What Sukup Manufacturing does

Sukup Manufacturing Co. is the world's largest family-owned and operated manufacturer of grain storage, drying, and handling equipment, founded in 1963 by Eugene and Mary Sukup and headquartered in Sheffield, Iowa. The company designs and fabricates steel grain bins, mixed-flow, cross-flow, and tower dryers, and a complete suite of material handling equipment including sweep unload systems, conveyors, fans, heaters, and stirring machines, backed by more than 100 U.S. patents and proprietary control platforms such as the QuadraTouch Pro with S.M.A.R.T. Loop moisture management. Production runs across more than one million square feet of manufacturing space in Sheffield, Manly, and Hampton, Iowa, using welding robots, CNC machining, lasers, and roll-forming equipment fed by 100% American-made steel coils. The product portfolio also extends to pre-engineered steel buildings and the Safe T Home humanitarian housing structure. The company sells exclusively through an independent dealer network spanning 87+ countries, with international operations anchored by Sukup Europe/DanCorn in Hedensted, Denmark. Revenue is generated through hardware sales of large-ticket agricultural equipment to two principal segments: on-farm operators requiring grain storage, drying, and handling solutions, and commercial customers such as grain cooperatives, ethanol producers, and agricultural integrators. Pricing is quote-based through dealers, with equipment financing available through third-party agricultural lenders, and the company is led by Steve Sukum as President and CEO following a 2024 succession that introduced Tom Mangan, with Charles Sukum serving as Chairman of the Board.

Name

Sukup Manufacturing

Legal name

Sukup Manufacturing Co.

Website

https://sukup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Sukup Manufacturing is a family-owned, Iowa-based manufacturer of grain storage, drying, and handling equipment, selling steel bins, dryers, conveyors, and steel buildings through an independent dealer network serving farmers and commercial operators across more than 87 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Grain Storage and Handling Equipment

NAICS

Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing (3331), Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Grain Dryer Systems Integration & Installation (AFAOAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Low-Temperature/In-Bin Grain Drying Systems (AFAOAKAH)

Keywords

• Grain storage equipment
• Grain drying systems
• Grain handling conveyors
• Steel agricultural buildings
• Commercial grain bins

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Grain Storage Equipment Sales: Sukup generates revenue primarily through the sale of grain bins, dryers, and grain handling equipment. Products are sold through an extensive dealer network. Manufacturing is done at headquarters in Sheffield, Iowa using 100% American-made steel coils.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sukup Manufacturing Co. designs, manufactures, and sells grain bins, grain dryers, grain handling equipment, material handling conveyors, and pre-engineered steel buildings for agricultural and commercial operations. The company also produces the Safe T Home® humanitarian shelter from grain bin technology. All products are manufactured at the Sheffield, Iowa headquarters and sold through an extensive dealer network in more than 87 countries.

Product overview

Sukup Manufacturing Co. is the world's largest family-owned and operated manufacturer of grain storage, drying, and handling equipment. The product portfolio consists of three integrated lines: Farm products (grain bins, dryers, grain handling, and material handling equipment), Commercial products (larger-scale bins, dryers, and material handling for industrial operations), and Steel Buildings. Core products include stiffened and non-stiffened grain bins in various sizes, multiple dryer technologies (Mixed-Flow, Cross-Flow, Tower, Centrifugal, Axial, and Stacked configurations), and a comprehensive suite of grain handling equipment including Airways aeration systems, axial and centrifugal fans/heaters, Fastir stirring machines, Spredway grain spreaders, and various unload systems (Sweepway, U-Trough, Paddle Sweepway). Material handling includes chain loop, double run, drag, and triple run conveyors. The proprietary QuadraTouch Pro™ control system with S.M.A.R.T. Loop™ technology integrates across dryer products. Additionally, the company produces Safe T Home® humanitarian housing and maintains Sukup Europe/DanCorn operations in Denmark.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Safe T Home®: Hurricane-proof housing structures designed for disaster relief, built using grain bin technology. The company partners with GoServ Global to distribute these structures internationally, with nearly 400 built worldwide including over 300 in Haiti.

