What Whiting Corporation does

Whiting Corporation is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of railcar maintenance equipment, headquartered in Monee, Illinois, with primary manufacturing operations in a 200,000-square-foot ISO 9001:2015-certified facility in nearby Crete, Illinois. The company designs, builds, and services custom-built electromechanical and hydraulic lifting equipment for freight railroads (Class 1-3 and short-line), transit and commuter rail agencies, railcar builders, and independent maintenance shops. Equipment is built around a proprietary buttress thread jack screw design used in portable electric jacks since the 1920s, with no reported screw failures in over 90 years, and is engineered for 40-50+ year service lives.

The core product portfolio includes portable electric jacks (25-60 ton), drop tables (single to triple axle, 30-100 ton), car hoist systems, body and truck repair hoists, turntables, transfer tables, hydraulic RIP jacks, MacJacks, traversing jacks, railcar movers, rail retarder systems, and locomotive pilot plate straighteners. Underlying platform features include PLC-controlled safety interlocks, remote monitoring and diagnostics, and 3D modeling for design iteration. The company also supplies OEM replacement parts for both railcar lifting and metallurgical equipment (furnaces, cupolas, ladles, AOD vessels), and operates Whiting Services, providing inspections (RHIP), modernizations, installations, and 24/7 emergency repair through five regional offices across the U.S. Whiting expanded its hydraulic capabilities through the 2016 acquisition of L.B. Foster's railcar repair assets, and also owns Handling Specialty Manufacturing, a subsidiary producing custom heavy-duty automated guided vehicles for adjacent industries.

Whiting generates revenue through three streams: (1) one-time capital sales of custom-built equipment under multi-year contracts via direct enterprise field sales; (2) OEM replacement parts sold through a dedicated parts department; and (3) professional services through Whiting Services. Distribution is direct, supplemented by active participation in major industry trade shows (Railway Interchange, ASLRRA, AREMA, NRC-REMSA, APTA Rail). The customer base includes named enterprises such as Union Pacific and Valley Metro (Phoenix), alongside short-lines, transit agencies, and independent shops across North America.

Name

Whiting Corporation

Legal name

Whiting Corporation

Website

https://whitingcorp.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Whiting Corporation is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of custom-built railcar maintenance equipment — including portable electric jacks, hoists, drop tables, and hydraulic lifts — serving freight railroads, transit agencies, railcar builders, and independent maintenance shops across North America with OEM parts and nationwide service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railcar Maintenance Equipment

NAICS

Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923), Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance (8113)

SIC

Railroad Equipment (3743), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)

akta.pro primary industry

Freight Wagon (Railcar) Maintenance & Repair (TLAKAIAB)

Keywords

• Railcar maintenance equipment
• Rail lifting systems
• Overhead railcar jacks
• OEM rail replacement parts
• Rail maintenance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Crete

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Railcar Maintenance Equipment (Hardware): Custom-built-to-order railcar lifting equipment including portable electric jacks, drop tables, car hoists, body hoists, truck repair hoists, turntables, transfer tables, and traversing jacks. Equipment is sold as one-time capital purchases to freight railroads, transit agencies, and maintenance shops. Both electromechanical and hydraulic-powered options are available in various capacities.
2. OEM Replacement Parts: Top-quality OEM replacement parts for Whiting railcar lifting equipment as well as metallurgical equipment (furnaces, cupolas, ladles, transfer cars). Parts are sold individually as needed for maintenance and repairs. Also includes replacement parts for non-Whiting manufacturers' equipment. Whiting is the only OEM provider for original parts for its equipment.
3. Rail Maintenance Services (Whiting Services / WSI): Comprehensive rail maintenance services including inspections (RHIP program), repairs, emergency breakdown service (24/7), installation and commissioning, equipment modernizations, equipment rebuilds, operator training, and optimized maintenance plans. Services are provided by a nationwide network of technicians with five regional offices.
4. Hydraulic Railcar Equipment (Acquired L.B. Foster Assets): Hydraulic railcar and locomotive repair equipment including MacJacks, RIP jacks, traversing jacks, and railcar movers/pullers. Expanded through the 2016 acquisition of L.B. Foster hydraulic railcar repair assets, with key employees retained in the Pittsburgh, PA area.
5. Metallurgical Equipment OEM Parts: OEM replacement parts for metallurgical equipment including Hydro-Arc Electric Furnaces, Channel-Type Induction Furnaces, cupolas, ladles, transfer cars, and AOD vessels. Whiting is the original provider and only OEM for these parts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Whiting Corporation designs, manufactures, and installs custom-built railcar maintenance and lifting equipment—including portable electric jacks, drop tables, car hoists, body hoists, truck repair hoists, transfer tables, turntables, and hydraulic railcar lifting systems such as RIP jacks, MacJacks, traversing jacks, and railcar movers—for freight railroads, transit agencies, railcar builders, and independent maintenance shops. The company also supplies OEM replacement parts for its equipment and for legacy metallurgical equipment, and provides nationwide installation, inspection, modernization, and 24/7 emergency repair services through Whiting Services.

