Star Hydraulics & Pneumatics

What Star Hydraulics & Pneumatics does

Star Hydraulics & Pneumatics, LLC is a privately held U.S. industrial manufacturer founded in 1947 and headquartered at 2727 Clinton St., River Grove, Illinois. The company designs and builds hydraulic pumps, hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, lift jacks, pressure intensifiers, 4-way valves, and related components, with all production performed in-house in the United States. Its product portfolio has expanded through acquisition and organic launch: pneumatic cylinders for the heavy-duty truck market were added in 2016, and the company absorbed three bolt-on businesses between 2017 and 2018 — A.K. Allen Company (Allenair pneumatic cylinders), Allen Avionics (electronic filtering and delay products, retained as a separate division), and PTC Engineering (CNC machining that opened the commercial refrigeration market).

The business sells primarily through a direct, field-based sales team of regional managers who provide technical advisory and application engineering, supported by its parent Alkon Corporation's broader sales infrastructure. Pricing is quote-based with no public catalog pricing, and revenue is generated through hardware sales to industrial buyers. Star serves at least eleven end-use verticals — oil and gas, mining and construction, material handling, transportation, medical and food handling, agriculture, military, manufacturing/QA/testing, aircraft ground support, municipal, and general custom hydraulics — with oil and gas, mining/construction, material handling, and transportation identified as primary use cases. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified (via NSF) and operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alkon Corp, which acquired it in November 2012 and installed Brian Althoff as president.

In March 2026, Star announced new 4-way valve direct-mount designs and new lines of air-powered and electric-powered hydraulic pumps at the Con/AG-IFPE show in Las Vegas, signaling continued product-line modernization. Distribution is domestic only, with no public revenue disclosure, no external funding rounds, and a headcount of 11–50 employees. The company maintains a minimal digital footprint (Facebook only as a listed social channel) and relies heavily on its parent's brand family — Alkon, Allenair, and Airman Products — for cross-channel exposure.

Name

Star Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Legal name

Star Hydraulics & Pneumatics, LLC

Website

https://starhyd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Star Hydraulics & Pneumatics is a U.S. manufacturer of hydraulic pumps, cylinders, lift jacks, and pneumatic cylinders serving industrial buyers across oil and gas, mining, construction, transportation, military, and other sectors. The company, founded in 1947 and a subsidiary of Alkon Corp, manufactures in-house in River Grove, Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Hydraulic and Pneumatic Components

NAICS

Fluid Power Pump and Motor Manufacturing (333996), Fluid Power Cylinder and Actuator Manufacturing (333995), Fluid Power Valve and Hose Fitting Manufacturing (332912)

SIC

Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Hydraulic Components (Pumps, Motors, Cylinders) (IMAHAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hydraulic Power Units & Systems (HPUs, Manifolds, Integrated Circuits) (IMAHAGAB), Hydraulic & Pneumatic Systems Service (Liftgates, Air Systems) (TLAKABAJ), Hoses, Tubing & Fittings (Hydraulic/Pneumatic Lines & Connectors) (IMAHAGAH)

Keywords

• Hydraulic pumps manufacturing
• Hydraulic cylinders industrial
• Pneumatic cylinders truck
• Lift jacks material handling
• Custom hydraulic components

Headquarters

HQ city

River Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Hydraulic Equipment Sales: Sale of hydraulic pumps, cylinders, lift jacks, and pneumatic components to industrial customers across multiple sectors. Products are sold as standard catalog items and custom-engineered solutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Star Hydraulics & Pneumatics designs and manufactures industrial hydraulic pumps, hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic cylinders, and lift jacks for diverse industrial applications. The company produces both standard catalog products and custom-engineered solutions, with all manufacturing performed in-house at its River Grove, Illinois facility. Products serve sectors including oil and gas, mining, construction, material handling, transportation, medical, food processing, agriculture, military, manufacturing, and municipal applications.

Product overview

Star Hydraulics & Pneumatics is a manufacturer of industrial hydraulic and pneumatic components serving diverse markets including oil and gas, mining, construction, material handling, transportation, medical/food processing, agriculture, military, manufacturing, and municipal sectors. The company operates as a single unified product portfolio centered on hydraulic pumps (P-series, CP-series, PH-series, SP-series, FP-series, PS-series, PDA series), hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders (including Allenair brand acquired in 2017), lift jacks (foot-operated, hand-operated, and stainless steel wash-down versions), and related accessories such as swivel joints, 4-way valves, and pressure intensifiers. Star also acquired PTC Engineering (2018) for CNC machining capabilities and Allen Avionics for electronic filtering products. All products are manufactured in-house in the USA at their River Grove, Illinois facility, with recent expansion into air-powered and electric-powered hydraulic pumps. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 certification and provides custom engineering solutions alongside its standard product lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Allenair: Pneumatic cylinder product line (4" and 5" cylinders) acquired through the A.K. Allen Company purchase.

