MagneTek
Magnetek, a brand of Columbus McKinnon Corporation, supplies digital power and motion control systems—variable frequency drives, radio remote controls, crane automation, brakes, and mining drives—to industrial manufacturers, aerospace, automotive, metals, and mining customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersMenomonee Falls, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What MagneTek does
Magnetek is a brand of Columbus McKinnon Corporation (NYSE: CMCO), specializing in digital power and motion control systems for industrial cranes, hoists, elevators, mobile hydraulic equipment, and mining machinery. The company was founded in 1984 through the leveraged buyout of Litton's Magnetics Group and grew through the acquisitions of Power Controls Corporation (1986), Electromotive Systems and Mondel Engineering (1999), and Telemotive Industrial Controls (2003). Magnetek became part of Columbus McKinnon in 2015 and is now headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, alongside the parent's Charlotte, North Carolina corporate office.
The product portfolio centers on the IMPULSE®·G+/VG+ variable frequency drives (VFDs) for overhead cranes, OmniPulse™ digital DC drives, Quattro® AC elevator drives, M-FORCE® severe-duty mining traction drives, and the Intelli-Crane® / Intelli-Guide™ / Intelli-Connect® automation and diagnostics platform. Supporting products include Flex VUE®, Flex EX2, MLTX2, and Flex Fit™ industrial radio remote controls, LaserGuard2 collision avoidance systems, 200S industrial duty brakes, ELECTROBAR® Elite conductor bar systems, cable and festoon systems, inverter duty motors, pendant pushbutton stations, and AC line regenerative drives. All branded products carry the Energy Engineered® designation for efficiency compliance. The portfolio is built around a deterministic embedded-controls architecture (drives, programmable automation, sensors, radio telemetry) rather than AI/ML systems.
Magnetek operates as a B2B enterprise field-sales business targeting industrial manufacturers, OEMs, and end users in aerospace, automotive, steel, mining, and general material handling. Pricing is quote-based on Engineered-to-Order application requirements, with multi-year contract cadences for large installations. Distribution combines Columbus McKinnon's global authorized distributor and authorized repair center network with direct enterprise sales and an online distributor locator. Magnetek itself is not separately listed, and standalone revenue is not publicly disclosed. In 2020, the elevator drives business was divested to UK-based CP Automation, narrowing Magnetek's scope to crane, hoist, mobile hydraulic, and mining power and motion control.
MagneTek firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MagneTek
- Legal name
- MagneTek (Brand of Columbus McKinnon Corporation)
- Website
- https://magnetek.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Magnetek, a brand of Columbus McKinnon Corporation, supplies digital power and motion control systems—variable frequency drives, radio remote controls, crane automation, brakes, and mining drives—to industrial manufacturers, aerospace, automotive, metals, and mining customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MagneTek industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Motion Control & Power Electronics
- NAICS
- Electrical Equipment Manufacturing (33531), Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314)
- SIC
- Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) (IMAGACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Motion Control Controllers & CNC/Robot Drives (Motion Controllers, Multi-axis) (IMAGACAH), Motion Control Electronics & Controls (Controllers, Drivers, Feedback Interfaces) (IMAHAGAJ)
Keywords
Where MagneTek is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Menomonee Falls
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
MagneTek business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Industrial Power and Motion Control Hardware: Sale of digital drive systems, variable frequency drives, motors, brakes, radio remote controls, conductor bar systems, and crane components for material handling, elevator, and mining applications. Products sold as individual components and integrated turnkey solutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Standard catalog products with quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
MagneTek product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MagneTek manufactures digital power control systems and motion control products, including variable frequency drives (VFDs), radio remote controls, crane automation systems, motors, brakes, and conductor bars. Products are primarily built-to-order to customer specifications and serve material handling, elevator, mobile hydraulic, and mining applications. The company also offers training and after-sales support through authorized distributors and channel partners.
Product overview
MagneTek is a leading supplier of digital drive systems for crane and hoist applications, offering a comprehensive portfolio under the Columbus McKinnon family since 2015. The product portfolio centers on the Energy Engineered brand and includes radio remote controls (bellybox transmitters, handheld transmitters, receivers), braking and collision avoidance subsystems, motors for industrial cranes and hoists, digital motion control systems for elevators, and drive systems for mining equipment. Core product lines include AC Motor Control Systems (IMPULSE G+/VG+ drives), DC Motor & Magnet Control Systems (OmniPulse DDC), Elevator Drives (Quattro AC), Industrial Radio Remote Controls (Flex VUE, MLTX2, Flex Fit), Mining Drives (M-FORCE SD500), Automation & Diagnostics (Intelli-Crane, Intelli-Connect, ProPath), Collision Avoidance (LaserGuard2), Cable & Festoon Systems, Conductor Bar Systems (ELECTROBAR Elite), Brake Products, Regenerative Drives, and Inverter Duty Motors. The offerings are sold as individual components and integrated systems for material handling, elevator, mobile hydraulic, and mining applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Energy Engineered: Product certification mark for MagneTek motion control products that meet or exceed industry standards for high efficiency and power quality.
