What Smart Industries does

Smart Industries Corp. is a privately held, US-based manufacturer of coin-operated amusement games headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. Founded in 1963 by Gordon Smart (CEO) and now co-led with his son Jeff Smart (President), the company began as a traveling amusement operator with 500 games before pivoting to crane game manufacturing in 1985 with the Clean Sweep/Bear Claw. It claims to be the longest-lasting crane manufacturer in the USA and has grown from 3 to over 120 employees.

The company's core products are claw crane machines (Toy Chest, PT Classic, PT Deluxe, Candy Crane, oversized XL cranes, and the dual-station Claw Station Double with patent-pending 3D hologram display), supplemented by self-merchandisers (Ker Plop, Winners Box), redemption games (Scream N Win, Ticket King), sports games, oversized cranes, and the JJ Bot – The Avatar interactive robot crane with six-axis movement. Underlying technology is electromechanical: joystick controls, LED lighting, RFID-enabled prize rings, voice-decibel sensors, and servo-driven robotics. Products are pre-wired for cashless payment systems (Intercard, Embed) and major dollar bill acceptor brands.

The business model is B2B hardware sales through an authorized distributor and dealer network, with quote-based pricing and accounts restricted to approved sellers. End customers include amusement parks, traditional arcades, family entertainment centers, street/route operators, and carnival circuits in the US and internationally. Marketing is concentrated on industry tradeshows (IAAPA, IAPPA), the company website, and social/video content. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the company has remained founder-owned throughout its history with no disclosed institutional investment, acquisitions, or leadership transitions.

Name

Smart Industries

Legal name

Smart Industries Corp.

Website

https://smartind.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Smart Industries is a privately held, Des Moines-based manufacturer of coin-operated amusement games, specializing in claw cranes, redemption games, and self-merchandisers sold B2B through authorized distributors to arcades, family entertainment centers, and amusement parks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Coin-Operated Amusement Machines

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993), Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Amusement/Redemption Arcade Machines (Ticket & Prize) (MPAEAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coin-Operated Entertainment (Pinball, Crane/Claw, Jukebox, Darts/Billiards) (MPAEAJAF)

Keywords

• Coin-operated arcade machines
• Claw crane machines
• Redemption games
• Amusement game manufacturing
• Self-merchandising machines

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

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. Amusement Game Hardware Sales: Primary revenue stream from manufacturing and selling coin-operated amusement machines including claw cranes, redemption games, sports games, and self-merchandisers. Products are sold to arcade operators, FEC owners, street operators, and route operators. Revenue is generated through direct sales with quote-based pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Smart Industries designs, manufactures, and sells coin-operated arcade amusement machines, with a core specialization in claw crane machines. The company also produces redemption games, self-merchandisers, sport games, oversized cranes, and interactive robot attractions (such as JJ Bot). Products are sold B2B through a network of authorized distributors and dealers to arcade operators, family entertainment centers (FECs), amusement parks, and street operators globally.

Product overview

Smart Industries is a manufacturer of coin-operated amusement games specializing in claw crane machines and redemption games. The product portfolio centers on core claw crane products including the JJ Bot interactive robot crane, Claw Station Double with hologram display, and the Toy Chest XL Winners Club Edition. Supporting product lines include Winner Every Time games (Candy Crane House), Self-Merchandisers (Ker Plop, Winners Box), Redemption Games (Scream N Win, Ducky Ducks, Ticket King, Pixies Prize), Sport Games, Oversized Cranes, Crane Kits, and Crane Kiosks. Products integrate with payment systems including Intercard and Embed cashless card systems, Dollar Bill Acceptors (Pyramid/ICT/MEI), Imonex Coin Mechanisms, and Looney/Twoney Coin Mechs. Smart Industries has grown from 3 employees to over 120 since 1985 and introduced the first 180° full-view cabinet design to the US market in 2023.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JJ Bot – The Avatar: Interactive arcade claw machine with up to 6 AXIS of movement that can dance, sing, and engage in conversation with passersby. Features a unique 6-sided cabinet offering 360-degree view.
• Toy Chest
• Prize Time Classic (PT Classic)
• PT Deluxe
• Candy Crane
• Winner Every Time
• Prize World
• Lil Diamond Plus
• Ker Plop
• Scream N Win

