What Dakota Automation does

Dakota Automation, Inc. is a private, full-service factory automation provider headquartered in Watertown, South Dakota, operating from a single 40,000+ square foot manufacturing facility that has been expanded three times since 2001. The company designs and manufactures both custom and standard automated equipment for industrial manufacturers, with primary use cases in window and door fabrication, material handling, saw and fabrication lines, and furniture manufacturing. Its product portfolio includes a structured catalog of standard equipment (fab saws, SDL saws, routers, drills, stackers, feeders, conveyors) alongside bespoke custom automation built to customer specifications, and a 2025-launched proprietary product, the PRO-filer CNC single-end router, which consolidates multiple single-end machines into one platform with four automatic tool changer motors and CNC motion control.

The company also operates as a systems integrator: it is an authorized integrator for both KUKA and FANUC robots, supports robotic loading/unloading, machine tending, sorting, assembly, and palletizing applications, and is a UL508 certified shop for industrial control enclosures. Adjacent service lines include machining services for prototype through high-volume production runs and a service and parts business for factory and machined replacement components.

Dakota Automation generates revenue primarily through project-based custom and standard equipment sales under multi-year contracts, with pricing established through a structured quote process requiring detailed customer specifications. The go-to-market is sales-led and domestic, relying on direct field sales representatives (Jake Velde and Jason Handke) and a website-based equipment quote request form, with no third-party distribution or marketplace channel. Customers are B2B manufacturers; no customer logos or revenue concentration are publicly disclosed. The company employs 11-50 people, and the team is described as highly stable with multiple members holding 25+ year tenures, supporting deep process expertise in custom automation integration.

Name

Dakota Automation

Legal name

Dakota Automation, Inc.

Website

https://dakotaautomation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dakota Automation is a private, full-service factory automation manufacturer and systems integrator based in Watertown, South Dakota, designing custom and standard automated equipment for window, door, furniture, and material handling manufacturers, including its proprietary PRO-filer CNC router.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Equipment

NAICS

Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314), Mechanical Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing (333613)

SIC

Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)

akta.pro primary industry

Motion & Machine Control (CNC, Robotics Controllers, Servo/Motion Controllers) (IMAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Controllers & Control Systems (PLCs, PACs, CNC Controllers) (IMAHAHAH), Motion Control Controllers & CNC/Robot Drives (Motion Controllers, Multi-axis) (IMAGACAH), Process Control & Automation Electronics Manufacturing Services (PLCs, I/O, DCS/SCADA hardware) (IMAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Factory automation equipment
• CNC machining systems
• Robotic integration services
• Industrial material handling
• Custom automation solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Watertown

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Factory Automation Equipment: Design and manufacture of custom factory automation equipment from 3D design through installation, training, and support. Equipment includes window & door equipment, material handling, saws & fabrication, furniture equipment, and robotic integration systems.
2. Standard Automated Equipment: Sale of standard automated equipment products including PRO-filer CNC routers, fab saws, SDL saws, routers, drills, stackers, feeders, conveyors, and material handling systems.
3. Service & Parts: Replacement and spare parts including factory parts (cylinders, sensors, motors) and machined parts made by Dakota Automation. Ongoing support and service for installed equipment.
4. Machining Services: Quality machining services for prototypes, low volume runs, and high volume runs. Wide variety of equipment operated by skilled machinists with experience since 1999.
5. Installation and Training: Installation services typically included as part of equipment package. Training offered as part of installation, with duration dependent on project complexity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Dakota Automation designs, engineers, manufactures, and services custom factory automation equipment for window/door, furniture, saw/fabrication, and material handling applications, and serves as a KUKA and FANUC robotic system integrator. The company also runs an in-house CNC machined parts and services operation and has begun selling its own branded equipment, beginning with the PRO-filer CNC single-end router.

Product overview

Dakota Automation is a full service provider of factory automation offering both manufactured equipment and integration services. The core product portfolio includes the PRO-filer CNC router (their flagship innovation), Window & Door Equipment, Material Handling Equipment, Saws & Fabrication Equipment, and Furniture Equipment, all designed and manufactured at their Watertown, South Dakota facility. They also provide Custom Automation Equipment for specialized requirements. Services include Robotic Integration (authorized KUKA and FANUC integrator), Machining Services, and Service & Parts support. The company operates as both an equipment manufacturer and a systems integrator, providing complete solutions from 3D design through installation, training, and ongoing support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PRO-filer CNC Single-End Router
• Window & Door Equipment
• Material Handling Equipment
• Saws & Fabrication Equipment
• Furniture Equipment
• Custom Automation Equipment
• Robotic Integration Services
• Machined Parts and Services
• Service & Parts

Quantifiable outcome

• PRO-filer replaces multiple dedicated single-end machines
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KUKAcoreTechnology or IntegrationDakota Automation is an authorized system integrator for KUKA robots. The company integrates KUKA robotic systems into customer production layouts for applications including loading/unloading of routers/CNCs, stacking, feeding, machine tending, sorting, assembly, and palletizing.
• FANUCcoreTechnology or IntegrationDakota Automation is an authorized system integrator for FANUC robots. The company integrates FANUC robotic systems into customer production layouts providing flexibility and reliability for various manufacturing applications.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• KUKA Robotics: KUKA is one of Dakota Automation's core partners — while they manufacture the robots Dakota integrates, their broad automation portfolio and direct integrators make them a comparable context for the industrial automation space.

Direct peers

• Concept Systems Inc. Concept Systems builds custom industrial automation, CNC-based systems, and robotic integration for manufacturers in wood, metal, and composite processing — overlapping closely with Dakota Automation's window/door and material handling verticals.
• Midwest Automation Partners: A Midwest US custom automation integrator providing CNC, robotic, and material handling systems to industrial customers; comparable in scale, geography, and product mix to Dakota Automation.
• Scotchman Industries: Scotchman Industries manufactures metalworking saws, fabrication, and material handling equipment — overlapping with Dakota Automation's saw & fabrication and material handling product lines.
• Edge Automation: Edge Automation designs custom factory automation equipment and CNC-based production machinery for wood, plastics, and metals — comparable to Dakota Automation's full-service custom automation and PRO-filer CNC router offering.
• Custom Equipment Solutions: Custom Equipment Solutions designs and builds specialty automation equipment for industrial manufacturers, comparable to Dakota Automation's custom engineered-to-order automation projects.
• Acieta: Acieta is a robotic integration and custom automation specialist for industrial manufacturers, comparable on FANUC robotic integration and custom factory automation projects like Dakota Automation's KUKA/FANUC integration business.
• Methods Machine Tools: Methods Machine Tools is a US-based supplier and integrator of CNC machining centers, turning/milling equipment, and automated production solutions, directly comparable to Dakota Automation's CNC machinery and automation integration focus.

Broad incumbents

• Genesis Systems (now ATS Automation): Genesis Systems, now part of ATS Automation, is a large US robotic integration and custom automation provider serving similar industrial customers with broader resources and scale than Dakota Automation.
• Weber Marking Systems: Weber Marking Systems (a SATO Group company) supplies industrial labeling/coding and end-of-line automation equipment; broader incumbent with adjacent factory automation offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Dakota Automation