Production Automation Corporation

What Production Automation Corporation does

Production Automation Corporation (PAC), founded in 1973 and headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, is a privately held manufacturer representative and full-service stocking distributor serving the electronics assembly, medical device manufacturing, and general industrial manufacturing industries. The company represents approximately 14 premier equipment principals — including Nordson Asymtek, Nordson Select, Europlacer, Air-Vac, SAKI, Excelitas, PulseForge, FKN Systek, MACOHO, and Production Solutions — covering SMT assembly, soldering and rework, automation, UV curing, and tooling and fixtures. PAC operates a regional sales network of outside sales representatives covering the Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa), with branch offices and warehouses extending its footprint into Southern California, Texas, and Mexico.

PAC monetizes through two complementary streams: commission-based manufacturer-representation sales of capital equipment and consumables from represented principals, and direct hardware sales from local stock of solder paste, flux, spare parts, heaters, soldering iron tips, and other production supplies available for immediate delivery. Go-to-market is sales-led, anchored by factory-trained sales engineers with prior process or application engineering backgrounds who provide pre-sales consultation to help customers select appropriate equipment. An e-commerce storefront (gotopac.com) supplements the field-sales motion for smaller consumable purchases. Pricing is quote-based for capital equipment and is not publicly disclosed.

The company carries no external investment, no disclosed parent, and no executive leadership team beyond its four named regional sales representatives. PAC's strategic posture is one of stable regional incumbency with measured expansion — adding represented lines and physical distribution points incrementally rather than pursuing acquisitions, funding events, or platform pivots. Its competitive position rests on multi-decade tenure, principal relationships (including five Europlacer service awards), immediate-delivery consumable stocking, and engineering-led consultative selling within a defined geographic territory.

Name

Production Automation Corporation

Legal name

Production Automation Corporation

Website

https://www.pacreplines.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Production Automation Corporation (PAC) is a privately held manufacturer representative and stocking distributor, founded in 1973, representing premier SMT, soldering, automation, UV curing, and tooling equipment lines for electronics assembly, medical device, and general industrial manufacturers across the Upper Midwest and selected US/Mexico branch locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Equipment Distribution

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310)

SIC

Wholesale-Electronic Parts & Equipment, Nec (5065), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084)

akta.pro primary industry

Process Automation Instrumentation & Control (DCS, Valves, Actuators, Analyzers) (IMAHAHAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial Controllers & Control Systems (PLCs, PACs, CNC Controllers) (IMAHAHAH)

Keywords

• Electronics assembly equipment
• SMT production equipment
• Industrial automation distribution
• Manufacturer representative services
• Stocking distributor supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Minnetonka

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Manufacturer Representative Sales: PAC acts as a manufacturer representative for premier equipment suppliers, earning commissions on sales of SMT equipment, automation systems, UV curing equipment, and related production supplies. As a full-service stocking distributor, they also generate revenue from direct sales of solder paste, flux, and production supplies from local inventory.
2. Stocking Distributor Sales: Revenue from selling solder paste, flux, production supplies, spare parts, heaters, soldering iron tips, and other consumables from local stock for immediate delivery.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Production Automation Corporation (PAC) operates as both a manufacturer representative and a full-service stocking distributor. The company sells and supports SMT and Thru-Hole production equipment, UV curing systems, soldering and rework equipment, automation systems, and tooling and fixtures for electronics assembly, medical device manufacturing, and general industrial manufacturing. PAC represents premier global equipment brands and maintains local stock of solder paste, flux, and production supplies for immediate delivery across its Upper Midwest service region.

Product overview

Production Automation Corporation (PAC) is both a manufacturer representative and full-service stocking distributor serving the electronics assembly, medical device manufacturing, and general industrial manufacturing industries. The company offers a portfolio of product lines represented by premier equipment suppliers, including SMT assembly equipment (Europlacer screen printers and pick & place, SAKI 3D-AOI/SPI/X-ray inspection), soldering and rework systems (Nordson Select selective soldering, Air-Vac BGA/SMD repair), automation equipment (Invention House robotic conformal coating), UV curing systems (Excelitas, Nordson Asymtek), and tooling/fixtures (Production Solutions, FKN Systek depanelizers). PAC also stocks and distributes its own soldering supplies, ESD solutions, and workstation furniture under the PAC brand. The company operates as a multi-product platform serving entry-level to high-volume production needs across Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PAC SMT Assembly Equipment

