Clifton Engineering

What Clifton Engineering does

Clifton Engineering, LLC is a privately held control systems design and integration firm headquartered in Winona, Minnesota, founded and operated by brothers Cody Clifton (Co-Founder/CEO, B.S.E.C.) and Jake Clifton (Co-Founder/President, B.S.E.E.). The firm specializes in designing and programming industrial, hydraulic, and mobile control systems, with particular depth in complex first-of-kind hydraulic control architectures and protocol integration (CAN J1939, IOLink, Modbus RTU, MODBUS TCP). Its engineering team is ABET-accredited, holds 40+ patents across their design careers, and brings over 20 years of combined experience.

The company operates a hybrid revenue model combining custom design services (PLC/HMI programming, system design, connectivity, user manuals) with hardware sales (controllers, HMIs, gateways, sensors, M12 cables, custom harnesses) and pre-programmed, QAQC-tested turnkey hardware kits. Lifecycle support — both remote and onsite — is offered as a service wrapper. It serves four primary verticals: mobile equipment (skid steers, hydraulic integration), farming and agricultural equipment (TMR mixers, liquid manure pumping), oil and energy (remote oil pump control), and industrial manufacturing. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, consistent with a custom engineering services model. Distribution is direct, driven by website consultation requests and partner referrals, with strategic partners IFM (industrial hardware supplier) and Maxville Truck & Repair (hydraulics co-development) extending reach.

Strategic positioning rests on engineer-led custom design credibility, a packaged hardware kit offering that compresses deployment time for customers, and long-term product lifecycle support. The firm received a £74,000 Business Growth Fund grant in March 2026 to fund CNC machinery acquisition and capacity expansion, signaling active scaling. Note: firmographics list founding year as 2010, while a separate source references a 1993 founding as a precision engineering and polyurethane moulding firm — this discrepancy suggests either a predecessor entity or a data quality issue and warrants clarification.

Name

Clifton Engineering

Legal name

Clifton Engineering, LLC

Website

https://cliftonengineering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Clifton Engineering, LLC is a Winona, Minnesota-based control systems design firm specializing in custom industrial, hydraulic, and mobile control systems for mobile equipment, agriculture, oil/energy, and industrial manufacturing clients, delivering pre-programmed hardware kits and lifecycle support through a small engineering team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Control System Engineering

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Controllers & Control Systems (PLCs, PACs, CNC Controllers) (IMAHAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits) (IMAGABAK), Industrial Control Cabinets & Power Distribution (Panels, Switchgear for Automation) (IMAHAHAK)

Keywords

• Industrial control systems
• Hydraulic control engineering
• PLC HMI programming
• Mobile equipment controls
• Control system integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Winona

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Sale of controllers, HMIs, gateways, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, power supplies, M12 cables, and custom harnesses. Also includes pre-programmed hardware kits.
2. System Design and Integration Services: Custom control system design, PLC programming, HMI development, and system integration services.
3. Product Cycle Support: Long-term support services including remote and onsite support to ensure system uptime and optimization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Clifton Engineering designs, programs, and integrates custom industrial, hydraulic, and mobile equipment control systems, including PLC programming, HMI development, and remote connectivity. The company also supplies in-stock control system hardware (controllers, HMIs, gateways, sensors, power supplies, cabling, custom harnesses) bundled as turnkey, pre-programmed hardware kits that are QAQC-tested and ready for deployment. Long-term remote and onsite product cycle support is provided to ensure sustained system uptime.

