What Stinger does

Stinger Inc. is a family-owned US manufacturer of self-propelled bale stackers and custom heavy-duty chassis for commercial hay and forage operations, headquartered in Burrton, Kansas. Founded in 1992 by brothers Larry and Bill Matlack, who originally built a prototype stacker on a school bus chassis to handle large square bales on their alfalfa farm, the company sells equipment under its own brand worldwide through a dealer network concentrated in the western United States and factory-direct channels. Ownership transitioned to the second generation (Karl, Justin, Jake, and Paul Matlack) in 2013, with seven Matlack family members actively involved in the business alongside non-family staff across sales, engineering, service, parts, and operations.

The company's core products are the Stacker 6500 single-axle self-propelled stacker for round and square bales, the Stacker 8500 (the first commercial bale stacker designed specifically for ultra-dense square bales), and the TerraFrame Max 9500 custom off-road chassis with 50k-76k+ gross axle/suspension capacities. Equipment is built on a custom LE Hayloader chassis designed in partnership with Crane Carrier Company and integrates Cummins 9L 320HP intercooled turbo-diesel engines, Allison 6-speed automatic transmissions, HydraForce and Force America hydraulic valves, Hendrickson and Reyco Granning suspension, and a proprietary tilting-action loading system that picks up bales at 5-7 mph. Operating costs are documented at $0.80-$2.50 per bale, with units recording 13,000+ field hours and 1.2 million+ bales stacked over their lifetimes.

Stinger generates revenue through one-time hardware sales of new and certified pre-owned machines, annual equipment leases on used units (~$51,000-$52,000/year for a used Stacker 8500), replacement parts and forged steel bale spears ($58-$550 per unit, shipped factory-direct worldwide), and full-service shop maintenance. The installed base totals nearly 1,000 units in North America and collectively handles over 10 million bales annually. Go-to-market combines direct field sales with dealer channels, demo request workflows on the company website, and an active presence at major agricultural trade shows including World Ag Expo, Cattle Con, Colorado Farm Show, Mid America Alfalfa Expo, and others.

Name

Stinger

Legal name

Stinger INC

Website

https://stingerltd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stinger Inc. is a family-owned Kansas manufacturer of self-propelled bale stackers, custom heavy-duty agricultural chassis, and bale-handling accessories for commercial hay and forage operations. Founded in 1992, the firm sells through a western-US dealer network and factory-direct channels worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Equipment

NAICS

Agricultural Implement Manufacturing (33311)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Hay & Bale Handling Equipment (IMAHACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hay & Forage Machinery (Mowers, Rakes, Tedders, Balers, Wrappers) (AFAAAAAE), Material Handling & Loader Attachments (Front Loaders, Telehandlers, Bale Handlers, Forks) (AFAAAAAC), Loading/Unloading & Transfer Equipment (Telescopic Conveyors, Loaders, Tipplers) (IMAHABAI)

Keywords

• Bale stackers
• Self-propelled bale wagons
• Bale handling equipment
• Agricultural machinery
• Biomass transport equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Burrton

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, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Self-Propelled Bale Wagons: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling self-propelled bale stackers (Stacker 6500, Stacker 8500) and custom TerraFrame chassis. Equipment ranges from new units to certified pre-owned inventory. Revenue is one-time hardware sales with optional leasing arrangements.
2. Parts and Accessories: Sale of replacement parts, bale spears, and accessories. Products include heat-treated bale spears ranging from $58-$550, tapered sleeves, square tubes with sleeves. Ships factory direct worldwide.
3. Service and Maintenance: Full-service shop maintenance for fleets, repair services, and year-end maintenance. Service department supports customers to minimize downtime.
4. Equipment Leasing: Annual lease programs available for used equipment. Used Stacker 8500 units lease for approximately $51,000-$52,000 per year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stinger manufactures and distributes self-propelled bale stackers and wagons (Stacker 6500 and Stacker 8500), custom TerraFrame heavy-duty off-road chassis, and bale spears for commercial hay and forage operations. The company also sells replacement parts, accessories, and provides service and maintenance along with annual lease programs for used equipment. Their equipment is designed for non-stop pickup at 5-7 mph and handles round, square, bundled, and ultra-dense bales.

