Bimba Manufacturing Co

What Bimba Manufacturing Co does

Bimba Manufacturing Co (branded as IMI Bimba) is a US-based manufacturer of pneumatic, hydraulic, electric, and vacuum motion control solutions founded in 1957 by Charlie Bimba. Its core catalog is anchored by the Original Line® non-repairable air cylinder — invented by the founder — and the Flat-1® family of compact cylinders, extended through TA Series NFPA aluminum cylinders, NFPA tie-rod stainless steel cylinders, MH Series hydraulic cylinders, Ultran Band Plus rodless actuators, electric actuators (including Intellipress production presses), and a full ecosystem of valves, air-preparation, grippers, manifolds, sensors, fittings, and safety products.

The firm operates four manufacturing facilities across University Park, IL (headquarters), Machesney Park, IL, Plymouth, MN, and Tijuana, Mexico, and is ISO 9001:2015 certified, holding the distinction of being the first actuator company in North America to earn ISO certification (maintained since 1994). It serves primary customers in automotive, food and packaging, medical, agriculture, and OEM segments through a mix of international stocking distributors, direct e-commerce via bimba.com, and direct OEM sales with a consultative 'Talk to an Engineer' application support function.

The company has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of UK-listed IMI plc since 2018/2019, operating alongside Norgren and Bahr under the IMI brand since the 2024 unification. Revenue is hardware-driven, catalog-based, and quote-priced (FOB Monee, IL), with same-day shipment capability on 150,000+ inventoried Original Line units. The Cad-to-cart mobile app, BimbaNet portal, and North American manufacturing footprint support its distributor and OEM channel.

Name

Bimba Manufacturing Co

Legal name

Bimba Manufacturing Company

Website

https://bimba.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Bimba Manufacturing Co (branded as IMI Bimba) is a US manufacturer, founded in 1957, of pneumatic, hydraulic, electric, and vacuum motion control components — including Original Line and Flat-1 cylinders — serving automotive, food and packaging, medical, agricultural, and OEM customers through distributors and direct sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

University Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Motion Control Hardware Sales: Sale of pneumatic, hydraulic, electric actuators, cylinders, valves, air preparation equipment, fittings, tubing, sensors, switches, and accessories. Both standard catalog products and custom-designed solutions for specific customer applications. Products sold directly and through distributor network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bimba Manufacturing Co manufactures pneumatic, hydraulic, electric, and vacuum motion control products, including air cylinders, NFPA tie-rod cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, electric actuators, grippers, valves, air preparation equipment, fittings, tubing, sensors, switches, manifolds, and safety/production equipment. The portfolio centers on standard catalog offerings (e.g., Original Line® and Flat-1® cylinders) supplemented by custom-designed solutions for OEMs across automotive, food and packaging, medical, and agricultural markets.

