Akkerman

What Akkerman does

Akkerman, Inc. is a privately-held, third-generation family-owned manufacturer of trenchless underground construction equipment, headquartered and produced in Brownsdale, Minnesota. Founded in 1973 (with roots to a 1956 construction firm), the company designs and builds pipe jacking, guided boring, microtunneling, tunnel boring, earth pressure balance, rock boring, and sliplining systems that enable contractors to install water, sewer, oil and gas, electric, and telecom infrastructure beneath roads, railways, runways, and waterways without open-cut excavation. Akkerman is the only North American manufacturer offering both pilot tube and slurry microtunneling equipment systems from a single source, with proprietary technology including the AZ-100 azimuth-based self-surveying guidance system, Ferritic Nitrocarburizing surface treatment, and 5200 Series pump units supporting pipe diameters from 4 inches to 168 inches and rock boring capabilities up to 15,000 psi UCS.

The company monetizes through direct equipment sales (standard inventory and custom-engineered configurations), short-term rentals, rent-to-purchase programs (in partnership with NOCR, LLC for financing), and a substantial aftermarket parts and technical service business supported by an inventory of over 10,000 replacement parts. Its go-to-market combines a US-territory direct field sales force, inside sales, factory-certified field technicians, and the 2023-opened D.H. Akkerman Training and Development Grounds. Primary customer segments are trenchless contractors operating in water and sewer infrastructure, road/rail/runway crossings, oil and gas, and electric and telecom verticals, with named customers including Lowe Construction, Minger Construction, Pacific Boring, Total Trenchless, The Tunneling Company, Super Excavators, and Earth Boring Co. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 and MNSHARP certifications and serves a global installed base despite operating primarily from a single Minnesota manufacturing facility.

Name

Akkerman

Legal name

Akkerman, Inc.

Website

https://akkerman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Akkerman manufactures trenchless underground construction equipment—pilot tube, microtunneling, tunnel boring, and sliplining systems—serving water, sewer, oil and gas, electric, and telecom contractors across the United States, Canada, and internationally. The only North American manufacturer of both pilot tube and slurry microtunneling equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trenchless Construction Equipment

NAICS

Construction Machinery Manufacturing (333120)

SIC

Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAHAAAJ

Trenchers & Pipe Layers

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment/Construction & Earthmoving Equipment

SECONDARYIMAKANAB

Underground Mining Equipment (Loaders/LHDs, Continuous Miners, Longwall Systems)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Metals & Mining/Mining Equipment Manufacturing & Supply

Keywords

• Trenchless construction equipment
• Pipe jacking systems
• Microtunneling equipment
• Guided boring machines
• Underground utility installation

Headquarters

HQ city

Brownsdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Direct purchase of trenchless equipment including TBMs, GBMs, MTBMs, pump units, guidance systems, and accessories. Equipment can be customized to suit specific project requirements. Discounts available for in-stock new and factory refurbished inventory.
2. Equipment Rental: Short-term rental of trenchless equipment for small to mid-scale projects. Customers can rent size-specific components such as TBMs or MTBMs to complement their current project equipment. Rental fees are tax-deductible as business expenses.
3. Rent-to-Purchase: Program allowing customers to rent equipment with payments applied towards eventual purchase. Does not require large initial capital investment while allowing cash flow management. Avoids risk of large investment if equipment proves unsuitable.
4. Aftermarket Parts: Over 10,000 replacement parts inventory to support all major product lines. Parts ordered individually or as discounted spare parts volume packages. Direct drop shipping from suppliers to job sites for unique or out-of-stock items.
5. Technical Support & Training: Field technicians with extensive experience provide operational training, on-site support, equipment installations, and repairs. Factory-certified technicians available for onsite training to ensure long-term success.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Akkerman develops, manufactures, and supports advanced trenchless underground construction equipment systems for accurately installing pipe in an extensive range of ground conditions. Its core offerings include guided boring machines (GBM), slurry microtunneling systems, tunnel boring machines (TBM), earth pressure balance machines (EPBM), rock boring units (RBU), pipe jacking systems, and sliplining rehabilitation equipment, sold directly to contractors along with aftermarket parts and technical support services.

