Rankin Automation

What Rankin Automation does

Rankin Automation Company, LLC is a factory authorized distributor and value-added reseller of industrial automation components serving manufacturers and municipalities across the Mid-Atlantic United States (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC, West Virginia, and Northern Virginia). Founded in 1937 by Walter A. Rankin as a manufacturer's representative organization specializing in hydraulic products, the company evolved into a stocking distributor of pneumatic and hydraulic components and was rebranded as Rankin Automation Company in 1998 when it repositioned as an "Automation Solutions Provider." The firm operates as a subsidiary of Flow Control Group and is also employee-owned.

The company distributes a broad product portfolio across 30+ manufacturer lines, with Mitsubishi Electric (Diamond Elite Distributor), Festo, SICK, Standard Bots, Beckhoff, Balluff, ABB, Schmalz, and Fabco-Air as core partnerships. The catalog spans controls (PLCs, HMIs, industrial computers), motion (servo drives, multi-axis systems), pneumatics (cylinders, actuators, valves, air preparation), robotics (MELFA industrial robots and ASSISTA cobots from Mitsubishi, Standard Bots RO1 cobot), safety (light curtains, laser scanners, safety controllers), sensors and vision (photoelectric, proximity, distance, registration, fluid sensors, 2D/3D vision, RFID, encoders), and process control equipment. Rankin's value-added engineering services — branded as RAVE (Rankin Added Value Engineering) — include a UL508A certified control panel shop, a dedicated machine vision lab, electronic repair services (200,000+ parts repaired across 100+ brands via a GE-Emerson/Qualitrol authorized partnership), PLC migration, on-site risk assessments, and pneumatic training classes priced at $400 per attendee.

Revenue is generated primarily through hardware distribution (component resale across the manufacturer portfolio) supplemented by engineering services, control panel fabrication, electronic repair, and training, with all project pricing handled via quote-based proposals. Go-to-market combines a direct field sales force organized by territory managers covering discrete Mid-Atlantic regions with a self-serve e-commerce storefront (RankinDirect.com), supported by on-site demo vans, a content-marketing blog, training videos, and trade-show participation (including PACK EXPO East 2026). The company is a small organization of 11-50 employees headquartered at 8 Union Hill Road, W. Conshohocken, PA.

Name

Rankin Automation

Legal name

Rankin Automation Company, LLC

Website

https://rankinautomation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rankin Automation is a Mid-Atlantic industrial automation distributor and value-added reseller representing 30+ manufacturers (Mitsubishi, Festo, SICK, Standard Bots) and providing engineering, control panel fabrication, electronic repair, and training services to manufacturers and municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Distribution

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro primary industry

Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits) (IMAGABAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Motion & Machine Control (CNC, Robotics Controllers, Servo/Motion Controllers) (IMAGABAG)

Keywords

• Industrial automation distribution
• Process automation products
• Control panel fabrication
• Machine vision solutions
• Electronic repair services

Headquarters

HQ city

Conshohocken

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Automation Component Distribution: Sale of process automation products including pneumatics, motion control, robotics, sensors, safety equipment, vision systems, and related components from manufacturer partners.
2. Engineering and Value-Added Services: Design, engineering, and integration services including machine guarding, control panels, programming, work-cell automation, assembly, and configuration services.
3. Electronic Repairs: Repair and remanufacturing services for industrial electronic equipment including PLCs, drives, motors, encoders, HMIs, and robots.
4. Training Services: Pneumatic fundamentals and advanced training classes offered at $400 per person.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rankin Automation is a factory authorized distributor and value-added reseller of industrial automation products from leading manufacturers including Festo, Mitsubishi Electric, SICK, Standard Bots, Beckhoff, Balluff, Fabco-Air, and Schmalz. The company sells process automation components spanning pneumatics, motion control, robotics, machine vision, safety systems, sensors, and process control, complemented by engineering services, a UL508A certified control panel shop, a machine vision lab, and an electronic repair service. It serves manufacturing, municipal, food and beverage, and packaging customers primarily across the Mid-Atlantic United States.

