What Piab Group Holding does

Piab Group Holding is a Swedish vacuum automation company founded in 1951 and headquartered in Täby, Sweden, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Patricia Industries (part of Investor AB). The company designs and manufactures vacuum pumps and ejectors (piCOMPACT, piCLASSIC Neo, piEVO, piINLINE), suction cups and soft grippers (featuring proprietary DURAFLEX material across BXP, BLFF, BCP, PX, and XLF-SL families), robot and cobot gripping solutions (piCOBOT, piCOBOT L, piCOBOT Electric), and vacuum conveyors for bulk powders, granules, and small parts (piFLOW family). Its technical platform is anchored on proprietary COAX vacuum generation technology, which reduces compressed-air consumption while maintaining lifting performance, and piSAVE energy-saving functions including sense valves for single/double picking. Piab sells configurable products through a global field-sales organization, a partner/distributor network, and web-based configurators (OVM Pro 3D, piGRIP), targeting industrial enterprises across automotive, battery manufacturing, food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, logistics, packaging, plastics, chemical, and metal additive manufacturing verticals.

The company monetizes primarily through hardware sales of vacuum automation equipment, supplemented by an aftermarket stream of spare parts and service contracts (e.g., piFLOWp SMART spare-part commitments through 2035). Pricing is quote-based rather than list, reflecting the project-specific configuration of industrial automation deployments. Piab pursues a hybrid organic-plus-acquisition growth strategy, having added Joulin (2022, SEK 560M, wood/end-of-line gripping), COVAL (2023, vacuum automation components), Tianjin FeiYun (Aug 2024, SEK 650M, 80% stake, Chinese vacuum conveyors), and Alum-A-Lift (Aug 2024) to expand its geographic and product footprint.

Operationally, Piab runs an international footprint with 501-1,000 employees and offices, manufacturing, and supply units across Sweden (Täby, Danderyd, Kungsbacka), Germany (Butzbach ESU, relocated November 2025), the United States (Canton, Hickory, Winston-Salem), France (Etampes, Ancenis, Montelier/COVAL), Italy (Due Carrare), Spain (Barcelona), India (Pune), Singapore, and China. The company pursues a clear platform thesis: integrate acquired regional players while standardizing around COAX, piSAVE, DURAFLEX, and certified cobot integrations (Universal Robots, ABB, FANUC) to position Piab as a global, multi-vertical vacuum automation platform.

Name

Piab Group Holding

Legal name

Piab AB

Website

https://piab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Piab Group Holding is a Swedish-founded (1951) manufacturer of vacuum automation solutions — pumps, ejectors, suction cups, cobot grippers, and conveyors — serving industrial enterprises across automotive, battery, food & beverage, pharma, logistics, packaging, and chemical sectors globally, owned by Patricia Industries (Investor AB).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Vacuum Automation Equipment

NAICS

Fluid Power Pump and Motor Manufacturing (333996), Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)

akta.pro primary industry

Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers) (IMAHAGAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vacuum Pumps & Systems (IMAHANAD), Pneumatic Components (FRLs, Cylinders, Valves) (IMAHAGAC)

Keywords

• Vacuum automation solutions
• Industrial vacuum pumps
• Suction cup technology
• Cobot gripping systems
• Vacuum conveyor systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Täby

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Vacuum Automation Hardware Sales: Piab generates primary revenue from selling vacuum pumps, ejectors, suction cups, robot grippers, vacuum conveyors, and related components. Products are sold directly to industrial customers through field sales and indirectly through distributors. The company grows organically and through acquisitions.
2. Spare Parts and Service: Ongoing revenue from spare parts, replacements, and service contracts for installed base. The company maintains service commitments for existing installations (e.g., piFLOWp SMART spares until 2035).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Piab Group designs, manufactures, and sells vacuum automation components and systems, including vacuum pumps and ejectors, suction cups and soft grippers, robot and cobot gripper units, and vacuum conveyors for bulk powders, granules, and small parts. The portfolio is sold to industrial manufacturers worldwide across automotive, battery, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, logistics, chemical, packaging, plastics, and metal additive manufacturing industries, supported by proprietary COAX vacuum generation technology, DURAFLEX materials, and the OVM Pro 3D design tool.

