What Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation does

Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation is a privately held, employee-owned custom stainless steel equipment manufacturer founded in 1975 by Duane Foulkes in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. The company designs and fabricates ASME-certified pressure vessels, reactors, mix tanks, heat exchangers, columns, and sanitary vessels under its Vessel Solutions sub-brand, and rugged food processing equipment (ThermaBlend cookers, mixer-cookers, mixer-blenders, mixer-grinders, dumpers, screw conveyors, pump feeders, and vacuum stuffers) under the Mepaco brand, which carries a heritage dating to 1932. Supporting integrated business groups include Service 360 (field service and repair, including ASME R-Stamp alterations), Contract Manufacturing (precision stainless fabrication and assembly), Finishing Services (bead-blasting, passivation, pickling, electropolishing), Apache Transport (specialized delivery for oversized equipment), and a Validation Lab for customer product testing and recipe development.

The company generates revenue primarily through project-based, custom-engineered equipment sales to enterprise customers in regulated industries, with pricing set per quote (Net 30 terms in USD) and proposals valid for 30 days. Distribution is direct via technical sales representatives and application engineers — no reseller network is evident. Customers span pharmaceuticals and life sciences (24-vessel fraction collection contract referenced), food and beverage (meat, dairy, baking/confectionery/snack, pet food, prepared foods), biofuels and energy (167-foot columns for ethanol production), chemicals (including high-alloy Hastelloy, Monel, Alloy 20 work), petroleum, and personal care. Repeat and lifecycle revenue is captured through aftermarket parts, Service 360 maintenance agreements, and requalification work.

Operationally, Apache Stainless occupies a 200,000+ sq ft manufacturing campus in Beaver Dam (recently expanded by 40,000 sq ft in 2025) and employs between 251 and 500 people. Its competitive position rests on regulatory certifications (ASME, National Board, CRN for Canada), decades of accumulated fabrication expertise, and an integrated service model covering design through delivery. The company does not disclose revenue or accept external funding, consistent with its employee-owned structure.

Name

Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation

Legal name

Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation

Website

https://apachestainless.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation is an employee-owned, custom stainless steel equipment manufacturer in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, producing ASME-certified pressure vessels under Vessel Solutions and food processing equipment under the Mepaco brand (est. 1932) for pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, and biofuel customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Stainless Steel Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (33324), Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

Pressure Vessels, Columns & Storage Tanks (ASME/Process Vessels) (IMAHAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Chemical Processing Equipment (Reactors, Mixers, Agitators) (IMAHAEAA)

Keywords

• Custom stainless fabrication
• ASME pressure vessels
• Food processing equipment
• Sanitary stainless tanks
• Industrial mixer equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaver Dam

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Vessel Manufacturing: Design and fabrication of custom-engineered stainless vessels for critical regulated applications including ASME pressure vessels, mix tanks, reactors, columns, and sanitary vessels. Revenue generated through one-time project-based sales with pricing based on custom specifications and scope.
2. Food Processing Equipment: Manufacture and sale of Mepaco brand food processing equipment including ThermaBlend cookers, mixer-cookers, mixer-blenders, mixer-grinders, dumpers, screw conveyors, pump feeders, and vacuum stuffers. One-time equipment sales with potential for repeat orders.
3. Service 360: Industrial field service for vessel and food processing equipment including installation, repair, alteration (ASME R-Stamp), maintenance audits, and lifecycle support. Revenue from service labor and parts.
4. Contract Manufacturing: Precision stainless fabrication, welding, and assembly services for custom components and assemblies supporting complex projects. Project-based fabrication services.
5. Finishing Services: Bead-blasting, passivation, pickling, and electropolishing services for corrosion resistance and hygienic finishes. Revenue from metal finishing treatment services.
6. Parts Sales: Replacement parts for Mepaco food processing equipment and Apache vessel products including agitators, seals, bearings, motors, and custom components.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation designs and manufactures custom-engineered stainless steel capital equipment, including ASME pressure vessels, reactors, mix tanks, heat exchangers, sanitary vessels, and food processing equipment (under the Mepaco brand). The company serves regulated industries such as pharmaceutical, food and beverage, biofuels, chemical, life sciences, and personal care with integrated engineering, fabrication, finishing, contract manufacturing, and field service capabilities.

Product overview

Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation is a custom stainless steel equipment manufacturer operating through six integrated business groups. The core offering includes Vessel Solutions (custom-engineered stainless vessels including ASME pressure vessels, mix tanks, reactors, heat exchangers, and sanitary vessels) and Mepaco Food Processing Equipment (ThermaBlend Industrial Cookers, Mixer-Cookers, Mixer-Blenders, Mixer-Grinders, dumpers, screw conveyors, pump feeders, and auxiliary equipment). Supporting services include Service 360 (field service and repair), Contract Manufacturing (precision fabrication), Finishing Services (bead-blasting, electropolishing, passivation), and Apache Transport (specialized delivery). The company serves regulated industries including pharmaceutical, food & beverage, chemical, biofuels/energy, and life sciences with compliance-driven custom equipment solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vessel Solutions: Designs and fabricates custom-engineered stainless vessels for critical, regulated applications including ASME pressure vessels, heat exchangers, reactors, mix tanks, and sanitary vessels.
• Mepaco
• Service 360
• Contract Manufacturing
• Finishing Services
• Apache Transport

