What Tennsmith does

Tennsmith is a privately held, family-owned American manufacturer of sheet metal fabricating machinery, founded in 1928 in McMinnville, Tennessee and still controlled by the Smith family. The company produces a broad portfolio of powered folders (AutoBrake SBS Series, FLEX, Kombi), long folders (AutoMax, AutoMax Plus), mechanical shears (LM, MSE), coil processing lines (AutoKut, AutoBlank), hand brakes (HB, F6, HBU, Magnabend electromagnetic), slip rolls, rotary machines, notchers, slitters, and roll forming equipment. Software platforms include the proprietary SYNERGY Windows-based CNC control system, Konstruct office and mobile software for DXF/Eagleview file import and job management, and Konnect real-time remote support. The portfolio spans five retained brand families — Tennsmith, Roper Whitney, Pexto, Connecticut, and Roll Former — with the latter two added through acquisitions in 2011 (Roper Whitney, including Pexto and Connecticut) and 2021 (Roll Former Corporation).

The company generates revenue primarily through quote-based hardware sales of American-made capital equipment, supplemented by replacement parts and manuals, factory-trained maintenance and installation services, third-party financing arrangements, and a Trade-In Program for used machines. Go-to-market combines a global dealer network with direct sales from the McMinnville headquarters and regional partners such as Calidad Machinery in Florida; lead generation is supported by presence at METALCON, the International Roofing Expo, and regional sheet metal events, alongside LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and email channels. Customer segments are diversified across general fabrication, HVAC duct manufacturing, roofing and architectural sheet metal, sign making, aerospace, motorsports fabrication, and industrial maintenance — predominantly small to mid-sized fabrication shops rather than enterprise anchor accounts. Manufacturing is anchored at a 100,000 sqft facility in McMinnville with additional production footprints in Rockford, IL (Roper Whitney) and Chalfont, PA (Roll Former).

Name

Tennsmith

Legal name

Tennsmith, Inc.

Website

https://tennsmith.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Tennsmith is a privately held, family-owned American manufacturer of sheet metal fabricating machinery — powered folders, shears, hand brakes, coil processing, and roll forming — serving HVAC, roofing, and general fabrication shops through a global dealer network and direct sales since 1928.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sheet Metal Fabricating Machinery

NAICS

Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (33351), Rolling Mill and Other Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (333519)

SIC

Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540), Machine Tools, Metal Cutting Types (3541)

akta.pro primary industry

Metal Forming & Fabrication Machines (Presses, Bending, Shearing, Stamping) (IMAHADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

CNC Machine Tools (Turning, Milling, Machining Centers) (IMAHADAA)

Keywords

• Sheet metal machinery
• Metal fabricating equipment
• Metal forming machinery
• Powered folding brakes
• Coil processing equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Mc Minnville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

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. Sheet Metal Machinery Sales: Sale of American-made sheet metal forming and fabrication equipment including powered folders, hand brakes, shears, slip rolls, rotary machines, coil processing equipment, and related machinery. Products sold through dealer network and direct from factory.
2. Parts and Manuals: Replacement parts and product manuals for Tennsmith machinery. Parts are manufactured at the company's facilities in Middle Tennessee and available through local distributors or direct from factory.
3. Maintenance and Service: Factory-trained technical experts provide machine installations, operator training, scheduled maintenance visits, and preventative maintenance programs. Service team supports customers with remote diagnostics through Konnect software.
4. Financing Services: Company partners with financing providers to offer secure options for customers to finance or lease new equipment purchases, facilitating higher-value transactions.
5. Trade-In Program: Trade-in program allowing customers to sell used machines and apply credit toward purchase of new equipment with latest features and technology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Tennsmith designs and manufactures American-made sheet metal fabricating machinery, including powered folders, hand brakes, shears, slip rolls, rotary machines, coil processing lines, roll forming equipment, benders, notchers, and slitters. The company also sells the proprietary SYNERGY CNC control system and Konstruct/Konnect software for machine programming, shop floor management, and remote diagnostics. Sales are handled through a worldwide dealer network and direct factory channels.

Product overview

Tennsmith offers a diversified portfolio of American-made sheet metal forming and fabrication equipment organized into distinct product categories. The core product lines include Long Folders (AutoMax and AutoMax Plus for specialized long product folding with wing bending techniques), AutoBrake Powered Folders (SBS Series, FLEX with recessed beam for complex profiles, and Kombi Series with rotating beam for versatility), Shears (LM and MSE mechanical shears plus foot, hand, air/hydraulic, and power options), Coil Processing equipment (AutoKut slitter/cut-to-length lines and AutoBlank blankers), Hand Brakes (HB heavy duty, F6 box and pan, HBU, and Magnabend electromagnetic), Slip Rolls (powered and manual), Rotary Machines, Benders (cleat and cheek benders), Notchers, and Slitters. The company also offers Decoilers and Recoilers as accessories, plus Remanufactured Equipment. Software products include the Synergy CNC control system for machine control, Konstruct office software for job management, Konstruct Mobile for field operations, and Konnect for real-time remote technical support—all integrated through the Tennsmith/Roper Whitney brand family acquired in 2011. The 2021 acquisition of Roll Former expanded the portfolio with roll forming equipment for roofing and architectural applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AutoBrake: Powered CNC-controlled sheet metal brake for automated bending of angles up to 155 degrees, with material clamping and support.
• SBS Series
• Synergy
• Konstruct
• Konstruct Mobile
• Konnect

