What Sutrak does

SUTRAK Corporation is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of HVAC systems for passenger transit vehicles, headquartered in Commerce City, Colorado, with U.S. operations dating to 1981 and an underlying technology lineage to 1970s roof-mount HVAC patents. The company's core product portfolio centers on the ACE (Air Conditioning Electric) family: the flagship ACE234DLGS dual-loop roof-mount system, ACE235 Series roof-mount systems, ACE219 Series rear-mount systems, ACE238DLGS for articulated buses, and Power Generation Packages that enable all-electric HVAC on diesel and CNG buses. Underlying technology includes scroll compressors (chosen over screw and piston designs for liquid-handling, efficiency, and elimination of shaft seals), self-contained packaging that removes refrigerant tubing and leak points, and dual-compressor architectures for redundancy. The company also builds custom HVAC for Automated People Movers, Light Rail Vehicles, and Heavy Rail Test Vehicles.\n\nSUTRAK monetizes through three streams: (1) new HVAC system sales to transit authorities and bus OEMs (New Flyer, BYD, NABI) on a quote-based, multi-year contract basis; (2) Original Replacement Parts sold through a dedicated Replacement Parts Group; and (3) service and warranty support via company mobile technicians and authorized third-party service companies. Distribution is enterprise-direct with the support of manufacturer representatives (TMG) for bus customers. All named end-customers are U.S. public transit authorities (Broward County Transit, DART, HART, Antelope Valley, Oahu Transit, Long Beach Transit, Denver RTD, San Francisco MUNI), and SUTRAK's systems are specified on virtually every major U.S. bus, LRV, and APM OEM. The leadership team is founder-led (Dr. Hugh Ferdows, original patent holder) and the company is family-controlled following the 1996 divestiture of its international divisions.

Name

Sutrak

Legal name

SUTRAK Corporation

Website

https://sutrakusa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SUTRAK Corporation is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of HVAC systems for passenger transit vehicles, including electric and conventional roof- and rear-mount units for transit buses, light rail vehicles, and automated people movers, serving U.S. public transit authorities and major bus OEMs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transit Vehicle HVAC Systems Manufacturing

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)

akta.pro primary industry

Bus HVAC & Thermal Systems Manufacturing (IMACADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial Vehicle Cooling, HVAC & Thermal Management Manufacturing (IMACABAN), HVAC Equipment (Heating, Cooling & Air Handling) (IMAHAKAB), HVAC & Thermal Systems Service (A/C, Heating, Cooling) (TLAKABAF)

Keywords

• Transit bus HVAC systems
• Electric bus air conditioning
• Automated people mover HVAC
• Light rail vehicle climate control
• Scroll compressor HVAC

Headquarters

HQ city

Commerce City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. New HVAC Systems Sales: Sale of new transit bus HVAC systems including conventional and electric models. Includes roof mount and rear mount configurations for various bus types.
2. Original Replacement Parts: OEM quality replacement parts to keep vehicle HVAC systems working at optimum performance.
3. Service and Warranty Support: On-site service and warranty repairs provided through company mobile technicians and authorized third-party service companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SUTRAK designs, manufactures, and sells energy-efficient HVAC systems for passenger transit vehicles including transit buses, light rail vehicles (LRVs), automated people movers (APMs), school buses, and shuttle buses. The portfolio centers on the ACE (Air Conditioning Electric) electric HVAC product line featuring scroll compressor and self-contained designs, alongside conventional belt-driven HVAC systems. Supporting offerings include Power Generation Packages for diesel and CNG buses, custom HVAC solutions for rail and APM projects, and OEM replacement parts backed by service and warranty support.

Product overview

SUTRAK is a U.S. manufacturer specializing in HVAC systems for passenger transit vehicles, offering a comprehensive portfolio centered on ACE (Air Conditioning Electric) product lines and traditional conventional systems. The core product family includes the ACE234DLGS flagship roof mount electric HVAC, ACE235 Series roof mount electric HVAC, ACE219 Series rear mount electric HVAC, and ACE238DLGS for articulated buses. Supporting products include Power Generation Packages enabling all-electric HVAC on diesel and CNG buses, Conventional HVAC Systems with belt-driven compressors, and custom HVAC solutions for Automated People Movers (APM) and Light Rail Vehicles (LRV). The company also provides Original Replacement Parts and service support. SUTRAK pioneered roof mount technology in the 1970s and leads in electric HVAC systems for transit buses, with scroll compressor technology offering advantages over traditional piston or screw designs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACE234DLGS (Dual Loop) Flagship Roof Mount Electric HVAC Flagship roof-mount electric HVAC system for transit buses featuring dual scroll compressor technology for redundancy and efficiency. The system delivers full HVAC capacity at engine idle, eliminates refrigerant tubing leak points through self-contained design, and addresses A/C-related road call reduction for transit fleets.
• ACE235 Series Roof Mount Electric HVAC Roof mount electric HVAC system for transit buses evolved from the original AC235 platform, available with single or dual compressors, air-cooled inverters, and options for glycol or electric heat. Designed for full operation across diesel, CNG, hybrid, and battery-electric transit bus platforms.
• ACE219 Series Rear Mount Electric HVAC Rear-mount electric HVAC system for transit buses providing self-contained design that eliminates refrigerant tubing and potential leak points from vehicle design. Configured for rear-mount installations on 40-ft CNG and diesel bus platforms.
• ACE238DLGS Articulated Bus Roof Mount Electric HVAC Articulated bus roof-mount electric HVAC system with dual loop technology designed for extended articulated transit vehicles requiring higher capacity and redundancy.
• Power Generation Package Generator-powered electric HVAC system enabling all-electric HVAC operation on diesel and CNG bus applications without dedicated battery storage. Uses air-cooled components for simplified maintenance and reliability.
• Conventional HVAC Systems (AC235, AC238) Traditional roof-top and rear-mounted HVAC systems using belt-driven 4 or 6 cylinder compressors. SUTRAK is the original designer of roof-mount HVAC for buses, holding global patents for the technology.
• APM HVAC Systems Custom HVAC systems for Automated People Movers used in airports and urban transit systems, providing customization beyond general manufacturing capabilities. SUTRAK has built HVAC systems for APM projects worldwide including Las Vegas, Venice, Mexico, Indianapolis, and MGM CityCenter.
• LRV HVAC Systems HVAC systems for Light Rail Vehicles and Heavy Rail Test Vehicles, designed to address space constraints, vibration resistance, and specialized mounting requirements of rail applications. Past deployments include Denver RTD Light Rail, San Francisco MUNI Breda trains, and vintage dome trains.
• Original Replacement Parts OEM-quality replacement parts including coils, scroll cages, and distribution copper components to maintain optimum HVAC performance across SUTRAK-installed vehicle fleets. Sold directly through the SUTRAK Replacement Parts Group.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dual compressor systems have helped mitigate A/C related road calls in Broward County, FL
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and core.

