What Kaufman Engineered Systems does

Kaufman Engineered Systems is a privately held, family-owned American manufacturer and integrator of end-of-line packaging automation, founded in 1946 by Larry L. Kaufman Sr. in Waterville, Ohio. The company designs, engineers, and fabricates robotic palletizing and depalletizing systems, stretch wrapping equipment, conveyors, and material handling machinery under its KPal, KDPal, KForce, and MatTop product brands. As a Level 5 Authorized FANUC Systems Integrator—the highest tier of FANUC partnership—Kaufman integrates FANUC robots (M-410iB/700, M20iD/25, R-1000iA) with proprietary end-of-arm tooling (KPal V/S/C/B/K5 variants) and Allen Bradley controls (CompactLogix, ControlLogix, GuardLogix) to deliver turnkey cells. A patented K5 end-of-arm tooling platform for full-layer bulk palletizing, refined across five revisions since 1995, anchors a differentiated product portfolio that also includes KPal Collaborative, KPal Compact, and KPal Stack & Wrap integrated systems.

The company's go-to-market is a direct enterprise field-sales model: an Owner-President of Sales (Nick Kaufman) plus approximately eight account managers call on manufacturing and distribution facilities nationwide, supported by in-house installation crews serving all 50 US states and a 24/7 emergency service operation. Revenue derives from custom-engineered capital equipment sales, replacement parts (managed by Service Manager/Parts Sales Ed Burgess), recurring maintenance contracts (quarterly, semi-annual, or annual cadence), installation services, and a newer custom Video Training Package offering. Total manufacturing footprint spans approximately 90,000 sq ft across the Waterville headquarters and a relocated Bowling Green, Ohio facility. Target verticals are food manufacturing, beverage/wine/spirits, container manufacturing (glass and plastic), paper products, health and beauty, and custom applications; the disclosed customer base includes Campbell's, Chobani, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, PepsiCo, E&J Gallo, Abbott Laboratories, Johnson & Johnson, Amcor, Ardagh Group, BASF, Kroger, and First Solar, among more than 50 named major brands. Pricing is quote-based with no public disclosure, and revenue figures are not reported, reflecting the company's private, family-controlled structure with no external institutional investment.

Name

Kaufman Engineered Systems

Legal name

Kaufman Engineered Systems

Website

https://kaufmanengsys.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kaufman Engineered Systems is a family-owned Ohio manufacturer founded in 1946 that designs, builds, and integrates robotic end-of-line packaging automation—including palletizers, depalletizers, stretch wrappers, and material handling systems—for major food, beverage, and consumer goods manufacturers using FANUC robotics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial End-of-Line Packaging Automation

NAICS

Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging Line Automation, Robotics & Integration (Controls, Turnkey Lines) (IMALAOAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

End-of-Line Integration & Packaging Line Systems (IMAHAOAN), Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits) (IMAGABAK), Factory Automation Cells & Integrated Systems (Assembly, Welding, Painting Lines) (IMAHAHAL)

Keywords

• Robotic palletizing systems
• End-of-line automation
• Stretch wrapping equipment
• Material handling solutions
• Conveyor systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Automation Equipment Sales: Design, manufacture, and integration of custom robotic palletizing systems, stretch wrapping equipment, conveyors, and material handling equipment. Equipment is customized to customer specifications with FANUC robotics integration.
2. Replacement Parts Sales: Sales of replacement parts for Kaufman manufactured equipment. Contact through Ed Burgess, Service Manager/Parts Sales. Parts include components for stretch wrappers, conveyors, and robotic systems.
3. Technical Service and Maintenance: Technical support and maintenance services including 24/7 emergency support. Service options include quarterly, semi-annual, or annual maintenance support with Kaufman Qualified Technicians.
4. Installation Services: Nationwide installation services using in-house installation crews. Complete mechanical and electrical installation, unloading, setup, and startup support.
5. Video Training Packages: Custom video training packages for new equipment. Provides onboarding and refresher training for operators. Covers overview, safety interface, controls interface, procedural videos, and recipe management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kaufman Engineered Systems designs, manufactures, and integrates custom end-of-line automation systems for industrial manufacturers and distributors. Its core offerings include robotic palletizing and depalletizing systems (KPal and KDPal product lines), stretch wrapping equipment (KForce line), material handling equipment, and a broad range of conveyor solutions. The company serves as a single-source integrator combining proprietary end-of-arm tooling, FANUC robotics, Allen Bradley controls, and in-house engineering, installation, and 24/7 service support.

