Powerex

What Powerex does

Powerex is a US-based manufacturer of oil-free compressed air and vacuum systems, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Harrison, Ohio with additional manufacturing operations in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. The company designs and builds NFPA 99-compliant medical air compressors, medical vacuum systems, and medical gas pipeline components (alarm panels, manifolds, zone valve boxes), as well as oil-free laboratory, industrial, and transportation (including electric and fuel cell vehicle) compressed air and vacuum solutions. Its technology stack spans multiple pump architectures (scroll, oil-less reciprocating piston, claw, rotary vane, oil-sealed rotary vane) plus in-house subsystems including UL 508A-listed control panels, desiccant dryers, dew point and CO monitors, VFD controls with BACnet integration, and vertically integrated component manufacturing.

Powerex is a subsidiary of Marmon | Berkshire Hathaway and historically traded as Powerex-Iwata Air Technology Inc. Revenue is generated primarily through sale of hardware systems and components via a network of approximately 250 full-service distributors and 220+ authorized service centers in the US, Canada, the Middle East, Central and South America, supplemented by professional services (installation, maintenance, warranty) and custom OEM/private-label solutions. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. End markets span healthcare facilities, university/biotech laboratories, industrial manufacturers (food and beverage, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, textile, environmental), beverage producers, OEM partners, and transit/EV air-brake applications. The company maintains ISO 9001:2015, ISO 8573-1:2010 Class Zero, UL 508A, CSA, and California OSHPD seismic certifications and holds a patented tip seal design for scroll compressors used in heavy-duty truck applications.

Name

Powerex

Legal name

Powerex-Iwata Air Technology Inc.

Website

https://powerexinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Powerex, founded in 1988 and owned by Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway, manufactures NFPA 99-compliant oil-free compressed air and vacuum systems for healthcare, laboratory, industrial, and electric-transportation markets, selling through 250+ distributors worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Compressed Air and Vacuum Equipment

NAICS

Air and Gas Compressor Manufacturing (333912), Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391), Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561)

akta.pro primary industry

Air & Gas Compressors (General Purpose) (IMAHANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pump & Compressor Packages (Skids, Booster Sets) (IMAHANAG), Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers) (IMAHAGAN), Vacuum Pumps & Systems (IMAHANAD)

Keywords

• Oil-free air compressors
• Medical gas systems
• Industrial vacuum pumps
• Compressed air solutions
• Scroll compressor technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Compressed Air and Vacuum Systems Sales: Powerex generates revenue through the sale of oil-free compressed air and vacuum systems, including medical, laboratory, industrial, and transportation applications. Products are sold through a network of 250 distributors with custom OEM solutions for partner requirements.
2. System Components and Accessories: Sale of system components including controls, VFD drives, pumps, dryers, dew point monitors, CO monitors, and other accessories as part of complete medical gas pipeline solutions.
3. Professional Services: Service and support through over 220 authorized service centers, including installation, maintenance, and warranty services.
4. Custom OEM Solutions: Custom-built solutions catering to diverse OEM partner requirements for specialized applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Powerex designs, manufactures, and sells oil-free compressed air and vacuum systems for medical, laboratory, industrial, and transportation applications. Its product lines include NFPA 99 compliant medical air compressors, medical vacuum systems, and medical gas pipeline equipment; ISO 8573-1:2010 Class Zero industrial air compressors and Busch-based vacuum systems; oil-less laboratory air and vacuum systems; and oil-free scroll compressors for electric and hybrid vehicle air brakes, supported by in-house control panels, dryers, and monitoring accessories.

