What APC International does

APC International, Ltd. is a privately held manufacturer and supplier of piezoelectric ceramic components headquartered in Mackeyville, Pennsylvania, founded in 1986. The company manufactures five proprietary lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramic materials — APC 840, 841, 850, 855, and 880 — and operates a Lead Zirconate Titanate Powder Manufacturing Facility that enables custom powder development. APC's product portfolio spans piezoelectric ceramics in standard and custom shapes, stack actuators (both discrete and co-fired), ultrasonic air and power transducers, piezo buzzers, disc benders, stripe actuators, shear mode plates, cylinder tubes, nebulizers, and 1-3 regular fiber composite materials produced via a patented Arrange & Fill method.

Technically, APC differentiates through in-house powder manufacturing, a patented 1-3 composite fabrication technique, FEA simulation services calibrated to in-house test data, and expertise in both discrete and co-fired stack actuator architectures with operating voltage ranges from 100V-150V (co-fired) to 500V-1000V (discrete). The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and produces all products in the United States.

APC operates a direct enterprise field sales model with multi-step quote-based pricing driven by custom specifications (shape, dimensions, material, electrode pattern, quantity). Revenue is generated through one-time hardware sales of piezoelectric components and complementary professional services including custom element manufacturing, in-house assembly, FEA simulation, and design/consulting. The company serves a horizontally segmented customer base across industrial and automotive (engine knock sensors, diesel fuel injectors, ultrasonic cleaning), medical and healthcare (diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound, surgical tools), commercial sonar, precision motion and defense, consumer goods, and emerging energy harvesting applications. Distribution is direct only, with no apparent channel intermediaries, and the company claims global reach across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

Name

APC International

Legal name

APC International, Ltd.

Website

https://americanpiezo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

APC International, Ltd. is a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of piezoelectric ceramic components — including five proprietary PZT materials, custom shapes, stack actuators, and ultrasonic transducers — serving industrial, medical, automotive, defense, and consumer markets globally since 1986.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mackeyville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Piezoelectric Ceramic Products and Devices: APC International generates revenue through the sale of piezoelectric ceramic shapes, transducers, and devices. Products include piezoelectric ceramics in standard and custom shapes, stack actuators, ultrasonic air transducers, nebulizers, buzzers, disc benders, bending actuators, ultrasonic cleaning transducers, piezo sensors, and custom transducers. Revenue is primarily one-time hardware sales with custom specifications determining pricing.
2. Custom Manufacturing and Application Services: The company provides custom piezoelectric elements, in-house assembly, and design/consulting services. These professional services complement product sales and include materials development, transducer design, piezo sensor development, and piezo systems optimization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

APC International, Ltd. manufactures and supplies custom piezoelectric ceramic components, transducers, and devices. The company produces five proprietary PZT materials (APC 840, 841, 850, 855, 880) in-house and converts them into standard and custom shapes including buzzers, stack actuators, ultrasonic air transducers, disc benders, nebulizers, cylinder tubes, and shear mode plates. APC complements manufacturing with custom element design, in-house assembly, FEA simulation, and application engineering consulting services.

