Roberts Automatic Products

What Roberts Automatic Products does

Roberts Automatic Products, Inc. is a US-based precision production machining contract manufacturer founded in 1947 by Glen Roberts in Minneapolis and now headquartered in a 50,000 square-foot facility in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The company operates three core service lines — CNC multi-tasking machining using Mazak lathes (1/4" to 9" capacity), multi-spindle screw machining on Gildemeister, Euroturn, Davenport, and Acme-Gridley machines, and CNC Swiss machining on Citizen and Tsugami lathes (20-38mm capacity) — supported by robot-loaded CNC cells, an in-house 5-axis tool grinder and wire EDM tool-making department, and an advanced gauge lab with Zeiss CMM and Synergy 2000 SPC software. Its primary verticals are aerospace and medical device manufacturing, with secondary exposure to transportation, firearms and sporting products, and casting machinery. Roberts holds ISO 9001:2015 certification, ITAR registration, JCP DD 2345 approval, and a Type 6 Federal Firearms License, qualifying it for regulated and defense-related work.

Since January 19, 2023, Roberts Automatic Products has operated as a division of Smith & Richardson Manufacturing Group following an acquisition by Smith & Richardson Inc. (established 1921, Geneva, Illinois) that doubled the size of the parent and added milling, Swiss, and multi-spindle production depth to the combined platform. The business sells exclusively through a direct, RFQ-driven sales model supported by participation in Design-2-Part trade shows across six US cities (Arlington TX, Atlanta GA, Schaumburg IL, Novi MI, Marlboro MA, Indianapolis IN) and a project-based website with online quote and file-transfer capability. Revenue is generated per piece under quote-based pricing for JIT, Kanban, blanket order, and build-to-ship programs, with the third generation of the Roberts family continuing to be involved in operations.

Name

Roberts Automatic Products

Legal name

Roberts Automatic Products, Inc.

Website

https://robertsautomatic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Roberts Automatic Products is a US precision machining contract manufacturer, founded 1947 and now a division of Smith & Richardson Manufacturing Group, offering CNC multi-tasking, multi-spindle screw, and Swiss machining for aerospace, medical, defense, and firearms OEMs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chanhassen

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Precision Machining Contract Manufacturing: Contract manufacturing services for precision machined parts using CNC multi-tasking, Swiss machining, and multi-spindle screw machining. Services offered include JIT, Kanban, blanket orders, and build-to-ship manufacturing expertise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Roberts Automatic Products is a precision production machining contract manufacturer offering CNC multi-tasking machining, multi-spindle screw machining, and CNC Swiss machining services. The company produces tightly tolerance complex components from bar stock or sawn slugs in single sequences for industries including aerospace, medical devices, transportation, firearms, and casting machinery. Operations are based in a 50,000 sq ft facility in Chanhassen, MN.

Product overview

Roberts Automatic Products is a precision production machining services provider offering three core machining services: CNC Multi-Tasking Machining (using Mazak multi-tasking lathes for complex parts up to 8" diameter), Multi-Spindle Screw Machining (using Euroturn, Gildemeister, Davenport, and Acme-Gridley machines for high-volume production), and CNC Swiss Machining (using Citizen and Tsugami Swiss-style lathes for parts 20mm-38mm diameter). The company operates as a division of Smith & Richardson Manufacturing Group and specializes in tight-tolerance precision parts for various industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CNC Multi-Tasking Machining Precision machining service using Mazak multi-tasking lathes to produce complete, complicated, and tightly tolerance parts from bar stock or sawn slugs. Capabilities include cross-drilling, tapping, milling, thread milling, and eccentric shapes executed in a single sequence, with operating ranges from 1/4 inch to 9 inches.
• Multi-Spindle Screw Machining
• CNC Swiss Machining

Quantifiable outcome

• Better efficiency and higher quality through single-sequence machining
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Smith & Richardson Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2023Smith & Richardson Inc., a leading contract manufacturer of precision machined parts, acquired Roberts Automatic Products Inc. in January 2023. The acquisition doubles Smith & Richardson's size and adds milling, Swiss machining depth, and multi-spindle production capabilities. Roberts Automatic's 50,000 sq ft facility continues operations and all employees are retained. The combination brings together 178 years of manufacturing experience.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Proto Labs: Maple Plain, Minnesota-headquartered digital manufacturing leader offering CNC machining, injection molding, and 3D printing. Notable overlap as a same-state incumbent with far greater scale and a digital-first quoting platform that Roberts lacks.
• Precision Castparts Corp: Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary and one of the largest precision-machined aerospace components manufacturers globally. Provides a clear scale benchmark — same aerospace precision machining category, but with vastly larger footprint and vertically integrated capabilities.

Direct peers

• Cox Manufacturing Company: Texas-based precision screw machine products manufacturer using multi-spindle and CNC screw machines. Directly comparable product mix (screw machine parts, brass/steel/aluminum, machined components for industrial customers).
• Mayville Engineering Company (MEC): Wisconsin-based publicly-traded contract manufacturer of metal fabricated and precision machined components serving heavy truck, agriculture, construction, and aerospace. Similar geography, comparable precision machining services for industrial OEMs.
• Donson Machine: Michigan-based precision CNC machining and contract manufacturer explicitly cited on Roberts Automatic's own website as the benchmark for machining excellence. Highly comparable scope (CNC milling/turning, medical/aerospace focus, ISO certified).
• NN Inc. Charlotte, NC-headquartered precision components manufacturer serving medical, aerospace, defense, and industrial end markets. Closely aligned customer mix and precision component capability with Roberts Automatic.
• Helander Metal Spinning: Pacific Northwest-based precision metal forming and machining company producing custom parts from stainless steel, aluminum, and other alloys. Comparable custom contract-manufacturing model serving industrial and aerospace customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/robertsautomatic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/roberts-automatic-products-inc-

Compliance4 records

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 Roberts Automatic Products