Acker Drill Co

What Acker Drill Co does

Acker Drill Company is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of drilling rigs and consumable tooling, founded in 1916 and headquartered in Scranton, Pennsylvania, with production operated from a 90,000 sq. ft. facility in South Abington Township. The company designs and builds an extensive portfolio of more than 20 drill rig models ranging from lightweight portable units (ACE, LITTLE JOHN, RECON) and restricted-access configurations (SOIL-SCOUT, R.A.D., KODIAK) to heavy-duty multipurpose rigs (REBEL, REBEL XL, REBEL XLHT, RENEGADE, SOIL-MAX, MP-HD) and specialized pavement core drills (PT-22, PT-HD), alongside patented and proprietary tooling including the Denison Core Barrel, GUS Sampler, and Pitcher Sampler. Acker's products serve geotechnical, environmental, mineral exploration, mining, civil engineering, and airport-infrastructure end markets where contractors require accurate soil and core sample recovery, deep-hole coring, large-diameter augering, and angle drilling on slopes.

The business operates a direct-to-customer sales model with no disclosed channel partners, dealers, or marketplace listings; all inquiries are routed through a toll-free line, direct phone, email ([email protected]), and website contact form, with worldwide shipping from the Pennsylvania facility supported by an export operation in place since 1960. Revenue is generated entirely through hardware sales of drill rigs, tooling and consumables (diamond bits, soil sampling tools, auger tools, core barrels), support equipment (COLGROUTER, pumping stations, motorized cathead kits), and custom engineered solutions for site-specific problems. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled through direct sales contact. Marketing is conducted via a content-rich website and an organic social presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X. The company employs an I.A.M. Union machinist workforce with hundreds of collective years of experience and maintains in-house heat treating, gear shaping, and machining capabilities. The company is privately held with no institutional investors, subsidiaries, or parent company disclosed in the source material, and no revenue, funding, headcount, or leadership data is publicly available.

Name

Acker Drill Co

Legal name

Acker Drill Co., Inc.

Website

https://ackerdrill.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Acker Drill Company, founded in 1916 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, manufactures drill rigs and consumable tooling for geotechnical, environmental, mineral exploration, mining, civil engineering, and airport infrastructure contractors worldwide through a direct-to-customer sales model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drilling Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Mining and Oil and Gas Field Machinery Manufacturing (33313), Mining Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333131)

SIC

Mining Machinery & Equip (No Oil & Gas Field Mach & Equip) (3532), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Drilling Rigs & Drill Systems (IMAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Drill Tools, Bits & Downhole Equipment (IMAHAMAB), Wear Parts & Consumables (GET, Liners, Drill Bits, Grinding Media) (IMAKANAH)

Keywords

• Drill rig manufacturing
• Geotechnical drilling equipment
• Core sampling tooling
• Mineral exploration drilling
• Soil sampling equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Scranton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Drill Rig Manufacturing: Manufacturing and sale of drill rigs including various models such as REBEL, REBEL XL, RENEGADE, SOIL-MAX, MP-HD, AD-II, ACE, BUSHMASTER, HILLBILLY, LITTLE JOHN, KODIAK, SOIL-MECHANIC, SOIL-SCOUT, R.A.D., PT-22, PT-HD for geotechnical, environmental, mineral exploration, mining, and civil engineering applications.
2. Drilling Tooling and Consumables: One of North America's largest manufacturers of drilling consumables including diamond bits, soil sampling tools, auger tools, drill supplies, and core barrels. Tooling catalog includes Denison Core Barrel, GUS Sampler, Pitcher Sampler and full range of drilling accessories.
3. Support Equipment and Accessories: Sale of support equipment including COLGROUTER (grout mixer and pump), PUMPING STATIONS, MOTORIZED CATHEAD KIT, and various accessories and options for drill rigs.
4. Custom Engineering Solutions: Custom engineered solutions to site-specific problems on design-build basis or in cooperation with clients, providing additional revenue through specialized manufacturing capabilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Acker Drill Co manufactures drilling equipment and tooling, including a portfolio of over 20 drill rig models and a comprehensive line of drilling consumables. Products serve geotechnical, environmental, mineral exploration, mining, and civil engineering applications, ranging from lightweight portable units to heavy-duty deep hole coring rigs. The company also produces specialized sampling tooling such as the patented Denison Core Barrel and provides custom engineered solutions for site-specific drilling challenges.