Products and services

• AutoMax Long Folder American-made long folder for folding specialized long products with high repeatability and accuracy, employing wing bending techniques with C-frame design and CNC control. Designed for general fabrication and HVAC/duct manufacturers requiring long bend lengths.
• AutoMax Plus Long Folder Enhanced long folder with increased capacity featuring 8 C-frames versus 5 in the standard AutoMax, capable of bending up to 14 gauge mild steel with improved hemming performance. Targeted at heavy-duty fabrication shops.
• AutoBrake SBS Series Powered Folders Powered folders featuring twin motor direct drive system for folding beams, capable of bending speeds up to 90 degrees per second with automated bending up to 145 degrees. Built for general fabrication and production environments requiring speed and durability.
• AutoBrake FLEX Mechanical Folder 126-inch mechanical folder with recessed folding beam providing greater clearance for forming box gutters, high-pitch roof drip edge, and hat channels. Rated for 14-gauge material and backed by a 3-year factory warranty. Targeted at roofing and architectural sheet metal fabricators.
• AutoBrake Kombi Series Powered Folders Powered folders with rotating Kombi beam for enhanced versatility in straight and box folding, producing complex shapes in less time with quick-change tooling. Available in AB1010K, AB1014K, AB1212K, and AB1214K models.
• LM Series Low-Profile Mechanical Shears Mechanical shears with simple low-maintenance design featuring a unique 2x back-gauge system allowing positioning from 0 to 30 inches in approximately 2 seconds. Suited for fabrication shops needing reliable straight cutting.
• MSE Series Mechanical Shears Mechanical shears based on LM models with standard features including 30-inch front-operated 2x back gauge system, 4-edge high carbon/high chromium blades, and precision bearings. Targeted at production fabrication environments.
• AutoKut Slitter/Cut-to-Length Lines Slit-to-width and cut-to-length lines including AutoKut 100, AutoKut 160, and AutoKut M20 models for automated coil processing with programmable touchscreen Schneider control systems. Suited for blanking, slitting, and cut-to-length operations.
• AutoBlank M20 Compact Blanker Compact blanker designed for smaller sheet metal shops producing flat sheets from coils, with reliable feed system and ball-bearing side guides. Targeted at smaller fabrication shops requiring in-house coil-to-blank production.
• Decoilers Powered and manual decoilers with 1 to 5 ton capacities for unwinding coils in preparation for processing. Available as accessories for coil processing lines.
• Recoilers Powered recoilers designed to complement AutoKut slitter/cut-to-length machines for rewinding processed coil material. Used as accessories for coil processing operations.
• HB Series Heavy Duty Hand Brakes Floor-mounted manual bending brakes with welded steel plate construction and heavy truss rods and braces for long service life and accurate bending. Targeted at maintenance shops and small fabrication operations.
• F6 Series Box and Pan Brakes Heavy-duty box and pan brakes with removable 6-inch box depth fingers for flexible forming capability. Suited for fabrication shops producing complex box and pan shapes.
• HBU Series Box and Pan Hand Brakes Economical box and pan hand brakes for a wide range of sheet metal bending and forming operations. Targeted at smaller shops needing affordable, versatile bending capability.
• Magnabend Electromagnetic Bending Brake Unique electromagnetic keeper clamping system that eliminates typical interference points common to conventional bending brakes, allowing complex shapes not previously possible.
• SR48 Series Slip Rolls Powered and manual slip rolls combining precision-turned, ground and polished high carbon steel rolls with heavy-duty cast iron end frames for forming curved parts and tubes.
• PR-16 Powered Rotary Machine Versatile rotary machine capable of forming applications up to 16-gauge mild steel with variable speed control, featuring crimping, beading, elbow edging, and flattening capabilities.
• Cleat Benders Manually operated tools that form uniform drive cleat edges on rectangular ductwork in seconds without setup or adjustment. Targeted at HVAC duct manufacturers.
• Cheek Benders Rugged tools built for increased productivity while achieving consistent bends, including the DS24-20 model. Targeted at HVAC duct fabrication.
• Notchers Versatile heavy-duty bench tools for shearing, notching, and piercing work, including the PEXTO PS-66 with reversible upper blades.
• Gang Slitter GSL48-16 48-inch gang slitter capable of cutting up to 16 gauge mild steel with built-in entry guide, integrated scale, and stripper rings.
• Single Wheel Slitter SLE24-16 Portable single wheel slitter for cutting sheet metal strips from 1 to 24 inches wide with maximum 16-gauge mild steel capacity.
• Roll Former Equipment Metal roll forming equipment for roofing and architectural sheet metal industries, including roof panel machines, power seamers, wall panel machines, and hemming machines. Targeted at roofing contractors and metal building manufacturers.
• IBB Integral Board and Batten Machine Roll Former's IBB Machine producing single-board panel profiles for modern construction and architectural roofing applications. Targeted at roofing contractors and architectural sheet metal fabricators.
• Remanufactured Equipment Refurbished Tennsmith equipment, including SBS126-14 AutoBrake models, restored and rebuilt to factory specifications. Targeted at cost-sensitive buyers seeking certified-pre-owned equipment.
• SYNERGY Control System Windows-based ECS CNC control system for powered folding machines with full-color graphical touchscreen interface, automatic part sequencing, 3D part display, part simulation, bend sequence optimization, DXF file import, and real-time axis value display.
• Konstruct Office Software Office-based software enabling administrators to create, manage, and monitor activities on folding machines with DXF file import, Eagleview integration, and real-time job status tracking.
• Konstruct Mobile Mobile/field version of Synergy software enabling design, pricing, and ordering of parts remotely from any location with internet connection via mobile devices, tablets, or laptops.
• Konnect Remote Support Real-time remote support software enabling Tennsmith technicians to diagnose and correct issues on folder equipment via live audio and video on the control system, avoiding costly downtime and travel costs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Automated bending speeds up to 90 degrees per second on SBS Series folders
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Roll Former CorporationcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2021Tennsmith purchased Roll Former out of Chalfont, PA in 2021. Roll Former specializes in roll forming equipment for metal roofing and architectural sheet metal industries, offering the most productive and cost-effective roll forming equipment since 1978.
• Roper WhitneycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2011Tennsmith acquired Roper Whitney out of Rockford, IL in 2011. The acquisition included trusted brands Pexto and Connecticut. Roper Whitney produces AutoBrake, AutoMax, Magnabend, AutoKut, and other sheet metal machinery. The acquisition expanded Tennsmith's product portfolio significantly and brought additional brands under the Tennsmith umbrella.
• Calidad MachineryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFlorida-based partner representing Tennsmith, Roper Whitney, and Roll Former brands in the Florida market. Exhibits at Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Expo.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cincinnati Incorporated: Established American manufacturer of press brakes, shears, and laser cutting systems for metal fabrication. Long-tenured U.S. incumbent sharing the American-made positioning and serving overlapping fabrication customers.
• Bystronic: Global leader in press brake systems, laser cutting, and automation software for sheet metal processing. Targets higher-end fabricating customers with integrated bending automation, directly overlapping Tennsmith's CNC folder business at the upper tier.
• Salvagnini: Specializes in flexible sheet metal fabrication systems, including panel benders and FMS lines. Adjacent competitor for higher-end automated bending, especially in customers seeking lights-out operation versus Tennsmith's CNC folders.
• Amada America: Broad incumbent in metalworking machinery including press brakes, shears, lasers, and tooling. Competes with Tennsmith in larger fabrication shops seeking higher-end automated bending solutions, but at significantly greater scale and with a broader product portfolio.
• Trumpf: Global metalworking powerhouse with a substantial press brake and bending automation portfolio. Operates well above Tennsmith in scale and price points but addresses overlapping bending/folding applications in industrial fabrication.