Product overview

Rankin Automation is a process automation distributor and solutions provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of industrial automation products across multiple categories including Controls (Mitsubishi Electric controllers, HMIs, industrial computers), Motion (Festo servo drives, multi-axis solutions), Pneumatics (Fabco-Air cylinders, actuators, valves, air preparation), Robots (Standard Bots RO1 cobots, Mitsubishi MELFA robots, Mitsubishi ASSISTA cobots), Safety (SICK safety light curtains, safety laser scanners, safety camera sensors, safety controllers), Sensors & Inspection (SICK photoelectric/proximity/distance/registration/fluid sensors, encoders, Balluff and Sensopart vision sensors), Vision (machine vision systems, code readers, RFID), Fittings and Tubing, Guards & Frames, Vibration & Energy Absorbers (Firestone air springs, Enertrols shock absorbers/gas springs), and Process Control products. The company also provides value-added engineering services including a UL508A certified control panel shop, machine vision lab, electronic repairs for over 200,000 parts, PLC migration services, and pneumatic training classes. As a factory authorized distributor, Rankin represents manufacturers including Mitsubishi Electric (Diamond Elite Distributor), Festo, 80/20, Balluff, Beckhoff, SICK, Standard Bots, Fabco-Air, Schmalz, and others, offering technical support and design services for factory automation projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mitsubishi Electric Controllers Scalable automation controllers spanning compact units for basic applications to the MELSEC Series for HVAC, lighting, water management, and high-speed motion control in robotics and packaging.
• Mitsubishi Electric Variable Frequency Drives (FREQROL) FREQROL variable frequency drives that optimize motor performance and reduce energy consumption, including the FR-F800-E Series designed for pump control and wastewater applications.
• MELSERVO AC Servo Systems High-speed, high-accuracy AC servo systems for robotics, CNC machines, and demanding industrial motion control applications.
• Mitsubishi Electric GOT Series HMIs Human-Machine Interfaces for fast, reliable operator interaction in industrial environments, with advanced functionality, easy PLC/drive integration, and rugged construction.
• MELFA Industrial Robots High-speed, high-precision industrial robots for assembly, packaging, and inspection applications, with advanced force sensing and integrated diagnostics.
• ASSISTA Collaborative Robots Collaborative robots designed for safe interaction with human operators in shared workspaces, with built-in safety, easy portability, and simple setup for repetitive tasks.
• MELIPC Series Industrial Computers Industrial computers combining edge computing, device control, and IT integration for data-driven manufacturing.
• Mitsubishi Electric Wastewater Lift Station Solutions IoT-enabled pump station automation and monitoring solutions for municipalities with real-time diagnostics, anti-clogging functions, and predictive maintenance alerts.
• Standard Bots RO1 Collaborative Robot American-made collaborative robot for machine tending, palletizing, inspection, CNC tending, case packing, deburring, welding, pick-and-place, polishing, and sanding, with up to 18kg payload and intuitive no-code programming.
• Schmalz Finger Gripper OFG Finger gripper with four slim silicone fingers for gentle handling of delicate food products, with FDA-compliant versions and IP68 protection available.
• SICK Photoelectric, Registration, Proximity, and Distance Sensors Comprehensive line of SICK sensors using SIRIC and LED technology with IO-Link connectivity for non-contact detection, positioning, mark/color detection, and ranging from sub-micron to long distances.
• SICK Safety Solutions (Light Curtains, Laser Scanners, Camera Sensors, Controllers) Safety light curtains (deTec4 family), microScan3 and nanoScan3 laser scanners, safeVisionary2 3D time-of-flight camera, and configurable safety controllers for hazardous point and access protection.
• SICK Machine Vision, Image-Based Code Readers, and RFID 2D and 3D vision cameras for automated inspection and measurement, code readers handling 1D/2D/DPM codes, and UHF RFID read/write devices for process-relevant data capture up to 10 meters.
• Balluff Vision and Color/Mark Sensors Industrial vision sensors for inspection and quality control, plus color and mark detection sensors for presence verification and color-based sorting applications.
• Festo Machine Vision and Optical/Color Sensors Imaging systems for machine vision and optical/color sensors for detection and verification tasks in industrial environments.
• Fabco-Air Pneumatic Cylinders, Actuators, and Slides Light-duty and heavy-duty pneumatic cylinders (F Series, Pancake II, Multi-Power, NFPA-style), rotary actuators up to 270-degree arc, and linear slides for industrial automation.
• Fabco-Air Grippers, Valves, and Air Preparation Parallel and angular jaw motion grippers, directional/solenoid/flow/pressure control valves, and FRL combination units including lockout/tagout and quick exhaust valves.
• Festo Electric Automation Solutions (CMMT Servo Drive, CPX-AP-I I/O, Multi-Axis Systems) Simplified Motion Series electric motion solutions, multi-protocol CMMT servo drive for Ethernet networks, CPX-AP-I I/O system with one IP address network drop, and multi-axis handling systems.
• Firestone Air Springs and Enertrols Shock Absorbers/Gas Springs/Velocity Control Vibration isolation air springs, industrial shock absorbers, counterbalancing gas springs, and velocity control devices for industrial machinery and equipment.
• Sensopart Vision Sensors Vision sensors for industrial inspection, positioning, and quality control applications.
• Rankin Added Value Engineering (RAVE) Design and engineering services for machine guarding, control panels, programming, and small work-cell automated projects delivered by Rankin's in-house engineers with electrical, mechanical, and robotic automation expertise.
• UL508A Certified Control Panel Shop Control panel design and fabrication services ranging from built-to-print to complete design, including simple junction boxes to high-power multi-bay enclosures, with UL508A certification.
• Machine Vision Lab On-site machine vision lab at Rankin headquarters enabling part evaluation, vision testing, and side-by-side engineering collaboration with customers to determine optimal vision solutions.
• Electronic Repairs Service Repair and remanufacturing services for PLCs, drives, motor controllers, HMIs, encoders, servo motors, robots, and vision systems from 100+ brands, with over 200,000 parts repaired through the partner network.
• PLC Migration and Conversion Step-by-step system migration and conversion services for seamless, cost-effective automation equipment upgrades.
• Automation Risk Assessment On-site assessment service to evaluate automation system risks and minimize downtime.
• Pneumatic Training Classes Basic and advanced pneumatic training covering compressed air production, preparation, distribution, hands-on valve and actuator applications, and troubleshooting at the Conshohocken, PA facility, priced at $400 per person including snacks, lunch, and giveaways.
• Training Videos Online video library covering basic pneumatics topics including double-acting cylinders, single-acting cylinders, grippers, rodless actuators, guided actuators, rotary actuators, and valves.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cobot ROI: 6-12 month payback with $65K-$75K annual labor savings
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FestocoreTechnology or IntegrationMajor manufacturer partner providing pneumatic and electric automation solutions including valves, actuators, linear systems, servo drives, and machine vision systems.
• Mitsubishi ElectriccoreTechnology or IntegrationDiamond Elite Distributor offering controllers, VFDs, servo systems, HMIs, robots (MELFA and ASSISTA cobots), and industrial computers.
• SICKcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of advanced sensors, safety solutions, and vision systems including photoelectric sensors, safety light curtains, laser scanners, and machine vision cameras.
• Standard BotscoreTechnology or IntegrationAmerican-made collaborative robots (RO1) for machine tending, palletizing, inspection, and other manufacturing applications.
• BeckhoffcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of PC-based control technology, EtherCAT systems, and industrial automation components.
• BalluffcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of industrial identification and sensor solutions including vision sensors, color sensors, and industrial cameras.
• 80/20coreTechnology or IntegrationT-slot aluminum profile system for workstations, machine frames, and custom framing applications.
• Fabco-AircoreTechnology or IntegrationPneumatic cylinders, actuators, rotary actuators, linear slides, grippers, valves, and air preparation products.
• SchmalzcoreTechnology or IntegrationVacuum technology and handling solutions including finger grippers for food processing and delicate product handling.
• QualitrolcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGE-Emerson authorized support center providing repair and remanufacturing services for automation and industrial electronic equipment including PLCs, drives, and motors.

