Fortville Feeders, Inc.

What Fortville Feeders, Inc. does

Fortville Feeders, Inc. is a privately held US manufacturer, founded in 1979 and headquartered in Fortville, Indiana, that designs and builds automated parts feeding systems for industrial assembly automation. Its core product line spans vibratory feeder bowls (including centrifugal and flex feeders), linear feeders, blow feeders, complex escapements and mechanisms, inline tracking systems with vision and sensor integration, sound enclosures, frames, bulk-storage hoppers/elevators/gondolas, and a proprietary Xtru extruded metal product line. Standard construction uses 316L stainless steel with electropolished welds, making its systems FDA-compliant and cleanroom-capable for medical and pharmaceutical manufacturing; the company also supports Class I Division 1 (C1D1) explosion-proof configurations. Differentiators include in-house CNC, waterjet, EDM, and surface grinding capabilities inside a 60,000–80,000 sq ft facility; configurable Surlyn and Brushlon coatings for delicate parts; and an industry-leading, transferable five-year warranty on drive units.

The company's revenue model is project-based custom engineering sold via an RFQ (request-for-quote) process — there is no standard pricing, and systems are quoted per complexity, materials, compliance requirements, and integration scope. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales executed through a network of independent manufacturer representatives covering all 50 US states plus Costa Rica, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, supplemented by direct inbound RFQs through the company website, on-site lunch-and-learn sessions, and facility tours. Complementary revenue streams include service and parts support for both Fortville-built and competitor equipment, concept testing and training at the Fortville facility, and warranty-driven service. Customer concentration is biased toward automation OEMs, system integrators, and end users in medical device, pharmaceutical, automotive, heavy-truck, home appliance, cosmetic, and capital-equipment manufacturing — a mix served entirely through B2B project sales with no recurring SaaS or platform component.

Operationally, Fortville is a small (11–50 employees), cash-funded, family-style specialty manufacturer with no disclosed institutional investors, no funding rounds, and no recorded M&A or leadership transitions. Its competitive position rests on nearly five decades of accumulated engineering know-how in custom parts handling, proprietary mechanical designs, a vertical manufacturing footprint, and a transferable warranty that creates switching costs at the customer line level. The company has selectively extended into vision-integrated and robotic-handoff systems via partnerships such as the True Logic Engineering collaboration on a medical pipette conveyor, but its core competency remains mechanical rather than software or AI-driven automation.

Name

Fortville Feeders, Inc.

Legal name

Fortville Feeders, Inc.

Website

https://fortvillefeeders.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fortville Feeders, Inc., founded in 1979 in Fortville, Indiana, designs and builds custom automated parts feeding systems — vibratory bowls, flex/linear/blow feeders, escapements, and vision-integrated tracking — for automation OEMs, medical device manufacturers, system integrators, and high-volume industrial assembly customers across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Parts Feeding Systems

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (3333)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)

akta.pro primary industry

Conveying, Feeding & Accumulation Systems (Packaging Lines) (IMAHAOAK)

Keywords

• Vibratory parts feeders
• Flexible parts feeders
• Linear feeding systems
• Industrial automation equipment
• Bowl feeder systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Fortville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Parts Feeding Systems: Design, engineering, and manufacturing of custom automated parts feeding systems including vibratory bowls, flex feeders, linear feeders, escapements, mechanisms, and complete turnkey systems. Systems are built to customer specifications with pricing through RFQ process.
2. Service and Parts: Service support for all parts feeders regardless of manufacturer. Provides maintenance, repair, and replacement parts for both Fortville-built and competitor equipment.
3. Concept Testing and Training: Customer facility tours, lunch-and-learn programs, and concept testing services for customers considering automated feeding solutions.
4. Warranty Services: Premium Five-Year Warranty program with included components (vibratory bowl drive units, inline track drive units, hopper drive units) that is transferable to end users.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fortville Feeders designs and manufactures custom automated parts feeding systems, including vibratory feeder bowls, flex feeders, linear feeders, blow feeders, centrifugal feeders, complex escapements and mechanisms, and inline tracking systems. The company engineers systems to specific part geometry, weight, and material requirements and supports them with bulk storage hoppers, frames, sound enclosures, and proprietary Xtru extruded metal components. All units are built in-house in Fortville, IN using CNC machining, water jet cutting, EDM, and 316L stainless steel medical-grade construction.

