ATS Systems
ATS Systems is a US-based machine tool accessories and CNC automation provider selling workholding, coolant management, bar feeders, and robotic cells to machine shops and manufacturing plants across aerospace, automotive, and medical device end markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersRancho Santa Margarita, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ATS Systems does
ATS Systems is a US-based provider of machine tool accessories and CNC automation, founded in July 2006 when ATS Workholding acquired SMW Systems. The company sells four integrated product lines — Workholding (air chucks, collet chucks, cylinder systems, steady rests such as Omnirest), Coolant Management (CoolJet high-pressure coolant systems, filtration, chillers, CoolVac), Bar Feeders, and Automation (robotic cells and rotary tables) — to machine shops and manufacturing plants across the United States, with select international dealer reach. Its technical portfolio includes patented True Length collet chuck technology and next-generation CoolJet systems launched in November 2021 after five years of R&D, supported by a service team whose technicians average 20+ years of field experience.
The company operates a field-led go-to-market with local managers in 14+ US regions performing in-shop consultations, complemented by a nationwide service team and digital channels (quote, parts, and service request forms) for direct customer engagement. Revenue is generated through equipment sales plus a recurring parts and service tail that spans installation, training, and lifetime support, with pricing provided on a quote basis and a multi-year service relationship on most installations. The company has installed 135,000+ units over 20+ years and claims 50%+ customer productivity gains and 99%+ accessory uptime.
In June 2025, ATS Systems was acquired by Forkardt Hardinge, a machine tool platform backed by Centre Lane Partners, to strengthen the combined entity's position in the machine tool industry. ATS operates as a Forkardt Hardinge company with its headquarters in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, and primary corporate address at 1 Hardinge Drive, Elmira, NY, while continuing to serve its machine shop, manufacturing plant, aerospace, automotive, and medical device customer base.
ATS Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ATS Systems
- Legal name
- ATS Systems
- Website
- https://atssystems.us
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ATS Systems is a US-based machine tool accessories and CNC automation provider selling workholding, coolant management, bar feeders, and robotic cells to machine shops and manufacturing plants across aerospace, automotive, and medical device end markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ATS Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Machine Tool Accessories
- NAICS
- All Other Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (333248), Machine Shops (332710), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)
- SIC
- Machine Tools, Metal Cutting Types (3541), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Metal Cutting Tools, Tooling & Workholding (Cutters, Inserts, Chucks, Fixtures) (IMAHADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- CNC Machine Tools (Turning, Milling, Machining Centers) (IMAHADAA), Motion & Machine Control (CNC, Robotics Controllers, Servo/Motion Controllers) (IMAGABAG)
Keywords
Where ATS Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rancho Santa Margarita
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
ATS Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Machine Tool Accessories and Equipment Sales: ATS Systems generates revenue through the sale of machine tool accessories including workholding solutions (air chucks, collet chucks, cylinder systems, steadyrests), coolant management systems, bar feed systems, robotic cells, and rotary tables.
- Parts and Service: Revenue is generated through the sale of replacement parts and service support including onsite technician visits, installation, training, and ongoing support for the lifetime of the equipment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom quotation-based pricing for machine tool accessories and automation systems |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
ATS Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ATS Systems designs, sells, and services machine tool accessories and automation products for CNC machining operations. Its core offerings include workholding solutions (air chucks, collet chucks, cylinder systems, steady rests), coolant management systems (high-pressure coolant, filtration, chillers, chip vacuums, mist collection, tramp oil removal), automated bar feeders, and robotic cell automation including rotary tables. Products are sold primarily to machine shops and manufacturing plants in the United States and are supported through in-shop sales consultations, equipment installation, training, and a nationwide service technician team.