Product overview

Kaufman Engineered Systems is a single-source manufacturer of complete end-of-line automated packaging systems since 1947, operating as a platform of integrated automation solutions. The product portfolio centers on the KPal Series of robotic palletizers (including KPal V/S/C/B standard models, KPal K5 full-layer systems, KPal Compact small-footprint systems, KPal Collaborative operator-interaction systems, and KPal Stack & Wrap integrated palletizing/wrapping systems) complemented by KDPal robotic depalletizers. Supporting the robotic systems is a comprehensive line of KForce stretch wrapping equipment (rotary arm R20/R35, turntable T20, horizontal ring), material handling equipment (dual load stackers, pallet dispensers/stackers, sheet feeders, transfer units, dynamic dunnage), and diverse conveyor solutions (belt, roller, chain, CDLR, MatTop, slat, skatewheel, motor-driven, gravity, load lifters, lift-and-turn, and mobile transport systems including transfer cars, AGVs, LGVs, and AMRs). The company integrates FANUC robotics as a Level 5 Authorized System Integrator, uses Allen Bradley control components, and provides end-of-arm tooling options (vacuum, spatula, clamp, bag gripper) tailored to product types. All systems are designed, manufactured, and integrated in-house with nationwide installation and 24/7 service support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KPal: Line of robotic palletizing systems including KPal V (vacuum), KPal S (spatula), KPal C (clamp), and KPal B (bag) models.
• KPal SW (Stack & Wrap)
• KPal K5
• KPal Compact
• KPal Collaborative
• KForce
• MatTop

