American Cylinder
American Cylinder Co., Inc. is a privately-held Illinois-based manufacturer of small bore pneumatic cylinders and related fluid power components, sold through independent stocking distributors and a direct e-commerce storefront, serving industrial buyers in food and beverage, medical, marine, agriculture, car wash, and dairy farm applications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersPeotone, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What American Cylinder does
American Cylinder Co., Inc. is a privately-held manufacturer of pneumatic fluid power components, specializing in small bore air cylinders for the International Fluid Power market. Headquartered at 481 S Governors Hwy in Peotone, Illinois, with a headcount in the 11–50 range, the company was founded around 1977 and operates on an ISO 9001:2015-certified quality management system (certificate 71295532/11-IT-A9, issued by DEKRA). Its core competency is interchangeable NFPA-style pneumatic cylinders across bore sizes from 9/16" through 8", with material variants including Type 303/304 stainless steel (Stainless Steel Series), hard-coat aluminum (Aluminum 76 Series), and an all-stainless Corrosion Resistant (CR) Series featuring acetal resin internals and FDA-approved seals and lubrication for harsh environments. The product portfolio also extends into tie rod cylinders (Mini-Pak, MSP multistage power multipliers, TR Series), low-profile (LPC) and rodless linear slide (LSC) cylinders, three-position cylinders, magnetic-field MFC-switch capable variants, and supporting accessories such as 70 Series valves, Syntesi air prep (FRL) units, reed and solid-state sensor switches, mounting hardware, and flow control valves. Custom "Special Design Cylinders" engineering is offered for unusual pneumatic or hydraulic applications.
The company's go-to-market combines a network of independent stocking fluid power distributors located across every major industrial market — including internationally — with a direct e-commerce storefront at shop.americancylinder.com for standard catalog items and a "Request a Quote" workflow for custom configurations. Revenue mechanics are hardware sales of cylinders and accessories, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Marketing is primarily website- and catalog-driven, supplemented by a LinkedIn presence. There are no disclosed enterprise anchor customers; the company explicitly markets into six industry verticals — Food & Beverage, Medical, Marine, Agriculture, Car Washes, and Dairy Farms — addressing pain points such as corrosion, washdown exposure, FDA compliance, and component reliability.
Ownership is independent and private: no parent company, institutional investors, public listing, founder biographies, or management team biographies are disclosed in available sources. There are no documented funding rounds, mergers, acquisitions, leadership changes, or restructuring events. The company is operating and its website is maintained through 2026, with an active product catalog and distributor footprint across the United States and abroad.
American Cylinder firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- American Cylinder
- Legal name
- American Cylinder Co., Inc.
- Website
- https://americancylinder.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- American Cylinder Co., Inc. is a privately-held Illinois-based manufacturer of small bore pneumatic cylinders and related fluid power components, sold through independent stocking distributors and a direct e-commerce storefront, serving industrial buyers in food and beverage, medical, marine, agriculture, car wash, and dairy farm applications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
American Cylinder industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pneumatic Cylinders
- NAICS
- Fluid Power Cylinder and Actuator Manufacturing (333995), Fluid Power Valve and Hose Fitting Manufacturing (332912)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pneumatic Components (FRLs, Cylinders, Valves) (IMAHAGAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pneumatic Air Preparation & Distribution (FRL assemblies, manifolds, air headers) (IMAHAGAD), Hydraulic Components (Pumps, Motors, Cylinders) (IMAHAGAA)
Keywords
Where American Cylinder is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Peotone
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
American Cylinder 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
Revenue model
- Pneumatic Cylinder Sales: Manufacture and sale of pneumatic cylinders including non-repairable, low profile, tie rod, and special design cylinders. Products sold through independent distributors and direct online purchasing.
- Accessories and Components: Sale of mounting accessories, sensor switches, flow control valves, and other complementary components.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard catalog products available via quote or online purchase |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
American Cylinder product offering
Product offeringCore offering
American Cylinder Co., Inc. manufactures small bore pneumatic cylinders and related fluid power components for the International Fluid Power market. The product portfolio includes non-repairable interchange cylinders (stainless steel, aluminum, corrosion resistant, three position, magnetic field), low profile compact cylinders, NFPA-compliant tie rod cylinders, linear slide rodless cylinders, and supporting accessories such as valves, air prep units, sensor switches, mounting hardware, and flow control valves. Custom special design cylinder engineering is also offered for unusual applications.
