SUN Automation Group
SUN Automation Group, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Glen Arm, Maryland, manufactures proprietary corrugated converting equipment (rotary die cutters, feeders, anvil trimmers, printing systems) and distributes partner brands under exclusive agreements, serving enterprise and mid-market box plants globally with machinery, parts, service, and the Helios IIoT predictive maintenance platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersBaltimore, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What SUN Automation Group does
SUN Automation Group, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Glen Arm, Maryland, designs, manufactures, and services equipment for the global corrugated packaging industry. The company's product portfolio spans proprietary OEM machinery — including the SUN625HD heavy-duty rotary die cutter, MicroGrind anvil trimmer, Spectrum inside/outside print system, and SunSet 3.0 control platform — complemented by exclusive North American representation of Latitude Machinery Corporation flexo folder gluers and rotary die cutters, PARA Srl material handling systems, Kolbus box making equipment, and Highcon digital finishing solutions. Its core technology layer is the Helios Corrugated IIoT Platform, an OEM-agnostic AI/ML software product launched in 2021 that delivers remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and anomaly detection across mixed OEM equipment fleets.
SUN operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct enterprise field sales (with regional sales managers covering North America) and exclusive channel partnerships for international distribution in Asia-Pacific (China, India), Europe (UK), and Latin America. The company generates revenue across four streams: capital equipment sales (proprietary SUN machines plus partner brands), replacement parts and components (claimed as the largest corrugated parts inventory in North America), 24/7 field service and technical support, and subscription-based Helios software. Pricing is quote-based across all hardware and service lines, with free Helios demos and ROI calculators supporting software sales.
Customer segments are primarily enterprise and mid-market corrugated box plants and converters across North America, supplemented by select international and display/specialty packaging customers. Named enterprise customers include Premier Packaging, UFP Packaging, Bay Cities, NEWW Packaging & Display, Gerrity Corrugated, and Paige Company. SUN is a 100% employee-owned company through an ESOP established in 2003, operates a 180,000+ square foot manufacturing facility in Maryland, and maintains roughly 101–250 employees.
SUN Automation Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SUN Automation Group
- Legal name
- SUN Automation Group
- Website
- https://sunautomation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- SUN Automation Group, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Glen Arm, Maryland, manufactures proprietary corrugated converting equipment (rotary die cutters, feeders, anvil trimmers, printing systems) and distributes partner brands under exclusive agreements, serving enterprise and mid-market box plants globally with machinery, parts, service, and the Helios IIoT predictive maintenance platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SUN Automation Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Corrugated Converting Equipment
- NAICS
- Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)
- SIC
- Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)
- akta.pro primary industry
- End-of-Line Integration & Packaging Line Systems (IMAHAOAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Finishing, Converting & Die-Cutting Services (IMALAKAN), Wrapping & Bundling Equipment (Shrink/Stretch) (IMAHAOAD), Paper & Paperboard Packaging Converting & Finishing (Die-Cutting, Gluing, Windowing, Coating) (IMALACAL)
Keywords
Where SUN Automation Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Baltimore
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
SUN Automation Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Capital Equipment Sales: Sale of corrugated converting machinery including rotary die cutters, flexo folder gluers, and printing systems. Equipment includes proprietary SUN625 products, LMC machinery, Kolbus equipment, and PARA material handling systems.
- Parts & Components: Largest inventory of corrugated parts in North America, providing replacement components for maintenance and repairs across all major OEM machinery brands.
- Field Service & Technical Support: 24/7 on-site technical support and remote diagnostics, installation, training, and troubleshooting services. No-contract service program providing flexible support options.
- Helios IIoT Platform: AI/machine learning software platform for corrugated industry providing remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and anomaly detection. Offers free demos and ROI calculator.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Not publicly disclosed | Helios IIoT Platform - Subscription-based software for corrugated manufacturers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
SUN Automation Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SUN Automation Group designs, manufactures, and services automated converting equipment and integrated solutions for the global corrugated packaging industry. Its portfolio spans rotary die cutters, flexo folder gluers, inline printing systems, and the proprietary Helios IIoT platform, complemented by aftermarket parts, field service, and retrofit support. The company is 100% employee-owned under an ESOP.
Product overview
SUN Automation Group is a global industry leader providing innovative corrugated solutions for feeding, printing, and converting operations. The company operates as both an OEM (manufacturing proprietary products like the SUN625HD rotary die cutter and Helios IIoT platform) and exclusive representative for partner brands including Latitude Machinery Corporation (LMC flexo folder gluers and rotary diecutters), PARA Srl material handling systems, and Kolbus box making equipment. Their product portfolio spans heavy-duty converting machinery, IIoT/AI-powered monitoring platforms, precision anvil trimming systems, and comprehensive parts/service support. The Helios platform provides OEM-agnostic machine learning capabilities across their equipment ecosystem, while the SUN625HD represents their flagship proprietary rotary die cutter designed for demanding production environments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Helios: AI/Machine Learning platform for corrugated converting industry providing remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and anomaly detection
- SUN625HD®
- MicroGrind®
- Spectrum®
- SunTrac®
- SunSet® 3.0
- ACCUPRINT®
- ColorMaster®
- Lead Edge Feeder
Products and services
- SunSet 1650 Flexo Folder Gluer
- SUN625HD Heavy-Duty Rotary Die Cutter
- MicroGrind Anvil Trimmer
- Helios IIoT Platform
- Aftermarket Parts and Service
Quantifiable outcome
- 25% increase in production footage during peak season for Premier Packaging with LMC equipment
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SUN Automation Group
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
SUN Automation Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature7 records
SUN Automation Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, key, core and regional.