Product overview

Piab Group Holding offers a comprehensive portfolio of vacuum automation solutions organized around several core technology platforms. The product ecosystem centers on vacuum pumps and ejectors (including piCOMPACT, piCLASSIC Neo, piINLINE, and piEVO series), suction cups and soft grippers (featuring DURAFLEX material technology across bellows, flat, oval, and specialized families like BXP, BLFF, BCP, and PX), robot and cobot gripping solutions (piCOBOT, piCOBOT L, and piCOBOT Electric lines), and vacuum conveyors for bulk powders and granules (piFLOW family including piFLOWc21 compact model). The portfolio also includes the Kenos vacuum gripping systems brand and specialized solutions like the Cobot Palletizing Tool (CPT) and various accessories. Supporting technologies include COAX vacuum generation, piSAVE energy-saving functions, and OVM Pro 3D configuration software. Recent strategic acquisitions (COVAL, Joulin, Tianjin FeiYun) have expanded capabilities in vacuum automation components, wood industry automation, and powder handling equipment. The company serves diverse industries including automotive, packaging, food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, logistics, battery manufacturing, and chemical processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kenos: Vacuum gripping systems brand including KVG (Kenos Vacuum Gripper), KMG (Kenos MiniGrip), KFG (Kenos FlexiGrip), and KCM (Kenos Cobot Medium) product lines for industrial automation applications.
• COVAL

Products and services

• Vacuum Pumps and Ejectors Complete range of vacuum pumps and ejectors including piCOMPACT, piCLASSIC Neo, piINLINE, piSTAMP and COAX technology-based solutions for industrial automation applications across automotive, packaging, plastics, and conveying.
• Suction Cups and Soft Grippers Extensive range of suction cups including bellows, flat, oval, and special purpose cups, plus soft grippers, featuring DURAFLEX material technology for industrial picking and handling.
• piCOBOT Vacuum Gripper Unit Vacuum ejector unit with integrated controls, large visual status indicators and user-friendly display, configured for any collaborative robot and smaller industrial robots via ISO 9409-1 mounting.
• piCOBOT L Vacuum Gripper Unit Powerful vacuum pump unit for maximum usage of cobot/small robot capacity up to 16 kg (35 lb) in harsh environments for packaging, palletizing, part assembly, and machine tending.
• piCOBOT Electric Vacuum Gripper Unit Fully electric vacuum pump unit that maximizes lifting qualities of cobots without compressed air, with lightweight design and energy efficiency for clean automation cells.
• Cobot Palletizing Tool (CPT) Compact all-in-one tool with extended reach for cobot-assisted palletizing, featuring multi-zone gripper surface that picks multiple boxes in a single move with extended cobot reach up to 100mm.
• piFLOW Vacuum Conveyors Vacuum conveyors for bulk powders, granules, and small parts, with complete family including piFLOWp (pharmaceutical), piFLOWt (industrial), piFLOWf (food grade), and piFLOWc models for various industrial conveying applications.
• piFLOWc21 Compact 316L Vacuum Conveyor Compact 316L vacuum conveyor built for small batches, tight spaces, and seamless OEM-machine integration, with ultra-low build height for space-restricted production lines.
• piEVO Vacuum Ejector Pump Configurable vacuum ejector pump developed for pneumatic vacuum conveyors in demanding powder and granule applications, delivering fast-response, reliable vacuum generation with easy retrofits.
• DFE Vacuum Pump Compact and stackable Dual Function Ejector vacuum pump engineered for durability and versatility in industrial automation.
• piCLASSIC Neo Vacuum Pump Latest evolution of piCLASSIC vacuum pump designed for modern and sustainable vacuum technology with integrated energy-saving functions.
• piCOMPACT 23 SMART Ejector Compact and stackable ejector with smart valve technology for automotive, packaging, and plastics applications, available with IO-link Class B for industrial connectivity.
• BLFF Suction Cups High-flow suction cup family engineered for deep vacuum, stable handling, and adaptability in demanding logistics and packaging environments, available in Ø42 and Ø55 sizes.
• BCP Suction Cup Family Long-stroke, stable and sustainable suction cup family dedicated to fast, reliable automated handling of corrugated cardboard boxes in packaging and intralogistics.
• piSOFTGRIP Soft Gripper Family Soft gripper family for delicate handling of food, chocolate, and other sensitive items, with piSOFTGRIP 40-3 model featuring food-approved materials and Ø40mm gripping capacity.
• XLF-SL Single Lip Suction Cups Single-lip Nitrile-PVC suction cup family designed for clearly defined lifting performance when handling heavy, flat materials such as glass and sheet metal.
• BXP ESD Suction Cups Modular suction cups with integrated ESD protection for safe handling of sensitive components in batteries, fuel cells, and electronics.
• Kenos Cobot Medium (KCM) Cobot-compatible vacuum gripper combining low weight and up to 66 lb payload with modular valve options and PCOF compatibility for flexible, high-performance cobot handling.
• Kenos Vacuum Gripping Systems Complete line of Kenos-brand vacuum gripping systems including KVG (Vacuum Gripper), KMG (MiniGrip), KFG (FlexiGrip), and KCM (Cobot Medium) for various industrial automation applications.
• Piab Bulk Bag Unloader Robust, dependable solution for safe, efficient emptying of big bags in demanding industrial environments, currently available only in Europe.
• Piab Sintered Filter PFAS-free polyethylene sintered filter for vacuum conveyors with no glued joints or seams, NFC-enabled traceability, and durability up to 121°C cleaning for food, pharma, and chemical plants.
• piSAVE ESS and piSAVE ESL Standalone Energy-Saving Units Standalone energy-saving units (piSAVE ESS and piSAVE ESL) making the energy-saving functions known from the piCLASSIC Neo platform available as flexible, independent units for integration into various applications.
• OVM Pro 3D Virtual Vacuum System Designer Online tool for designing, testing, and refining vacuum systems in a virtual environment before physical implementation using Piab's range of ejector pumps, suction cups, grippers, fittings, and accessories.
• LBG-50 Lightweight Bag Gripper Pre-engineered lightweight bag gripper designed for end-of-line palletizing of bagged products, strengthening Piab's grip on palletizing solutions.
• piGRIP Configurable Suction Cups Configurable suction cup system allowing customization for specific application needs through modular components selected via the piGRIP configurator.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cobot reach extension up to 100mm (4 inches) with CPT palletizing tool off-center design
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tianjin FeiYun Powder Equipment Co., LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 August 2024Acquired 80% stake in August 2024 for approximately SEK 650 million. FeiYun is a Chinese manufacturer of vacuum conveyors serving additive manufacturing, battery, chemical, food & beverage, and pharma industries. Adds local growth platform, technology, and customer base in China.
• InterChina PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Financial and strategic advisory firm that advised Piab Group on the acquisition of Tianjin FeiYun Powder Equipment Co., Ltd in August 2024.
• COVALcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Acquired in March 2023. COVAL is described as a major global player in vacuum automation components and systems, expanding Piab's product portfolio and market presence.
• JoulincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Acquired by Piab in 2022 for approximately SEK 560 million. Joulin is a provider of vacuum gripping solutions for the wood industry and end-of-line applications. Deal aimed at strengthening Piab's leadership in automated gripping and moving solutions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vac-U-Max: US manufacturer of vacuum conveyors for bulk powders and granules, plus related industrial vacuum equipment. Vac-U-Max competes directly with Piab's piFLOW family in food, pharma, chemical, and plastics powder handling.
• Schunk: German clamping technology and gripping systems specialist with a vacuum gripper line (Schunk VacuMaster). Schunk competes with Piab in robotic and cobot vacuum gripping, particularly for industrial automotive and handling applications.
• DESTACO: US-based workholding and end-of-arm tooling provider with vacuum cup and gripper product lines for industrial automation. DESTACO competes with Piab in robotic material handling and automotive press-shop applications.
• Schmalz: German family-owned vacuum automation specialist offering vacuum pumps, suction cups, grippers, and vacuum conveyors. Schmalz is Piab's most direct global competitor, with overlapping product portfolios and shared end-markets in packaging, automotive, and intralogistics.

