What A & K Development company does

A&K Development Company is a privately held industrial manufacturer founded in 1980 and headquartered in Junction City, Oregon. The company designs, builds, and supports mechanical food processing equipment for agricultural products, with a primary focus on sweet corn processing lines (receiving vibratories, steam wilters, power huskers, nubbin eliminators, orienters, cutters, rotary scalpers) and secondary applications in seed corn, carrot, and citrus pre-cleaning, plus a full line of standard and custom conveyors. Its technology stack is mechanical and electro-mechanical — vibratory conveyors with eccentric drive systems, steam wilter beds, multi-lane power husker rolls, optical color sorting, and PLC-based automation — supported by 10 granted patents and 40+ years of accumulated engineering know-how.

The company monetizes primarily through capital equipment sales (individual machines and complete processing lines) and a recurring aftermarket stream of spare parts (with separate channels for Florida citrus, domestic, and international customers) and field service. Go-to-market is a hybrid of direct corporate sales in the US and a global authorized distributor network of 15+ partners covering North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa, supplemented by wholly-owned subsidiaries in Argentina, Brazil, Thailand, and a Florida division. The installed base of 3,000+ machines across 40+ countries provides a long-tail of B2B customers — primarily canneries, frozen-food processors, seed corn producers, and citrus/carrot processors — with no publicly named end customers and moderate segment concentration in sweet corn.

Name

A & K Development company

Legal name

A&K Development Company

Website

https://akdco.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

A&K Development Company, founded in 1980 in Junction City, Oregon, manufactures mechanical food processing equipment — primarily sweet corn husking/cutting lines, plus seed corn, carrot, and citrus pre-cleaning systems and conveyors — selling globally through 15+ distributors and four wholly-owned international subsidiaries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Processing Equipment

NAICS

Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241), Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111), Agricultural Implement Manufacturing (33311)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

Threshing, Decortication & Separation Equipment (Small-Scale Separators) (AFAAAJAF)

Keywords

• Agricultural processing equipment
• Sweet corn husking machinery
• Food processing conveyors
• Citrus pre-cleaning equipment
• Seed corn processing systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Eugene

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Food Processing Equipment Sales: A&K manufactures and sells agricultural processing machines including sweet corn huskers, seed corn processors, carrot cleaners, citrus equipment, and conveyors. Equipment is sold as individual machines or complete processing lines. Sales occur through global distributor network and direct corporate sales.
2. Equipment Upgrades and Spare Parts: Company sells upgrade components (such as non-metal core rolls and chute upgrades) and spare parts for existing equipment. Provides field support and installation supervision services.
3. Spare Parts (Domestic and International): Separate spare parts channels exist for Florida citrus customers, domestic spare parts, and international spare parts, indicating ongoing revenue from replacement parts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

A&K Development Company designs, manufactures, and sells agricultural processing equipment primarily for sweet corn, seed corn, carrots, and citrus. Its product range includes vibratory conveyors, steam wilters, power huskers, orienters, cutters, rotary scalpers, nubbin eliminators, power choppers, pre-cleaners, and color sorters, sold as standalone machines or integrated turnkey processing lines. The company also supplies spare parts, upgrade components, and on-site field support and installation supervision services through a global distributor network and direct corporate sales.

Product overview

A&K Development Company manufactures industrial food processing equipment with a modular, production-line approach. Their core offerings include sweet corn and seed corn husking systems, carrot and citrus pre-cleaning equipment, and a comprehensive conveyor product line. Key products include the Power Husker (available in 4-16 lane configurations), Power Orienter, Cutter, Nubbin Eliminator, Rotary Scalper, and Power Chopper, which work together in integrated processing lines from receiving through cutting and grading. The company also offers a range of add-on modules including Auto-Lube System, Hydraulic Discharge Leg Jack, Knife Honer, and various upgrade components like Husker Assembly Shaft and Chute Upgrade. A&K operates 6 facilities worldwide and serves customers in over 40 countries with both standard and custom conveyor solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• A&K Machines: Equipment product line including husking, cleaning, and processing machinery