Product overview

Whiting Corporation is a manufacturer of railcar maintenance equipment offering a comprehensive portfolio of lifting solutions for freight railroads, transit agencies, and independent maintenance shops. The core product line centers on electromechanical and hydraulic railcar lifting equipment including Portable Electric Jacks (25-60 tons), Drop Tables (single/dual/triple axle, 30-100 tons), Car Hoist Systems, Body Hoists, Truck Repair Hoists, Transfer Tables, and Turntables. The hydraulic product line includes RIP Jacks, Mobile Articulated Car Jacks (MacJacks), Traversing In-Floor Jacks, Rail Retarder Systems, and Railcar Movers. Supporting the equipment portfolio is a full-service organization offering the Rail Health Inspection Program (RHIP), installation and commissioning, emergency breakdown services, and modernization capabilities. As the OEM, Whiting also supplies replacement parts for both railcar lifting equipment and metallurgical equipment. Through its Handling Specialty subsidiary, the company offers custom heavy-duty Automated Guided Vehicles for broader manufacturing applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RHIP (Rail Health Inspection Program): Comprehensive equipment inspection and maintenance program offering analysis of all rail maintenance equipment to identify urgent needs and budget for future items.
• Handling Specialty Manufacturing

Products and services

• Portable Electric Jacks Electromechanical railcar and locomotive jacks ranging from 25 to 60 tons capacity, featuring the proprietary buttress thread design for reliable load-lifting, used for building, maintenance, and overhaul of rail freight and passenger cars.
• Drop Tables (Single Axle and Full Truck) Equipment for removal, inspection, maintenance, and repair of locomotive or rolling stock wheelsets; available in single, double, or triple axle configurations with capacities from 30 to 100 tons.
• Car Hoist Systems Heavy-duty railcar lifting equipment for freight and transit sectors, available in deep and shallow pit designs and standard or C-frame (pass thru) configurations for elevating railcars for maintenance access.
• Body Hoists and Supports Equipment used in conjunction with car hoists to provide body and truck separation and easy change out of truck sets during railcar maintenance operations.
• Truck Repair Hoists Electro-mechanical hoists ranging from 9 to 22 tons, designed to provide convenient access height for inspection, maintenance, and repair of railcar trucks and bogies.
• Railroad Transfer Tables Equipment for maintaining traffic flow between tracks in car repair or maintenance shops, available in standard and pit-less designs.
• Railroad Turntables Center-mounted turntables for rotating railcar trucks, available in manual or motorized configurations, designed for the heavy demands of transit and freight maintenance shops.
• Hydraulic RIP Jacks Repair-In-Place (RIP) hydraulic jacks that raise railcars off tracks for underbody access, featuring remote console operation for operator safety.
• Mobile Articulated Car Jack (MacJack) Hydraulic jacks designed to lift unloaded well and center beam type articulated cars more than 30 inches above the rails, useful for Class 1 railcars.
• Traversing In-Floor Railcar Jacks In-floor hydraulic jacks with traversing capability for multi-point lifting of railcars during maintenance operations.
• Rail Retarder System Railcar deceleration and speed control system for managing railcar movement in maintenance facilities.
• Railcar Movers (Railcar Pullers) Remotely-controlled railcar movers for indexing railcars through repair shops from inbound storage to outbound tracks.
• Rail Health Inspection Program (RHIP) Comprehensive inspection and maintenance program providing detailed equipment evaluation, prioritized deficiency reports, and budgeting guidance for future maintenance planning of railcar lifting equipment.
• Installation & Commissioning Services Nationwide equipment installation services including complex situations and hazardous environments, with factory testing and disassembly support.
• Emergency Breakdown Services 24/7 rapid response emergency repair services with technicians strategically located throughout the United States.
• Modernization Services Equipment upgrades including updated controls, drives, motors, and technology enhancements to increase safety, reliability, and performance while lowering operating costs.
• Railcar Lifting Equipment OEM Parts Genuine OEM replacement parts for railcar lifting equipment including portable electric jacks, drop tables, car hoists, turntables, transfer tables, RIP jacks, and car progression systems.
• Metallurgical Parts OEM replacement parts for metallurgical equipment including furnace parts, cupola parts, ladle parts, transfer car parts, and AOD vessel parts for foundry and steel operations.
• Heavy-Duty Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Custom-designed heavy-duty automated guided vehicles and transporters for manufacturing and assembly industries including automotive, rail, aerospace, energy, and steel sectors, offered through Handling Specialty Manufacturing subsidiary.

