What TAWI does

TAWI is a Swedish industrial equipment manufacturer founded in 1923 in Kungsbacka, and since January 2020 has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Piab Group. The company designs, produces, and sells ergonomic vacuum lifting equipment, mobile vacuum lifters, container unloading systems, portable lifting trolleys, and crane systems (overhead bridge and jib cranes), with integrated product development and final production performed at its Kungsbacka headquarters. Core technology centers on vacuum-powered gripping using suction cups and vacuum generators, supplemented by proprietary tube lifter systems (multi-functional units handling up to 600 lbs) and modular quick-coupling suction tools that enable a single lifter to handle bags, boxes, drums, reels, and rolls. ATEX-certified and stainless steel variants extend the portfolio into chemical, pharmaceutical, and food-grade clean-room environments.

The company serves enterprise and mid-market customers across at least eight verticals — logistics & warehousing, airports & ports, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, automotive, wood/steel/glass, and renewable energy — with a documented installed base of more than 800 lifting units across 60+ airports globally. Revenue is generated primarily through quote-based hardware sales (standard and customized), supplemented by service and maintenance agreements and an optional extended warranty (12 to 24 months for an additional 5% of purchase price). Distribution combines a direct enterprise field sales motion, a dedicated North America office in Bolingbrook, IL, and Piab Group's global distributor and system-integrator network spanning almost 100 countries. Customer evidence includes Yusen Logistics, Bring Logistics, Bilia Sisjön, Continental Tires Norway, Exacto, Dugges Brewery, and Ampliqon, with documented outcomes such as 20% efficiency gains and 30% labor reduction in timed logistics experiments. The company also operates the TAWI LUSH sub-brand in hospitality and participates in major industry trade shows (Food Processing Expo, Pack Expo East, MODEX, IWF) to generate enterprise leads.

Name

TAWI

Legal name

TAWI AB

Website

https://tawi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

TAWI, founded in 1923 in Sweden and now a subsidiary of Piab Group, designs and manufactures ergonomic vacuum lifting equipment, mobile lifters, container unloaders, lifting trolleys, and crane systems for enterprise and mid-market customers across logistics, airports, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, and other industrial verticals in nearly 100 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Material Handling Equipment

NAICS

Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923), Conveyor and Conveying Equipment Manufacturing (333922)

SIC

Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Vacuum lifting equipment
• Ergonomic material handling
• Container unloading systems
• Portable lifting trolleys
• Crane systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Kungsbacka

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Vacuum Lifting Equipment Sales: Direct sales of vacuum lifters, mobile vacuum lifters, container unloading systems, and lifting trolleys. Products are sold as standard or customized solutions with pricing based on specifications and capacity requirements.
2. Service and Maintenance Agreements: Full service and maintenance agreements to support operations and reduce risk of unnecessary downtime. Customer portal provides access to technical documentation, training content, and support ticketing.
3. Warranty and Extended Warranty: Standard 12-month warranty on products with option to extend to 24 months upon payment of additional 5% of purchase price.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TAWI designs, manufactures, and sells ergonomic vacuum lifting equipment and material handling solutions, including vacuum lifters, mobile vacuum lifters, container unloading systems, portable lifting trolleys, and crane systems. The company sells both standard and customized lifting solutions to enterprise customers across logistics, warehousing, airports, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, automotive, and renewable energy industries, supported by service and maintenance agreements and an extended warranty offering.

Product overview

TAWI offers a comprehensive portfolio of ergonomic lifting solutions centered around vacuum lifting technology. The core product line includes Vacuum Lifters, Mobile Vacuum Lifters, Container Unloading Systems, and Portable Lifting Trolleys. The flagship Multi-Functional Vacuum Lifter (up to 600 lbs) serves as the versatile centerpiece, while supporting products include High Frequency Lifters, Order Pickers, Wire Hoists, and crane systems (Overhead Bridge Cranes, Jib Cranes). The company also provides industry-specific variants including stainless steel lifters for food/pharma/chemical applications and ATEX-certified equipment for explosive environments. Following the 2020 acquisition of Vaculex and integration into Piab Group, TAWI consolidated its vacuum lifter offerings under a unified brand while expanding into electric lifting trolleys and crane systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vaculex: Vacuum lifting equipment brand, now consolidated under TAWI as part of Piab Group.