Products and services

• Sweet Corn Husking Equipment Complete processing line for sweet corn including receiving, husking, orienting, cutting, grading, and waste handling equipment for commercial canneries and frozen food processors.
• Seed Corn Husking Equipment Husking equipment designed for seed corn processing with seed-saving features and specialized shaker feeders, for seed corn producers requiring gentle product handling.
• Carrot Pre-Cleaning Equipment Pre-cleaning line for carrots and root crops including vibratory conveyors, distribution systems, and pre-cleaners with capacities up to 100,000 lbs/hour.
• Citrus Pre-Cleaning Equipment Pre-cleaning equipment for citrus fruits featuring vibratory conveyors, distribution systems, and pre-cleaners, supported by the dedicated A&K Florida Division in Arcadia.
• A&K Conveyors Standard and custom conveyors including modular, troughing, flat bed, elevator, dewatering, side car, and specialized collection conveyors for food processing applications.
• Receiving Vibratory Mechanical vibratory conveyor with extra heavy mild steel pan, framework, and dump backboard for receiving unprocessed produce at the start of processing lines.
• Steam Wilter Vibratory Specially designed unit to wilt outer husks of sweet corn ears for ease of husking, equipped with stainless steel steam pipe and 40-60 tons per hour capacity.
• Distribution Conveyor Conveyor system designed to evenly feed multiple Power Huskers or Pre-Cleaners with food-grade belting and stainless steel construction.
• Metering Conveyor Variable speed conveyor with 1hp electric motor for adjusting feed rate, featuring stainless steel construction.
• Shaker Feeder Distributes product evenly into husking lanes, available in 4, 8, 12, or 16 lane configurations with 1.5 hp electric motor.
• Power Husker Machine designed to remove husks, hair, stalks, and waste from corn cob without damaging kernels. Available in 4, 8, 12, and 16 lane configurations with capacities from 3-4 to 16-18 tons per hour.
• Nubbin Eliminator System to remove short cobs and pieces from husked whole ears of sweet corn automatically, available in Small (M125), Medium (M200), and Large (M300) units.
• Power Orienter Unit that automatically separates, aligns, orients, and feeds sweet corn cobs one-by-one to the Power Corn Cutter.
• Power Corn Cutter Removes kernels from corn cobs with minimum product damage using conveyor belt, flighted feeder, triple orienting head, and two-speed cutter feed chain.
• Rotary Scalper Cleans cut whole kernels of sweet corn by removing pieces of cob and husk, available in M4X21 (25,000-30,000 lbs/hour) and M5X21 (30,000-35,000 lbs/hour) models.
• Surge Hopper Holds and meters kernels at even flow to blancher system with 55-inch wide plastic dewatering belt.
• Cob Saw Saw system for cutting cob portions from select ear corn.
• Power Chopper Designed to chop and shred silage, available in Model L-42 Large (40-60 tons/hr), Model M-30 Medium (30-40 tons/hr), and Model S-30 Small (20-25 tons/hr).
• Pre-Cleaner Cleans and processes carrots, citrus, potatoes, onions, garlic, apples, radishes, root crops, and beets. Available in 8, 12, and 16 lane configurations.
• Color Sorter Feed Shaker Utilizes programmable optical sorting technology to categorize corn types, with high-capacity option for two 16-lane huskers.
• Modular Conveyor Designed for transport with stainless steel or galvanized construction and self-supporting system.
• Troughing Conveyor Transports products without sticking for sanitation and easy cleaning, available in 12, 16, 24, 30 inch widths.
• Horizontal Flat Bed Conveyor Designed with tube sides for strength and sanitation, available in 12, 16, 24, 30 inch widths.
• Lev-Flow Elevator Meters even flow of unhusked ears to Distribution Conveyor System with sensor-controlled infeed, available in 24 to 60 inch sizes.
• Dewatering Conveyor Features special dewatering belt to eliminate liquid from product with stainless steel construction.
• Husker Assembly Shaft Pre-assembled replacement shaft that reduces labor and maintenance cost for rebuilding husker rolls during processing season.
• Non-metal Core Roll Upgrade component for husker rolls enabling simple replacement of used husker shaft assembly.
• Chute Upgrade Upgraded chute to control and manage trash-flow from the metering belt, decreasing or eliminating plugging within the metering conveyor.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ machines operating globally
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• A&K Development Co. Division Argentina S.A.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCompany-owned division serving Argentina and Chile markets. Located at Provincial Route 25, Moreno, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Provides sales, service, and support for South American customers.
• A&K Brazil Importacoes E Exportacoes LTDAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCompany-owned operation serving Brazilian market. Located in Uberlandia, MG, Brazil. Handles sales, distribution, and support for Brazilian customers.
• A&K Asia Pacific Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCompany-owned division serving Thailand and broader Asia-Pacific region. Located in Pathumthani, Thailand. Provides regional sales and support for Asian markets.