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PulseForgecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPulseForge solves customer challenges related to materials, flexibility, weight, form-factor, and performance for next-gen flexible electronics.
• MACOHOcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWet blasting equipment with a variety of media, base materials, from tabletop to inline turn-key production for cleaning, removal, peening, and roughening.
• FKN SystekcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDepanelizers for PCB singulation and wire crimping.
• ExcelitascoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUV spot curing systems, water- and air-cooled UV LED area curing systems, microwave UV curing systems, and custom systems.
• Invention HousecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInnovative robotic-brush conformal coating system for increased PCB conformal coating efficiency.
• SAKIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading global supplier of 3D-AOI, SPI, 3D Inline X-ray inspection equipment with fast, accurate programming and best resolution in the industry.
• StatProcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStatPro CPDC Series Desiccator Dry Cabinets widely used in high-tech, R&D, electronic manufacturing, laboratory, cleanroom, and warehouse industries.
• Glenbrook TechnologiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorX-ray inspection and imaging technology solutions.
• Air VaccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBGA and SMD repair equipment with closed loop features for high reliability. Thru hole rework using proven solder fountains.
• EubankscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAutomatic wire strippers, tubing cutters, pre-feeders, and wire markers.
• Production SolutionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRed-E-Set PCB support tooling for screen printing, placement, and AOI machines for better yields.
• Nordson SelectcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSelective soldering machines to eliminate hand soldering and wave soldering with reliable automation and superior software. States: MN, ND, SD, IA, WI
• Nordson AsymtekcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAutomated dispensing and jetting machines for adhesives, underfills and conformal coatings. UV cure ovens and IR ovens. States: MN, ND, SD, IA, WI
• EuroplacercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExtremely flexible P&P equipment for Med-Hi Vol. and Hi-Mix PCB assembly with 5-year warranty, high feeder count (264), 10 sec. load feeders, accurate/fast electrical test, and Component Storage Towers.
• IPCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partner - IPC is the global trade association for electronics industry companies.
• SMTAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partner - Surface Mount Technology Association for electronics manufacturing.
• IMAPSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partner - International Microelectronics and Packaging Society.
• ESD AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partner focused on electrostatic discharge control.
• INEMIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partner - International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Digi-Key Electronics: Global electronic component and equipment distributor serving electronics design and manufacturing customers. Overlaps with PAC's electronics assembly customer base, though Digi-Key is far broader, with proprietary logistics and catalog scale.
• Mouser Electronics: Major worldwide distributor of electronic components and industrial automation products. Competes with PAC for electronics manufacturer purchasing spend, though Mouser is primarily catalog/online and global in scope.
• Allied Electronics & Automation (RS Group): Broad-line distributor of industrial automation, electronics, and maintenance products. Overlaps with PAC's portfolio of automation, soldering, and ESD products but serves a national rather than regional territory.
• Newark Electronics / element14: Global electronics distributor with a broad industrial automation and electronics portfolio serving design engineers and manufacturers. Comparable to PAC at the customer overlap level, but with national catalog scale and broader line card.
• Applied Industrial Technologies: Large-scale distributor of industrial products including automation, fluid power, and maintenance supplies. Adjacent to PAC in serving industrial manufacturing customers with production equipment and consumables, but with a far broader geographic and product footprint.

Direct peers

• AutomationDirect: Direct-to-customer industrial automation equipment and controls distributor. Competes with PAC in selling industrial automation equipment to manufacturing customers, but uses a primarily online/direct model rather than field rep distribution.
• TestEquity: Distributor of test and measurement equipment, soldering tools, and ESD supplies serving electronics manufacturing customers. Directly overlaps with PAC's soldering, rework, and ESD consumables portfolio in electronics manufacturing.
• Transcat: Distributor of test, measurement, and calibration instruments with associated industrial supplies serving electronics manufacturing customers. Overlaps with PAC's inspection, soldering, and electronics assembly workflow offerings.
• Restronics: Independent manufacturer's representative serving the electronics assembly industry across multiple US regions. Closely comparable business model to PAC — regional rep for premier SMT and electronics assembly principals serving OEM and EMS customers.

Others

• Heico Companies (Component Concepts): Diversified industrial holding group with electronics manufacturing and distribution-related subsidiaries. Adjacent rather than directly competitive, but representative of larger players that may roll up independent electronics reps like PAC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/go_to_pac
• Facebookfacebook.com/productionautomation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/production-automation-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Production Automation Corporation