Fisher & Thompson, Inc.
Fisher & Thompson is a privately held Pennsylvania-based dairy service and equipment company serving over 4,000 farms across the East Coast with milking equipment, proprietary automation, service, and recurring route supplies via 13 regional offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersLeola, Pennsylvania, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Fisher & Thompson, Inc. does
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. is a privately held, founder- and owner-operated dairy service and equipment company headquartered in Leola, Pennsylvania, founded in 1983 by Rick Thompson and Amos Fisher. The company serves over 4,000 dairy farms across the East Coast through 13 office and service locations in Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia, employing 100+ in-house experts including 35+ service technicians and 15+ route delivery specialists. Its customer base is exclusively dairy farms of all sizes, ranging from small family operations to large consolidating farms along the Eastern Seaboard.
The company's offerings span four interconnected product lines: Milking Equipment Solutions (parlors, robots, ID tags, and tanks distributed via authorized partnerships with GEA, Lely, Mueller, Allflex, and others); CIDEC Custom Solutions (proprietary automation products — Simflex Plus, Chill Center, and Pasteurizer — acquired in 2023 and originally developed since 1996); Service & Aftermarket (maintenance, installation, troubleshooting, and 24/7 emergency support); and Route Supplies & Barn Solutions (recurring delivery of 6,240+ SKUs including dips, disease prevention products, liners, and barn consumables). The technology stack combines industrial automation and control systems for milking, milk cooling, and pasteurization with multi-vendor equipment integration, but does not include disclosed AI/ML capabilities or digital product surface beyond a corporate website and Facebook presence.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: one-time capital equipment sales (milking parlors and robots), recurring route-supply deliveries functioning as a de facto subscription, professional service contracts for maintenance and installation, and hardware sales of proprietary CIDEC automation systems. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; in September 2024, the company added an exclusive financing partnership with Bankbarn to reduce purchase friction on capital equipment. The go-to-market is field-sales-led via local shops and route specialists, supplemented by referral-driven customer acquisition and expert consultation. Ownership rests with four individuals — Rick Thompson, Merle Ressler, Josh Bare, and Jason Waters — with no disclosed institutional capital, parent company, or external investors.
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fisher & Thompson, Inc.
- Legal name
- Fisher & Thompson Inc.
- Website
- https://fisherthompson.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Fisher & Thompson is a privately held Pennsylvania-based dairy service and equipment company serving over 4,000 farms across the East Coast with milking equipment, proprietary automation, service, and recurring route supplies via 13 regional offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Dairy Farm Equipment & Services
- SIC
- Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Milk Cooling, Storage & Transfer Equipment (Bulk Tanks, Plate Coolers, Pumps) (AFAAAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Milking Parlor & Dairy Farm Support Services (Non-veterinary) (AFAEALAK)
Keywords
Where Fisher & Thompson, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leola, Pennsylvania
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices13 records
Markets served
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Milking Equipment Sales: Sale and installation of milking equipment including parlors, robots, ID tags, and tanks. Partners with major equipment manufacturers to provide solutions ranging from conventional to robotic equipment.
- Route Supplies: Regular delivery of dairy farm supplies including dips, disease prevention products, barn products, liners, and over 6,240 different products. Monthly farm visits with delivery within a week of ordering.
- Service & Maintenance: Equipment maintenance, after-hours breakdowns, equipment installation, and troubleshooting. Service technicians provide ongoing support for pasteurizers, parlors, robots, and rotaries.
- CIDEC Custom Solutions: Custom automation products including Simflex Plus, Chill Center, and Pasteurizer for complex dairy farming automation needs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom equipment solutions for farms of all sizes |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fisher & Thompson sells, installs, and services dairy milking equipment (parlors, robots, ID tags, tanks), custom automation systems through its CIDEC division (Simflex Plus, Chill Center, Pasteurizer), and a recurring route supply delivery service for over 6,240 dairy farm products. The company operates as an authorized East Coast distributor for GEA, Lely, Mueller, AllFlex and other dairy OEMs, supported by 35+ service technicians and an exclusive Bankbarn financing arrangement.
