What Empire Magnetics does

Empire Magnetics Inc, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Rohnert Park, California, is a privately held specialty motor manufacturer that designs and builds stepper motors, brushless servo motors, resolvers, gearboxes, brakes, and integrated motion control subsystems engineered to operate in environments where standard commercial motors fail. The company's product portfolio addresses six core extreme-environment categories — vacuum (10^-4 to 10^-9 Torr across Laboratory, Standard, and Commercial grades), radiation (up to 10^9 rads gamma), cryogenic (down to 20 Kelvin liquid helium), high temperature, waterproof (30+ feet, 5,000+ PSI), and hazardous area (explosion-proof with purge systems) — supported by proprietary material selection, vacuum cleaning/extraction processes, and validated performance data including outgassing rates below NASA specifications.

The company operates a build-to-order, custom-engineering model serving aerospace and space agencies, defense contractors, national laboratories, semiconductor fabrication, nuclear fuel processing, deep-sea research, and hazardous industrial environments. Named customers and end-users include NASA, Boeing, the US Navy, the European Space Agency, Oak Ridge and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Taiwan Nuclear Power Commission, and Ontario Hydro. The company is ITAR registered, holds Cage Code 0YMU1, and is SAM/WAWF registered for U.S. government contracting.

Revenue is generated through four streams: custom specialty motor hardware sales, non-recurring engineering (NRE) services with disclosed project charges of $20,000–$150,000, turnkey motion control system integration, and repair services. Distribution combines a nationwide and international network of motion control sales professionals with direct ITAR-registered government sales and a customer-facing digital portal (Price Builder, CAD drawings, technical articles). Marketing relies heavily on technical content (Lab Notes newsletter, engineer's resources, glossary) targeting engineering and procurement professionals in defense, aerospace, semiconductor, and research. Leadership comprises President Rick Halstead and VP of Engineering George Cinti, the latter with prior Saturn Apollo program experience including motor work on the Lunar Lander.

Name

Empire Magnetics

Legal name

EMPIRE MAGNETICS INC

Website

https://empiremagnetics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Empire Magnetics is a privately held U.S. specialty motor manufacturer founded in 1987 that designs and builds ruggedized stepper and servo motors, resolvers, and motion control subsystems engineered to survive vacuum, radiation, cryogenic, high-temperature, underwater, and hazardous environments for aerospace, defense, nuclear, semiconductor, and deep-sea customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rohnert Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Specialty Motors: Sale of custom and modified specialty motors for extreme environments including vacuum, radiation, high temperature, cryogenic, waterproof, and hazardous area applications. Products include stepper motors, brushless servo motors, resolvers, gearboxes, and integrated assemblies.
2. Custom Engineering Services: Custom motor design and system integration services for specialized applications. Non-recurring engineering (NRE) charges for space-rated motors have ranged from $20,000 to $150,000 depending on project complexity.
3. Turnkey Projects: Complete motion control system solutions including motors, drives, resolvers, brakes, and integration services for specific customer applications.
4. Repair Services: Repair and maintenance services for specialty motors and motion control systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Empire Magnetics designs and manufactures specialty electric motors—primarily 1.8° hybrid permanent magnet stepper motors and brushless servo motors—engineered to operate reliably in extreme environments including vacuum (down to 10⁻⁹ Torr), high-energy radiation (up to 10⁹ rads), underwater pressure (30+ feet / 5,000+ PSI), cryogenic temperatures (20 Kelvin), high heat, and hazardous/explosive atmospheres. The company offers build-to-order custom motor engineering, system integration (motors, drives, resolvers, brakes, gearboxes), non-recurring engineering services, and repair services for aerospace, defense, nuclear, semiconductor, and deep-sea customers.

Product overview

Empire Magnetics is a specialty motor manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of ruggedized motors and motion control solutions engineered to survive extreme and hostile environments where standard motors fail. The product line centers on 1.8 degree hybrid permanent magnet stepping motors and brushless servo motors, with specialized variants addressing specific environmental challenges: vacuum-rated motors (with Laboratory, Standard, and Commercial grades for 10^-4 to 10^-9 Torr applications), radiation-hardened motors (rated up to 10^9 rads gamma radiation), waterproof motors (rated for 30+ feet underwater with stainless steel construction), hazardous area motors (explosion-proof with purge systems), cryogenic motors (operational to 20 Kelvin), high-temperature motors (with Class H insulation), and dust/abrasive-proof motors. The portfolio includes diverse motor form factors (stepper, servo, rotor nut, hollow shafted, AC, DC), complemented by resolvers, gearboxes, brakes, and complete system integration services. The company operates on a build-to-order basis with custom engineering capabilities, serving aerospace, defense, semiconductor, nuclear, and deep-sea applications. Frame sizes range from 15 to 42, with specialized options like hollow shafts, rotor nuts, and integrated resolvers. Technical support includes CAD drawings, pricing tools, and engineering resources through their customer portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Motors That Survive: Company tagline and brand positioning for specialty motors designed for hostile environments.