- UFP PackagingstrategicUFP Packaging is scaling its corrugated division through strategic partnership with SUN Automation Group and Latitude Machinery Corp. (LMC), acquiring three LMC machines featuring Helios integration for predictive maintenance and real-time analytics. Partnership emphasizes automation-driven efficiency, operator training, and customer experience.
- eProductivity Software (ePS)strategicStrategic partnership between SUN Automation Group and eProductivity Software in North America's corrugated sector. ePS is a global leader in transformational technology for packaging and corrugated industries.
- KiwiplankeyHelios, the AI/ML platform by SUN, entered into key partnership with Kiwiplan, the corrugated industry's premier software solutions provider. Both organizations showcase technologies at SuperCorrExpo.
- HighconstrategicSUN partnered with Highcon to promote and sell Highcon digital converting solutions for corrugated in North America. Highcon provides digital finishing technology for folding carton and corrugated packaging markets.
- PARA SrlcoreSUN became exclusive global agent and service provider for PARA Srl, offering pallet inserters, crab systems, vertical work-in-progress systems, vacuum overhead stackers, pre-feeders, and Eleva palletizers to the corrugated industry.
- Latitude Machinery Corporation (LMC)coreEffective August 16, 2019, SUN became the exclusive North and Central America representative of all LMC machinery, including flexo folder gluers and rotary die cutters. LMC is a world-class manufacturer with approximately 100 machines in the field across North America at time of partnership. SUN provides parts and service support for all LMC customers.
- Suba SolutionsregionalPartnership with Suba Solutions headquartered in Chennai, India, to provide equipment, parts and support for SUN customers in India. Suba specializes in value-added solutions for folding carton and corrugated packaging with over 900 machines installed throughout India, Sri Lanka, Middle East and Africa.
- JB MachinerystrategicSUN Automation Group has a strategic alliance with JB Machinery to incorporate advanced drying technology into the Spectrum Print systems, providing comprehensive printing solutions.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SUN Automation Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Heidelberger Druckmaschinen: Global leader in printing equipment and services with established presence in packaging printing. Broader portfolio than SUN but overlaps in industrial printing machinery for packaging applications, including via subsidiary Kugler-Womako in finishing.
- Koenig & Bauer: Established German printing machinery manufacturer with broader portfolio across commercial printing, packaging, and corrugated applications. Overlaps with SUN's printing equipment focus (Spectrum, SunTrac) and competes for industrial print customers.
Direct peers
- Bobst: Swiss-based manufacturer of printing and converting equipment for packaging, including corrugated applications. Competes with SUN in flexo printing and converting machinery, serving similar converters and packaging manufacturers globally.
- EMBA Machinery: Manufacturer of corrugated converting equipment including flexo folder gluers and rotary die cutters, based in Sweden. Direct competitor to SUN in the corrugated converting machinery category with overlapping product offerings.
- Kolbus GmbH & Co. KG: German manufacturer of box-making and converting equipment; both a SUN distribution partner (Kolbus RDG/RDS Series) and competitor in select product categories. Operates in the same corrugated converting space with parallel machinery offerings.
- BHS Corrugated (Bischof + Klein): Global market leader in corrugated machinery, manufacturing corrugators, converting equipment, and aftermarket services. Directly competes with SUN Automation across the full corrugated converting equipment portfolio and serves the same box plant customer base worldwide.
- Fosber: Leading manufacturer of corrugated machinery including corrugators and converting lines, owned by DS Smith but operating independently. Directly competes with SUN in the corrugated converting equipment category with overlapping products and customer segments.
- MarquipWardUnited (BW Papersystems): Manufacturer of corrugated converting equipment including rotary die cutters, slitter scorers, and flexo folder gluers. Direct competitor in SUN's core converting equipment lines with similar customer base of North American and global box plants.
Emerging players
- Highcon Systems: Digital converting solutions provider for folding carton and corrugated packaging. Both a SUN distribution partner in NA (since 2021) and partial competitor in digital finishing for the corrugated packaging space.
- eProductivity Software (ePS): Global software provider for the packaging and corrugated industries, offering ERP, MIS, and shop floor solutions. Both a SUN strategic technology partner (announced 2023) and a competitor in digital/corrugated software, where Helios overlaps with their workflow offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SUN Automation Group social profiles
Digital presenceSUN Automation Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SUN Automation Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
SUN Automation Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SUN Automation Group 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 SUN Automation Group
What does SUN Automation Group do?
SUN Automation Group designs, manufactures, and services automated converting equipment and integrated solutions for the global corrugated packaging industry. Its portfolio spans rotary die cutters, flexo folder gluers, inline printing systems, and the proprietary Helios IIoT platform, complemented by aftermarket parts, field service, and retrofit support. The company is 100% employee-owned under an ESOP.
Is SUN Automation Group a public or private company?
SUN Automation Group is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was SUN Automation Group founded?
SUN Automation Group was founded in 1985. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is SUN Automation Group based?
SUN Automation Group is headquartered in Baltimore, United States, in the North America region.
How does SUN Automation Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Capital Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are parts & Components, field Service & Technical Support and helios IIoT Platform.
Who are SUN Automation Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Heidelberger Druckmaschinen and Koenig & Bauer. Direct peers are Bobst, EMBA Machinery, Kolbus GmbH & Co. KG, BHS Corrugated (Bischof + Klein), Fosber and MarquipWardUnited (BW Papersystems). Emerging players are Highcon Systems and eProductivity Software (ePS).
Does SUN Automation Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for SUN Automation Group.
What industry is SUN Automation Group in?
SUN Automation Group's product category is Corrugated Converting Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAOAN, End-of-Line Integration & Packaging Line Systems, with a secondary code of IMALAKAN, Finishing, Converting & Die-Cutting Services. Its NAICS code is 333310 and its SIC code is 3555.