Product overview
American Cylinder Co., Inc. is a manufacturer of small bore pneumatic cylinders and related fluid power components serving the International Fluid Power market. The product portfolio consists primarily of non-repairable interchange design cylinders (Stainless Steel Series, Aluminum 76 Series, Magnetic Field MFC-Switch Capable, Corrosion Resistant CR Series, Three Position Series), low profile compact cylinders (LPC Series), NFPA-compliant tie rod cylinders (Mini-Pak Series, MSP Series, TR Series), linear slide rodless cylinders (LSC Series), and supporting accessories including 70 Series Valves, Syntesi Air Prep FRL units, sensor switches, mounting accessories, and flow control valves. The company also offers custom/special design cylinder engineering for unusual applications. Products are sold through an independent distributor network and are ISO 9001:2015 certified.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CR Series (Corrosion Resistant): Corrosion resistant air cylinders with acetal resin and stainless steel components for harsh industrial environments including food and beverage and marine applications.
- Three Position Series
- TR Series
Products and services
- Stainless Steel Series Cylinders Stainless steel pneumatic cylinders with Type 303/304 stainless steel bodies and rods, designed for durability and corrosion resistance in demanding industrial environments.
- Aluminum 76 Series Cylinders Heavy-duty aluminum pneumatic cylinders featuring hard-coated aluminum body for industrial applications requiring lightweight yet durable components.
- Magnetic Field MFC-Switch Capable Series Cylinders Pneumatic cylinders equipped with internal magnets for switch actuation, enabling position sensing and feedback in automated systems.
- Corrosion Resistant CR Series Cylinders Corrosion-resistant cylinders constructed with stainless steel and acetal resin components, engineered for harsh environments, food and beverage, and marine applications with moisture exposure.
- Three Position Series Cylinders Three-position non-repairable cylinders capable of achieving multiple positions for applications requiring intermediate positioning or multiple power outputs with matching initial and total stroke.
- Low Profile LPC Series Cylinders Compact, low-profile interchange pneumatic cylinders designed for space-constrained applications while maintaining reliable performance.
- 70 Series Valves Series 70 pneumatic valves for controlling airflow and pneumatic system operation in industrial automation applications.
- Syntesi Air Prep (FRL) Air preparation units combining Filter, Regulator, and Lubricator (FRL) functions for conditioning compressed air in pneumatic systems.
- Linear Slide LSC Series Cylinders Linear slide pneumatic cylinders with rodless design for linear motion applications requiring smooth, guided movement without piston rod extension.
- Tie Rod Cylinders (Mini-Pak, MSP, TR Series) NFPA-compliant tie rod cylinders in various series (Mini-Pak, MSP, TR) offering conventional dimensions and mounting styles for fluid power applications requiring interchangeability with NFPA standards.
- Mounting Accessories Mounting hardware including flange brackets, mounting nuts, pivot brackets, trunnion brackets, foot brackets, and rod clevises for securing pneumatic cylinders.
- Sensor Switches and Components Magnetic and mechanical sensor switches for detecting cylinder piston position, including reed switches and solid state switches with associated clamping bands and connector cables.
- Flow Control Valves Flow control valves for regulating pneumatic cylinder speed, available in quick connect and threaded connect configurations with knob or screwdriver adjustment.
- Special Design Cylinders Custom-designed pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders engineered to meet specific application requirements for unusual or challenging industrial uses.
Companies that use American Cylinder
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
American Cylinder technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
American Cylinder partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
American Cylinder competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fabco-Air: Fabco-Air is a Florida-based manufacturer of pneumatic cylinders, including NFPA, stainless steel, and pancake cylinders, distributed through industrial fluid power channels. It is a direct peer competing in similar product categories and distributor channels as American Cylinder.
