Automatic Equipment Manufacturing

What Automatic Equipment Manufacturing does

Automatic Equipment Manufacturing is a fourth-generation, family-owned industrial OEM headquartered on the founder's original family farm in Pender, Nebraska, where it has manufactured agricultural grain processing equipment continuously since 1925. The company designs, builds, and sells livestock roller mills, rotary mills, CSU two-stage reduction mills, and PTO trailer mills under the "Automatic AG" brand, with throughput ranging from approximately 220 bushels per hour (LPE500 low-profile mill) up to 20,000 bushels per hour (ATG20000 electric mill). Core mechanical differentiators include 14-inch diameter hardened steel rolls (56 Rockwell C, 1.5x modulus of elasticity vs. chill cast), a "one fast-roll" self-cleaning principle, magnetic grates on high-capacity models, and negative-pressure dust containment. The company has historically expanded its product surface to include the KarTote tow dolly and wholly-owned recreational towing subsidiaries Blue Ox and Duncan.

The company sells exclusively direct-to-consumer via a toll-free phone line, email, website contact form, and a single North American regional sales representative (Doug Prokop); there is no dealer/distributor network and no e-commerce. Pricing is quote-based with no public price list, and the revenue mix is built on one-time hardware sales supplemented by a recurring stream of replacement parts (Automatic Rolls, belts, motors) and service. Customer segments span large commercial cattle feedlots (primary), swine and horse operations, dairy, small/hobby farms, and diverse livestock (poultry, aquaculture). Documented reference customers include RKR Feedlot, Beller Feedlot, and Rehder Farms, with case-study evidence citing 1.88% better feed conversion and 3 lbs additional gain per head for ATG-series users. The corporate parent referenced as "Hesse Enterprises" encompasses both the agricultural mill business and the recreational towing brands.

Name

Automatic Equipment Manufacturing

Legal name

Automatic Equipment Manufacturing

Website

https://automaticag.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Automatic Equipment Manufacturing is a fourth-generation, family-owned US industrial OEM that designs and builds livestock roller mills, rotary mills, and grain processing equipment (220 to 20,000 bu/hr) sold direct to cattle, swine, horse, and commercial feedlot operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111), Agricultural Implement Manufacturing (33311)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

Agricultural Processing Equipment (On-farm) (IMAHACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

On-Farm Milling, Grinding & Feed Processing Equipment (Hammer Mills, Rollers) (AFAAAJAD), Livestock Complete Feed Milling & Blending (Cattle/Swine/Poultry) (AFADAIAA), Livestock & Dairy Equipment (IMAHACAG)

Keywords

• Grain processing equipment
• Livestock roller mills
• Rotary grain mills
• Agricultural feed mills
• Industrial farming equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Pender

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Roller Mill Equipment Sales: Sale of industrial roller mills including electric, PTO, high-capacity, low-profile, CSU, and rotary mill models. One-time hardware purchases with various power configurations and capacity ratings.
2. Replacement Parts & Service: Sale of replacement parts including rollers, belts, motors, and maintenance services. Ongoing revenue from wear items and maintenance support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Automatic Equipment Manufacturing designs, builds, and sells industrial grain processing equipment for livestock feed operations, with a primary focus on roller mills (ATG series, Large Capacity Electric, Low Profile Electric, PTO Trailer, and CSU models) and rotary mills (ARM series). Equipment processes corn, milo, oats, barley, and wheat at capacities ranging from roughly 200 bushels per hour up to 20,000 bushels per hour for the largest ATG20000 model. The company also sells replacement rolls and parts as ongoing support for the installed base.