Product overview

APC International is a leading manufacturer of piezoelectric ceramic shapes, transducers, and devices founded in 1986 and headquartered in Pennsylvania. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of piezoelectric products including buzzers, ultrasonic transducers, stack and stripe actuators, disc benders, air transducers, composite materials, nebulizers, and cylinder tubes. APC manufactures five proprietary PZT materials (APC 840, 841, 850, 855, and 880) and provides custom element manufacturing, in-house assembly, design consulting, and FEA simulation services. The product line also includes supporting tools such as amplifiers, D33 meters, and a piezoelectric calculator. All products are manufactured in the United States with ISO 9001:2015 certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Elements & In-House Assembly
• Piezoelectric Buzzers
• Ultrasonic Power Transducers
• Piezoelectric Stack Actuators
• Disc Benders
• Piezoelectric Air Transducers
• Piezoelectric Composite Materials
• Piezoelectric Cylinder Tubes
• Piezoelectric Amplifiers
• Piezoelectric Nebulizers/Fluid Atomizers
• Shear Mode Piezo Plates
• Stripe Actuators
• Wide Range D33 Meter
• Piezo Soldering Starter Kit
• Design & Consulting Services
• Quick Delivery Piezo Elements
• APC 840 Piezoelectric Material
• APC 841 Piezoelectric Material
• APC 850 Piezoelectric Material
• APC 855 Piezoelectric Material
• APC 880 Piezoelectric Material
• FEA Simulation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Maximum strain (stroke/stack height) can equal up to 0.15-0.20% of stack height for stack actuators
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ultrasonics Industry Association (UIA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC International participates in the Ultrasonics Industry Association (UIA) and has been involved in monitoring and advocating for RoHS exemption 7-C concerning lead in piezoelectric ceramics. The company attends UIA symposia and works with the association on regulatory matters affecting the piezoelectric industry.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PI (Physik Instrumente): PI is a leading global manufacturer of precision motion control solutions built heavily on piezoceramic actuators and nano-positioning stages. It directly competes with APC in piezoelectric stack actuators, shear-mode plates, and custom piezo assemblies for precision instrumentation and semiconductor applications.
• Sensor Technology Ltd: Sensor Technology is a UK-based specialist piezoelectric components manufacturer producing piezoceramic elements and ultrasonic transducers for industrial and scientific applications. Comparable to APC as a focused piezo-component manufacturer serving sonar, NDT, and ultrasonic cleaning customers.
• Channel Industries: Channel Industries is a specialty piezoelectric ceramics manufacturer producing PZT elements, transducers, and custom piezo components for industrial, medical, and underwater applications. Highly comparable to APC as a long-standing niche piezo-only supplier serving sonar and medical ultrasonic customers.
• Ferroperm (part of Meggitt/Honeywell): Ferroperm is a Danish specialist in piezoceramic materials, producing custom PZT formulations, multilayer actuators, and piezo sensors for medical and industrial OEMs. Comparable to APC in proprietary PZT materials, custom element manufacturing, and transducer applications.

Broad incumbents

• CTS Corporation: CTS designs and manufactures a broad portfolio of electronic components including piezoelectric sensors, filters, and actuators across automotive, industrial, and medical end-markets. It is comparable to APC as a piezo component supplier with much broader scale, multiple manufacturing footprints, and overlapping medical/industrial customers.
• TDK Corporation (Piezo & Protection Devices): TDK is a global electronics giant that produces piezoceramic buzzers, transducers, and piezoelectric sensors through its component solutions business. Comparable to APC as a competing manufacturer of PZT-based buzzers, disc benders, and piezo sensors across consumer and industrial markets at much larger scale.
• Morgan Advanced Materials: Morgan Advanced Materials manufactures technical ceramics and piezoelectric components for industrial, medical, defense, and energy applications. Comparable to APC as a specialty ceramics manufacturer with piezo offerings serving overlapping end-markets such as medical imaging, sonar, and aerospace.
• CeramTec: CeramTec is a leading manufacturer of advanced technical ceramics including piezoelectric components for medical, industrial, and electronic applications. Comparable to APC as a piezoceramic supplier serving medical ultrasound, sensors, and industrial markets, though at significantly larger scale with broader ceramic portfolios.
• Meggitt Sensing Systems (Honeywell): Meggitt (now part of Honeywell) supplies piezoelectric sensors and transducers for aerospace, defense, and industrial condition-monitoring applications. Directly comparable to APC in ultrasonic cleaning/sensing transducers and engine/pressure sensors for aerospace and industrial customers.

Emerging players

• Sparkler Ceramics: Sparkler Ceramics manufactures piezoceramic elements, sensors, and transducers primarily serving Asian and emerging markets. Comparable to APC as a piezo-only manufacturer of elements, transducers, and sensors for similar ultrasonic and sensor applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/americanpiezo

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about APC International