What Midwest Automation does

Midwest Automation Inc. is a private, family-owned custom electrical control panel fabricator headquartered in Maryland Heights, Missouri (St. Louis metropolitan area), founded in 1984 and operating for nearly four decades. The company designs and builds custom industrial control systems, including PLC control panels, motor starter control panels, utility panels, network communication cabinets, and protective relay cabinets, supplemented by a custom engraving service and on-site field training and start-up support. Its customer base spans nine industrial verticals: water/wastewater, government, food and beverage, military, petrochemical, packaging, biotechnology, utilities, and OEM machinery, served primarily through direct B2B enterprise field sales across the U.S. Midwest region.

The company operates a project-based revenue model with quote-based pricing tied to the specifications, materials, and complexity of each control panel build. It is not a software platform or product company; its technology base is physical fabrication using top-quality electrical components sourced from a broad supplier ecosystem, with Rockwell Automation and Schneider Electric identified as core strategic partners and approximately 18 additional firms (Acme Electric, Graybar, Hoffman, Pfannenberg, Gexpro, and others) supporting one-stop-shop positioning. The company holds CE and UL Listed certifications for safety and compliance, and in April 2024 received WBE (Women Business Enterprise) certification from the Missouri Office of Equal Opportunity, enabling bidding on state and federal contracting opportunities.

The firm employs 11-50 people and is led by CEO Colleen Keusenkothen alongside President Tom Keusenkothen as part of family ownership. The customer-facing differentiators are four-decade brand reputation as a "trusted name in control panels," craftsmanship-based customization, decades-long institutional knowledge, multi-million dollar purchasing power with suppliers, and full-service sales with field installation support. No external institutional investors, funding rounds, M&A activity, or geographic expansion beyond the Midwest are indicated in the available data.

Name

Midwest Automation

Legal name

Midwest Automation Inc.

Website

https://midwestautomationinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Midwest Automation Inc. is a family-owned custom electrical control panel fabricator in Maryland Heights, Missouri, designing and building PLC, motor starter, utility, network, and protective relay panels for water/wastewater, government, military, food and beverage, petrochemical, packaging, biotech, utilities, and OEM machinery customers across the U.S. Midwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Control Panel Fabrication

NAICS

Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (3332), Machinery Manufacturing (333)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Control Cabinets & Power Distribution (Panels, Switchgear for Automation) (IMAHAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Motion Control Components (Servos, Drives, Motors, Encoders) (IMAHAHAG), Motion & Machine Control (CNC, Robotics Controllers, Servo/Motion Controllers) (IMAGABAG), Industrial Controllers & Control Systems (PLCs, PACs, CNC Controllers) (IMAHAHAH)

Keywords

• Industrial control panels
• PLC control panels
• Custom electrical fabrication
• Motor starter controls
• Protective relay cabinets

Headquarters

HQ city

Maryland Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Control Panel Fabrication: Design and fabrication of custom electrical control panels including PLC controls, motor starter controls, utility panels, network communication cabinets, and protective relay cabinets. One-time project-based revenue from custom fabrication orders.
2. Field Services: Field training and start-up services to help customers get control panels operational, including troubleshooting support

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Midwest Automation is a custom fabricator of high quality industrial control systems and related equipment, manufacturing PLC Controls Panels, Motor Starter Controls Panels, Utility Panels, Network Communication Cabinets, and Protective Relay Cabinets. The company serves multiple vertical markets including Water/Wastewater, Government, Food & Beverage, Military, Petrochemical, Packaging, Biotechnology, Utilities, and OEM Machinery. It complements its fabrication services with custom engraving and field training/start-up support, positioning itself as a one-stop solution for industrial controls.