Quantifiable outcome

• Equipment designed for 40-50+ year lifespan; some customers use equipment from the 1950s and 1960s
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• L.B. Foster Rail Technologies, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2016Whiting Corporation acquired agreed hydraulic railcar and locomotive repair assets from L.B. Foster Rail Technologies, Inc. in June 2016. The acquisition included MacJacks and other hydraulic solutions designs, along with key employees retained in the Pittsburgh, PA area. This acquisition strengthened Whiting's hydraulic capabilities and expanded the Whiting Services Rail Group into a one-stop shop with round-the-clock national coverage.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hyster-Yale Materials Handling: Hyster-Yale manufactures forklifts, lift trucks, and industrial material handling equipment serving manufacturing, warehouse, and intermodal logistics. Its broader scope overlaps Whiting on heavy-duty lift and material handling systems for industrial customers.
• Terex Corporation: Terex is a diversified industrial equipment manufacturer with heavy lifting and material handling product lines (including port and industrial cranes). It is a broader incumbent whose portfolio overlaps Whiting on heavy lifting equipment for industrial customers.
• Konecranes Plc: Konecranes is a global leader in overhead cranes and material handling serving manufacturing, ports, and heavy industry — comparable to Whiting on the overhead-crane and lifting-equipment dimension, though with broader geographic and product scope.
• Columbus McKinnon Corporation: Columbus McKinnon is a major publicly traded manufacturer of industrial hoists, cranes, and material handling equipment. Its broader product portfolio overlaps with Whiting on electric hoists, jacking systems, and lifting equipment for industrial customers.
• Manitowoc Cranes: Manitowoc designs and manufactures industrial cranes for heavy lifting across construction, infrastructure, and industrial markets. It is a broader crane incumbent that overlaps Whiting on large-scale lifting equipment categories.
• Cargotec (Kalmar): Cargotec's Kalmar business supplies cargo and material handling equipment to ports, terminals, and heavy industries, providing overlapping reach into rail-adjacent lifting and handling equipment with a much broader product and geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• L.B. Foster Company: L.B. Foster is a rail infrastructure and equipment provider whose hydraulic railcar repair business Whiting acquired in 2016. The companies remain directly comparable on rail products, services, and customer base across Class 1, short-line, and passenger rail.
• Simmons Machine Tool Corporation: Simmons is a direct peer in railcar maintenance equipment, manufacturing wheel lathes, underfloor wheel truing machines, axle turning systems, and drop tables for rail industry maintenance shops — closely overlapping with Whiting's rail lifting and wheel/axle equipment portfolio.
• Mi-Jack Products: Mi-Jack manufactures rubber-tired gantry cranes, straddle carriers, and intermodal lifting equipment for rail yards and ports, directly competing with Whiting's lifting equipment for rail-intermodal and maintenance facility applications.

Regional players

• Brandt Group of Companies: Brandt is a Canadian industrial equipment manufacturer with material handling and rail-related product lines. It is comparable to Whiting on industrial-scale lifting equipment within North America but operates regionally from a Canadian base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/whitingcorp
• Facebookfacebook.com/whitingcorporation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whiting-corporation

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Whiting Corporation