Products and services

• Farm Grain Bins Steel grain storage bins for on-farm use, available in non-stiffened, stiffened, and hopper configurations ranging from 15' to 48' diameter, designed for drying, wet holding, and long-term storage.
• Stiffened Farm Bins Economical stiffened grain bins using lighter gauge sidewall sheets with structural stiffeners, designed for drying, wet holding, and storage applications on the farm.
• Mixed-Flow Grain Dryer Patented dryer combining mixed-flow drying technology with vacuum-cooling, delivering high test-weight grain with reduced fuel consumption and no screens to clog; covered by U.S. Patent #10,378,820.
• Farm Grain Dryers Grain drying equipment for farms including Mixed-Flow, Cross Flow, Tower, Centrifugal, Axial, and Stacked dryer configurations to match farm capacity needs.
• Fastir® Stirring Machine In-bin stirring machine that mixes grain to achieve uniform moisture content, reduce drying time, and break up hot spots during storage; Iowa State University tests showed a 33% increase in airflow when used with a powered spreader.
• Spredway® Grain Spreader Grain spreader with patented pre-spread ring and inner ring that distributes fines evenly within storage bins, attaching securely without interfering with closing the bin lid.
• Airways® Aeration System Perforated triangular air tubes that pipe drying air along bin walls to remove condensation and prevent wall spoilage during grain storage.
• Axial Fans & Heaters Axial fans and heaters for grain aeration and in-bin drying, with cast aluminum blades and built-in safety controls for efficient airflow and heat distribution.
• Centrifugal Fans & Heaters Heavy-duty centrifugal fans and heaters designed for deeper grain depths requiring high static pressure, featuring backward-curved airfoil blades for high airflow efficiency.
• Sweepway® Power Sweep Zero-entry bin unloading system with exclusive polyurethane 16:1 reduction drive-wheel and patented scrapers (U.S. Patent #6,254,329) for safe, efficient grain removal from the bin floor.
• U-Trough Powersweep High-capacity bin unloading system moving up to 6,000 bushels per hour, with pivoting design, rack and pinion controls, and an optional paddle sweep for unloading performance.
• Cyclone Pneumatic Conveying System Air-based grain conveying system with a heavy-duty blower, rotary airlock, and cyclone separator for flexible routing of grain between bins and across the site.
• Chain Loop Conveyor All-in-one chain loop conveyor system for filling, unloading, blending, and transferring grain with minimal power consumption and gentle grain handling characteristics.
• Double Run Conveyor Double run conveyor system designed to reduce grain damage while maximizing throughput, replacing multiple augers with one integrated handling line.
• Drag Conveyors Horizontal drag conveyors for grain transportation with a removable bearing and shaft assembly for simplified maintenance and reduced downtime, plus a patented cover design.
• Triple Run Conveyor Multi-functional low-profile triple run conveyor for receiving, reclaiming, and conveying grain with self-cleaning sections and 17-inch floor clearance for pit installations.
• Commercial Grain Bins Large-scale steel grain storage bins for commercial agriculture operations, including heavy-duty hopper bins and million-bushel capacity configurations with IAS AC472 accreditation.
• Commercial Grain Dryers High-capacity commercial drying solutions including tower dryers and scaled-up versions of farm dryer models for grain elevators, ethanol plants, and cooperatives.
• Commercial Material Handling Equipment Industrial-grade material handling equipment for commercial operations including bucket elevators, catwalks, enclosed belt conveyors, and support towers.
• Support Towers Hot-dipped galvanized steel support structures engineered to support bucket elevators and related equipment, eliminating the need for guying cables in commercial installations.
• Steel Buildings Pre-engineered steel building structures for agricultural and commercial applications, manufactured with BS EN 1090 structural steel certification.
• QuadraTouch Pro™ Dryer Control System Proprietary touchscreen control system for Sukup grain dryers featuring S.M.A.R.T. Loop™ moisture control technology for automated drying management and consistent grain moisture.
• Safe T Home® Hurricane-proof housing structure made from repurposed grain bin technology, designed for post-disaster relief and affordable housing; distributed through the GoServ Global nonprofit partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12-fold growth since 2012
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sukup Europe/DanCorncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Sukup established Sukup Europe/DanCorn in Hedensted, Denmark in 2015 to serve European markets. This subsidiary serves as the regional headquarters for European operations.
• GoServ GlobalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partnership for Safe T Home distribution. Sukup partners with GoServ Global to distribute hurricane-proof Safe T Home structures for post-disaster relief internationally. Over 400 Safe T Homes built worldwide including 300+ in Haiti.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Westeel (Viterra): Westeel is one of Canada's largest manufacturers of grain storage and handling steel, competing with Sukup particularly in the North American market through dealer networks and on similar commercial bin tenders.
• Cimbria (AGCO): Cimbria manufactures grain handling, drying, and storage equipment primarily for European and emerging markets, making it a regional competitor to Sukup's international expansion through Sukup Europe/DanCorn.

Direct peers

• Brock Grain Systems (CTB Inc.): Brock manufactures grain bins, dryers, and material handling systems and is one of Sukup's most direct US competitors. Operated within CTB, a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, it shares Sukup's focus on on-farm and commercial grain infrastructure.
• MFS / Stormor (Shivvers): MFS/Stormor manufactures grain bins, dryers, and in-bin drying systems — competing with Sukup across both on-farm storage and grain drying, including low-temperature and stirred bin technologies.
• Behlen Mfg. Co. Behlen manufactures grain bins, grain handling equipment, and steel buildings from Nebraska, directly competing with Sukup across farm and commercial grain storage as well as pre-engineered metal buildings.
• Superior Grain Equipment: Superior Grain Equipment manufactures grain bins, dryers, and material handling systems primarily for the US farm market, making it a close product-line competitor to Sukup's Farm segment.
• GSI (AGCO Grain & Protein): GSI is a leading global manufacturer of grain storage, drying, and handling equipment and a direct competitor to Sukup across bins, dryers, conveyors, and material handling. As a division of AGCO, it competes head-to-head on large commercial projects and dealer channels.
• Chief Industries: Chief's Agri/Industrial division produces grain storage bins, dryers, and steel buildings — overlapping directly with Sukup's three core product lines and serving similar farm and commercial customers in the US Midwest.

Broad incumbents

• Butler Manufacturing (BlueScope): Butler is a major pre-engineered steel building manufacturer that overlaps with Sukup's Steel Buildings line; it serves a much broader commercial construction customer base but is a recognized incumbent in agricultural steel structures.
• AGCO Corporation: AGCO is a global agricultural equipment major and parent of GSI; it competes broadly with Sukup via its Grain & Protein division and uses scale advantages in dealer, parts, and financing networks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SukupMfg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/SukupMfg
• Facebookfacebook.com/SukupMfg
• Instagraminstagram.com/sukupmfg

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sukup Manufacturing