Product overview

Acker Drill Company is a manufacturer of drilling equipment and tooling serving the geotechnical, environmental, mineral exploration, mining, and civil engineering industries. The product portfolio consists of two main categories: drill rigs and tooling. Drill rigs include over 20 models ranging from lightweight portable units (ACE, LITTLE JOHN) to heavy-duty multipurpose rigs (RENEGADE, SOIL-MAX, MP-HD), including specialized models for restricted access drilling (SOIL-SCOUT, R.A.D., KODIAK) and pavement core drilling (PT-22, PT-HD). The tooling line includes core barrels (DENISON CORE BARREL), samplers (GUS SAMPLER, PITCHER SAMPLER), and a full tooling catalog covering diamond bits, soil sampling, auger tools, drill supplies, and core barrels. Support equipment includes pumping stations, grout mixers (COLGROUTER), and motorized cathead kits. The company also provides custom engineered solutions and is one of North America's largest manufacturers of drilling consumables.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACE: Lightweight and portable shallow exploration drill unit, under 3,000 lbs [1,361 kg].
• AD-II
• BUSHMASTER
• COLGROUTER
• HILLBILLY
• KODIAK
• LITTLE JOHN
• MP-HD
• PT-22
• PT-HD
• R.A.D.
• REBEL
• REBEL XL
• REBEL XLHT
• RECON
• RENEGADE
• SOIL-MAX
• SOIL-MECHANIC
• SOIL-SCOUT

Products and services

• ACE Drill Rig Lightweight and portable shallow exploration drill unit, diesel or electric powered, under 3,000 lbs, with modular design suited for dam gallery work and other confined-area applications.
• AD-II Drill Rig Time-tested mechanical rotary drill rig with 97 HP engine, high torque for augering and high RPM for coring, in production for over 50 years.
• BUSHMASTER Drill Rig Modular all-hydraulic helicopter fly-in core drill rig for remote locations, with maximum component weight of 1,900 lbs for airlift access and quick breakdown and setup.
• HILLBILLY Drill Rig Heavy-duty skid-mounted core drill with 360-degree swiveling drill head and 48 HP diesel engine, designed and proven for remote drilling applications.
• KODIAK Drill Rig Economical modular drill unit with low clearance capability, operating under 8 ft ceiling height, 77 inch stroke, and 22 HP portable hydraulic power pack.
• LITTLE JOHN Drill Rig Modular all-hydraulic core drill rig for extreme limited access areas, with 360-degree drill head swivel capability and popularity for underground use in dam galleries.
• MP-HD Drill Rig Heavy-duty all-hydraulic drill rig for deep hole coring and reverse circulation drilling, with 14 ft drill head stroke, 40,000 lbs thrust/pull, and drilling capacity up to 4,500 ft with BQ wireline.
• PT-22 Pavement Test Drill Pavement test core drill favored by state agencies, with 1,300 RPM drill head, diesel power, and trailer or truck mounting options.
• PT-HD Pavement Core Drill Pavement core drill designed for production drilling of airport runway lights, capable of coring up to 36 inch holes.
• R.A.D. Restricted Access Drill Restricted Access Drill with three section mast design that fits through 36 inch doorway and under 8 foot ceilings, designed for easy access in restricted spaces.
• REBEL Drill Rig Compact multipurpose drill rig with under 13 ft overhead clearance, turbo-charged Tier 4 Final engine, and angle drilling capability for slope and limited overhead applications.
• RECON Drill Rig Lightweight all-hydraulic drill rig under 9,000 lbs with auto-hammer capability and Turbo-Charged Tier 4 Final engine in silent pack enclosure.
• REBEL XL Drill Rig Mid-size track-mounted multipurpose drill rig with Turbo-Charged Tier 4 Final engine, mast dump, and engine leveler for angle drilling on slopes.
• REBEL XLHT Drill Rig High torque multipurpose drill on XL platform, with 1,000 RPMs for coring, 8,000 lbs of torque for augering, and all-new hydraulic double rod clamp.
• RENEGADE Drill Rig All-hydraulic multipurpose drill rig with 134 HP turbo-charged Tier 4 Final engine and engine tilt for 45 degree slope drilling, operating on four continents.
• SOIL-MAX Drill Rig Field proven drill rig with 11,500 ft lbs working torque and 28,000 lbs pull down, handling augering, soil sampling, and coring operations including large diameter auger drilling.
• SOIL-MECHANIC Drill Rig Modular design augering unit that converts quickly for soil sampling and Standard Penetration Tests, with included cathead, hoisting jib, and diesel or electric power options.
• SOIL-SCOUT Drill Rig Versatile drill rig only 47.5 inches wide, capable of traveling through tight spaces with under 8 ft clearance for applications in parking garages and basements.
• Denison Core Barrel Patented double tube swivel-type core barrel with plastic liner that recovers undisturbed samples from hardpan, shales, cohesive soils, and soft materials. Includes three interchangeable hard-faced cutting bits for various material conditions.
• GUS Sampler Proprietary air or hydraulic piston sampler producing high production undisturbed sampling of soft soil and clay materials, operating at 100-600 PSI and available in 2.5", 3", 3.5", and 5" sizes with up to 24 inch sample recovery.
• Pitcher Sampler Proprietary sampler that recovers accurate samples from soft rock, friable shales, and problem clays; features heavy-duty triple ball-bearing hanger sealed 4-ways against drilling fluid, sliding valve for fluid direction, and 45-second tube change capability.
• COLGROUTER Grout Mixer and Pump Self-contained trailer-mounted grout mixer and pump for pressure grouting, grouting tieback rods and cables, slurry jacking, and bentonite hydration.
• Motorized Cathead Kit Portable hoist and aluminum tripod derrick combination for soil sampling, Standard Penetration Tests, and driving casing pipe, manufactured for over 60 years.
• Pumping Stations Complete line of pumping stations with custom mounting and configurations, available with gas, diesel, electric, or air power options.
• Custom Engineered Drilling Solutions Custom engineered drilling solutions provided on a design-build basis or in cooperation with clients to address site-specific drilling problems and specialized applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Available in sizes from 2.5" to 5" (63.5mm to 127mm) for GUS Sampler
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Foremost Industries: Manufacturer of drilling rigs and custom engineered solutions for mineral exploration, water well, and geotechnical sectors. Comparable niche positioning to Acker with custom engineering focus but smaller scale.
• Drillocore (DrillCorp): Smaller manufacturer of drilling consumables and tooling for geotechnical applications. Overlaps with Acker's consumable line (core barrels, samplers) but with narrower product scope focused on tooling rather than full rig systems.