• A&K Florida DivisioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCompany-owned Florida division serving citrus processing customers in the southeastern US. Located in Arcadia, FL. Provides dedicated citrus spare parts and support.
• Cimbria Heid GMBHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for Austria. Located in Stockerau, Austria. Distributes A&K equipment in Austrian market.
• Eckert Machines, Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for Canada. Located in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Distributes A&K processing equipment to Canadian customers.
• Ten Square International Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor covering China market. Located in West Des Moines, Iowa. Serves Chinese customers with A&K equipment.
• Femia IndustrieminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for France, Spain, and Italy. Located in Nanterre, France. Covers European markets.
• Maptech Trade Kft.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for Hungary. Located in Budapest. Handles A&K equipment sales and support in Hungary.
• United Corn Kft.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor covering Hungary and Russia markets. Located in Solymar, Hungary. Serves Eastern European customers.
• Israpack, Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for Israel. Located in Tirat Carmel, Israel. Distributes A&K equipment to Israeli customers.
• Ajinomoto AFT Trading Co., Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for Japan. Located in Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa, Japan. Part of Ajinomoto group serving Japanese market.
• Itochu Machine-Technos CorpminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for Japan. Located in Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. Provides sales and support for A&K equipment in Japan.
• Heat and ControlminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for New Zealand. Located in East Tamaki, Auckland. Distributes A&K processing equipment in New Zealand.
• Eptech - Epee Products CCminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for South Africa. Located in Paarl, South Africa. Serves South African customers.
• Columbia Food MachineryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor for Northwest USA. Located in Salem, Oregon. Provides local sales and support for Pacific Northwest customers.
• Dean Becker (Independent Representative)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent sales representative covering Midwest USA and Mexico markets. Located in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Key Technology (Duravant): Designer and manufacturer of optical sorters, vibratory conveyors, and processing equipment for fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seafood. Closely overlaps with A&K's vibratory feeders, color sorting, and pre-cleaning product families serving produce processors.
• Lyco Manufacturing: US manufacturer of food processing cookers, blanchers, and cooling equipment serving vegetable and snack processors. Comparable to A&K as a similarly-sized, privately held American maker of mid-volume food processing equipment with overlapping customer base.
• Cimbria (AGCO): Manufacturer of seed and grain processing, drying, and handling equipment, and notably A&K's own Austrian distributor. Directly comparable in agricultural seed/grain processing equipment serving corn and seed corn processors.
• TOMRA Food: Provider of optical sorting and peeling solutions for fruits, vegetables, potatoes, and nuts. Directly comparable to A&K's color sorter feed shaker and pre-cleaner offerings, especially in carrots, citrus, and root crop segments.
• Urschel Laboratories: World leader in industrial food cutting, slicing, and dicing equipment serving fruit, vegetable, and meat processors. Comparable to A&K's Power Corn Cutter and rotary scalper product lines serving the same produce processor customer base.
• Heat and Control: Global manufacturer of food processing and packaging equipment for snacks, prepared foods, and produce. Direct overlap with A&K in agricultural/food processing lines and notable as A&K's own New Zealand distributor; comparable in serving high-volume food processors with integrated turnkey lines.

Broad incumbents

• Bühler Group: Global Swiss equipment manufacturer serving grain milling, food processing, and advanced materials. Comparable in food processing machinery with significant scale advantages; tangentially overlaps in grain/corn and produce handling lines.
• Alfa Laval: Global supplier of heat transfer, separation, and food processing equipment across dairy, beverage, and produce industries. Broad incumbent with overlapping food processing equipment offerings, though at much larger scale and across many end markets.
• JBT Corporation: Large public company supplying broad food processing and air transport equipment, including fruit and vegetable processing lines. Overlaps with A&K in citrus and produce processing but operates at much greater scale and breadth.

Regional players

• Femia Industrie: French food processing equipment manufacturer serving European fruit, vegetable, and prepared-food processors. Comparable product mix and is also A&K's distributor for France, Spain, and Italy, making it both a peer and channel partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 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 A & K Development company