Product overview
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. is a dairy service and equipment company offering a unified portfolio of milking solutions, custom automation products, service/aftermarket support, and route supplies. The core offerings include Milking Equipment (parlors, robots, ID tags, tanks), the CIDEC Custom Solutions product line (Simflex Plus, Chill Center, Pasteurizer acquired in 2023), Service & Aftermarket Solutions, and Route Supplies. The company distributes equipment from GEA, Lely, Paul Mueller, Allflex, and other partners while providing installation, maintenance, and supply delivery services across the east coast.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CIDEC Custom Solutions: Custom automation solutions for dairy farmers, including Chill Center, Simflex Plus, and Pasteurizer products, acquired by Fisher & Thompson in 2023.
Products and services
- Milking Equipment Solutions Complete range of dairy milking equipment distributed by Fisher & Thompson, including parlors, robotic milking systems (via Lely partnership), ID tags, and milk cooling/storage tanks, sourced from GEA, Lely, Mueller, AllFlex, E-Zee, Dairymaster, Calf Star, and Waikato for dairy farm facility upgrades.
- Simflex Plus CIDEC-branded single-platform milking and wash system designed for parlor and clean-in-place (CIP) needs, allowing remote monitoring of all key functionalities. Sold to dairy farmers on the U.S. East Coast.
- Chill Center CIDEC-branded cooling and wash system control product for milk cooling, tank washing, and pump-out needs on dairy farms. Sold to dairy farmers on the U.S. East Coast.
- Pasteurizer CIDEC-branded custom pasteurization solution built for dairy farming operations. Sold to dairy farmers on the U.S. East Coast.
- Service & Aftermarket Solutions Ongoing dairy equipment maintenance, after-hours breakdown support, equipment updates, installation, and troubleshooting for pasteurizers, parlors, robots and rotaries, delivered by over 35 service technicians averaging 10 years of experience with Fisher & Thompson. Sold to dairy farms across the East Coast.
- Route Supplies & Barn Solutions Recurring delivery of more than 6,240 dairy farm products—including dips, disease prevention products, barn products, and liners—delivered via monthly farm visits by over 15 route specialists, with delivery within one week of ordering. Sold to dairy farms from New York to Virginia.
Quantifiable outcome
- Average 50-100 unique capital jobs completed per year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Fisher & Thompson, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Lely North AmericacoreLely Center Mid-Atlantic is a division of Fisher & Thompson, distributing Lely robotic milking equipment and automation solutions. Fisher & Thompson serves as the authorized Lely distributor for the Mid-Atlantic region.
- GEA Farm Technologies Inc.coreAuthorized distributor of GEA Technologies dairy farming equipment including milking parlors, cooling systems, and farm management solutions.
- Paul Mueller CompanycoreAuthorized distributor of Paul Mueller milk cooling and storage equipment for dairy farms.
- Allflex GlobalcoreAuthorized distributor of AllFlex dairy cow monitoring and identification technology solutions.
- E-Zee Milking EquipmentminorAuthorized distributor of E-Zee Milking Equipment products for dairy operations.
- Dairymaster Inc.minorAuthorized distributor of Dairymaster milking equipment and dairy technology solutions.
- Calf StarminorAuthorized distributor of Calf Star calf feeding and care products.
- WaikatominorAuthorized distributor of Waikato milking equipment and solutions.
- GEA (Route Supplies)minorSupplier of dairy farm products through the route supplies division.
- Animal Health InternationalminorSupplier of animal health products for dairy farm route supplies.
- EcolabminorSupplier of dairy farm solutions including sanitation and equipment cleaning products.
- ConewangominorSupplier partner for dairy farm route supplies.
- AFP LtdminorSupplier partner for dairy farm route supplies.
- ABS GlobalminorSupplier of genetics and reproduction products for dairy farms.
- Agrochem Inc.minorSupplier of agricultural chemical products for dairy farm use.
- NRV MilkminorSupplier partner for dairy farm route supplies.
- Kirby AgriminorSupplier of agricultural products for dairy farms.