Product overview

Automatic Equipment Manufacturing produces a comprehensive portfolio of grain processing equipment centered on roller mills and rotary mills for livestock feed operations. The product line includes high-capacity ATG series roller mills (ATG10000, ATG15000, ATG20000) capable of processing 10,000 to 20,000 bushels per hour for large commercial operations, alongside smaller capacity models including Large Capacity Electric Mills (ABC1800, ABC3600, ABC5020), Low Profile Electric Mills (LPE500, LPE700, ABC900), PTO Trailer Mills (ATG3620, ATG6020), and CSU Mills for precise two-stage particle reduction. The company also offers Rotary Mills (ARM1665, ARM1665T) for corn grinding without screens. All roller mills feature hardened steel rolls and the company's 'one fast-roll principle' for self-cleaning action and reduced horsepower requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ATG20000 Electric Roller Mill High-capacity electric roller mill capable of processing 20,000 bushels per hour with 4-100 HP motors; designed for large commercial livestock operations.
• ATG15000 Electric Roller Mill High-capacity electric roller mill with 15,000 bu/hr capacity, 500 bushel hopper, 30-inch discharge conveyor, and 3-100 HP motors; designed for large commercial operations.
• ATG10000 Electric & PTO Roller Mill Versatile high-capacity roller mill available in both electric and PTO configurations; processes 10,000 bushels per hour with a 350 bushel hopper.
• Low Profile Electric Mills (LPE500, LPE700, ABC900) Economical and versatile electric roller mills designed to mount under low discharge outlets, featuring single-lever roll adjustment and auger discharge options; models include LPE700 (450-700 bu/hr, 5-7.5 HP), LPE500 (220-700 bu/hr, 7.5-10 HP), and ABC900 (380-900 bu/hr, 10-15 HP).
• Large Capacity Electric Mills (ABC1800, ABC3600, ABC5020) Heavy-duty stationary electric roller mills with 9, 12, or 14 inch diameter rolls in various lengths and parallel corrugated rolls for uniform particle processing; models include ABC1800 (up to 1,800 bu/hr dry corn, 30 HP), ABC3600 (up to 3,600 bu/hr dry corn, 60-75 HP), and ABC5020 (up to 6,300 bu/hr dry corn, 100 HP at 1800 RPM).
• Large Capacity PTO Trailer Mills (ATG3620, ATG6020) Trailer-mounted PTO-driven roller mills offering maximum portability and versatility for farmers who prefer using existing tractor equipment, with heavy-duty PTO and shear bolt protection; models include ATG3620 (up to 3,600 bu/hr dry corn, 110/130 HP) and ATG6020 (up to 6,300 bu/hr dry corn, 180 HP).
• CSU Mills (CSU1000) Customizable roller mills featuring a two-stage reduction process with coarse top rolls for primary reduction and fine bottom rolls for precise particle size control; CSU1000 model features 9x18 inch rolls, one-point gap adjustment, and customizable roll surface corrugations.
• Rotary Mills (ARM1665, ARM1665T) Electric or PTO-driven corn mills using a high RPM cylinder with shear bars to chop corn without screens, producing fluffy nutritional feed while utilizing natural starches; ARM1665 processes up to 200 bu/hr with a 16 inch cylinder (6 blade, 5 bar), and ARM1665T adds a cyclone discharge system for enhanced material handling.
• Automatic Rolls (Replacement/Upgrade Roller Components) Replacement and upgrade roller components for Automatic roller mills, featuring hardened steel construction for durability and ongoing maintenance support for the installed base.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 lbs additional gain per head
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Blue OxminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerBlue Ox is a recreational towing company based in California that was purchased by Jay Hesse as part of expansion into recreational towing products. Part of the broader company portfolio alongside agricultural equipment. Not a technology or distribution partnership for grain mills.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RMS Roller-Grinder: Direct peer producing roller mills and roller-grinders for livestock feed and grain processing; competes head-to-head with Automatic's ATG and ABC series on capacity, roll technology, and feedlot customers.
• SvenMill: Manufacturer of roller mills and grain processing equipment used on farms for livestock feed; overlaps with Automatic's low-profile and mid-capacity electric roller mill lines.
• Peerless (Roller Mill): Long-running competitor in on-farm roller mills with PTO and electric models aimed at cattle, swine, and small-farm feed processing - directly comparable to Automatic's broad roller mill portfolio.
• Buschhoff: German manufacturer of on-farm and mobile feed milling/mixing equipment; competes with Automatic's PTO trailer mills and CSU-class mills in dairy and cattle feed operations across Europe and internationally.

Broad incumbents

• Roskamp Champion (CPM): CPM Roskamp Champion is a major industrial roller mill and grinding equipment manufacturer with a much larger portfolio serving feed mills and processors worldwide; competes indirectly on roller technology but at much greater scale and with commercial mill (not on-farm) focus.
• Art's-Way Manufacturing: Public US farm equipment manufacturer with grinder-mixer and rollermill product lines alongside broader tillage, forage, and land maintenance equipment; overlaps with Automatic in on-farm feed processing but at much broader portfolio scope.
• Vermeer Corporation: Large agricultural and industrial equipment OEM with feed processing, bale handling, and forage product lines relevant to the same cattle/feedlot customer base; significant scale advantage but broader portfolio reduces direct head-to-head intensity.

Emerging players

• Bliss Industries: Hammermill and grinding equipment maker; relevant because Automatic's core value proposition is replacing hammer mills with roller mills, putting Bliss in the competing technology category.
• Schutte Hammermill: Producer of hammer mills and size-reduction equipment for grain and feed applications; competes with Automatic where customers are deciding between hammer-mill and roller-mill grinding technology.

Regional players

• Haybuster / DuraTech Industries: North American manufacturer of tub grinders, bale processors, and feed processing equipment; adjacent competitor in livestock feed preparation that overlaps with Automatic's rotary mill and grinding equipment categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 Automatic Equipment Manufacturing