Products and services
- Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) Digital drives used to control the speed and torque of electric motors in material handling, elevator, mobile hydraulic, and mining applications. Built to customer specifications as Engineered-to-Order (ETO) products for industrial OEMs and end-users.
- Radio Remote Controls Wireless remote control systems used to operate cranes, hoists, and other material handling equipment. Sold to industrial customers seeking safer and more flexible operation of overhead lifting and motion equipment.
- Crane Automation Systems Integrated crane automation solutions combining drives, controls, and software (Intelli-Crane, Intelli-Guide, Intelli-Connect) for automated and semi-automated crane operation in material handling environments.
- Motors Industrial electric motors for material handling, elevator, mobile hydraulic, and mining applications. Distributed in the UK and Ireland through CP Automation as a partner channel.
- Brakes Industrial braking products used in material handling and motion control systems to provide stopping, holding, and safety functions.
- Conductor Bars Electrified conductor bar systems that supply power to moving equipment such as overhead cranes and hoists in industrial facilities.
- Elevator Drives Drive products engineered for elevator applications, providing motion and power control for elevator systems.
- Mining Drives Drives engineered for harsh mining environments to deliver motion and power control in mining equipment and systems.
Quantifiable outcome
- Automated load routing increases productivity by allowing operators to work on different tasks while loads move to programmed destinations
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use MagneTek
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
MagneTek technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature10 records
MagneTek partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- CP AutomationminorCP Automation, a power quality specialist, acquired Magnetek's elevator division in 2020 as part of their expansion into power quality and automation solutions. CP Automation operates across the UK, France, and South Africa, providing drives, automation, and power quality solutions.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MagneTek competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Konecranes: Global crane and lifting equipment manufacturer offering crane automation, drives, and service. Sister brand to MagneTek under the same Columbus McKinnon family, with direct overlap in crane automation and aftermarket service.
- Yaskawa America: Major manufacturer of AC variable frequency drives, motion controllers, and servo systems for industrial automation. Directly comparable to MagneTek in VFDs and motion control across material handling, crane, and elevator applications.
- Danfoss Drives: Global VFD and motor-control specialist with strong presence in cranes, hoists, and material handling. Competes head-to-head with MagneTek's IMPULSE and OmniPulse drives in industrial motion applications.
Broad incumbents
- Rockwell Automation: Major industrial automation provider with Allen-Bradley drives, motion control, and crane-specific solutions. Comparable in industrial motion control with a stronger software/logic-controller stack.
- Schneider Electric: Global energy management and automation company with Altivar variable frequency drives for industrial and crane applications. Comparable to MagneTek in VFD technology at broader scale.
- ABB Drives: Largest industrial drives portfolio globally, including AC and DC drives for cranes, hoists, elevators, and mining. Overlaps with MagneTek's product set but operates at a much broader scale with deeper software/services.
- Siemens Industrial Drives: Global automation incumbent offering SIMATIC and SINAMICS drives for cranes, elevators, and motion control. Competes with MagneTek via integrated automation suites rather than crane-specific specialization.
- Eaton: Diversified industrial manufacturer offering motor controls, drives, and power management products used in material handling and industrial applications, overlapping with MagneTek's drive and motor product lines.
Emerging players
- Nidec Motion Control: Motor and motion control specialist offering inverter-duty motors and integrated drive systems for industrial machinery. Comparable to MagneTek's inverter-duty motors and motor-drive integrated solutions.
- Invertek Drives: Specialist VFD manufacturer focused on energy-saving drives for industrial and HVAC applications. Comparable to MagneTek in drive technology but smaller scale and broader general-industry focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MagneTek social profiles
Digital presenceMagneTek compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
MagneTek financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MagneTek leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
MagneTek funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MagneTek 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 MagneTek
What does MagneTek do?
MagneTek manufactures digital power control systems and motion control products, including variable frequency drives (VFDs), radio remote controls, crane automation systems, motors, brakes, and conductor bars. Products are primarily built-to-order to customer specifications and serve material handling, elevator, mobile hydraulic, and mining applications. The company also offers training and after-sales support through authorized distributors and channel partners.
Is MagneTek a public or private company?
MagneTek is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was MagneTek founded?
MagneTek was founded in 1984. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is MagneTek based?
MagneTek is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, United States, in the North America region.
How does MagneTek make money?
One revenue line is on record: industrial Power and Motion Control Hardware.
Who are MagneTek's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Konecranes, Yaskawa America and Danfoss Drives. Broad incumbents are Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric, ABB Drives, Siemens Industrial Drives and Eaton. Emerging players are Nidec Motion Control and Invertek Drives.
Does MagneTek have an API?
No public API is recorded for MagneTek.
What industry is MagneTek in?
MagneTek's product category is Industrial Motion Control & Power Electronics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGACAD, Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), with a secondary code of IMAGACAH, Motion Control Controllers & CNC/Robot Drives (Motion Controllers, Multi-axis). Its NAICS code is 33531 and its SIC code is 3600.