Broad incumbents

• Parker Hannifin: US motion and control technologies conglomerate with a substantial vacuum and pneumatics division. Parker competes with Piab in industrial vacuum pumps, ejectors, and suction cups, particularly for OEM and automotive customers.
• Festo: Global German pneumatics and automation giant with a comprehensive vacuum component portfolio (vacuum generators, suction cups, grippers) sold alongside broader pneumatics, electric automation, and process control. Festo is a broad incumbent where vacuum is one of many product lines.
• SMC Corporation: Japanese pneumatics leader and the world's largest pneumatics manufacturer. SMC offers vacuum pumps, suction cups, and grippers within a much broader industrial automation catalog, competing with Piab especially in Asian and standard component segments.

Others

• Coval: French vacuum automation components and systems manufacturer now owned by Piab Group (acquired March 2023). Retained as a sub-brand, COVAL remains relevant as a directly comparable vacuum components specialist with overlapping customer base.

Regional players

• Goudsmit Magnetics: Dutch industrial magnet and vacuum handling specialist serving European metal handling, automotive, and recycling markets. Goudsmit is a regional peer in vacuum gripper technology with overlapping European end-customers.

Emerging players

• OnRobot: Danish collaborative robot end-effector specialist offering vacuum grippers, force/torque sensors, and grippers for cobots. OnRobot overlaps directly with Piab's piCOBOT and piSOFTGRIP product lines for cobot material handling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/piabvacuum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/piab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A5 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Piab Group Holding