Products and services

• Vacuum Lifters Vacuum-powered grip and lift equipment that uses suction to handle all kinds of loads including boxes, bags, drums, reels, and rolls. User-friendly lifters for safe and efficient material handling in industrial operations.
• Mobile Vacuum Lifters Mobile vacuum lifting equipment that can be easily moved around a facility with a forklift or LLOP. Designed for order picking and other logistic lifting processes in warehouses and distribution centers.
• Container Unloading Systems
• Portable Lifting Trolleys Portable, electric stackers easily adapted to meet specific requirements for handling drums, boxes, and various industrial loads in warehouses and production facilities.
• Multi-Functional Vacuum Lifter
• Overhead Bridge Crane Overhead crane system with bridge girder design for industrial lifting applications in factories and warehouses.
• Jib Cranes Wall- or floor-mounted crane with horizontal arm (jib) for localized lifting operations in industrial and workshop settings.
• Stainless Steel Lifters (ATEX-certified)
• Solar Panel Lifting Solutions
• Service and Maintenance Agreements
• Extended Warranty

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% more efficient with 30% less labor in timed experiments
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Oaga Art Resort MaldivesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOaga Art Resort Maldives entered into a strategic partnership with TAWI LUSH (hospitality solutions provider) to manage commercial strategy and drive global expansion. TAWI LUSH founders Simmi Pai and Satyeash Pai were appointed as Chief Commercial Advisors to oversee sales leadership, market development, distribution strategy, and brand positioning for the luxury resort.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• J. Schmalz GmbH: J. Schmalz is a German market leader in vacuum automation technology, offering vacuum lifters, tube lifters, and crane systems directly competing with TAWI's core portfolio across the same industrial material handling applications and customer verticals.
• Anver Corporation: Anver manufactures vacuum lifting equipment, vacuum tube lifters, and below-the-hook lifting devices for industrial applications. They serve overlapping verticals (manufacturing, warehousing, automotive) with comparable vacuum-based ergonomic lifting solutions.
• Gorbel Inc. Gorbel manufactures jib cranes, bridge cranes, gantry cranes, and ergonomic lifting solutions including vacuum lifters. Their product range directly overlaps with TAWI's crane systems (overhead bridge cranes, jib cranes) and vacuum lifting equipment serving the same industrial customer base.
• Bishamon Industries: Bishamon manufactures ergonomic material handling equipment including lift tables, positioners, stackers, and specialty lifting devices. They compete with TAWI's portable lifting trolleys and stackers in industrial and logistics applications.
• Southworth Products: Southworth Products manufactures ergonomic lifting equipment including lift tables, stackers, and pallet positioners. Their material handling solutions compete with TAWI's portable lifting trolleys and electric stackers in warehousing and manufacturing environments.
• Spanco Inc. Spanco manufactures jib cranes, gantry cranes, bridge cranes, and ergonomic lifting equipment. Their crane product line directly overlaps with TAWI's overhead bridge cranes and jib cranes for industrial and warehousing applications.

Broad incumbents

• Columbus McKinnon: Columbus McKinnon is a broad industrial lifting incumbent owning brands including Caldwell, Yale, and Coffing. They offer hoists, cranes, and material handling equipment at greater scale than TAWI, with overlapping product categories including jib cranes and electric hoists.
• Konecranes: Konecranes is a global leader in lifting equipment including overhead cranes, hoists, and port solutions. While they operate at much larger scale and focus on heavy industrial cranes, they overlap with TAWI's crane systems and serve similar manufacturing and port customers.
• Dematic: Dematic is a global supplier of integrated automated material handling and supply chain solutions including conveyors, AS/RS, and robotic systems. They serve overlapping logistics and warehousing customers and represent a broader automation-driven alternative to TAWI's manual lifting focus.

Others

• KNAPP AG: KNAPP is an Austrian logistics automation specialist providing warehouse, order picking, and material handling automation systems. While not directly competing with vacuum lifting, KNAPP's automation solutions address the same end customers (Yusen, Bring Logistics) with full automation that could displace manual lifting over time.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tawiusa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

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 TAWI