• HART (Hillsborough Area Regional Transit)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017ACE236 HART Trolley HVAC Replacement project 2017-2019, including Denver RTD light rail work.
• Antelope Valley Transit AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Full Electric ACE238 on BYD Articulated Electric Bus featuring dual ACE234DLS Packages (ACE238DLS) configuration. Leading electric bus HVAC implementation.
• BYDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017BYD bus manufacturer partnership for Antelope Valley Transit Authority 40-foot electric buses with SUTRAK ACE234DLS systems.
• Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Full Electric ACE219G rear mount HVAC systems on New Flyer 40-ft CNG buses including Power Generation Package. Multi-year implementation from 2016-2019.
• Broward County TransitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Long-term partnership for full electric ACE238G systems on 60-ft Diesel buses and ACE234DLGS dual loop systems. Partnership has yielded operational benefits including reduced A/C related road calls. Multiple project phases from 2014-2019.
• NABIcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007First generator powered electric HVAC on 40-foot diesel buses (NABI 2007-2008), with multiple subsequent projects 2009-2019.
• New Flyer (ISE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006First production self-contained rear mount HVAC systems on gas electric buses; First generator powered electric HVAC on articulated diesel buses (2006).
• New FlyercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor bus OEM partner for multiple transit authority projects including Broward County Transit Xcelsior 60-ft Diesel and DART Xcelsior 40-ft CNG.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Grayson Thermal Systems: Grayson Thermal Systems is a UK manufacturer specializing in thermal management solutions for buses, coaches, and rail vehicles. It overlaps directly with SUTRAK's core product portfolio in transit bus and electric HVAC systems.
• Thermo King (Trane Technologies): Thermo King, a Trane Technologies brand, is one of the largest suppliers of transport temperature control including bus and rail HVAC. It directly competes with SUTRAK in transit bus and rail climate-control systems across North America and globally.
• Konvekta: Konvekta is a German specialist in HVAC and heat-pump systems for buses, coaches, and rail vehicles. It directly competes with SUTRAK in the European and increasingly North American transit and electric-bus HVAC markets.
• Webasto: Webasto supplies HVAC and thermal management systems for buses, coaches, and commercial vehicles worldwide. It is a direct competitor to SUTRAK in transit bus HVAC, particularly in roof-mounted and electric HVAC systems for European and North American fleets.
• Hispacold: Hispacold is a Spain-based manufacturer of HVAC systems for buses and rail vehicles, including electric and heat-pump variants. It is a direct competitor to SUTRAK in transit bus and rail climate control with strong European OEM relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Modine Manufacturing: Modine is a diversified thermal-management manufacturer serving commercial vehicles, data centers, and industrial markets. While broader than SUTRAK, its commercial-vehicle thermal business directly overlaps with bus and transit HVAC.
• Valeo: Valeo is a global automotive supplier with significant thermal-management and HVAC product lines for passenger and commercial vehicles. While primarily automotive-focused, its bus and commercial-vehicle thermal systems are adjacent competitors to SUTRAK.
• Eberspächer: Eberspächer is a German automotive supplier of HVAC, heating, and climate-control systems for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Its bus and commercial-vehicle thermal business overlaps with SUTRAK's transit HVAC offerings.
• Denso: Denso is a major global automotive supplier with thermal systems for buses and commercial vehicles, including electric HVAC and heat-pump solutions. Its scale and OEM relationships make it a broad competitive threat in transit bus thermal management.
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries manufactures commercial and transit HVAC systems as part of its broader thermal-systems portfolio. It competes with SUTRAK in transit bus and rail climate-control markets, particularly in Asia-Pacific and through global OEMs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sutrak

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Sutrak