Nor-Cal Controls
Nor-Cal Controls is a San Jose, California-based value-added distributor and light integrator of pneumatic, motion control, and fluid handling industrial automation components — including valves, actuators, compressors, vacuum pumps, conveyors, and Bimba/IMI cylinders — serving U.S. manufacturers and energy-infrastructure customers. Acquired by Mortenson in April 2026.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersSan Jose, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Nor-Cal Controls does
Nor-Cal Controls is a privately-held, California-based value-added distributor and light systems integrator of industrial automation components, headquartered at 1952 Concourse Drive, San Jose. Founded in 1983 and operating with 11-50 employees, the company distributes a broad portfolio of pneumatic, motion control, and fluid handling products — including valves, actuators, air compressors, vacuum pumps, automation systems, conveyors, shock and vibration isolation, air preparation equipment (FRL), quick couplers, and fitting/tubing accessories. It represents brands such as Bimba/IMI and hosts the IMI/BIMBA online product configurator and selection guide to support product specification. The company markets itself under an ISO 9001:2008 certified quality management system and emphasizes single-source convenience plus technical sales support.
The business sells primarily through a direct sales model via its company website and physical office, targeted at U.S. industrial buyers in manufacturing, HVAC, robotics, and process automation. Marketing channels include the website store, Constant Contact email newsletter, a LinkedIn corporate page, and participation in regional electronics and manufacturing trade shows (Anaheim, Del Mar); it also sponsors a local FIRST Robotics team at Francis Parker School. Ownership changed in April 2026, when Mortenson (a Minneapolis-based contractor) acquired Nor-Cal Controls to deepen its capabilities in utility-scale solar, battery storage, and microgrid energy projects. Following the acquisition, Nor-Cal Controls continues to serve customers with its existing teams while operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mortenson.
Revenue model details (pricing, contract structure, average order value) are not publicly disclosed. There are no public funding rounds, leadership bios beyond founder/CEO Robert G. Keller, or large named enterprise customers in the available data, which limits revenue triangulation. Customer concentration appears distributed across a horizontal industrial automation use case rather than concentrated in a single logo or vertical.
Nor-Cal Controls firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nor-Cal Controls
- Legal name
- Nor-Cal Controls, Inc.
- Website
- https://norcal4air.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Nor-Cal Controls is a San Jose, California-based value-added distributor and light integrator of pneumatic, motion control, and fluid handling industrial automation components — including valves, actuators, compressors, vacuum pumps, conveyors, and Bimba/IMI cylinders — serving U.S. manufacturers and energy-infrastructure customers. Acquired by Mortenson in April 2026.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nor-Cal Controls industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Automation Components Distribution
- NAICS
- Fluid Power Valve and Hose Fitting Manufacturing (332912), Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Electronic Parts & Equipment, Nec (5065), Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070), Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hydraulic Components (Pumps, Motors, Cylinders) (IMAHAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hoses, Tubing & Fittings (Hydraulic/Pneumatic Lines & Connectors) (IMAHAGAH), Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers) (IMAHAGAN), Pump & Compressor Packages (Skids, Booster Sets) (IMAHANAG)
Keywords
Where Nor-Cal Controls is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Jose
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Nor-Cal Controls business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Nor-Cal Controls product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nor-Cal Controls is a value-added industrial automation components distributor selling valves, actuators, air compressors, vacuum pumps, automation systems, conveyors, shock and vibration isolation products, air preparation equipment, quick couplers, and fitting/tubing accessories to industrial customers in the United States. The company supplements product distribution with technical product selection support, an online IMI/BIMBA product configurator, and ISO 9001:2008 certified quality processes.
Product overview
Nor-Cal Controls is an industrial automation components distributor and systems integrator offering a broad portfolio of pneumatic, motion control, and fluid handling products. The product line centers on core components including valves, actuators, air compressors, vacuum pumps, and conveyors, complemented by supporting products such as shock/vibration isolation, air preparation equipment, quick couplers, and tubing fittings. The company operates as a value-added distributor representing multiple supplier brands including Bimba, and offers the IMI/BIMBA online product configurator and selection guide for specifying products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Valves Industrial valve products for fluid and gas control applications, distributed to industrial automation and process control customers.
- Actuators Pneumatic and electric actuators for automated motion control, including Bimba Cylinders, distributed to industrial automation customers.
- Air Compressors Industrial air compressor systems for pneumatic applications, distributed to manufacturing and industrial automation customers.
- Vacuum Pumps Vacuum pump solutions for industrial and manufacturing processes, distributed to industrial automation customers.
- Automation Systems Industrial automation control systems and integration services distributed to industrial automation customers.
- Conveyors Conveyor systems for material handling applications, distributed to industrial automation and manufacturing customers.
