opening Systems. The PalPharma pharmaceutical sub-brand encompasses specialized equipment including PalPharmaVac, PalPharmaTrac (up to 2000kg), PalPharmaTip, PalPharmAssist, PalPharMassage, PalPharmaMove, PalPharmaHoist, PalPharmaBlend, and PalPharmaBin. The portfolio also includes Food Grade and Fully GMP Vacuum Lifters as well as Inline Vacuum Lifters for sensitive environments. Custom Design & Solutions and PalCare after-sales servicing complete the offering, enabling bespoke configurations and ongoing maintenance including LOLER compliance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PalVac Industrial Vacuum Lifters Industrial vacuum lifting equipment designed for repetitive lifting of sacks, panels, tubes, glass, pallets, and other materials up to 350kg, available in ATEX and GMP-compliant configurations for industrial sectors.
- Hygienic Stainless Steel Vacuum Lifters Stainless steel hygienic vacuum lifters designed for cleanroom environments in pharmaceutical, BioTech, healthcare, medical, fine chemicals, cosmetics, and nuclear industries, featuring FDA-compliant materials, special filtration systems, and hand-demountable parts for simple cleaning and maintenance.
- Food Grade Vacuum Lifters FDA-compliant vacuum lifters specifically designed for food and dairy processing sectors, featuring fully stainless steel construction, ATEX-compliant polished surfaces, and food-grade suction seals.
- Fully GMP Vacuum Lifters Ergonomic FDA-compliant lifting solutions for pharmaceutical, BioTech, cosmetic, and nutraceutical industries, featuring 304 to 316L cGMP finish, safe change filter station, and capability to handle 100kg.
- Inline Vacuum Lifters Lightweight ergonomic vacuum lifters capable of handling 50kg (110lbs), featuring stainless steel design, inbuilt filtration system, 360-degree rotation, and GMP/ATEX compliant configurations.
- PalPharma Pharmaceutical Lifting Range Comprehensive pharmaceutical-grade lifting equipment range including PalPharmaVac (up to 350kg), PalPharmaTrac (up to 2000kg), PalPharmaTip, PalPharmAssist, PalPharmaMassage, PalPharmaMove, PalPharmaHoist, PalPharmaBlend, and PalPharmaBin for lifting, transferring, positioning, dispensing, and mixing sensitive materials in cGMP environments.
- PalPowder Dust-Free Sack Opening Systems COSHH-compliant dust-free sack opening systems for handling products from raw food ingredients to toxic chemicals and high-specification pharmaceuticals, capable of opening 15+ sacks per minute in manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic configurations. Available in ATEX classifications.
- PalTrac Gantry Crane Systems Overhead support systems including H-Style Gantry Cranes, Swing Jib Cranes, and Articulated Jib Cranes for use with vacuum lifters, featuring capacities from 50-350kg, available in mild steel, stainless steel, and carbon fibre configurations with CE/UKCA marking.
- PalCare Support & Servicing Comprehensive after-sales support including on-site servicing, spare parts, LOLER inspections, operator training, preventative maintenance, upgrades, refurbishments, and global distributor network for equipment servicing with 10% discount on spares through service contracts.
- Custom Design & Solutions Bespoke material handling equipment design service utilizing state-of-the-art 3D hardware and software, in-house fabrication and manufacturing capabilities, and custom configurations tailored to unique industrial requirements focusing on efficiency, safety, and ergonomics.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduce manual handling injuries - HSE data shows 24% of all reported injuries are handling-related, with 909,000 working days lost annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Palamatic
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Palamatic technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Palamatic partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Binar HandlingcoreFollowing Palamatic's joining the Schmalz Group, Binar Handling products became part of Palamatic's offering alongside Schmalz products. This expands the product portfolio available to Palamatic customers.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Palamatic competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- J. Schmalz GmbH: Parent company of Palamatic since January 2022 and the global market leader in vacuum automation. Directly comparable as a designer and manufacturer of vacuum lifting systems, vacuum components, and automated handling solutions serving the same end-markets.
- Konecranes: Global leader in overhead cranes and material handling. Overlaps with Palamatic in gantry/jib crane and lifting equipment categories, but operates at far greater scale across industrial service, port solutions and heavy lifting.
Direct peers
- Binar Handling: Swedish manufacturer of vacuum tube lifters and intelligent lifting solutions, now part of the Schmalz Group alongside Palamatic. Closely comparable product portfolio (vacuum tube lifters up to 300 kg) and overlapping pharma/food/industrial customer base.
- TAWI: Swedish-based vacuum lifter and crane manufacturer offering Palfinger's vacuum tube lifters, mobile lifters and jib cranes. Directly competes with Palamatic in pharma, food and general industrial lifting up to 270 kg.
- Anver Corporation: US-based manufacturer of vacuum lifters, vacuum tube lifters, and vacuum components for material handling. Comparable product set across industrial, food-grade and ATEX-rated vacuum lifting configurations.
- Vaculex: Specialist in vacuum tube lifters and tailor-made lifting solutions for boxes, sacks, drums and reels. Now part of Binar Handling/Schmalz Group and a close product-line overlap with Palamatic's PalVac and Pal-U-Lift ranges.
- Aero-Lift: German manufacturer of vacuum tube lifters, jib cranes and complete handling systems. Directly comparable in product scope and target industries (industrial, pharma, food), and a fellow European mid-market specialist.
- Gorbel: US manufacturer of jib cranes, gantry cranes, bridge cranes and ergonomic lifting systems. Directly comparable to Palamatic's PalTrac gantry crane portfolio (H-Style, Swing Jib, Articulated Jib) at overlapping 50–350 kg capacities.
- Spanco: US-based manufacturer of gantry cranes, jib cranes and ergonomic lifting systems. Comparable to Palamatic's PalTrac range in capacity and target end-customers (light industrial, warehousing, manufacturing).
- Webster Griffin: UK-based bag and sack handling equipment manufacturer (Big Bag dischargers, sack openers, conveying). Closely comparable to Palamatic's PalPowder dust-free sack opening systems for chemical, food and pharmaceutical customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Palamatic social profiles
Digital presencePalamatic compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Palamatic financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Palamatic leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Palamatic funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Palamatic M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Palamatic
What does Palamatic do?
Palamatic designs, manufactures, and supplies industrial vacuum lifting equipment, hygienic stainless steel vacuum lifters, gantry crane systems, and dust-free sack opening systems for material handling across pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, woodworking, and general industrial sectors. The company provides end-to-end service from initial sales enquiry through installation, commissioning, operator training, and after-sales support, complemented by custom design capabilities and a worldwide distributor network. Load capacities range up to 350kg for vacuum lifters and 2000kg for PalPharmaTrac gantry systems.
Is Palamatic a public or private company?
Palamatic is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Palamatic founded?
Palamatic was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Palamatic based?
Palamatic is headquartered in Chesterfield, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Palamatic make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Material Handling Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are after Sales Services and Maintenance, spare Parts Supply and custom Design Solutions.
Who are Palamatic's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are J. Schmalz GmbH and Konecranes. Direct peers are Binar Handling, TAWI, Anver Corporation, Vaculex, Aero-Lift, Gorbel, Spanco and Webster Griffin.
Does Palamatic have an API?
No public API is recorded for Palamatic.
What industry is Palamatic in?
Palamatic's product category is Industrial Material Handling Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAGAN, Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers), with a secondary code of IMAHANAD, Vacuum Pumps & Systems. Its NAICS code is 33392 and its SIC code is 3530.