Product overview

Stinger manufactures self-propelled bale wagons and agricultural equipment. The core product line includes the Stacker 6500 and Stacker 8500 models for handling round, square, and bundled bales, along with the TerraFrame custom chassis (9500) for off-road heavy-duty applications. The company also offers Bale Spears as accessories for their equipment and loader tractors. All products are designed and built in-house with a focus on speed, durability, and efficiency for haying operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stinger Stacker 6500 A self-propelled bale stacker designed for handling round, square, and bundled bales for commercial hay operations. Features a Crane Carrier chassis with Cummins 9L 320HP engine, Allison automatic transmission, and tilting action for non-stop pickup at 5-7 mph. Handles up to 12 bales at a time and is the only single axle SP bale stacker that does not exceed axle or tire ratings.
• Stinger Stacker 8500 The first commercial bale stacker designed specifically for ultra-dense square bales, targeting the expanding ultra-dense bale market. Combines proven Stinger features with increased capacity, flotation, traction, speed, and horsepower compared to other bale wagons.
• TerraFrame Max (9500) Custom off-road chassis design built from the ground up for heavy-duty, off-road applications. Offers more customization opportunities than typical OTR truck manufacturers, with gross axle and suspension capacities from 50k to 76k or more.
• Bale Spears Heavy-duty forged steel bale spears for loader tractors and Stinger bale transport equipment. Features heat-treated construction with square continuous tapered usable length and round tapered mounting end (Conus I and II). Available in various sizes with load capacities up to 3500#.
• Service and Maintenance Full-service shop maintenance for fleets, repair services, and year-end maintenance. The service department supports customers to minimize downtime during critical harvest windows.
• Equipment Leasing Annual lease programs available for used Stinger equipment. Used Stacker 8500 units lease for approximately $51,000-$52,000 per year.

Quantifiable outcome

• Handles over 10 million bales per year across customer base
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• KvernelandcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides bale spears for Stinger equipment. Kverneland is known for quality agricultural implements and attachment solutions.
• Reyco GranningcoreTechnology or IntegrationSuspension systems supplier for Stinger equipment, providing heavy-duty suspension components for off-road operations.
• Sears SeatingcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides seating solutions designed for construction equipment. Sears Seating provides operator seats for Stinger equipment featuring industry-leading comfort and durability.
• SpicercoreTechnology or IntegrationAxle components supplier providing drivetrain components for Stinger bale wagons.
• HydraForcecoreTechnology or IntegrationHydraulic valve supplier providing electronic hydraulic valves for Stinger equipment control systems.
• DanacoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides axles and rear ends for Stinger equipment, supplying heavy-duty drivetrain components.
• HendricksoncoreTechnology or IntegrationSuspension and axle manufacturer supplying components for Stinger off-road equipment.
• Force AmericacoreTechnology or IntegrationHydraulic valve supplier providing hydraulic valve systems for Stinger equipment.
• Midway ManufacturingcoreTechnology or IntegrationHydraulic cylinder supplier providing custom cylinder solutions for Stinger equipment hydraulic systems.
• Allison TransmissioncoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides automatic transmissions for Stinger equipment. Allison 6-speed automatic transmission standard on Stinger Stackers.
• BKT TirescoreTechnology or IntegrationTire supplier providing flotation tires for Stinger equipment to reduce ground compaction and improve field performance.
• EMPcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides radiator and fan systems for Stinger equipment cooling systems.
• Crane Carrier Company (CCC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing custom LE Hayloader chassis built specifically for Stinger. The LE chassis design was created with Crane Carrier Company's knowledge and adapted specifically for Stinger bale wagons. This is a foundational partnership as the chassis accounts for more than half the cost of the total unit.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vermeer Corporation: Iowa-based manufacturer of hay and biomass equipment (round balers, bale processors, tub grinders, bale movers). Most directly comparable niche US manufacturer serving the same hay and forage customers with adjacent product categories.
• Kuhn Group: French-based global maker of hay and forage tools including balers, bale wrappers, and bale handling equipment. Competes with Stinger in baled biomass and forage logistics segments and overlaps on loader-attachment-style accessories.
• Anderson Group: Canadian manufacturer of bale handling, wrapping, and processing equipment for hay and biomass operations. Closest direct competitor to Stinger in bale handling hardware for commercial hay operations.
• Highline Manufacturing: Canadian-based manufacturer of hay and bale processing equipment including bale movers, processors, and shredders serving the same commercial hay/forage customer base as Stinger.

Broad incumbents

• AGCO Corporation (Hesston): Global ag OEM whose Hesston-brand hay tools (mowers, rakes, balers) serve large hay/forage operations. A broadly scaled incumbent with overlapping customer relationships but focused on tractor-powered hay tools rather than self-propelled stackers.
• John Deere: Dominant ag OEM with deep hay and forage equipment lines and the largest dealer/service network in the US. Overlaps with Stinger on large commercial hay customer relationships but does not currently offer a direct self-propelled bale stacker.
• Case IH (CNH Industrial): Major ag OEM (sister brand to New Holland under CNH) with a strong hay and forage product portfolio. Serves the same large hay operator customers as Stinger through a global dealer network.
• New Holland Agriculture (CNH Industrial): Global hay and forage OEM under CNH with balers, bale handlers, and biomass equipment. Overlaps significantly with Stinger's customer base and serves as a benchmark for scale manufacturing of hay machinery.

Regional players

• Round Oak Industries: US-based custom heavy-duty truck and equipment manufacturer with vocational chassis capabilities similar to Stinger's TerraFrame. Comparable in size and customization orientation though more focused on industrial/vocational builds than agricultural.
• AgriMetal: Canadian manufacturer of bale handling and processing equipment targeting North American hay producers. Adjacent regional competitor with overlapping product categories in bale moving and processing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stinger-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Stinger