Products and services

• Hydraulic Pumps Industrial hydraulic pumps including P-series, CP-series, PH-series, SP-series, FP-series, PS-series, and PDA-series, with various reservoir configurations, manifold mount options, and screw-release or cam-release mechanisms. Available with or without reservoirs, designed for diverse pressure and flow requirements across industrial applications.
• Hydraulic Cylinders Standard and custom hydraulic cylinders for industrial applications including bridge construction, dams, and specialized uses requiring custom specifications for strength, fluid, temperature, and application requirements.
• Pneumatic Cylinders Standard and custom pneumatic cylinders for heavy-duty truck applications including tail-gate locks, high-lifts, and belly-dump applications. Includes 4" and 5" Allenair cylinders produced following the 2017 acquisition of A.K. Allen Company.
• Lift Jacks Hydraulic and foot-operated/hand-operated lift jacks including HF500 series, tow bar jacks, and post straighteners. Available in stainless steel and nickel-plated versions for wash-down applications. Used as vital components of material handling carts.
• Tow Bar Jack Tow bar jack product designed for aircraft ground support applications, providing hydraulic lifting capability for ground-level operations.
• Manifold Pumps Hydraulic manifold mount pumps designed for panel systems in oil and gas applications, providing compact hydraulic power for exploration and production operations.
• Hydraulic Swivel Joints Hydraulic swivel joints for connecting fluid transfer lines in various industrial applications, allowing rotational movement while maintaining hydraulic connection.
• Custom Hydraulic Cylinders Custom-designed hydraulic cylinders for specialized applications, including large custom cylinders used in bridge construction and dams, engineered to specific strength and application requirements.
• Hydraulic Pressure Intensifier Hydraulic pressure intensifier (HPI series) that increases hydraulic pressure for specialized industrial applications requiring higher pressure than the source supply.
• Post Straightener QH525 Post Straightener for efficient straightening of bent parking meter posts in municipal applications, providing hydraulic-powered repair capability.
• 4-Way Valve Directional control valves including direct-mount designs for compact pump valve assemblies, with CP-series and P-series configurations for hydraulic system control.
• PDA Series Pumps PDA series hydraulic pumps including PDA-1 through PDA-4 models for various industrial applications requiring hydraulic power.
• Allenair Cylinders Pneumatic cylinders including 4" and 5" sizes, produced under the Allenair brand following the 2017 acquisition of A.K. Allen Company. Used in heavy-duty truck applications.
• Allen Avionics Products Electronic filtering and delay products for avionics applications, acquired in 2017 as a separate division within Star, operating with its own identity at www.Allenavionics.com.

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered acquisition.

• PTC EngineeringacquisitionStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Star acquired PTC Engineering located in Cuba City, Wisconsin in 2018, and relocated the business to the River Grove, Illinois facility. This acquisition provided new CNC lathes and mills and enabled Star to start making parts for the commercial refrigeration market.
• A.K. Allen CompanyacquisitionStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Star's parent company Alkon acquired A.K. Allen Company in 2017, and Star began producing 4-inch and 5-inch Allenair cylinders as a result.
• Allen AvionicsacquisitionStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Star acquired Allen Avionics in 2017. The company produces electronic filtering and delay products, operating as a separate division within Star with its own identity at www.Allenavionics.com.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Eaton: Large diversified industrial manufacturer whose Hydraulics group produces hydraulic pumps, cylinders, valves, and hose/fittings products that directly overlap with Star's portfolio. Operates globally with significantly greater scale and brand recognition in mobile and industrial hydraulics.
• Parker Hannifin: Global leader in motion and control technologies with a substantial hydraulic pumps, cylinders, and valves portfolio. Competes with Star in hydraulic cylinders, pumps, and fluid power components across nearly all of Star's served end-markets, but at vastly greater scale and with a catalog-heavy approach versus Star's custom-engineered focus.
• Bosch Rexroth: Major hydraulics manufacturer offering hydraulic pumps, motors, cylinders, valves, and complete hydraulic power units. Competes with Star in industrial hydraulics and serves overlapping end-markets in construction, material handling, and machinery OEMs.

Direct peers

• Enerpac: Specialist manufacturer of high-force hydraulic tools, cylinders, pumps, and bolting products. Competes with Star in industrial high-pressure hydraulic cylinders and pumps, particularly in heavy-duty applications like construction and infrastructure.
• Prince Manufacturing: US-based manufacturer specializing in hydraulic cylinders, pumps, and valves for mobile and industrial equipment. Closely comparable to Star in product focus (custom hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic pumps), end-markets (agriculture, construction, material handling), and Midwestern manufacturing footprint.
• HYDAC: Manufacturer of hydraulic accumulators, valves, filters, cylinders, and fluid power components serving mobile and industrial hydraulic markets. Overlaps with Star on hydraulic components and serves similar OEM and end-user customers in construction, mining, and oil and gas.
• Deltrol Fluid Products: Manufacturer of fluid power valves, hydraulic cylinders, and custom manifolds. Closely comparable to Star's 4-way valve and custom hydraulic component offerings, particularly for industrial and mobile equipment applications.
• Chief Power Systems: Specialty manufacturer of custom hydraulic power units, hydraulic cylinders, and pneumatic products for industrial customers. Comparable to Star in offering engineered-to-order hydraulic solutions with similar size and custom-engineering positioning.
• Bailey International: US manufacturer of hydraulic cylinders, pumps, valves, and accessories for mobile and industrial equipment. Direct product overlap with Star across hydraulic cylinders and pumps, with comparable custom-engineering capabilities.
• Cross Manufacturing: Manufacturer of hydraulic cylinders, accumulators, and custom hydraulic components with strong focus on agricultural and mobile equipment applications. Comparable to Star in custom hydraulic cylinder design and agricultural/material handling end-market exposure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/starhydraulicsIL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/star-hydraulics-llc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Star Hydraulics & Pneumatics