MICO, Inc.

What MICO, Inc. does

MICO, Inc., legally operating as ZF Off-Highway Solutions Minnesota Inc. since 2021, designs, manufactures, and sells hydraulic and electrohydraulic braking components, controls, and brake systems for off-highway vehicles worldwide. Founded in 1946 as Minnesota Automotive, Inc. and headquartered in North Mankato, Minnesota, the company holds the MICO trademark (registered 1950) and has built a 70-plus-year track record in hydraulic brake engineering for harsh-environment applications. Its product portfolio is organized into five categories: Brakes (515, 520, 530 Series caliper disc brakes and multiple disc brakes), Brake Actuation (master cylinders, boosted master cylinders, air/hydraulic actuators, slave/wheel cylinders, remote actuators, and brake lock systems including the 691 electrohydraulic brake lock), Valves (accumulator charging valves, modulating valves, relay valves, park brake valves, dual power brake valves), Controls/EH (electronic pedals, electrohydraulic brake valves or EBVs, pressure and pressure differential switches), and Related Products (pressure testing devices, hydraulic throttle controls, fluid reservoirs, in-line residual check valves). Operations include the North Mankato headquarters and ISO 9001/14001-certified manufacturing facility, a 2006-opened manufacturing plant in Empalme, Sonora, Mexico, and a 2011-opened electrohydraulic R&D facility in Shakopee, Minnesota; the company also maintains a West Coast subsidiary (MICO West / ALMICO, Inc.) and a South African joint venture (MICO SA). It serves OEMs in heavy construction, mining, agricultural, forestry, oil and gas, airport support, municipal, material handling, marine, railroad, crane/swing boom, trailer, and wind power applications.

The company generates revenue through hardware sales of custom and catalog hydraulic and electrohydraulic brake systems, with quotation-based pricing and no public price list. Its go-to-market combines an extensive multi-tier distributor network spanning four U.S. regions and international markets (Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Singapore, India, Australia) with direct enterprise engagement via product application engineers, account managers, and a customer service helpline. The MICO MOBEUS (Mobile On Board Energy Utilization System) family, launched in 2012, represents its strategic entry into integrated electrohydraulic brake solutions. Following WABCO's 2016 acquisition and ZF Friedrichshafen AG's May 29, 2020 acquisition of WABCO, MICO now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within ZF Group, a global technology company with approximately 162,000 employees across roughly 260 locations in 41 countries; the MICO brand was formally transitioned to ZF in 2021. Leadership is anchored by CEO Brent-Bob McGrath.

Name

MICO, Inc.

Legal name

ZF Off-Highway Solutions Minnesota Inc.

Website

https://mico.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

ZF Off-Highway Solutions Minnesota Inc. (formerly MICO, Inc.) designs, manufactures, and sells hydraulic and electrohydraulic braking components, controls, and brake systems for off-highway vehicles, serving OEMs in construction, mining, agriculture, forestry, and related industrial sectors worldwide since 1946.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Off-Highway Hydraulic Brake Components

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Brake System Manufacturing (33634), Motor Vehicle Steering and Suspension Components (except Spring) Manufacturing (336330)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro primary industry

Hydraulic Brake Systems (Master Cylinders/Calipers/Lines/Boosters) (IMACAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Proportional & Servo Hydraulics (Electrohydraulic Valves, Servo Systems) (IMAHAGAF), Brake Friction & Rotors (Pads/Shoes/Discs/Drums) (IMACAIAE)

Keywords

• Hydraulic brake components
• Off-highway braking systems
• Caliper disc brakes
• Electrohydraulic brake valves
• Mobile equipment brakes

Headquarters

HQ city

Mankato

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hydraulic Brake Components and Systems: Sale of hydraulic and electrohydraulic brake components and systems for off-highway machines including caliper disc brakes, multiple disc brakes, master cylinders, brake actuators, valves, and electronic controls. Products designed and manufactured for harsh environments in construction, mining, agriculture, forestry, and other off-highway applications.
2. Custom Solutions and Engineering: Custom engineering of products for specific applications that meets or exceeds customer specific requirements. Application engineering support to select suitable brake components designed to meet application needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MICO, Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells hydraulic and electrohydraulic brake components and actuation systems for off-highway vehicles. Their product portfolio includes caliper disc brakes, multiple disc brakes, master cylinders, brake valves, electronic pedals, and electrohydraulic brake controls, serving OEMs and equipment operators in construction, mining, agriculture, forestry, material handling, and related heavy-equipment industries.

Product overview

MICO, Inc. (now ZF Off-Highway Solutions Minnesota Inc.) is a manufacturer of hydraulic and electrohydraulic braking components and systems for off-highway vehicles. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio organized into five main categories: (1) Brakes including Caliper Disc Brakes (515, 520, 530 Series) and Multiple Disc Brakes; (2) Brake Actuation including Master Cylinders, Boosted Master Cylinders, Air/Hydraulic Actuators, Slave/Wheel Cylinders, Remote Actuators, and Brake Lock systems (691 Brake Lock System, Lever, Twist, Cable, Electric locks); (3) Valves including Accumulator Charging Valves, Modulating Valves, Relay Valves, Park Brake Valves, and Dual Power Brake Valves for steering assist; (4) Controls/EH (Electrohydraulics) including Electronic Pedals, Electrohydraulic Brake Valves (EBV), and Pressure/Temperature Switches; (5) Related Products including Pressure Testing Devices, Hydraulic Throttle Controls, Fluid Reservoirs, and In-Line Residual Check Valves. The products are designed for demanding off-highway environments serving markets in construction, mining, agriculture, forestry, material handling, marine, and other industrial applications. The company also offers custom engineering services to design products for specific customer applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MICO MOBEUS®: Mobile On Board Energy Utilization System - family of electrohydraulic brake components launched in 2012