Product overview

IMI Bimba is a manufacturer of pneumatic, hydraulic, electric, and vacuum motion control solutions. The product portfolio centers on the Original Line® non-repairable air cylinder (invented in 1957) and the Flat-1® family of compact cylinders available in standard, stainless steel, square, multi-power, and multiple position variants in both inch and metric configurations. Beyond these core actuators, Bimba offers TA Series NFPA aluminum cylinders, NFPA tie-rod stainless steel cylinders, and MH Series medium-pressure hydraulic cylinders. The comprehensive product line also includes pneumatic actuators (round line, compact, NFPA, guided thruster, rodless, rotary, ISO), air preparation equipment, grippers, valves, manifolds, sensors and switches, fittings and tubing, safety equipment, and electric actuators including linear robots and Intellipress production presses. The company operates under IMI plc as part of the IMI Norgren, IMI Bimba, and IMI Bahr unified brand family.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Original Line® Air Cylinder The Original Line® air cylinder is Bimba's flagship non-repairable pneumatic actuator offered in bore sizes from 5/16" to 3", designed as a reliable, low-maintenance, drop-in replacement for industrial motion applications.
• Flat-1® Cylinder The Flat-1® cylinder is a compact round body pneumatic actuator with eight available bore sizes, hard chrome plated piston rods, F Series mounting option, and permanent grease lubrication rated for 3,000 miles of travel, targeted at space-constrained industrial automation applications.
• Stainless Steel Flat-1® Cylinder IP69K-rated stainless steel Flat-1® cylinder designed for corrosive washdown environments common in food and beverage, health and beauty, and medical applications.
• Square Flat-1® Cylinder Square end cap Flat-1® cylinder alternative offering provisions for horizontal, side, bottom flush, or face mounting in space-constrained applications.
• Flat-1® Multi-Power Cylinder Double-acting Flat-1® Multi-Power cylinder that multiplies force output by supplying air to multiple pistons on extension, saving space and avoiding the need for higher pressure pneumatic systems.
• Flat-1® FOP (Multiple Position) Cylinder Double-acting Flat-1® FOP multiple-position cylinder providing three positions with a single actuator by supplying air to different ports for position 1, position 2, or full retraction.
• Metric Flat-1® Cylinder Metric version of the compact Flat-1® round body cylinder with precision-machined anodized aluminum heads and ISO-metric dimensions for global machine builders.
• Metric Square Flat-1® Cylinder Metric version of the square end cap Flat-1® cylinder for horizontal and side mounting with minimized centerline distance to enable side-by-side mounting.
• TA Series NFPA Cylinders Heavy-duty NFPA tie-rod interchangeable aluminum cylinders with proprietary Floating Rod Bushing design that provides 25% longer service life than fixed bushing designs for industrial automation.
• NFPA Tie-Rod Stainless Steel Cylinder Heavy-duty stainless steel NFPA tie-rod cylinder for chemical and corrosive environments, available with FDA-approved lubricant and solid Delrin rod bushing for hygienic applications.
• MH Series Medium-Pressure Hydraulic Cylinder Medium-pressure hydraulic cylinder operating from 675 to 1500 PSI with Floating Rod Bushing design and NFPA dimensional interchangeability for industrial hydraulic systems.
• Pneumatic Actuators Full line of pneumatic actuators including Round Line, Compact, NFPA, Guided Thruster, Rodless, Rotary, Position Control, ISO, and Accessories designed for industrial automation applications.
• Air Preparation Products Air preparation components including Combination F/R Units, Regulators, Lubricators, Filters, Assembled Combinations, and Accessories for pneumatic system conditioning.
• Pneumatic Grippers Parallel and angular pneumatic grippers for automation and material handling applications in assembly and packaging lines.
• Pneumatic Valves Pneumatic valves including Air Pilot Operated, Specialty Application, Solenoid Operated, Pinch, Manual/Mechanical, and Flow Control valves for industrial motion control circuits.
• Electric Actuators Electric actuators including Compact, Rod-Style, Guided Thruster, Rack & Pinion, Linear Robots, and Intellipress production presses for precision motion control applications.
• Hydraulic Actuators Hydraulic actuators including Round Line, Rodless, NFPA, and Guided Thruster configurations for higher-force industrial automation applications.
• Fittings & Tubing Fittings and tubing including Thread to Barb, Threaded, Stainless Steel, Metal Push to Connect, Composite Push to Connect, Barb to Barb, and Tubing for pneumatic system plumbing.
• Manifolds Inline Manifolds and Junction Blocks for pneumatic system integration and distribution of compressed air to multiple actuator circuits.
• Sensors & Switches Switches and Sensors for position sensing and system control in pneumatic actuator applications.
• Safety & Production Equipment Safety and production equipment including Air Jets, Presses, Lockout-Tagout Valves, Hole Punch Cylinders, Booster/Intensifiers, Air Reservoirs, and Air/Oil Tanks for industrial pneumatic applications.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IMI plccoreOthers · 1 January 2018Bimba was acquired by IMI plc in 2018, becoming part of Norgren under the IMI umbrella. The acquisition united Bimba, Norgren, and Bahr brands under one IMI brand. Bimba continues to operate as a distinct brand while benefiting from IMI's global engineering resources and distribution network.
• NorgrencoreOthersNorgren is the global parent company to Bimba under the IMI plc umbrella. The brands operate as 'separate but united' entities, with Norgren having a proud history in fluid technology and motion control. Both brands now speak as one IMI while maintaining their product identities.
• NFPA (National Fluid Power Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBimba sponsors the NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge, supporting the next generation of engineers by exposing them to design challenges associated with fluid power vehicles and teaching the value of fluid power components, circuits, and systems.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Norgren: Sister brand under IMI plc alongside Bimba, offering pneumatic, fluid control, and motion solutions. Explicitly described in Bimba's data as operating 'separate but united' with Bimba under IMI plc, with overlapping product portfolios and customer segments.
• Festo: German pneumatics and industrial automation manufacturer offering pneumatic actuators, valves, servo-pneumatic motion, and electric automation. Directly comparable product breadth to Bimba's pneumatic, electric, and motion-control portfolio, particularly in factory automation and OEM channels.
• Aignep: Italian manufacturer specializing in pneumatic fittings, valves, cylinders, and air preparation. Directly comparable to Bimba's fittings, tubing, and actuator product range for industrial OEM and end-user customers.
• SMC Corporation: Japanese-headquartered global leader in pneumatic components including cylinders, valves, air preparation, and actuators. Closest direct competitor to Bimba across pneumatic actuators, valves, fittings, and air prep with overlapping automotive, food, and medical verticals.
• Parker Hannifin: US-based diversified motion and control technologies company with strong pneumatic, hydraulic, and electromechanical actuator product lines. Overlaps directly with Bimba across NFPA cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, and OEM industrial automation customers.
• Metal Work Pneumatic: Italian pneumatic component manufacturer producing cylinders, valves, fittings, and air preparation units. Comparable product portfolio to Bimba's pneumatic actuators and accessories, serving similar European and global OEM customers.
• Emerson (ASCO / Aventics): Emerson's ASCO and Aventics brands manufacture pneumatic valves, cylinders, and air preparation equipment globally. Direct overlap with Bimba's pneumatic actuator and valve product lines, particularly in industrial automation and OEM channels.
• Camozzi Automation: Italian manufacturer of pneumatic cylinders, valves, fittings, and motion control components. Competes directly with Bimba across compact cylinders, ISO cylinders, and pneumatic valves for industrial OEM customers.

Broad incumbents

• Bosch Rexroth: German global supplier of factory automation, motion control, and pneumatic components under the broader Bosch group. Overlaps with Bimba in pneumatic cylinders and electric linear motion, but operates at much larger scale across hydraulics, drives, and assembly technologies.

Emerging players

• Mindman Industrial: Taiwanese pneumatic component manufacturer producing cylinders, valves, fittings, and air preparation equipment. Emerging player competing in the same pneumatic actuator and accessory categories as Bimba, primarily in Asia-Pacific with growing global distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BimbaMfg
• Facebookfacebook.com/bimbamanufacturing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bimba

Compliance5 records

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&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Bimba Manufacturing Co