Product overview
ATS Systems is a machine tool accessories and automation provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of products organized into four main categories: Automation (Robotic Cells, Rotary Tables), Bar Feeders, Coolant Management Systems (CoolJet High Pressure, Filtration Systems, Coolant Chillers, CoolVac), and Workholding (Air Chucks, Collet Chucks, Cylinder Systems, Steadyrests). The company was founded in July 2006 and acquired by Forkardt Hardinge in June 2025. ATS delivers integrated solutions combining equipment, engineering, and ongoing support to increase manufacturing productivity and throughput. Key sub-products include Pull Back Collet Chucks and True Length Collet Chucks under the Collet Chucks category, and the Omnirest Steady Rest under Workholding.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CoolJet: High-pressure coolant systems product line, including CoolJet Ultraflex and next generation CoolJet series introduced in November 2021.
- CoolVac
- Omnirest
- Big Mouth II
- Ultimate Chuck
Products and services
- Robotic Cells Automated robotic cell integrations for CNC machining that deliver precision, consistency, and efficiency in manufacturing operations, enabling lights-out production and reprogrammable automation for custom jobs and short runs.
- Rotary Tables Rotary tables that add 4th and 5th axis capability to machine tools, increasing productivity and enabling multi-sided machining in CNC operations.
- Bar Feeders Automated bar feeding systems that enable CNC lathes to run unattended for extended periods, increasing shop productivity by up to 50% while reducing labor costs and material waste.
- CoolJet High Pressure Coolant Systems High-pressure coolant systems designed to optimize machining efficiency, reduce cycle times, improve surface finish, and extend tool life, with documented outcomes of up to 40% cycle time reduction, 3x–10x tool life increase, 30%+ production gains, and 20%+ speeds/feeds gains.
- Filtration Systems Coolant filtration systems that ensure clean, contaminant-free coolant, extending tool life and improving product quality in machining operations.
- Coolant Chillers Temperature control systems for machining processes that prevent thermal distortion and ensure dimensional precision.
- CoolVac Chip and Sludge Vacuum Portable chip and sludge vacuum system for machine shop maintenance that keeps machine tanks free of chips and contamination, reducing maintenance downtime.
- Air Chucks (Big Mouth II) Self-contained power chucks using compressed air, including the Big Mouth II series with adjustable grip force, built-in cylinder, and big through-hole to reduce time between workpieces and ease chuck operation.
- Collet Chucks Precision collet chucks designed to minimize runout, available in multiple styles (C, J, S) and True Length configurations, ideal for aerospace, automotive, and medical device machining where precision is critical.
- Cylinder Systems Cylinder systems for hydraulic or pneumatic clamping and holding of workpieces during heavy-duty machining applications.
- Omnirest Steady Rests Self-centering steady rests providing support for long workpieces, preventing bending and vibrations to maintain accuracy, with no setup downtime when changing part diameters and interchangeability with earlier models.
- Pull Back Collet Chucks Cost-effective collet chucks available in C, J, and S styles, ideal for first operation work and feed-to-length bar feed applications.
- True Length Collet Chucks Innovative patented collet chucks with fixed collet position ensuring linear accuracy and adjustability for T.I.R., ideal for finishing operations and applications requiring part transfers.
- Ultimate Chuck Quick jaw-change style power chuck introduced in 1976 by SMW Systems, reducing setup downtime on CNC lathes and combining benefits of three-jaw, four-jaw, and collet chucks.
Quantifiable outcome
- 135K+ machine tool accessories and automation systems installed
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use ATS Systems
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ATS Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
ATS Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Forkardt HardingecoreForkardt Hardinge acquired ATS Systems on June 9, 2025, strengthening its position in the machine tool industry and expanding its product and service capabilities. ATS Systems is now positioned as a Forkardt Hardinge company.
- Dimac Tooling Pty LtdminorDimac Tooling Pty Ltd is the Australian international dealer for ATS Systems, located at 69-71 Williams Rd, Dandenong South, VC, Australia, providing service and support for ATS machine tool accessories.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ATS Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Schunk: Schunk is a German-based global manufacturer of workholding, toolholding, and clamping technology for CNC machining. It competes with ATS in chucks, steadyrests, and automation gripping systems, and serves overlapping aerospace, automotive, and medical device machining customers.