Regional players

• PRIMA Power: European-based manufacturer of sheet metal fabrication machinery (punching, bending, laser) with North American presence. Overlaps with Tennsmith in bending and panel fabrication for industrial customers.
• Durma / Dener Industrial: Turkish/Chinese manufacturers of press brakes, shears, and laser cutting machines that compete primarily on price in global markets. They are less direct in the U.S. but increasingly present in import-sensitive SMB segments where Tennsmith's hand-brake and entry-level lines also compete.

Direct peers

• Baileigh Industrial: Direct competitor selling a comparable range of sheet metal fabricating machinery — hand brakes, shears, slip rolls, press brakes, notchers, ironworkers — to similar SMB and mid-market fabrication shops through online and dealer channels.
• Edwards Manufacturing Company: Direct competitor in press brakes, shears, ironworkers, and similar sheet metal forming equipment for HVAC, roofing, and general fabrication customers. Overlaps substantially in product categories and end markets.
• Scotchman Industries: Direct peer in metal fabrication equipment including Ironworkers, cold saws, tube and pipe notchers, press brakes, and band saws. Competes in the same SMB fabrication and structural-metal customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Tennsmithinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/tennsmith.inc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tennsmith-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/tennsmith_inc
• Xx.com/Tennsmith_inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Tennsmith