What MHM Automation does

MHM Automation designs, manufactures, and integrates industrial automation systems for primary industry and food processors. Its portfolio spans automated chilling and freezing equipment (plate freezers, SRT/MRT tunnels, spiral freezers, cheese cooling tunnels), materials handling (conveyors, ASRS in partnership with TGW and Inther, autonomous mobile robots, cobots), packaging and palletising automation (AiCo carton handlers, robotic de-boxing and de-bagging cells, tube filling robots), post-harvest processing (Wyma vegetable and fruit handling lines), pressure vessels and stainless steel fabrication (Mercer), timber processing (MiCROTEC scanners, SCE debarking, Leadermac moulders), and grain handling systems.

The business is built around retained legacy brands: Milmeq (acquired 2018 for chilling and freezing), Southern Cross Engineering (SCE, acquired 2021 for materials handling, grain, and timber), Wyma (acquired 2023 for post-harvest), plus H&C, Mercer, and AiCo. Each brand retains its domain identity while leveraging MHM's integrated engineering, ISO9001-accredited Christchurch, NZ fabrication workshop, and global project delivery. The company is a subsidiary of Fortifi Food Solutions, a diversified industrial group, and has no public listing, no disclosed funding rounds, and no external venture capital.

MHM sells custom-engineered systems to enterprise food and primary-industry customers through a direct field-sales motion, with quotes built per project and supported by spare parts, scheduled maintenance, and operator training. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customers include major meat processors (Fletcher International Exports, Nolan Meats, AFFCO, Midfield Group, Banham Poultry, Inghams, SuKarne), dairy processors (Glanbia, Laticínios Tirol, Cheese Merchants of America), produce handlers (Rockit Global), grain handlers (GrainCorp), timber processors (Claymark, CraigPine, Lockwood), and industrial operators (NZAS, Boral, Opal, Air New Zealand, Northport), across at least eight countries. Quantified outcomes include 15-30% energy savings from plate freezing versus blast freezing, payback in under two years for at least one customer, and threefold throughput increases in robotic packing applications.

Name

MHM Automation

Legal name

MHM Automation

Website

https://mhmautomation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1884

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

MHM Automation designs and supplies custom industrial automation systems for primary industry and food processors, including chilling and freezing, packaging, materials handling, post-harvest processing, and pressure vessels, serving meat, dairy, horticulture, grain, timber, and industrial customers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Equipment

NAICS

Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334), Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (3333)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

Conveying, Feeding & Accumulation Systems (Packaging Lines) (IMAHAOAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bagging, Pouching & Sachet Packaging Equipment (IMAHAOAH), Packaging & Bagging Equipment (Weighers, Baggers, Sealers) (AFAAAJAI), Process & Batch Control Software (Recipe Management, ISA-88) (IMAGABAH)

Keywords

• Industrial automation systems
• Food processing equipment
• Plate freezer tunnels
• Packaging palletising machinery
• Post-harvest handling equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Acacia Ridge

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Equipment Sales: Sale of automated systems and equipment including chilling/freezing tunnels, plate freezers, materials handling, packaging, palletising, and post-harvest processing equipment. Custom-designed and built for each client's specific requirements.
2. Professional Services: Comprehensive design, fabrication, installation, and commissioning services. Also includes spare parts and after-sales service, scheduled maintenance programmes, and operator training.
3. Spare Parts & Service: Ongoing after-sales technical service, spare parts ordering, and scheduled maintenance programmes to maximize efficiency and reliability of plant operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

MHM Automation designs, manufactures, and commissions custom industrial automation equipment for primary industry and food processors. Core offerings include plate freezers, chilling and freezing tunnels, spiral freezers, materials handling systems (conveyors, ASRS, AMRs, cobots), packaging and palletising machinery, robotic de-palletising/de-boxing/de-bagging systems, post-harvest produce handling lines, and stainless steel fabrication including pressure vessels and tanks. The company delivers turnkey projects covering design, fabrication, installation, commissioning, and after-sales service.