Product overview

Akkerman is a manufacturer of trenchless underground construction equipment, offering a comprehensive portfolio of pipe jacking and tunneling systems. The product lineup centers on five core equipment categories: Guided Boring Machine (GBM) Systems (including 4800, 240A, and 308A/339A jacking frames with associated guidance systems), Slurry Microtunneling Systems (SLC Center Drive and SLP Periphery Drive for 30-114 inch diameters), Tunnel Boring Machines and Earth Pressure Balance Machines (for 48-168 inch installations), and Sliplining equipment (SLS-100 for pipe rehabilitation). Supporting these core systems are specialized guidance systems (AZ100 Total Guidance, GBM Guidance, MTBM Guidance, Tunneling Guidance), lubrication and bentonite injection systems, powered cutting heads, rock boring units, pump units (5200 Series), jacking frames, intermediate jacking stations, and muck haul systems. The company also provides comprehensive aftermarket support including over 10,000 replacement parts, technical training, and equipment sales, leasing, and rental options. Akkerman is the only North American manufacturer of both pilot tube and slurry microtunneling equipment systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guided Boring Machine (GBM) Systems Akkerman's flagship guided boring equipment that combines pilot tube technology with jacking frames for accurate trenchless pipe installation. Includes GBM 4800, GBM 240A, and GBM 308A & 339A jacking frame systems with +/- 1-inch grade and +/- 3-inch alignment accuracy.
• Slurry Microtunneling Systems (SLC/SLP) Slurry microtunneling equipment providing continuous face support and material transport via closed-loop slurry circuit. Includes SLC Center Drive and SLP Periphery Drive systems for 30-in to 114-in OD diameters.
• Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) Mechanical excavation systems for utility tunnel installation. Includes steerable machines for diameters 48-in to 168-in with various cutterhead designs for different ground conditions, used with the 5200 Series pump unit providing up to 400-ton thrust.
• Earth Pressure Balance Machine (EPBM) Closed-mode tunneling equipment for soft, wet, or unstable ground under the water table. EPB machines balance earth pressure at the cutter head by controlling advance rate with excavated soil discharge rate.
• Rock Boring Units (RBU) Purpose-built cutter heads with roller disc cutters for rock applications, available in 24-in to 48-in diameters for use with any auger boring machine, featuring 6.5-in disc cutters, muck scrapers, high capacity main bearing, and water-jetting for cooling in rock up to 15,000 psi UCS.
• Excavator Shield System Steerable forward shield with hood for ground stabilization during excavator-based tunneling operations. Used for larger diameter utility and crossing tunnels with manual excavation at the tunnel face.
• SLS-100 Slip-Liner System Sliplining equipment for pipe rehabilitation that inserts a new liner pipe inside deteriorated pipelines, operating in live sewers without service disruptions or bypass pumping for 30-in to 102-in diameters. Remotely operated with safety devices including e-stops and brakes.
• 5200 Series Pump Unit Versatile hydraulic power system providing power to tunnel boring machines while simultaneously advancing the pipe string. Provides 400-ton thrust for pipe diameters 36-in to 168-in, with multiple hydraulic flow modes up to 200 gpm, compatible with all Akkerman pipe jacking TBM diameters.
• AZ100 Total Guidance System Proprietary azimuth-based pipe jacking guidance system that allows accurate pipe jacking guidance on long drives and complex alignments without requiring continual manual surveyance. Self-surveying system.
• Equipment Sales, Leasing & Rental Multiple purchase, lease, and rent-to-purchase options for trenchless equipment. Extensive inventory of new and refurbished equipment with customization options, short-term rentals for small to mid-scale projects in the US and Canada, and rent-to-purchase programs allowing customers to apply rental payments toward eventual purchase.
• Aftermarket Parts Over 10,000 replacement parts inventoried to support all major Akkerman product lines. Parts can be ordered individually or as discounted spare parts volume packages, with direct drop shipping from suppliers to job sites for unique or out-of-stock items.
• Technical Training, Installation & Field Service Factory-certified field technicians with over 125 years of combined service provide operational training, on-site equipment installations, repairs, and ongoing technical support. Customers can also train at the D.H. Akkerman Training and Development Grounds at the company's facility.
• Custom Machining and Fabrication Custom machining and fabrication services for specialized equipment components and bespoke solutions to address unique project requirements that cannot be met with standard offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Drive lengths up to 3,000+ LF achievable with microtunneling in appropriate conditions
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Herrenknecht AG: German-headquartered world leader in tunnel boring machines, microtunneling equipment, and pipe jacking systems. Directly comparable as both companies manufacture slurry microtunneling and TBM equipment for utility and infrastructure pipe installation, with overlapping product lines in EPB and guidance systems.
• The Robbins Company: US-based manufacturer of tunnel boring machines and underground construction equipment serving civil infrastructure, mining, and hydroelectric projects. Comparable as a TBM-focused manufacturer with overlapping product categories in main-beam and EPB TBMs used in similar pipe-jacking and tunnel installation applications.
• Bohrtec GmbH: German-based manufacturer of trenchless boring equipment including auger boring machines, pipe ramming systems, and HDD rigs for utility installation. Comparable as a focused equipment manufacturer serving the same trenchless construction customer base with overlapping microtunneling and guided boring methods.
• Barbco, Inc. US-based manufacturer of auger boring machines, horizontal directional drills, and trenchless underground construction equipment for utility installation. Comparable as a focused equipment manufacturer of boring and trenchless equipment serving the same North American contractor base.
• American Augers: US-based manufacturer of horizontal directional drills, auger boring machines, and trenchless equipment for utility and pipeline installation. Comparable as a focused equipment manufacturer in the trenchless construction equipment market serving similar contractors and applications.

Broad incumbents

• Vermeer Corporation: Iowa-based, family-owned manufacturer of industrial and agricultural equipment, with trenchless brands including Ditch Witch for horizontal directional drilling. Comparable as a broader equipment manufacturer serving underground construction contractors with overlapping channels, customer base, and application footprint.
• Epiroc: Swedish-based subsidiary of Atlas Copco manufacturing drilling, rock excavation, and underground infrastructure equipment for mining and civil construction. Comparable as a diversified manufacturer serving contractors in rock boring, TBMs, and trenchless applications with global scale advantages.
• Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions: Swedish-based division of Sandik AB manufacturing mining and rock excavation equipment including TBMs and underground infrastructure equipment. Comparable as a major equipment manufacturer serving trenchless and underground construction contractors with rock boring and tunnel excavation capability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AkkermanInc
• Xx.com/akkermaninc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Akkerman