Former Associates

What Former Associates does

Former Associates is a privately-held US manufacturer of industrial forming machines used in food processing plants. Founded around 2000, the company designs and builds its equipment at a single manufacturing facility in Countryside, Illinois, producing all machines, proprietary parts, and tooling in-house. Over more than 20 years of operation, the company has built over 200 forming machines for US food processing customers spanning meat, poultry, vegetable, and other food product applications. The company is also known by the trade name "Former Equipment."

The company's revenue is generated through four streams: sale of forming machines (hardware), sale of proprietary replacement parts and tooling that offer up to 20% cost savings versus alternatives (hardware), 24/7 technical support and preventive maintenance delivered by factory-trained technicians (services), and training programs staffed by personnel with 60+ combined years of industry experience (services). All production is 100% USA-made, and the company emphasizes tight in-house production control as the basis for its low cost-of-ownership value proposition.

Former Associates sells exclusively through a direct sales motion, with no intermediary distribution or channel partners identified. Customers contact the company by phone or email, and pricing is quote-based rather than publicly disclosed. The company targets food processing plants of any size across the United States, and customer testimonials from named buyers (BIH/Sauget and Berkeley Communications) emphasize responsiveness of technical support, parts availability, and preventive maintenance as primary reasons for ongoing loyalty. The company shows no public-company indicators, no disclosed venture or private equity backing, and operates as an independent private business, most likely founder or family-owned.

Name

Former Associates

Legal name

Former Associates

Website

https://formerequipment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Former Associates is a US manufacturer of industrial forming machines, proprietary parts, and tooling for food processing plants, producing all equipment in-house at its Countryside, IL facility and selling directly to customers nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Processing Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

Filling & Dosing Machines (Liquid/Powder/Solid) (IMAHAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ground & Formed Meat Products Manufacturing (Burgers, Sausages, Meatballs) (AFAKALAE)

Keywords

• Food processing equipment
• Forming machines
• Industrial parts tooling
• Preventive maintenance services
• Manufacturing machinery USA

Headquarters

HQ city

Kenosha

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, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of industrial forming machines for food processing plants. Machines are manufactured in-house at the Countryside, IL facility.
2. Parts and Tooling: Sale of replacement parts and tooling for forming machines. The company produces its own parts in-house, offering up to 20% savings.
3. Service and Maintenance: Technical support and preventive maintenance services for existing forming equipment. Factory-trained technicians available 24/7.
4. Training Services: Training services delivered by staff with over 60 combined years of experience in the industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Former Associates designs, manufactures, and services industrial forming machines for food processing plants, producing all machines, parts, and tooling in-house at its Countryside, IL facility. The company sells forming equipment, replacement parts and tooling, and 24/7 technical support and preventive maintenance services directly to food processing operations of any size across the United States, with more than 200 forming machines delivered over 20+ years.

Product overview

Former Associates is a manufacturer of industrial forming machines for food processing plants. The company produces a portfolio of products centered around its core Forming Machines offering, complemented by a Parts & Tooling product line that offers up to 20% savings, and comprehensive Equipment Services including 24/7 technical support and preventive maintenance. All equipment is 100% USA made at their Countryside, IL facility with tight production controls and in-house parts and tooling manufacturing, providing industry-leading low cost of ownership for food processing operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forming Machines Industrial food processing forming machines designed and manufactured in-house at the Countryside, IL facility using 100% USA-made components; sold direct to food processing plants running meat, poultry, vegetable, and other food product forming lines.
• Parts and Tooling Proprietary replacement parts and tooling produced in-house at the Countryside, IL facility for Former forming machines and compatible equipment, offering up to 20% cost savings versus alternatives.
• Equipment Services (Technical Support, Preventive Maintenance, and Training) 24/7 technical support, preventive maintenance services, and operator/maintenance training delivered by factory-trained technicians for Former forming machines and customer forming lines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 20% cost savings on parts and tooling

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Formax: Formax is a direct competitor specializing in food forming machines (patties, nuggets, whole-muscle products) for meat, poultry and protein processors, closely mirroring Former Associates' core product offering and customer base.
• Provisur Technologies: Provisur manufactures food processing equipment including forming, portioning and coating systems for meat, poultry and seafood — directly overlapping with Former Associates' forming-line equipment for protein processors.
• Bettcher Industries: Bettcher makes meat processing equipment including forming and portioning systems; comparable in both product category and end-market to Former Associates' forming machines for food processors.
• Hollymatic: Hollymatic produces food forming machines, patty makers and related equipment for meat, poultry and food processors — a long-standing direct competitor in the same niche Former Associates serves.
• FPEC USA: FPEC USA supplies food processing equipment and systems, including forming and portioning machinery, to U.S. protein and prepared-food processors, directly comparable to Former Associates' core offerings.
• Marlen International: Marlen International designs and manufactures food processing equipment including forming systems for meat, poultry, and prepared food customers — a direct peer in both product and target end markets.

Broad incumbents

• Marel: Marel is a global, publicly-listed incumbent in food processing equipment covering forming, portioning, further processing and downstream lines; broader portfolio than Former Associates but competes head-to-head on protein forming lines.
• JBT Corporation: JBT (John Bean Technologies) is a diversified food processing and air transport equipment maker whose food tech segment includes forming and protein processing systems — a broad incumbent competing with Former Associates in food plant equipment.
• GEA Group: GEA is a global large-cap machinery group with a sizable food processing and packaging equipment portfolio including forming/portioning technologies — broad incumbent that competes with Former Associates at the high end of the market.

Emerging players

• Heat and Control: Heat and Control manufactures processing and packaging equipment for snack food, prepared foods and protein industries; partial overlap with Former Associates' forming/processing focus, particularly in prepared and value-added foods.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Former Associates