What Airfloat does

Airfloat is a U.S.-based manufacturer of air caster material handling systems that enable the frictionless movement and precise positioning of extremely heavy loads (ranging from several thousand to over 500,000 pounds) without cranes, forklifts, or floor damage. Founded in 1967 (with some sources citing 1970) and operating for over 50 years, the company positions itself as the inventor of the underlying air caster/air bearing technology. Its operations are housed within Align Production Systems as a Brand Division, alongside related entities Hedin and Align Parts, suggesting shared corporate infrastructure across multiple industrial brands.

Airfloat's product portfolio centers on air caster skids (including a specialized Lift Glide variant integrating an airbag with an air-bearing transport base), aluminum and steel air planks, air platforms, utility platforms, powered and RF-guided air transporters (including an AiDelta Star model rated for 400,000 lb loads), roll movers, and rigging accessories. The technology uses compressed air at approximately 35 psi to inflate urethane diaphragms that create a thin film of air between load and floor, producing coefficients of friction of 0.005–0.01 and enabling omnidirectional movement. Differentiated features include a sizing calculator, RF dual-joystick controllers with line-following capability, and custom-engineered platforms (turntables, interconnected systems, U-shaped transporters) for specialized customer applications.

The company generates revenue through direct enterprise sales of hardware (standard and custom air caster systems), custom engineering and application design services, and replacement parts sold via the alignprod.store e-commerce channel. Pricing is entirely quote-based, with no public price list, and the go-to-market relies on application engineering consultation, an extensive case-study library, and video content. Customers are primarily enterprise and government accounts in heavy manufacturing, aerospace (NASA/Boeing, GE Aviation), defense (General Atomics), rail (GE Transportation), mining/heavy equipment (Caterpillar), steel (ArcelorMittal), nuclear energy, oil and gas, modular construction, and data center equipment manufacturing.

Name

Airfloat

Legal name

Airfloat

Website

https://airfloat.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Airfloat designs and manufactures air caster systems that move and position loads from thousands to over 500,000 pounds without cranes or forklifts. The 50+ year old brand division of Align Production Systems serves enterprise customers in aerospace, defense, heavy manufacturing, nuclear energy, oil and gas, and rail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Material Handling Equipment

NAICS

Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392), Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)

akta.pro primary industry

Loading/Unloading & Transfer Equipment (Telescopic Conveyors, Loaders, Tipplers) (IMAHABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers) (IMAHAGAN)

Keywords

• Air caster technology
• Heavy load handling
• Material handling equipment
• Air bearing systems
• Industrial transport solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

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. Air Caster Hardware Products: Sale of air caster skids, platforms, transporters, and related material handling equipment. Products include standard sizes (12" to 48" bearings) and custom configurations. Most items are kept in stock with typical availability.
2. Custom Solutions and Engineering: Design and manufacture of custom air caster systems for specific customer requirements. Many customers require partially or fully custom builds, indicating significant professional services and custom engineering revenue.
3. Spare Parts and Accessories: Sale of spare parts through alignprod.store, including replacement diaphragms, hoses, fittings, and other components.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Airfloat designs, manufactures, and sells air caster-based material handling systems that use compressed air to form a thin frictionless air film between a load and the floor. The product line includes powered transporters, modular skids, individual air casters, and the proprietary Lift Glide jacking system, enabling omnidirectional movement of loads ranging from a few thousand pounds to over 500,000 lbs without cranes, forklifts, or floor damage. Customers span aerospace, nuclear, oil & gas, defense, and heavy manufacturing.