Products and services

• Caliper Disc Brakes Hydraulic caliper disc brake assemblies offered in 515, 520, and 530 series configurations for off-highway mobile equipment applications.
• Multiple Disc Brakes Multi-disc brake systems designed for heavy-duty off-highway vehicles requiring high torque braking capacity.
• 691 Brake Lock System Spring-applied hydraulic release brake lock system for holding parked off-highway equipment.
• Brake Locks (SMV, MTV, MKV, MDV configurations) Brake lock assemblies available in Single Modulating Valve (SMV), Manual Transmission Valve (MTV), Manual Kit Valve (MKV), and Manual Double Valve (MDV) configurations for various parking and holding applications.
• Master Cylinders Hydraulic master cylinders for converting mechanical pedal input into hydraulic pressure in off-highway brake systems.
• Boosted Master Cylinders Power-assisted hydraulic master cylinders that reduce pedal effort in heavy-equipment braking systems.
• Air/Hydraulic Actuators Actuators that convert air pressure into hydraulic pressure for applying off-highway braking systems.
• Slave and Wheel Cylinders Hydraulic slave and wheel cylinders used at brake locations to actuate drum or disc brakes on off-highway equipment.
• Remote Actuators Remotely mounted hydraulic actuators for applying brake mechanisms located away from the operator station.
• Accumulator Charging Valves Valves for charging hydraulic accumulators that store pressure for braking and other hydraulic functions.
• Modulating Valves Pressure-modulating valves that control and proportion hydraulic brake pressure in off-highway systems.
• Relay Valves Relay valves that amplify and deliver air-over-hydraulic pressure signals to remote brake chambers quickly.
• Park Brake Valves Valves specifically designed to control parking brake actuation on off-highway vehicles.
• Dual Power Brake Valves Brake valves providing dual power brake circuits for redundancy in off-highway braking systems.
• Electronic Pedals Electronic pedal assemblies that convert operator brake input into electronic signals for electrohydraulic brake systems.
• Electrohydraulic Brake Valves (EBV) Electrohydraulic brake valves that combine electronic control with hydraulic actuation for precision braking in off-highway applications.
• Pressure Switches Pressure-sensing switches that monitor hydraulic pressure levels in off-highway brake and hydraulic circuits.
• Pressure Differential Switches Switches that detect pressure differences between two hydraulic circuits for diagnostic or control purposes.
• Pressure Testing Devices Instruments used to test and verify hydraulic pressure in brake and hydraulic systems.
• Hydraulic Throttle Controls Hydraulically actuated throttle controls for engine speed management in off-highway equipment.
• Fluid Reservoirs Hydraulic fluid reservoirs for storing and supplying hydraulic fluid in off-highway brake and hydraulic systems.
• In-Line Residual Check Valves In-line check valves that maintain residual pressure in hydraulic brake circuits.
• Brake Actuators for CNH Drive Axles Custom-engineered brake actuators designed for integration with CNH (Case New Holland) drive axles.

Quantifiable outcome

• ZF has earned a reputation as a reliable supplier by responding quickly to the needs of customers

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Australian Brake ControlsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFormer joint venture partner (established 1986) for distribution of MICO products in Australia. MICO sold interest in Australian Brake Controls (ABC) in 1997. Current distributor listed as Australian Brake Controls at 103 Long Street, Smithfield NSW 2164 Australia.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Parker Hannifin: Parker Hannifin's Motion and Control Systems division manufactures hydraulic valves, accumulators, and braking components for off-highway equipment, offering a broader portfolio of motion control products beyond braking.
• Brembo: Brembo is a global braking systems manufacturer primarily focused on passenger vehicles and motorcycles, but it has been expanding into commercial and off-highway brake calipers and discs, making it an emerging adjacent competitor.
• Dana Incorporated: Dana's Off-Highway Drivetrain and Brake Systems group produces hydraulic brakes, calipers, and actuation products for construction, mining, and agricultural equipment, providing a broader drivetrain-plus-braking portfolio than MICO's brake-only focus.

Direct peers

• Haldex: Haldex manufactures brake actuators, air brake valves, and hydraulic brake components for heavy-duty trucks and off-highway vehicles, providing direct overlap with MICO's brake actuation product line.
• Bosch Rexroth: Bosch Rexroth manufactures hydraulic components, valves, and brake systems for mobile and off-highway machinery, directly competing with MICO in master cylinders, brake valves, and electrohydraulic actuation for construction, mining, and agricultural equipment.
• Knorr-Bremse: Knorr-Bremse is a global leader in braking systems for commercial vehicles and rail, with growing off-highway presence. It competes with MICO in hydraulic and pneumatic brake systems for heavy-duty mobile equipment.
• Wabtec (Westinghouse Air Brakes): Wabtec produces braking and other rail and industrial products. While primarily rail-focused, Wabtec's industrial braking portfolio overlaps with MICO's hydraulic and pneumatic brake systems for off-highway and material handling applications.
• Husco International: Husco International designs and manufactures hydraulic valves and electrohydraulic controls for off-highway machinery, directly competing with MICO's electrohydraulic brake valves and accumulator charging valves.
• Eaton: Eaton's Vehicle Group produces hydraulic brake valves, master cylinders, and clutch actuation components for commercial and off-highway vehicles, overlapping with MICO's product portfolio in modulating valves and hydraulic brake systems.

Emerging players

• Webb Wheel: Webb Wheel manufactures brake drums, rotors, and hubs for heavy-duty trucks, trailers, and off-highway equipment, providing partial overlap with MICO's caliper disc and multiple disc brake offerings in the medium-duty segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mico-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 MICO, Inc.