Product overview

MHM Automation is an industrial automation company offering innovative, automated solutions for primary industry and food processors. Their product portfolio is organized into distinct categories spanning chilling and freezing equipment (Milmeq plate freezers, SRT/MRT tunnels, spiral freezers), materials handling systems (conveyors, ASRS with TGW/Inther, AMRs, cobots), packaging and palletising automation (AiCo carton handlers, robotic de-boxing/de-bagging systems, H&C tube filling robots), post-harvest processing (Wyma acquired brand in 2023 - vegetable and fruit handling lines, coolers, washers, polishers, destoners), pressure vessel fabrication (Mercer tanks for wine, dairy, industrial applications), industrial fabrication (SCE acquired in 2021 - conveyors, storage systems, heavy steel fabrication), timber processing equipment (MiCROTEC scanners, SCE debarking/log processing, Leadermac moulders), and grain handling systems. The company has grown through acquisitions of specialized brands including Milmeq (2018) for chilling/freezing, SCE (2021) for materials handling/industrial, and Wyma (2023) for post-harvest solutions. Products are supported by spare parts, service, and scheduled maintenance programmes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Milmeq: Automated chilling and freezing systems for meat, poultry and dairy products in cartons or crates.
• Southern Cross Engineering (SCE)
• Wyma
• H&C
• Mercer
• AiCo

Products and services

• Milmeq SSO Plate Freezers The world's largest horizontal plate freezers with single station opening technology. Each station opens individually for loading while others continue freezing, providing fast energy-efficient freezing of meat, poultry and dairy products in cartons or crates.
• Milmeq FCF Plate Freezers

Quantifiable outcome

• Plate freezers reduce energy consumption by 15-20% across Australian meat industry
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability7 records

Feature14 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Wyma SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Wyma post-harvest vegetable and fruit handling equipment is recognised as world leading and used by processors in more than 50 countries. Wyma was added to the MHM Automation portfolio through an acquisition in 2023.
• Southern Cross Engineering (SCE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021SCE is well-known for its expertise in designing, manufacturing, installing, and servicing equipment within the meat, dairy, grain, timber, and infrastructure sectors. SCE was acquired by MHM Automation in 2021.
• MilmeqcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Milmeq, whose automated chilling and freezing systems have established the global benchmark for cooling and freezing meat, poultry and dairy products, was acquired by MHM Automation in 2018. The Milmeq brand continues as part of the MHM Automation portfolio.
• Southern Cross Engineering (Konecranes Distribution)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouthern Cross Engineering is the New Zealand distributor of KCI Konecranes overhead travelling cranes. To date, Southern Cross Engineering have supplied over 200 new Konecranes cranes throughout New Zealand.
• TGWmajorTechnology or IntegrationTGW is a technology partner providing Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS). First ASRS installation completed with MHM Automation and technology partners TGW and Inther at Midfield Group facility.
• InthermajorTechnology or IntegrationInther is a technology partner for automated storage solutions. Worked with MHM Automation on first ASRS installation at Midfield Group facility.

Scale indicators21 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Marel: Iceland-headquartered global leader in food processing equipment for meat, poultry, and fish — overlapping directly with MHM/Milmeq's chilling/freezing and materials-handling automation for protein processors.
• Heat and Control: Privately-held US/Australian supplier of food processing, seasoning, coating, and packaging systems. Highly comparable to MHM as a multi-vertical food-automation specialist serving meat, poultry, and snack processors with custom-engineered lines.
• TOMRA: Norwegian technology leader in sensor-based sorting and post-harvest solutions for food. Comparable to MHM's Wyma brand in produce handling, washing, polishing, and optical sorting equipment for vegetables and fruit.
• ProMach: US-based privately-held packaging machinery provider across food, beverage, and consumer goods. Comparable to MHM's AiCo carton erectors/lidders, palletising, and reverse-packaging automation, serving similar enterprise food customers.
• Key Technology (Duravant): US-based designer and manufacturer of digital sorting, inspection, and conveying systems for food processing. Closely comparable to MHM's vision-based defect/foreign-object detection, de-palletising, and conveyor offerings in produce and protein.
• JBT Corporation: US-listed supplier of food processing and air transport equipment. Directly competes in protein chilling/freezing, freezing tunnels, and food industry automation where MHM's Milmeq and SCE brands operate.
• Tetra Pak: Global leader in dairy and beverage processing and packaging. Closely comparable to MHM's dairy (cheese cooling tunnels) and packaging (BetaVac, AiCo) automation, with greater scale and a more integrated end-to-end offering.

Broad incumbents

• GEA Group: One of the world's largest suppliers of food processing machinery, particularly for dairy, meat, and beverages. Directly comparable to MHM in chilling/freezing and cheese processing, but vastly larger with a broader portfolio and global service network.
• Middleby Corporation: US-listed diversified manufacturer of commercial and residential kitchen, food processing, and packaging equipment. Comparable breadth to MHM's portfolio across protein, dairy, and food processing automation, but with much greater scale and breadth.
• Bühler Group: Swiss family-owned global leader in grain processing, food, and advanced materials. Comparable to MHM's grain-handling and milling equipment (SCE grain silos, conveyors, dryers, milling) but with significantly broader scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mercerstainless
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mhm-automation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 MHM Automation