Product overview

Midwest Automation is a custom fabricator of high-quality control systems and related equipment. The company's core product portfolio consists of industrial control panels including PLC Controls Panels, Motor Starter Controls Panels, Utility Panels, Network Communication Cabinets, and Protective Relay Cabinets. These products serve diverse markets including Water/Wastewater, Government, Food & Beverage, Military, Petrochemical, Packaging, Biotechnology, Utilities, and OEM Machinery. The offering is complemented by Custom Engraving services for labeling and identification, and Field Training & Start Up services for installation and support. The company positions itself as a one-stop solution for all industrial controls, combining craftsmanship with top-quality materials to produce highly reliable control systems for demanding applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PLC Controls Panels Programmable Logic Controller control panels for industrial automation applications, providing precise control and monitoring of manufacturing and processing equipment. Targeted at industrial customers across water/wastewater, government, food and beverage, military, petrochemical, packaging, biotechnology, utilities, and OEM machinery markets.
• Motor Starter Controls Panels Motor starter control panels designed to safely start, stop, and protect electric motors in industrial environments. Targeted at industrial operators requiring reliable motor control in demanding applications.
• Utility Panels General-purpose utility panels for power distribution and auxiliary control functions in industrial facilities. Targeted at industrial operators with varied power distribution and control needs.
• Network Communication Cabinets Industrial enclosures designed to house network communication equipment and facilitate connectivity between control systems. Targeted at industrial facilities needing structured network connectivity for control systems.
• Protective Relay Cabinets Specialized cabinets containing protective relay equipment for power system protection and fault detection. Targeted at utility, petrochemical, and industrial power infrastructure operators.
• Custom Engraving Custom labeling and engraving services for control panels including clearly labeled wiring, phenolic nameplates, and durable worker interface markings for easy training and long-term use. Targeted at customers ordering custom control panels requiring permanent identification.
• Field Training & Start Up On-site installation support, startup assistance, and troubleshooting guidance services to help customers get control panels operational and maintain them. Targeted at Midwest Automation's industrial control panel customers across multiple vertical markets.

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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.

• Rockwell AutomationcoreTechnology or IntegrationKey strategic supplier partner for industrial automation and control technology components
• Schneider ElectriccoreTechnology or IntegrationMajor supplier partner for electrical distribution and automation components

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Faith Technologies: Electrical and control system fabrication/integration provider serving industrial, utility, and commercial customers. Comparable in custom panel fabrication and field services, though larger and more geographically diversified.
• Panelmatic: Custom fabricator of industrial control panels serving similar verticals including water/wastewater, utilities, and OEM machinery. Most direct comparable as a multi-vertical custom panel shop with comparable scale.
• Panel Built Inc. Custom manufacturer of control panels, operator consoles, and enclosures for industrial customers. Direct comparable in custom fabrication services and B2B industrial go-to-market.
• Peak Industries: Custom control panel and electrical enclosure fabricator serving industrial and OEM customers. Directly comparable in offering, customer profile, and project-based revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• Eaton: Global power management company offering industrial control assemblies, switchgear, and panel solutions. Much larger and broader portfolio but overlaps in control panel/power distribution product lines serving shared end markets.
• Honeywell Process Solutions: Industrial automation and control systems provider with significant presence in petrochemical, utilities, and water/wastewater. Overlaps in process control and panel-level integration for shared verticals.
• ABB: Global industrial automation and electrification company producing control systems, drives, and panel components. Competes indirectly through components and integrated solutions in Midwest Automation's verticals.
• Siemens: Global industrial automation leader with PLCs, motor controls, and panel-level offerings. Competes indirectly as both a component supplier alternative and full-solution provider in the same end markets.

Others

• Schneider Electric: Major supplier partner and global energy management/automation company. Adjacent rather than directly competitive; supplies components used in Midwest Automation's panels and offers broader integrated solutions.
• Rockwell Automation: Core supplier partner and global industrial automation leader. Not a direct competitor in fabrication services but adjacent through component sales and integrated control system offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/midwas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/midwest-automation-inc

Compliance3 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 Midwest Automation