Scale indicators5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Graybar: Large US electrical and industrial distribution specialist with a growing industrial automation offering. Overlaps with Rankin in controls, sensors, and motors distribution but serves customers primarily through electrical contractor channels and operates at substantially greater scale.
• Applied Industrial Technologies: Industrial distributor with strong motion control, fluid power, and automation offerings across the US. Comparable product categories (bearings, power transmission, fluid power, automation) and customer base of industrial MRO and OEM buyers, though at significantly larger scale than Rankin.
• Rexel: Global electrical and industrial distributor with US automation presence through brands including Rexel Industrial Automation. Offers overlapping product categories and integration capabilities but operates at much larger scale across broader industrial verticals.
• WESCO International: Large diversified electrical and industrial distributor with a growing automation business. Operates at much greater scale than Rankin with broader product categories including electrical, communications, and utility products, but overlaps directly in automation distribution and related services.

Direct peers

• AutomationDirect: Direct e-commerce competitor in industrial automation components (PLCs, sensors, drives, pneumatics) serving the same end customers, though with a self-service rather than consultative distribution model. Rankin competes by offering engineering services and manufacturer-authorized product depth that AutomationDirect does not.
• Allied Electronics & Automation (RS Group): Distributor of automation and control products serving industrial customers across the US, with a broad catalog and value-added services. Directly comparable to Rankin in product mix (controls, motion, sensors, pneumatics) and customer base, with national reach versus Rankin's regional focus.
• Wolf Automation: Regional industrial automation distributor offering controls, drives, motion, and pneumatic products with engineering support. Comparable Midwestern US business model combining authorized distribution with light integration services.
• Kaman Automation: Direct peer in industrial automation distribution and engineering services, offering sensors, motion control, and integration solutions to US manufacturers. Closely comparable business model combining authorized distribution with value-added engineering.
• Cross Company (Cross Automation): Industrial automation distributor and systems integrator serving the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic US. Directly comparable offering of distribution plus value-added engineering services for manufacturing customers.

Others

• Festo USA: Major pneumatic and electric automation manufacturer and a key Rankin partner. Not a direct competitor for distribution but represents both an enabling supplier relationship and the type of direct manufacturer channel that could compress distributor margins over time.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/follow
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rankin-automation

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 Rankin Automation