Products and services

• Vessel Solutions Custom-engineered stainless vessels for critical, regulated applications including ASME pressure vessels, mix tanks, reactors, heat exchangers, columns, and sanitary vessels for pharmaceutical, chemical, food, and biofuel industries.
• Mepaco Food Processing Equipment Rugged stainless food processing equipment and systems including cookers, mixers, grinders, dumpers, conveyors, and pumping systems for meat, poultry, dairy, pet food, and prepared foods industries.
• ThermaBlend Industrial Cooker ASME-certified industrial cooker featuring steam or hot water jacket with gentle agitation for even heating, capable of cooking, searing, caramelizing, chilling, sautéing, and blending large batches of food.
• Mixer-Cooker Indirect cooking technology using hot water circulation in jacket for homogeneous batch consistency and efficient large-scale cooking in food processing applications.
• Industrial Mixer-Blender Stainless steel mixer-blender with overlapping paddle design guaranteeing homogeneous blend reaching ½% deviation in less than 90 seconds, designed for high-volume food processing operations.
• Industrial Mixer-Grinder Heavy-duty stainless mixer-grinder for food processing applications including meat, poultry, and pet food production with various horsepower and plate configurations.
• DP3000 Dumper Industrial dumper equipment featuring pallet retention system (PRS) and safety guarding for safe and efficient material handling in food processing environments.
• ETD3000 Electric Tote Dumper Electric dumper designed for efficiency, reliability, sustainability and ease of maintenance in food processing operations.
• PB3000 Pallet Breaker Frozen pallet-breaking equipment (15½ ft W × 10½ ft D × 21½ ft H) designed to automate the frozen pallet-breaking process for food manufacturers.
• Screw Conveyor Systems Versatile screw conveyors including pivoting, articulating, and metering configurations for bulk food handling with sanitation cost reduction and 24/7 continuous operation capabilities.
• Pump Feeder Low-profile surge capacity system that converts traditional batching to continuous batching with gentle product handling and metered flow to downstream processes.
• Vacuum Sausage Stuffer Stainless steel vacuum sausage stuffer for precise filling and portioning in meat processing applications.
• PosiFlo Automatic Chub Loader Automatic chub loading system for high-volume processed meat packaging operations.
• Size Reduction Equipment Equipment for particle size reduction in food processing including grinders and related integration systems.
• Standard and Custom Lifts Material handling lifts including industrial lift dumpers, column dumpers, and portable solutions for ergonomic and safe equipment loading.
• Service 360 Comprehensive field service for stainless equipment including industrial service, vessel service, and Mepaco equipment support with expert teams for installation, repair, alteration (ASME R-Stamp), maintenance audits, and lifecycle support.
• Contract Manufacturing Precision stainless fabrication, welding, and assembly for custom components and assemblies with advanced processes and rigorous quality standards for complex manufacturing projects.
• Finishing Services In-house bead-blasting, passivation, pickling, and electropolishing for precise corrosion resistance and hygienic finishes that improve cleanability, durability, and compliance.
• Apache Transport Specialized door-to-door delivery for Apache and Mepaco equipment and third-party heavy hauls, ensuring safe handling and installation-ready delivery for oversized, high-value stainless equipment.
• Validation Lab Food processing research and test facility equipped with latest technology for product testing, recipe validation, batch testing, and process optimization with dual engineering and processing team support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Homogeneous blend accuracy reaching ½% deviation in less than 90 seconds of blending
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heat and Control: Manufacturer of food processing and packaging equipment including fryers, cookers, and conveying systems for snacks, prepared foods, and meat industries. Comparable to Apache's Mepaco cooking and material handling equipment.
• Paul Mueller Company: Custom stainless steel processing and storage equipment manufacturer serving dairy, food, beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, and biofuel industries. Closely comparable to Apache Vessel Solutions for ASME-engineered tanks, mix tanks, and process vessels.
• Wenger Manufacturing: Manufacturer of food and feed processing equipment including extrusion and cooking systems used in meat, pet food, and prepared foods. Closely comparable to Mepaco's industrial cooking, mixing, and blending equipment portfolio.
• JBT Corporation: Technology solutions provider for food processing, air transport, and refrigerated supply chains, including meat, poultry, and prepared foods equipment. Highly comparable to Apache's meat/poultry/pet food processing equipment lines via JBT FoodTech.
• Lee Industries: Designer and manufacturer of stainless steel processing equipment, blending vessels, reactors, and sanitary tanks for pharmaceutical, food, personal care, and chemical customers. Directly comparable to Apache's custom pressure vessel and mixing vessel portfolio.
• Raque Food Systems: Specializes in food processing equipment for sausage, meat, and prepared foods with vacuum stuffers and pumping systems. Comparable to Mepaco's vacuum stuffers, pump feeders, and processed meat handling equipment.
• Feldmeier Equipment: Manufacturer of stainless steel processing tanks, vessels, and mixers for the dairy, food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. Highly comparable to Apache's Vessel Solutions line in custom ASME stainless fabrication serving regulated end markets.
• Reiser: Supplier of processing, packaging, and portioning equipment for meat, poultry, seafood, and prepared foods with a focus on hygienic stainless systems. Directly comparable to Apache's Mepaco food processing equipment and material handling lines.
• Marel: Global supplier of food processing equipment, systems, and services for meat, poultry, fish, and dairy. Comparable in scope (food processing equipment breadth) and target end-markets to Apache's Mepaco business, though much larger and more diversified.

Broad incumbents

• GEA Group: Global engineering group supplying process equipment and entire lines for food, dairy, beverage, pharma, and chemical industries. Competes with Apache in custom vessels, separators, and food processing equipment but operates at significantly broader scale and across geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/apachestainless
• Facebookfacebook.com/apachestainless
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apache-stainless-equipment-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 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 Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation