Mobicon Systems
Mobicon Systems manufactures light-weight mini straddle carriers for container handling, serving logistics, manufacturing, steel, defence, and food-and-beverage customers globally from its Australian headquarters through direct and distributor channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersBrisbane, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Mobicon Systems does
Mobicon Systems, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Brendale, Queensland, Australia, designs and manufactures a range of light-weight mini straddle carriers for shipping container handling. The product line comprises six models — the diesel 2T, 2HL, and 3H and their battery-electric counterparts 2TE, 2HLe, and 3HE — plus a purpose-built LCS variant for the US Navy. The company's core technology is a patented two-tower (2T) gantry architecture with a four-axle, eight-wheel undercarriage that distributes load across eight contact points, allowing operation on standard 150–200mm concrete and bitumen yards without reinforcement. Lifting is hydraulic with no wire ropes, and engagement with container corner castings is performed from inside the cabin using remote twist-locks monitored via CCTV. All machines use Caterpillar engines; ECO Range models exclusively use ELME spreaders.
Mobicon sells to enterprise customers in logistics, manufacturing, steel and heavy industry, mining, defence, food and beverage, and small-port segments, with quoted transactional pricing on new and refurbished equipment and a recurring rental/hire stream including full servicing support. Sales are executed directly from the Australian headquarters, through regional offices in the US and New Zealand, and through a distributor network covering the Netherlands, the UK, South Africa, Malaysia, and Thailand. The customer roster includes Toll Group, Linfox, Mainfreight, OneSteel, Best Bar, Australian Reinforcing Company, Boral, Pernod Ricard, Viridian Glass, Mars Pet Foods, Redox Chemicals, JBS, Wire Industries, Weston Milling, QTerminals Kramer Rotterdam, the US Navy, and Australian Customs.
The business remains privately held under founder Tom Schults, with Neil Walters serving as General Manager of Business Development. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the only external funding on record is a 2014 Commercialisation Australia grant that supported ECO Range commercialisation, demonstration units in key international markets, and the establishment of a European office to support distributors. Milestone sales include the 100th unit to Best Bar in 2012, with the 200th unit being targeted at the time of the most recent operational reporting, and a long-running 15-year, 20-unit contract with the US Navy for the Littoral Combat Ship programme.
Mobicon Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mobicon Systems
- Legal name
- Mobicon Systems
- Website
- https://mobiconsystems.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Mobicon Systems manufactures light-weight mini straddle carriers for container handling, serving logistics, manufacturing, steel, defence, and food-and-beverage customers globally from its Australian headquarters through direct and distributor channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mobicon Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Container Handling Equipment
- NAICS
- Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924)
- SIC
- Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bulk Material Handling Systems (Belt Conveyors, Feeders, Stackers, Reclaimers) (IMAHABAH)
Keywords
Where Mobicon Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brisbane
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices6 records
Markets served
Mobicon Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Equipment Sales (New): Mobicon Systems designs and manufactures light-weight straddle carriers for sale directly to end-user businesses. New units are available directly through Mobicon Systems, with each unit backed by a 2-year or 2,000-hour warranty and certified on-site operator training included.
- Certified Pre-Owned Equipment Sales: Used Mobicon units become available periodically. The company refurbishes old machines to 'good as new' condition with the latest modifications, providing a lower-cost entry point for businesses needing a backup machine or with limited container throughput.
- Rental / Container Handler Hire: Flexible rental terms for short-term needs including peak periods, specific projects, or trial evaluations, with full servicing support included. Long-term hire options are also available.
- Weighing System Accessories: Optional weighing system can be added to Mobicon straddle carriers for SOLAS-compliant container weight verification, allowing customers to weigh containers while held by the machine and avoid overloading fines.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | New equipment purchase with 2-year / 2,000-hour warranty and on-site operator training |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Certified pre-owned equipment |
| Subscription | Monthly | Short and long-term rental with full servicing support |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Mobicon Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mobicon Systems designs, manufactures, and sells light-weight mini straddle carriers that lift, transport, and stack ISO shipping containers in container yards, depots, ports, warehouses, and on defence vessels. The company produces six machine variants (2T, 2TE, 2HL, 2HLe, 3H, 3HE) across diesel and electric drives, and supplements equipment sales with certified pre-owned units, rentals, servicing and parts, and on-site operator training.
Product overview
Mobicon Systems manufactures six models of light-weight mini straddle carriers for container handling, divided into diesel and electric drive configurations. The diesel range includes the 2T (original 1-high handling model for indoor/under-awning use), 2HL (2-high stacking), and 3H (3-high stacking). The electric range mirrors these with the 2TE, 2HLe (their first zero-emission model), and 3HE. All models share a patented 4-axle, 8-point load design that distributes weight evenly across eight contact points, allowing operation on standard yard surfaces without damage. The company also offers rental services, on-site servicing and parts, and certified operator training. All products are designed and manufactured in Queensland, Australia, with a 2-year or 2,000-hour warranty backing each unit.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ECO Range: Economical and Ecological model range of mini straddle carriers, introduced in 2013. Includes ECO-B (Bottom Lift), ECO-TF (Top Frame), and ECO-TF2 (Top Frame 2 High stacking) models.
Quantifiable outcome
- Truck turnaround time reduced from 24 minutes (side loader) to 6 minutes (Mobicon ECO TF2)
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Mobicon Systems
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Mobicon Systems technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Mobicon Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Caterpillar (Engine supplier)coreMobicon Systems exclusively uses Caterpillar branded engines across their entire range of light-weight straddle carriers. Caterpillar was selected for their global after-sales back-up strategy, global parts coverage, and reputation for reliable, easy-to-service engines that minimise machine downtime. Caterpillar has operated since 1948 and has a presence in almost every major country, ensuring Mobicon's international customers are covered.
- Peinemann Lifting SolutionscoreMobicon Systems appointed Peinemann Lifting Solutions as their Dutch distributor in September 2014. Peinemann is a well-known and respected company that sells and rents lifting solutions to many clients in the Netherlands, with a reputation for excellent after-sales service and knowledgeable service technicians. Both companies share values of prioritising client satisfaction through quality products and after-sales support. The appointment followed Mobicon's CeMAT exhibition in Germany.
- ELME (Spreader manufacturer)coreMobicon Systems partnered exclusively with ELME, the largest independent spreader manufacturer in the world (based in Sweden, operations worldwide), for spreaders on all ECO Range models and new ECO TF/TF2 machines. ELME spreaders are world-renowned for their quality and low-maintenance products. This partnership ensures Mobicon's ECO models maintain high quality standards with reliable, well-engineered spreader equipment.
- BLT WorldcoreMobicon Systems appointed BLT World as their South African distributor. BLT World is based at 1 Rotterdam Road, Bayhead, Port of Durban, South Africa. They provide sales and service support for Mobicon products in the South African market.
- Aprolis Equipment DistributioncoreMobicon Systems appointed Aprolis Equipment Distribution as their United Kingdom distributor. Aprolis handles Mobicon sales in the UK market.
- Asia Port Trading Co. Sdn BhdcoreMobicon Systems appointed Asia Port Trading Co. Sdn Bhd as their Malaysian distributor. Business Development Director: Yong Wee Kian. Located at Persiaran Raja Muda Musa, 42000 Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia.
- KUNAWARRA (Thailand) Co LtdcoreMobicon Systems appointed KUNAWARRA (Thailand) Co Ltd as their Thai distributor. Managing Director: Wisarn. Located at 116/80 Nonsee Road, Chong Nonsee, Yannawa, Bangkok 10120, Thailand.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Mobicon Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Konecranes: Global port solutions and material handling incumbent offering reach stackers, empty container handlers and yard trucks; overlaps Mobicon in container yard equipment, particularly in larger terminal deployments.
- Manitou Group: French material handling equipment manufacturer serving construction, agriculture and industrial logistics; overlaps with Mobicon in compact, yard-based handling solutions.
- Liebherr: Family-owned manufacturer of mobile harbour cranes, reach stackers and material handling equipment serving ports and terminals; comparable to Mobicon in container handling category, with broader product depth.
- Terex Corporation: Diversified industrial equipment manufacturer with port and container handling lines (Terex Port Solutions) overlapping with Mobicon's straddle carrier offering at higher capacity tiers.
- Doosan (Bobcat/Industrial Vehicle): Industrial OEM offering container handlers and material handling equipment with global distribution; competes with Mobicon in mid-volume container yard deployments.
- Cargotec (Kalmar): Parent of Kalmar, a major supplier of container handling equipment including straddle carriers, reach stackers and terminal tractors; competes with Mobicon in container handling with broader product portfolio.
- Hyster-Yale Group: Broad-line lift truck and container handler OEM (Hyster, Yale) serving ports, terminals and logistics operators; competes with Mobicon in empty container handling with substantially larger scale and dealer network.
Others
- ELME: Swedish independent spreader manufacturer and Mobicon's exclusive spreader partner; comparable as an adjacent equipment specialist serving the same container handling ecosystem.
Direct peers
- Combilift: Irish manufacturer of multi-directional forklifts and container handling equipment targeting similar small-to-mid container yard operators with space- and surface-constrained sites.
- CVS Ferrari: Italian manufacturer of empty container handlers and straddle carriers for depot and yard applications, directly competing with Mobicon in the light-weight, low point-load container handling niche.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Mobicon Systems social profiles
Digital presenceMobicon Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mobicon Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Mobicon Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mobicon Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mobicon Systems
What does Mobicon Systems do?
Mobicon Systems designs, manufactures, and sells light-weight mini straddle carriers that lift, transport, and stack ISO shipping containers in container yards, depots, ports, warehouses, and on defence vessels. The company produces six machine variants (2T, 2TE, 2HL, 2HLe, 3H, 3HE) across diesel and electric drives, and supplements equipment sales with certified pre-owned units, rentals, servicing and parts, and on-site operator training.
Is Mobicon Systems a public or private company?
Mobicon Systems is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Mobicon Systems founded?
Mobicon Systems was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Mobicon Systems based?
Mobicon Systems is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Mobicon Systems make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Equipment Sales (New) is the primary driver. The others are certified Pre-Owned Equipment Sales, rental / Container Handler Hire and weighing System Accessories.
Who are Mobicon Systems's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Konecranes, Manitou Group, Liebherr, Terex Corporation, Doosan (Bobcat/Industrial Vehicle), Cargotec (Kalmar) and Hyster-Yale Group. ELME is listed as an others. Direct peers are Combilift and CVS Ferrari.
Does Mobicon Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mobicon Systems.
What industry is Mobicon Systems in?
Mobicon Systems's product category is Container Handling Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHABAH, Bulk Material Handling Systems (Belt Conveyors, Feeders, Stackers, Reclaimers). Its NAICS code is 333924 and its SIC code is 3537.