Products and services

• KPal Series Robotic Palletizing Systems Complete line of robotic palletizing systems including KPal V (vacuum), KPal S (spatula), KPal C (clamp), and KPal B (bag) end-of-arm tooling options for palletizing cases, bundles, bags, and trays. Integrates FANUC robotics with Allen Bradley PLC controls for enterprise manufacturing customers.
• KPal K5 Full Layer Bulk Palletizing System Patented full layer robotic palletizing system with tier formation area that organizes products before palletizing. Handles plastic or glass bottles, cases, trays, and bundles, picking entire tiers rather than individual cases. Distributes dunnage including pallets, tier sheets, and top frames.
• KPal Compact Group Palletizing Systems Compact robotic palletizing systems including KPal CV (Vacuum), CS (Spatula), CC (Clamp), and CB (Bag) models with small footprint and cost-effective configurations for limited floor space. Uses FANUC M20iD/25 robot with 25 kg wrist payload, rated for 20 cases per minute with maximum case size 20" x 20" x 15" and 25 lbs.
• KPal Collaborative Group Palletizing Systems Collaborative robotic palletizers including KPal CBV (Collaborative Vacuum), CBS (Spatula), CBC (Clamp), and CBB (Bag) systems designed for small footprints with low-to-moderate case rates and operator interaction capabilities.
• KPal Stack & Wrap Group Palletizing Systems Flexible palletizing solutions combining robotic palletizing with integral stretch wrapping to stabilize unit loads during building, including SWV (Vacuum), SWS (Spatula), and SWC (Clamp) models. Incrementally wraps the load during the building process for load integrity.
• KDPal Robotic Depalletizing System Robotic depalletizing system featuring FANUC M-410iB/700 robot with layer-picking tool and vacuum-based handling capabilities for removing items from pallets for further processing, including cooling vein removal and re-palletizing applications.
• KForce Rotary Arm Stretch Wrappers (R20/R35) Rotary arm stretch wrapping systems including R20 (20 RPM) and R35 (35 RPM) models for automated stretch wrapping of palletized loads, featuring K-Force film feed technology.
• KForce Turntable Stretch Wrappers (T20) Turntable-style stretch wrapping systems where loads rotate on a turntable while film is applied from a fixed position.
• KForce Horizontal Ring Stretch Wrappers Horizontal ring stretch wrapping systems with ring design for high-speed wrapping of palletized loads.
• Robotic Corner Board Applicator Automated corner board application systems using FANUC robots to place corner boards for increased load stabilization, available in two-robot or four-robot configurations.
• Material Handling Equipment Systems Comprehensive line of automated material handling equipment including dual load stackers, pallet dispensers, pallet stackers, sheet feeders (bottom, top corrugated, top poly), pallet transfer units, dynamic dunnage systems, tray forming systems, corner board applicators, robotic labeling systems (KRL1), and vision-guided depalletization systems for end-of-line packaging operations.
• Belt Conveyors Continuous belt conveyor systems for transporting items horizontally, at incline, or decline, available in ribbed or smooth configurations for various product types in manufacturing and packaging lines.
• Roller (Case) Conveyors Roller conveyor systems for moving goods in cases, available in gravity-fed or powered configurations for packaging and assembly lines.
• Chain Conveyors Chain conveyor systems featuring connected links for transporting heavy loads, particularly useful for large or hot items in automotive and heavy machinery industries.
• Chain Driven Live Roller (CDLR) Conveyors Heavy-duty conveyor systems using chains attached to rollers for moving heavy or rugged loads including pallets, drums, and large items in manufacturing facilities.
• MatTop (Modular Tabletop) Conveyors Conveyors with interlocking plastic modules creating a continuous flat surface for transporting various products, available in straight-running, side-flexing, incline/decline, and accumulating configurations for manufacturing and distribution.
• Slat Conveyors Industrial conveyor systems with flat slats attached to chains for transporting bottles, cans, palletized goods, and heavy objects through manufacturing or packaging processes.
• Skatewheel Conveyors Lightweight gravity-driven conveyor systems with small wheels for moving light to medium-weight items across distribution centers and packaging lines.
• Load Lifter and Lift-and-Turn Conveyors Vertical lifting conveyors for elevating materials between heights in multi-level warehouses and assembly lines, plus lift-and-turn conveyors that combine vertical lifting with rotational movement for reorienting materials to specific angles for robotic assembly, inspection, and palletizing.
• Transfer Cars, AGVs, LGVs, and AMRs Mobile transportation conveyor systems including rail-guided transfer cars for moving heavy loads along predefined paths, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) following embedded floor markers, magnetic strips, or laser guidance, Laser Guided Vehicles (LGVs) using laser sensors for higher precision navigation, and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) using sensors, cameras, and onboard intelligence for dynamic navigation without fixed paths.
• Nationwide Installation Services Complete mechanical and electrical installation services provided by in-house installation crews across all 50 U.S. states. Includes unloading, setup, and startup support for Kaufman automation systems.
• Technical Service and Maintenance Contracts Technical support and maintenance services for Kaufman equipment including 24/7 emergency support with Kaufman Qualified Technicians. Service options include quarterly, semi-annual, or annual maintenance contracts.
• Replacement Parts Sales Sales of replacement parts for Kaufman manufactured stretch wrappers, conveyors, and robotic systems, providing ongoing spare parts support to installed customer base.
• Video Training Packages Custom designed training videos for new Kaufman equipment, covering overview, safety interface, controls interface, procedural operations, and recipe management. Used for onboarding new employees and as a refresher course for current employees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced labor intensity and staffing requirements through automation
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FANUC America / FANUC RoboticscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2000Premier integrator for FANUC robotics since 2000. Level 5 Authorized Systems Integrator - the highest level of FANUC partnership attainment. Kaufman integrates FANUC robots including M-410iB/700, M20iD/25, R-1000iA, and others into custom palletizing, depalletizing, case packing, picking, and labeling systems. 26+ years of partnership providing complete end-of-line automation solutions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Motion Controls Robotics: FANUC Authorized System Integrator specializing in robotic palletizing, case packing, and end-of-line packaging automation. Closest direct comparable to Kaufman in terms of FANUC integration focus, end-of-line applications, and mid-market customer profile.
• Premier Tech: Global manufacturer of packaging machinery including robotic palletizing, stretch wrapping, and conveying systems. Comparable as a single-source packaging line equipment provider serving similar CPG and industrial customers.
• Brenton Engineering: Manufacturer and integrator of end-of-line packaging machinery including palletizers, case packers, and stretch wrappers. Directly comparable in product portfolio, customer segments (food/beverage/CPG), and integrated system delivery model.
• Aagard Group: Custom packaging automation integrator specializing in palletizing, cartoning, and case packing for CPG manufacturers. Comparable as a turnkey integrator delivering engineered end-of-line solutions to similar enterprise customers.
• Flexicell: Provider of robotic palletizing, depalletizing, and pick-and-place systems with strong CPG and beverage focus. Direct peer in robotic end-of-line automation with similar integration and tooling capabilities.
• Currie Machinery Company: Manufacturer of palletizing equipment (robotic and conventional), conveyors, and stretch wrapping systems for food, beverage, and consumer goods manufacturers. Highly comparable in scope, customer base, and project-based delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• ProMach: Large diversified packaging machinery parent operating multiple brands across palletizing, stretch wrapping, conveying, and material handling. Competes with Kaufman across most product categories but at greater scale and with broader geographic reach.
• Bastian Solutions (Toyota Advanced Logistics): Large-scale material handling and robotic integration firm offering palletizing, conveyor, AGV/AMR, and warehouse automation solutions. Broader and larger competitor with greater resources and software capabilities.
• Yaskawa America / Motoman Robotics: Major industrial robot OEM with integrator network providing palletizing, material handling, and packaging automation. Overlaps with Kaufman as a robot supplier whose integrators compete for similar end-of-line projects.
• Honeywell Intelligrated: Large automation solutions provider offering palletizing, depalletizing, conveying, and warehouse execution software. Serves similar large CPG and distribution customers but with much broader portfolio and global footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KaufmanSystems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Kaufman Engineered Systems