Product overview

Airfloat provides a comprehensive suite of air-powered material handling solutions based on air caster technology that creates a thin film of air between loads and floor surfaces, enabling omnidirectional movement of heavy objects with minimal friction. The product portfolio centers on Air Caster Skids and Air Skids (including Lift Glide variants) as the primary load-moving systems, complemented by specialized platforms (Utility Platform, Air Platform), air planks (Aluminum and Steel variants), powered Air Transporters, and Roll Movers (both adjustable and fixed configurations). Accessories include the Rigging Kit for proper load configuration. Together, these products enable safe, floor-protective movement of loads ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of pounds without traditional handling equipment like cranes or forklifts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Airfloat Powered Transporters Powered, remotely controlled heavy-load transporters built on Airfloat's air caster platform; designed for industrial customers that need to move very large or heavy loads inside factories, hangars, or maintenance facilities without cranes or forklifts.
• Airfloat Modular Skids Standard and modular skid platforms fitted with Airfloat air casters, providing a configurable foundation for moving heavy industrial loads and integrating with project-specific rigging.
• Airfloat Air Casters Individual air caster units that use compressed air to generate a near-frictionless air film, sold as standalone components for integration into customer rigs and for spare-part replacement.
• Lift Glide Air Jacking System A proprietary air-powered jacking system used to lift heavy loads just off the floor so Airfloat air casters can be inserted beneath them, enabling safe single-operator deployment without overhead cranes.
• Custom-Engineered Material Handling Solutions Project-specific, engineered-to-order material handling systems combining Airfloat air casters, skids, transporters, and Lift Glide components to solve unique heavy-load movement challenges for aerospace, nuclear, oil & gas, and other industrial customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% faster positioning time (45 min → 5 min)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Align Production SystemscoreOthersAirfloat operates as a Brand Division of Align Production Systems, which also owns other brand divisions including Hedin and Align Parts. Align Production Systems is the parent organization providing corporate structure and shared resources.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AeroGo: AeroGo is a US-based manufacturer of air bearing load movers and transporters — the most direct head-to-head competitor to Airfloat in air caster technology, serving aerospace, manufacturing, and heavy industry customers with very similar product functionality.
• Hovair Systems: Hovair Systems (UK) designs and manufactures air film / air bearing transporters for moving heavy loads, competing with Airfloat in the same niche with comparable omnidirectional, low-friction movement solutions for industrial applications.
• Caster Concepts: Caster Concepts manufactures heavy-duty industrial casters and wheels used in material handling, including heavy-load applications. While not air caster-based, it competes for the same heavy-load movement budgets in manufacturing environments.
• Mighty Lift: Mighty Lift produces load moving equipment including machine skates, rollers, and dollies for moving heavy machinery — a lower-cost alternative that competes with Airfloat at the lower end of the load spectrum and in non-air-bearing applications.
• Liftomatic Material Handling: Liftomatic designs and builds specialized material handling equipment including coil and roll lifters, serving similar heavy industrial customers in steel, paper, and manufacturing with adjacent handling solutions.

Broad incumbents

• Toyota Material Handling: Toyota Material Handling is a broad incumbent in forklifts, pallet jacks, and warehouse material handling equipment. It competes for the same facility material handling budgets as Airfloat, though it specializes in powered lift equipment rather than air-bearing load movement.
• KION Group (Linde Material Handling, Dematic): KION Group operates Linde Material Handling and Dematic, two of the largest material handling incumbents globally, offering forklifts, conveyors, and automated warehouse solutions that overlap with Airfloat's industrial customer base.
• Jungheinrich: Jungheinrich is a global broad-line material handling incumbent offering forklifts, warehouse equipment, and increasingly automated solutions, competing with Airfloat for industrial customer material handling budgets.
• Hyster-Yale Materials Handling: Hyster-Yale designs and manufactures lift trucks and material handling equipment under the Hyster and Yale brands, serving industrial customers with broad forklift and handling solutions that compete for the same heavy-industry budgets as Airfloat.

Emerging players

• Seegrid: Seegrid is an emerging player in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) for manufacturing and warehouse material handling. While not a direct air caster competitor, it represents the automated-handling trend that could encroach on Airfloat's addressable market over time.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/airfloat
• Facebookfacebook.com/Airfloat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/airfloat

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 Airfloat