- Kitagawa NorthTech: Kitagawa NorthTech is a leading manufacturer of power chucks, collet chucks, cylinders, and steadyrests for CNC lathes and machining centers in North America. It directly competes with ATS across the workholding portfolio and targets the same machine shop and OEM customers.
- Gressel: Gressel is a Swiss manufacturer of mechanical and hydraulic workholding and clamping systems, including centric and pull-down clamping vises. It is a niche but directly comparable peer to ATS in precision workholding for CNC machining operations.
- Allmatic-Jakob Spannsysteme: Allmatic is a German manufacturer of hydraulic and pneumatic chucks, clamping cylinders, and steady rests for CNC turning. It directly competes with ATS in the machine tool workholding segment, particularly in European markets.
- Hainbuch: Hainbuch is a German specialist in workholding and clamping technology, including stationary and rotating chucks, mandrels, and steady rests. It directly competes with ATS in precision workholding for CNC turning operations across industrial customer segments.
- Forkardt (parent): Forkardt is a long-established German manufacturer of workholding chucks, clamping systems, and toolholding used on CNC lathes and machining centers. It acquired ATS in June 2025 but remains an overlapping competitor in workholding globally, with comparable product lines in power chucks and steady rests.
- SMW Autoblok: SMW Autoblok is a global manufacturer of power chucks, steadyrests, and workholding solutions. It is a direct peer of ATS Systems — and notably, SMW Autoblok is the European continuation of the original SMW Systems brand that merged into ATS in 2006, making it the closest historical and product-line counterpart.
- Röhm: Röhm is a German manufacturer specializing in chucks, power chucks, and clamping devices for turning and milling machines. It competes directly with ATS in workholding for CNC lathes and offers comparable products like self-contained power chucks and steadyrests.
Broad incumbents
- Sandvik Coromant: Sandvik Coromant is a leading global tooling manufacturer for metal cutting with extensive offerings in toolholding and workholding adjacencies. While far broader than ATS in cutting tools, it competes at the higher end of integrated tooling solutions for the same CNC machine shops and OEMs.
- Haas Automation: Haas Automation is the largest US-based manufacturer of CNC machine tools (lathes, machining centers, rotary tables). While it sells complete machines rather than accessories, it competes for the same machine shop customer wallet and increasingly bundles its own automation and workholding options.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ATS Systems social profiles
Digital presenceATS Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ATS Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
ATS Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ATS Systems 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 ATS Systems
What does ATS Systems do?
ATS Systems designs, sells, and services machine tool accessories and automation products for CNC machining operations. Its core offerings include workholding solutions (air chucks, collet chucks, cylinder systems, steady rests), coolant management systems (high-pressure coolant, filtration, chillers, chip vacuums, mist collection, tramp oil removal), automated bar feeders, and robotic cell automation including rotary tables. Products are sold primarily to machine shops and manufacturing plants in the United States and are supported through in-shop sales consultations, equipment installation, training, and a nationwide service technician team.
Is ATS Systems a public or private company?
ATS Systems is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was ATS Systems founded?
ATS Systems was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ATS Systems based?
ATS Systems is headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, United States, in the North America region.
How does ATS Systems make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Machine Tool Accessories and Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are parts and Service.
Who are ATS Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Schunk, Kitagawa NorthTech, Gressel, Allmatic-Jakob Spannsysteme, Hainbuch, Forkardt (parent), SMW Autoblok and Röhm. Broad incumbents are Sandvik Coromant and Haas Automation.
Does ATS Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for ATS Systems.
What industry is ATS Systems in?
ATS Systems's product category is Machine Tool Accessories. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHADAB, Metal Cutting Tools, Tooling & Workholding (Cutters, Inserts, Chucks, Fixtures), with a secondary code of IMAHADAA, CNC Machine Tools (Turning, Milling, Machining Centers). Its NAICS code is 333248 and its SIC code is 3541.