Product overview

Powerex is a manufacturer of oil-free compressed air and vacuum solutions founded in 1988, now part of Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway. The product portfolio is organized into four main verticals: Medical (NFPA 99 compliant air compressors, vacuum systems, and gas pipeline products including FirstCall alarm panels and manifolds), Laboratory (oil-less air and vacuum systems for research applications), Industrial (ISO 8573-1:2010 Class Zero oil-free compressors and vacuum systems), and Transportation (oil-free scroll compressors for electric vehicle air brakes). Supporting these core systems are system components including Premium and Basic Controls with BACnet building automation integration, VFD controls, multiple pump technologies (scroll, reciprocating piston, claw, rotary vane), desiccant and refrigerated dryers, dew point monitors, CO monitors, and Heat Manager cooling systems. The company sells through a network of approximately 250 full-service distributors and also provides custom OEM solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medical Air Compressors NFPA 99 compliant medical air compressor systems for healthcare facilities, including enclosed scroll, open scroll, oil-less reciprocating piston, instrument air, and enclosed rotary screw models designed for hospital medical air applications.
• Medical Vacuum Systems NFPA 99 compliant medical vacuum systems for healthcare facilities, including enclosed claw, open claw, enclosed lubricated vane, and oil-less vane technologies for waste anesthesia gas disposal and medical suction applications.
• Medical Gas Pipeline Products NFPA 99 compliant medical gas pipeline components for healthcare facilities, including FirstCall alarm panels, automatic changeover manifolds, zone valve boxes, gas outlets, ball valves, pressure switches, gas control panels, and check/relief valves.
• Laboratory Air Systems Oil-less air compressor systems for university research labs, biotechnology labs, and gas generation for scientific applications, including enclosed scroll, open scroll, and rotary screw enclosure models.
• Laboratory Vacuum Systems Vacuum systems for laboratory applications, including enclosed claw, open claw, and lubricated vane technologies for university and biotech research.
• Industrial Air Compressors ISO 8573-1:2010 Class Zero oil-free industrial air compressors including enclosed scroll, scroll tankmount, scroll basemount, reciprocating piston, and climate control systems for critical applications.
• Industrial Vacuum Systems Industrial vacuum systems featuring Busch lubricated rotary vane pumps in tank-mounted and open configurations, ranging from 1.5 HP to 25 HP for industrial applications.
• Transportation Air Compressors Oil-free scroll air compressors for transportation air brake and suspension requirements in electric, hybrid, and fuel cell buses and trucks, including enclosed scroll basemount (EBB), scroll basemount (SBB), and scroll direct couple (SDC) models with permanent magnet motor options and patented tip seal design.
• TDD Industrial Air Treatment Package Skid-mounted industrial air treatment system with -40 deg F dew point rating, regenerative desiccant dryer, dual-stage filtration, dew point monitor, and NEMA 4 control panel for moisture-free compressed air in critical process applications.
• Premium Controls Standard color touchscreen control panel with PLC controller, BACnet protocol gateway, email notifications, UL508 listed NEMA 4/12 enclosure, integrated dew point/CO monitors, and visual/audible alarm functionality for compressor system monitoring and building automation integration.
• VFD Controls Variable Frequency Drive control system for vacuum systems that matches pump speed to load requirements, improving efficiency over conventional on/off systems with BACnet connectivity and web server features.
• Medical Desiccant Dryers NFPA 99 compliant medical desiccant air dryers with pressure swing adsorption technology, self-cleaning ceramic switching valve, automatic purge saver, and differential pressure indicators, ranging from 5 to 375 SCFM capacity.
• Heat Manager Integrated cooling system for enclosed scroll compressor systems that removes excess heat to save air conditioning energy costs (projected savings up to ~$5,400/yr) and enhance compressor performance and reliability.
• Custom OEM Solutions Custom-built oil-free compressed air and gas generation systems catering to diverse OEM partner requirements, including private-label arrangements for industry leaders using Powerex technology.

Quantifiable outcome

• Energy cost savings up to $5,400/year through Heat Manager cooling system
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Marmon | Berkshire HathawaycoreOthersPowerex is a Marmon | Berkshire Hathaway company, providing corporate backing and association with one of the largest diversified industrial holding companies in North America.
• BuschcoreTechnology or IntegrationPowerex industrial vacuum systems feature Busch lubricated rotary vane pumps. Busch is a leading manufacturer of vacuum pumps and systems used in industrial applications.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ingersoll Rand: Global industrial conglomerate with a broad compressor portfolio including oil-free screw and reciprocating machines serving medical and industrial customers. Highly comparable end-markets to Powerex with significantly larger installed base and direct sales coverage.
• Atlas Copco: Global leader in compressors, vacuum, and industrial tools with extensive oil-free compressor lines serving medical, laboratory, and industrial customers. Directly comparable to Powerex's product portfolio but at substantially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Gardner Denver: Industrial compressor and blower manufacturer serving medical gas, laboratory, and process industries. Now part of Ingersoll Rand, but historically a direct competitor to Powerex in oil-free and medical air systems.

Direct peers

• Quincy Compressor: Manufacturer of reciprocating and rotary screw air compressors including oil-free models for industrial and medical applications. Competes in overlapping SKUs and customer segments with Powerex, particularly in North America.
• Kaeser Compressors: Manufacturer of oil-free rotary screw and reciprocating compressors widely used in medical, food/beverage, and pharmaceutical applications. Competes head-to-head with Powerex in ISO Class Zero oil-free segments and shares a similar industrial channel-partner go-to-market model.
• Busch Vacuum Solutions: Global leader in vacuum pumps and systems including rotary vane technology; already a Powerex supplier for industrial vacuum and a competitor in packaged vacuum solutions. Highly comparable in industrial vacuum and competes in some medical vacuum applications.
• Sullair: Manufacturer of oil-free rotary screw compressors and vacuum systems used in food/beverage, pharmaceutical, and electronics. Comparable product positioning to Powerex's industrial Class Zero line and shares North American industrial customer base.

Emerging players

• CompAir: Specialist in oil-free compressors and medical air systems comparable to Powerex's NFPA 99 product family. Has similar channel-partner distribution model and serves hospital, laboratory, and pharmaceutical customers globally.
• Hitachi Industrial Compressors: Manufacturer of oil-free screw compressors for industrial and medical applications. Comparable to Powerex in oil-free scroll and screw technology, but with stronger Asia-Pacific reach where Powerex is absent.
• Bauer Group (Medical Air): European manufacturer of medical air compressors and respiratory gas systems meeting hospital-grade standards. Directly comparable to Powerex's medical air and vacuum NFPA 99 portfolio, though primarily Europe-focused and less present in North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/powerexinc

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Powerex