- Bimba Manufacturing (IMI): Bimba, now part of IMI plc, manufactures pneumatic cylinders including stainless steel, NFPA tie-rod, and specialty cylinders. It is one of the closest direct competitors to American Cylinder in the North American small-bore pneumatic cylinder market, with overlapping NFPA and stainless-steel offerings.
- Humphrey Products: Humphrey Products manufactures pneumatic valves, cylinders, and actuators, with a strong focus on small-bore and specialty pneumatic products. It competes with American Cylinder in the small pneumatic cylinder and valve category for industrial OEM customers.
- Clippard Instrument Laboratory: Clippard produces miniature pneumatic cylinders, valves, and air preparation components. Its focus on small-bore and stainless-steel cylinders directly mirrors American Cylinder's specialty, serving overlapping OEM and industrial customer bases.
- Camozzi Automation: Camozzi Automation manufactures pneumatic cylinders (Series 40, 60, 63), valves, FRLs, and accessories, with global distribution through fluid power channels. Its product mix and go-to-market through distributors closely parallels American Cylinder's offerings.
- Metal Work: Metal Work is an Italian pneumatic components manufacturer with pneumatic cylinders, valves, and FRLs (including the Syntesi FRL line American Cylinder distributes in the US). It is a direct peer in product mix, with a partnership-like distribution relationship through American Cylinder.
Broad incumbents
- Parker Hannifin: Parker Hannifin's Industrial segment offers a broad pneumatic and hydraulic product portfolio including pneumatic cylinders (e.g., P1S, P1V series). Parker is a global fluid power giant competing across all bore sizes and integrated automation, representing a much larger incumbent in the same product category as American Cylinder.
- SMC Corporation: SMC is the world's largest manufacturer of pneumatic components, including a wide range of pneumatic cylinders (CQ2, CQS series), valves, and air prep units. It competes with American Cylinder across bore sizes and end markets, with significantly greater scale and global distribution.
- Norgren (IMI Precision Engineering): Norgren, part of IMI plc, manufactures pneumatic cylinders, valves, and air preparation equipment globally. Its broad fluid power portfolio and global reach position it as a larger incumbent that competes with American Cylinder across multiple pneumatic product categories.
- Festo: Festo is a leading global pneumatic and automation supplier with a comprehensive line of pneumatic cylinders (DSNU, ADN, DSBG series), valves, and air preparation. Its comprehensive catalog and integrated automation solutions compete directly with American Cylinder's pneumatic cylinders and FRL offerings across industrial customers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
American Cylinder social profiles
Digital presenceAmerican Cylinder compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
American Cylinder financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
American Cylinder leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
American Cylinder funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
American Cylinder 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 American Cylinder
What does American Cylinder do?
American Cylinder Co., Inc. manufactures small bore pneumatic cylinders and related fluid power components for the International Fluid Power market. The product portfolio includes non-repairable interchange cylinders (stainless steel, aluminum, corrosion resistant, three position, magnetic field), low profile compact cylinders, NFPA-compliant tie rod cylinders, linear slide rodless cylinders, and supporting accessories such as valves, air prep units, sensor switches, mounting hardware, and flow control valves. Custom special design cylinder engineering is also offered for unusual applications.
Is American Cylinder a public or private company?
American Cylinder is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was American Cylinder founded?
American Cylinder was founded in 1977. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is American Cylinder based?
American Cylinder is headquartered in Peotone, United States, in the North America region.
How does American Cylinder make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Pneumatic Cylinder Sales are the primary driver. The others are accessories and Components.
Who are American Cylinder's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fabco-Air, Bimba Manufacturing (IMI), Humphrey Products, Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Camozzi Automation and Metal Work. Broad incumbents are Parker Hannifin, SMC Corporation, Norgren (IMI Precision Engineering) and Festo.
Does American Cylinder have an API?
No public API is recorded for American Cylinder.
What industry is American Cylinder in?
American Cylinder's product category is Pneumatic Cylinders. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAGAC, Pneumatic Components (FRLs, Cylinders, Valves), with a secondary code of IMAHAGAD, Pneumatic Air Preparation & Distribution (FRL assemblies, manifolds, air headers). Its NAICS code is 333995.