- Shocks & Vibration Isolation Shock absorbers and vibration isolation products for industrial equipment protection, distributed to industrial automation customers.
- Air Preparation Air preparation equipment including filters, regulators, and lubricators (FRL) for pneumatic systems, distributed to industrial automation customers.
- Quick Couplers Quick coupler fittings for rapid pneumatic and fluid connections, distributed to industrial automation customers.
- Fitting & Tubing Accessories Tubing, fittings, and accessories for fluid and pneumatic system assembly, distributed to industrial automation customers.
Companies that use Nor-Cal Controls
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Nor-Cal Controls technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Nor-Cal Controls partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Nor-Cal Controls competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Applied Industrial Technologies: Large public industrial distributor offering fluid power, bearings, power transmission, and automation components across North America. Comparable to Nor-Cal Controls as a multi-line industrial/MRO distributor with fluid power depth, though at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
- Grainger: Broad-line industrial MRO distributor serving facilities maintenance and manufacturing customers. Overlaps with Nor-Cal Controls on pneumatics and automation component distribution, but operates at national scale with a heavy e-commerce focus.
- Festo: Global pneumatics and automation components manufacturer and solutions provider. Comparable to Nor-Cal Controls as a supplier in the pneumatic/automation ecosystem, though Festo sells primarily direct and through its own distribution while Nor-Cal Controls distributes competing brands.
- SMC Corporation of America: Major manufacturer of pneumatic and automation components including valves, actuators, air preparation, and fittings. Operates both direct and through distributors in the same fluid-power category that Nor-Cal Controls serves.
- Parker Hannifin: Diversified motion and control technologies manufacturer with a strong fluid power / pneumatics portfolio and an extensive distributor network. Comparable as both a competing supplier brand and a peer whose authorized distributors overlap with Nor-Cal Controls' customer base.
Direct peers
- AutomationDirect: Direct-to-customer industrial automation products distributor offering PLCs, pneumatics, sensors, and motion control components online. Closely comparable to Nor-Cal Controls' automation distribution model, with stronger digital-first positioning and lower-touch sales approach.
- McMaster-Carr: Catalog and e-commerce distributor of industrial components including pneumatics, fittings, tubing, valves, and motion-control parts. Comparable to Nor-Cal Controls on product breadth and customer overlap in industrial MRO, though with much larger scale and digital-first fulfillment.
- John Henry Foster: Regional pneumatics, motion control, and automation products distributor serving the Midwest US. Closely comparable to Nor-Cal Controls as a value-added pneumatic/automation distributor with technical support and system integration services, though operating in a different geographic region.
- Brennan Industries: Manufacturer and distributor of hydraulic and pneumatic fittings, valves, and adapters for fluid power systems. Comparable to Nor-Cal Controls on fluid-power distribution focus, though with a more concentrated fittings-and-adapters offering.
Others
- Bimba Manufacturing (IMI Precision Engineering): Manufacturer of pneumatic actuators and cylinders (now part of IMI Precision Engineering) and a featured brand line for Nor-Cal Controls' configurator and product catalog. Highly relevant as a principal supplier relationship and as a benchmark for the product categories Nor-Cal Controls distributes.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Nor-Cal Controls social profiles
Digital presenceNor-Cal Controls compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Nor-Cal Controls financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nor-Cal Controls leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Nor-Cal Controls funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nor-Cal Controls M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nor-Cal Controls
What does Nor-Cal Controls do?
Nor-Cal Controls is a value-added industrial automation components distributor selling valves, actuators, air compressors, vacuum pumps, automation systems, conveyors, shock and vibration isolation products, air preparation equipment, quick couplers, and fitting/tubing accessories to industrial customers in the United States. The company supplements product distribution with technical product selection support, an online IMI/BIMBA product configurator, and ISO 9001:2008 certified quality processes.
Is Nor-Cal Controls a public or private company?
Nor-Cal Controls is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Nor-Cal Controls founded?
Nor-Cal Controls was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Nor-Cal Controls based?
Nor-Cal Controls is headquartered in San Jose, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Nor-Cal Controls's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Applied Industrial Technologies, Grainger, Festo, SMC Corporation of America and Parker Hannifin. Direct peers are AutomationDirect, McMaster-Carr, John Henry Foster and Brennan Industries. Bimba Manufacturing (IMI Precision Engineering) is listed as an others.
Does Nor-Cal Controls have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nor-Cal Controls.
What industry is Nor-Cal Controls in?
Nor-Cal Controls's product category is Industrial Automation Components Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAGAA, Hydraulic Components (Pumps, Motors, Cylinders), with a secondary code of IMAHAGAH, Hoses, Tubing & Fittings (Hydraulic/Pneumatic Lines & Connectors). Its NAICS code is 332912 and its SIC code is 5065.