- Van Beek Natural ScienceminorSupplier of natural science products for dairy farm applications.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fullwood Packo: European dairy milking and cooling equipment manufacturer with North American distribution. Comparable to Fisher & Thompson in offering milking equipment plus service/support infrastructure to commercial dairy farms.
- BouMatic: US-headquartered dairy milking equipment manufacturer and solution provider with regional dealer networks. Direct comparable to Fisher & Thompson in product range (parlors, robotics, milk cooling) and farm customer base.
- Dairymaster: Irish-headquartered manufacturer of milking parlors, robots, and dairy automation; Fisher & Thompson is an authorized distributor. Direct comparable in product mix (parlors, automation) and dairy-farm end customer.
- Waikato Milking Systems: Dairy milking equipment manufacturer (rotaries, parlors, automation); Fisher & Thompson is a listed authorized distributor. Direct comparable in product range and customer segment.
Broad incumbents
- DeLaval: International dairy equipment and milking system manufacturer with its own North American dealer/service network. Highly comparable to Fisher & Thompson as a competing equipment-and-service supplier to dairy farms.
- GEA Farm Technologies: Global dairy equipment manufacturer whose milking parlors, robots, and cooling systems Fisher & Thompson distributes. Comparable because they are the dominant upstream brand in the same product categories F&T sells, installs, and services.
- Lely North America: Manufacturer of Lely robotic milking and feeding systems; Fisher & Thompson operates the Lely Center Mid-Atlantic as a distributor. Comparable as the supplier whose equipment F&T sells, and as a competing service model in regions outside F&T's territory.
Emerging players
- Afimilk: Dairy cow monitoring, milking automation, and farm management software company. Comparable to Fisher & Thompson's CIDEC automation line and the broader push into data-driven dairy automation that Fisher & Thompson increasingly bundles with equipment sales.
Regional players
- Premier Equipment Inc. Regional dairy equipment dealer serving the Western US (California, Idaho, Pacific Northwest) with milking parlors, robots, and service. Regional comparable to Fisher & Thompson: same business model, same dairy-farm customer, different East/West geography.
- Stokes Seeds / Agromatic (dairy supply distributors): Regional dairy farm supply distributors offering teat dips, liners, hygiene, and consumables — closely comparable to Fisher & Thompson's Route Supplies division in product mix and recurring delivery model, though typically smaller and less equipment-heavy.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceFisher & Thompson, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. 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 Fisher & Thompson, Inc.
What does Fisher & Thompson, Inc. do?
Fisher & Thompson sells, installs, and services dairy milking equipment (parlors, robots, ID tags, tanks), custom automation systems through its CIDEC division (Simflex Plus, Chill Center, Pasteurizer), and a recurring route supply delivery service for over 6,240 dairy farm products. The company operates as an authorized East Coast distributor for GEA, Lely, Mueller, AllFlex and other dairy OEMs, supported by 35+ service technicians and an exclusive Bankbarn financing arrangement.
Is Fisher & Thompson, Inc. a public or private company?
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Fisher & Thompson, Inc. founded?
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Fisher & Thompson, Inc. based?
Fisher & Thompson, Inc. is headquartered in Leola, Pennsylvania, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fisher & Thompson, Inc. make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Milking Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are route Supplies, service & Maintenance and CIDEC Custom Solutions.
Who are Fisher & Thompson, Inc.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fullwood Packo, BouMatic, Dairymaster and Waikato Milking Systems. Broad incumbents are DeLaval, GEA Farm Technologies and Lely North America. Afimilk is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Premier Equipment Inc. and Stokes Seeds / Agromatic (dairy supply distributors).
Does Fisher & Thompson, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fisher & Thompson, Inc..
What industry is Fisher & Thompson, Inc. in?
Fisher & Thompson, Inc.'s product category is Dairy Farm Equipment & Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAAAIAC, Milk Cooling, Storage & Transfer Equipment (Bulk Tanks, Plate Coolers, Pumps), with a secondary code of AFAEALAK, Milking Parlor & Dairy Farm Support Services (Non-veterinary). Its SIC code is 3523.