Product overview

Fortville Feeders is a manufacturer of automated parts feeding systems offering a comprehensive portfolio of engineered solutions. The core product line consists of Feeder Bowls (vibratory, centrifugal), Flexible Feeders, Linear Feeders, and Blow Feeders, complemented by Escapements and Mechanisms and Tracking Systems for end-of-line delivery. The company also provides supporting add-on modules including Xtru Extruded Metal Products, Sound Enclosures, Frames, and Bulk Storage solutions (hoppers, elevators, gondolas). Additional capabilities include in-house Machining and Milling services for custom tooling fabrication. All feeder bowls and tooling are produced with medical-grade 316L stainless steel as standard. The company backs its products with a Premium Five-Year Warranty, the longest in the industry, covering vibratory bowl drive units, inline track drive units, and hopper drive units.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Feeder Bowls (Vibratory) Vibratory feeder bowls designed and built to sort, orient, and deliver bulk parts of varying sizes, weights, and geometries into automated assembly operations. Standard 316L stainless steel construction for medical-grade applications. Sold via RFQ to enterprise OEMs, system integrators, and end users.
• Flexible Feeders (Flex Feeders) Flexible feeding systems that adapt to varying part geometries and handle complex feeding challenges for automated assembly. Sold via RFQ to enterprise OEMs and integrators.
• Linear Feeders Linear feeding systems that move parts along tracks for assembly line integration. Sold via RFQ to enterprise manufacturers and integrators.
• Blow Feeders Air-powered feeding systems that use blowers to move lightweight or delicate parts without contact, preventing damage to sensitive components. Sold via RFQ to enterprise OEMs.
• Escapements and Mechanisms Complex escapement mechanisms and end-of-line delivery systems that isolate, lift, position, and present parts to robotic arms or assembly stations with precision timing. Includes lift shafts, cross shuttles, and rotary actuators. Sold via RFQ to enterprise OEMs and integrators.
• Tracking Systems Inline tracking systems that monitor parts presence, orientation, and flow through inductive ring sensors, vision cameras, and precision positioning for robotic pickup. Sold via RFQ to enterprise OEMs and integrators.
• Xtru Extruded Metal Products Proprietary extruded metal components and tooling used in Fortville Feeders parts feeding systems. Sold via RFQ.
• Sound Enclosures Noise-reducing enclosures that protect parts from airborne contaminants while reducing sound levels in manufacturing environments around parts feeders. Sold via RFQ.
• Frames Structural frames and bases for mounting and integrating parts feeding systems into automation lines. Sold via RFQ.
• Bulk Storage Hoppers, Elevators and Gondolas Bulk storage solutions including hoppers, cleated elevators, and gondolas for high-capacity parts handling and feeding. Sold via RFQ to enterprise manufacturers.
• Service and Parts Maintenance, repair, and replacement parts service for all parts feeders regardless of manufacturer, covering both Fortville-built and competitor equipment. Includes warranty support.
• Machining and Milling Services In-house CNC machining, water jet cutting, EDM drilling, surface grinding, and manual milling services for custom tooling and parts fabrication supporting parts feeding system manufacturing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Parts fed at up to 210 parts per minute in high-speed applications
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature14 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• True Logic EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on medical pipette conveyor and sorting system. Fortville built the conveyor and bulk hopper system while True Logic Engineering integrated vision and robotic equipment for part recognition and placement. Partnership demonstrates combined expertise in mechanical feeding and robotic automation integration.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Automation Devices, Inc. Automation Devices, Inc. (ADI) is a US-based manufacturer of vibratory feeder bowls, centrifugal feeders, and custom parts feeding systems — directly competing with Fortville in the same core product category (vibratory bowls) for OEMs and system integrators across assembly automation applications.
• Hoosier Feeder Company: Hoosier Feeder Company is an Indiana-based manufacturer of vibratory feeder bowls, centrifugal feeders, and specialty parts feeding equipment that directly competes with Fortville Feeders across the same vibratory parts feeding product line for industrial automation customers.
• Performance Feeders: Performance Feeders is a US-based manufacturer of vibratory feeder bowls, orienting feeder systems, and custom parts handling equipment that competes directly with Fortville in supplying OEM and integrator customers in automated assembly.
• Premier Feeder Company: Premier Feeder Company manufactures vibratory feeder bowls, bulk material handling hoppers, and custom parts feeding systems — a direct competitor to Fortville Feeders in the US vibratory parts feeder market serving automation OEMs and system integrators.
• Hoppmann Corporation: Hoppmann Corporation is a US manufacturer of vibratory and centrifugal feeder systems, part feeding components, and related automation equipment — directly competing with Fortville Feeders across the same parts feeding product categories for industrial assembly customers.

Regional players

• RNA Automation Ltd: RNA Automation is a UK-headquartered manufacturer of vibratory feeder bowls, linear feeders, and parts handling systems with global distribution — comparable to Fortville in core product offering but primarily serving European customers rather than competing directly in Fortville's US stronghold.

Broad incumbents

• Key Technology: Key Technology (part of Duravant) is a larger established manufacturer of digital sorting, conveying, and feeding equipment for food processing and industrial automation — overlapping with Fortville's parts feeding and tracking capabilities but serving a broader portfolio of customers and applications.
• Flexicon Corporation: Flexicon is a larger established manufacturer of bulk material handling, conveying, and feeding systems for industrial processing — overlapping with Fortville's bulk storage hopper and conveying/feeding product categories but operating as a broad material handling incumbent rather than an assembly-focused specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fortvillefeeders
• Xx.com/fortville_inc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fortville-feeders-inc.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Fortville Feeders, Inc.