Products and services

• Vacuum Rated Motors & Resolvers
• Vacuum Rated Stepper Motors
• Radiation Hardened Motors & Resolvers
• Radiation Hardened Stepper Motors
• Waterproof Motors & Resolvers
• Waterproof Stepper Motors
• Waterproof AC Induction Motors
• Hazardous Area Motors
• Hazardous Area Stepper Motors
• Hazardous Area Brushed DC Motors
• Cryogenic Motors & Resolvers
• Cryogenic Stepper Motors Stepper motors engineered for cryogenic applications such as liquid hydrogen (24K) and liquid helium (20K) environments, with special attention to material contraction and low-temperature hardening.
• High Temperature Motors
• High Temperature Stepper Motors
• Dust Proof Motors
• Abrasive Dust Proof Motors
• Standard Industrial Motors
• Brushless Servo Motors
• Custom Motors and System Integration
• Turnkey Projects
• Motor Repair Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Outgassing rate below 0.0004% COP, far exceeding NASA specification SP-R-0022A requirement of 0.1%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2002Empire Magnetics collaborated with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on a $1.3 million DOE-funded project (LBNL-T2-0203-RU Low Maintenance Wind Power System) under the Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention program. Empire provides specialized alternator technology for vertical axis wind turbines designed in partnership with Russian scientists from the Makeyev State Rocket Center.
• Makeyev State Rocket Center (MSRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2002Russian design bureau collaborating through Lawrence Berkeley National Lab on DOE's Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention program. 30,000 staff transitioning from weapons development to peaceful commercial enterprises including vertical axis wind turbine design. MSRC scientists provide expertise in aerodynamics and mechanical structures.
• Wind-SailminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew company being formed to market windmill systems from the DOE collaboration. Dr. Richard McClellan (formerly Compumotor/Parker Hannifin) serving as CEO. Empire Magnetics providing alternators for the windmill systems.
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of radiation-hardened motors for nuclear fuel reprocessing. ORNL tested Empire motors through their REACH program, validating radiation resistance up to 1×10^9 rads. Empire subsequently supplied complete motor-gearbox-resolver assembly for ORNL's multistage continuous rotary dissolver.
• Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PRN) of JapanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese nuclear research organization collaborating with ORNL on nuclear fuel reprocessing technologies, working with Empire Magnetics' radiation-hardened motors.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Phytron GmbH: German manufacturer of specialty stepper motors designed for extreme environments including vacuum, space, cryogenic, and cleanroom applications—the closest direct competitor to Empire Magnetics' core product line and customer base.
• Allied Motion Technologies: US-based designer and manufacturer of specialty precision motors and motion control products serving aerospace, defense, and industrial markets with custom-engineered solutions similar to Empire's niche focus.
• ARC Systems Inc. Manufacturer of custom electric motors, particularly for aerospace and defense applications, with similar specialty/ruggedized motor capabilities including hermetic, high-temperature, and high-altitude designs.
• Servo-Tek Products: US manufacturer of precision servo motors, tachometers, and resolvers for industrial, aerospace, and military applications—directly overlapping with Empire's brushless servo and resolver product lines.
• Oriental Motor USA: Established manufacturer of stepper motors, servo motors, and motion control products with broad frame sizes—competes with Empire in standard and industrial-grade stepper motor segments.
• Anaheim Automation: US distributor and integrator of stepper motors, servo motors, and motion control products; competes with Empire in standard industrial stepper/servo markets and integrated motion assemblies.

Broad incumbents

• Moog Inc. Large motion control and precision systems supplier serving aerospace, defense, and industrial markets; overlaps with Empire in high-performance motors and integrated motion subsystems but at much larger scale.
• Parker Hannifin (Motion & Control): Global motion and control conglomerate encompassing the Compumotor and Aerocom motion control brands; broad portfolio competes with Empire's stepper and servo motor offerings in industrial and aerospace markets.
• Aerotech Inc. Manufacturer of high-performance motion control and positioning systems including motors, drives, and stages; adjacent competitor in precision motion for aerospace, semiconductor, and research customers.
• Nidec Corporation: World's largest motor manufacturer producing motors for industrial, appliance, and automotive applications; a broad incumbent whose specialty motor divisions overlap with Empire's extreme-environment product space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EmpireMagnetics
• Xtwitter.com/EmpireMagnetics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empire-magnetics-inc.

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Empire Magnetics