Broad incumbents

• Boart Longyear: Global drilling services and equipment provider serving mineral exploration, geotechnical, and energy markets. Directly comparable to Acker across drill rig manufacturing and core sampling tooling, but operates at much larger scale with services-led business model.
• Epiroc: Swedish multinational mining and infrastructure equipment manufacturer offering surface and underground drill rigs. Overlaps with Acker's mineral exploration and geotechnical rig portfolio, but with substantially broader product range, automation offerings, and global dealer network.
• Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions: Major manufacturer of drilling equipment for mining, rock excavation, and geotechnical applications. Competes with Acker in surface core drilling rigs, RC drilling, and consumables, with significantly larger R&D and digital capabilities.
• Atlas Copco Power Technique: Division of Atlas Copco producing portable compressors, generators, and light construction equipment including drilling rigs. Overlaps with Acker's portable rig and support equipment lines (pumping stations, grouters), with global service infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Central Mine Equipment Company (CME): US manufacturer of geotechnical and environmental drilling rigs and tooling. Most direct comparable to Acker in product mix (auger, core, rotary rigs) and end markets (geotechnical, environmental, exploration).
• Geoprobe Systems: Manufacturer of direct push and rotary drilling equipment for geotechnical and environmental sampling. Comparable to Acker's environmental/geotechnical rig line and tooling catalog with similar customer base of environmental consultants.
• Comacchio Group: Italian manufacturer of drilling rigs for geotechnical, environmental, and foundation applications. Comparable product range to Acker (compact and heavy-duty rigs, limited access models) and serves overlapping end markets globally.

Regional players

• Hausmann (Failure Free Geotechnical): European manufacturer of geotechnical drilling rigs and tooling. Comparable product type to Acker (limited access, rotary, auger rigs), but primarily serves European markets rather than competing head-on in North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/acker_drill
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGmolQDG1tqnKfZ3IdZnmEw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ackerdrill
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acker-drill-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/ackerdrillcompany

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 Acker Drill Co