Products and services

• JJ Bot - The Avatar Interactive arcade claw machine featuring up to 6 AXIS of movement that can dance, sing, and engage in lively conversation with passersby. Its unique 6-sided cabinet offers full 360-degree view for immersive experiences.
• Claw Cranes Full line of claw crane machines available in various sizes (24" to 61") and configurations including Toy Chest, Pirates Chest, PT Deluxe, PT Classic, XL Cranes, and Candy Crane models. Features include 180° prize visibility, LED lighting, joystick controls, and adjustable difficulty settings.
• Scream N Win Voice-activated redemption game where players compete to get loud and earn tickets based on volume. Features a built-in microphone measuring decibels, bright LED display, and adjustable ticket payouts for operators.
• Ker Plop High-skill merchandising game challenging players to precisely time the drop of an actuator. Features adjustable skill settings, fast-moving carousel, multiple prize clip sizes, and small footprint design for tight spaces.
• Winner Every Time Line of crane games guaranteeing every player wins a prize, including Candy Crane House models with candy-themed designs and winner-every-time functionality.
• Self-Merchandisers Automatic prize vending machines including Winners Box and Ker Plop that self-vend prizes to reduce labor costs and simplify operations.
• Redemption Games Arcade redemption games including Ducky Ducks, Toy Land, Pixies Prize, and Ticket King that reward players with tickets for prizes.
• Sport Games Arcade sports games as part of the coin-operated amusement game portfolio.
• Oversized Cranes Large-format crane machines including Prize World Crane Showcase, PT Deluxe 61" Double, and larger XL models for high-volume venues.
• Crane Kits Conversion and upgrade kits for existing crane machines including claw options, jewelry kits, and back wall display shelves.
• Crane Kiosk Multi-unit crane configurations including Prize World 4-unit bank with illuminated marquee header.
• Claw Station Double Dual-station crane machine with exclusive 3D Hologram Fan Display (Patent Pending) that houses two independent game stations in a single cabinet, designed to double earning potential while saving floor space.
• Toy Chest XL Winners Club Edition Modern claw crane with 180° prize visibility, sleek black cabinet, vibrant LED lighting, and bold graphics. Available in 31" and 41" sizes with optional LED Top Marquee Display for 2026.
• Winners Box Compact self-merchandising display that pairs with any crane stocked with plastic eggs containing keys, allowing players to select prizes using retrieved keys.
• Hollywood Photos Photo Booths Coin-operated photo booth product line introduced as the newest addition to the Smart Industries family of products.

Quantifiable outcome

• Joystick crane technology is now seen on virtually every crane on the market today
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature7 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LAI Games: Manufacturer of coin-operated amusement and redemption games (cranes, sports games, kiddie rides) targeting FECs and arcades. Overlaps directly with Smart's redemption and crane categories and uses a similar distributor-led sales motion.
• Andamiro Co., Ltd. Korean manufacturer of coin-operated amusement and redemption games (notably pump-it-up style and prize cranes) exported globally. Directly comparable to Smart on coin-operated cranes and redemption products, with overlap in international FEC/distribution channels.
• Elaut: Belgian manufacturer specializing in coin-operated crane/claw machines, redemption games, and amusement equipment sold through distributors worldwide. Directly comparable to Smart Industries on product (cranes, cranes with novel mechanics) and customer type (FECs, arcades, street operators).
• Innovative Concepts in Entertainment (ICE): Long-running US manufacturer of redemption games, cranes, and arcade equipment. Directly comparable on core crane/redemption lineup, channel (dealer/distributor + IAAPA presence), and customer base (FECs, arcades, amusement parks).
• Benchmark Games International: Manufacturer of redemption/ticket games, cranes, and coin-operated amusement machines sold globally to FECs and arcades. Directly competes with Smart's redemption and crane product lines through overlapping distributor networks.
• S&B Candy & Vending: Long-standing US manufacturer of candy and prize vending / crane machines for amusement venues. Directly competes with Smart's Candy Crane and smaller-footprint crane SKUs in the FEC/arcade channel.
• Bay Tek Games: US-based manufacturer of coin-operated redemption games including ticket and crane-style machines sold to FECs and arcades. Comparable to Smart on redemption/redemption-ticket gameplay, distributor go-to-market, and arcade-customer focus.
• Coastal Amusements: US-based manufacturer of coin-operated amusement equipment including claw cranes, redemption games, and sports games. Competes head-to-head with Smart Industries in the same arcade/FEC channel with overlapping product categories.
• Adrenaline Amusements: US-based manufacturer of coin-operated arcade and redemption games sold to FECs and street operators. Comparable to Smart Industries on product mix (cranes and redemption), customer base, and distributor-led go-to-market with active IAAPA presence.

Broad incumbents

• Bandai Namco Amusement: Japanese amusement machine giant operating a broad portfolio of coin-operated arcade games, cranes, and redemption products under Bandai Namco. Overlaps with Smart Industries on cranes and redemption but competes across a much wider game library and is significantly larger.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@smartindustriescorp
• Facebookfacebook.com/61566569871456
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smart-crane-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/smartindustriescorp

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 Smart Industries