Product overview

Clifton Engineering, LLC is a control systems engineering firm based in Winona, Minnesota, offering expert design services and hardware products for industrial, hydraulic, and mobile equipment applications. The company operates a unified business model combining design services (Control System Design Services) with hardware products (Control System Hardware and Pre-Programmed Hardware Kits), enabling customers to receive complete, pre-programmed, ready-to-integrate solutions. Their flagship product is the Automated Sand Separation System, which pairs hardware kits with remote monitoring and SMS/email notification capabilities. The company serves industries including mobile equipment, farming (TMR mixers, liquid manure pumping), automotive, and oil pump control, with a focus on complex, first-of-kind hydraulic control systems and CAN J1939 integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Control System Design Services Expert design and integration of industrial, hydraulic, and mobile control systems, including PLC programming, HMI development, connectivity programming, user manual creation, and long-term product cycle support. Targeted at manufacturers seeking custom one-time projects or fully kitted systems ready for market.
• Control System Hardware In-stock inventory of control system components including controllers, HMIs, gateways, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, power supplies, M12 cables, and custom harnesses. Components are tested by the engineers who designed the systems and shipped with rapid fulfillment.
• Pre-Programmed Hardware Kits Turnkey kits featuring pre-programmed HMIs and controllers designed for seamless integration. Each kit undergoes rigorous QAQC testing to ensure ready-to-perform operation from day one, reducing customer integration time.
• Automated Sand Separation System Automated system for sand separation featuring SMS and email notification capabilities for fault conditions via Amazon SNS. Users receive alerts via text or email based on system health status, enabling remote monitoring of operating conditions.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UMi (Business Support Organization)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 13 March 2026Business support organization that assisted Clifton Engineering in securing the £74,000 Business Growth Fund finance. UMi manages the £1.8 million Business Growth Fund backed by UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
• Maxville Truck & RepaircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Maxville Truck led by Chris Lindstrom, who has over 20 years of experience and is known for tackling impossible projects. Focus on hydraulics innovation and exceptional customer service. Maxville's roots as a dairy farmer drive relentless work ethic and commitment to integrity.
• IFMcoreTechnology or IntegrationIFM is a leader in industrial and mobile hardware providing controllers, HMI screens, sensors, LED indicators, and connectivity solutions. Known for unparalleled quality and 24/7 support. Cody's decade-long collaboration with Paul at IFM makes them an essential partner in delivering top-tier solutions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cross Company: Industrial automation and control system integrator serving manufacturing and process customers across the US. Highly comparable to Clifton's PLC/HMI design, integration, and lifecycle support offering, though Cross is larger and broader in scope.
• Patti Engineering: Control system integrator specializing in PLC programming, HMI/SCADA development, and industrial automation for OEMs and end users. Directly comparable to Clifton's design services and hardware-kit business model.
• Avid Controls: Designer and manufacturer of electronic controls and display systems for mobile off-highway equipment, including hydraulics-intensive applications. Closely aligned with Clifton's mobile-equipment and hydraulic control focus.
• Concept Systems Inc: Industrial automation integrator delivering PLC, SCADA, robotics, and machine vision solutions across manufacturing and process industries. Comparable mid-sized peer in the systems-integration space.
• Superior Controls: US-based control system integrator focused on PLC, HMI, and SCADA solutions for industrial customers. Direct peer for design, integration, and lifecycle support services.
• DMC, Inc. Engineering services firm specializing in industrial automation, controls, and embedded development for OEMs and end users. Comparable in delivering PLC/HMI programming and custom hardware integration.

Broad incumbents

• AutomationDirect: Large catalog distributor and manufacturer of PLCs, HMIs, drives, sensors, and motion control products. Broad incumbent whose hardware Clifton resells/integrates, with significant overlap in target customer.
• B&R Industrial Automation (ABB): Global automation incumbent offering PLCs, HMIs, motion control, and integrated engineering services. Competes with Clifton for industrial control system design projects, especially at larger OEMs.
• Bachmann electronic: Provider of automation components, controllers, and engineering services for industrial and renewable energy applications. Overlaps with Clifton's controls and integration offering across machinery and process verticals.

Others

• IFM Electronic: Global manufacturer of industrial sensors, controllers, HMIs, and connectivity hardware; key Clifton technology partner supplying core control system components used in Clifton's kits.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cliftonengrLLC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Clifton Engineering