Koot Automation & Service B.V.

What Koot Automation & Service B.V. does

Koot Automation & Service B.V. is a Dutch private limited company (B.V.) headquartered in Asten, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands, specializing in custom automation systems for plastics injection molding production. Founded around 1999 (with the website claiming 25 years of experience as of 2024) and operating with approximately 22 employees, the company designs, engineers, and delivers turnkey automation cells that integrate linear robots (Star), 6-axis robots (Fanuc), and peripheral equipment around fully electric Shibaura injection molding machines. It serves as the exclusive Netherlands distributor for Shibaura Machine, and distributes Star linear robots and Fanuc 6-axis robots alongside peripheral brands including Virginio Nastri, Getecha, Athena, Simatec, Masterwatt, and Industrial Frigo. The company has delivered over 100 automated systems across its 27-year history.

Its core technology stack centers on proprietary solutions such as the Koot duo-interface, which enables coordinated sequencing between linear robots and Fanuc 6-axis robots for complex applications like In Mold Labeling (IML); a quick-coupling vacuum gripper system that decouples product halves onto separate scales for inline weighing; a buffer band storage system achieving up to 64 m² storage on 21 m² floor space; and a configurable rotary turntable base (2–24 box positions). The firm operates three in-house CNC milling stations supporting rapid mold and tooling adjustments, and maintains dedicated PLC and Fanuc software specialists. Products span injection molding machines (Shibaura EC/SXIII series, 50–25,000 kN clamping force), robots, custom special machines (IML, labeling, inline assembly, ultrasonic/hot foil welding, insert/clip mounting), production storage solutions (belt lifts, turntables, paternosters), and trade show display systems.

Koot Automation generates revenue through three streams: (1) one-time project-based sales of custom special machines, (2) hardware sales of new and used injection molding machines, robots, and peripheral equipment, and (3) recurring service and maintenance contracts supported by a field service team. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led via direct outreach from Asten headquarters, complemented by a multilingual website (Dutch/English/German), trade show participation (e.g., Fakuma 2024), open days, and customer events. The customer base is concentrated in the plastics injection molding vertical across the Netherlands and DACH region, with named enterprise customers including Fleur Plastics, Vestel, and Isobouw. Ownership is family-controlled (Ferry Koot, General Director; Lenie Koot, Financial Director), with no external investors, parent entities, or public listing identified.

Name

Koot Automation & Service B.V.

Legal name

Koot Automation & Service B.V.

Website

https://kootautomation.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Koot Automation & Service B.V. is a Dutch custom automation integrator serving plastics injection molding manufacturers, distributing Shibaura, Star, and Fanuc equipment and engineering turnkey robotic cells, special machines, and peripheral systems from its Asten headquarters across the Netherlands and DACH region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Equipment

NAICS

Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (3332)

SIC

Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Injection Molding & Contract Manufacturing (Job Shops/CMs) (IMANAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Packaging Injection Molding (Caps, Closures, Thin-Wall, IML) (IMANAFAA)

Keywords

• Injection molding automation
• Custom special machines
• Robotic automation systems
• Plastics industry equipment
• Automation service maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Asten

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom special machines: Design, development and delivery of custom special machines for injection molding automation. Revenue is generated through one-time project-based sales of bespoke automation systems.
2. Machines and peripheral equipment: Sale of new and used injection molding machines (Shibaura), robots (Star, Fanuc), and peripheral equipment (Virginio Nastri, Getecha, Athena, Simatec, Masterwatt, Industrial Frigo).
3. Service and maintenance: Field service, telephone support, and on-site maintenance services for installed equipment. Ongoing service contracts generating recurring revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Koot Automation designs, builds, and services custom automation systems for plastics injection molding production lines. The company distributes Shibaura fully electric injection molding machines, Star linear robots and sprue pickers, and Fanuc 6-axis robots in the Netherlands, and integrates these with proprietary automation technology (IML systems, buffer storage, labeling, inline processing) and peripheral equipment. It also provides ongoing field service, telephone support, and on-site maintenance for installed equipment.

Product overview

Koot Automation & Service B.V. is a specialized automation company serving the plastics industry, offering a comprehensive portfolio of injection molding automation solutions. The product lineup centers on Shibaura Machine fully electric injection molding machines (50-25,000 kN) and Star/Fanuc robots for automation. Supporting these core products are peripheral equipment from brands like Virginio Nastri, Getecha, Athena, Simatec, Masterwatt, and Industrial Frigo. The company's specialty lies in custom-built special machines including standalone systems, in-line automation, production storage solutions (belt lifts, turntables, paternosters), In Mold Labeling (IML) systems, labeling solutions, and specialized processing equipment. All products are backed by service and maintenance support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shibaura EC/SXIII Series Injection Molding Machines (50-3,500 kN) Fully electric injection molding machines with clamping forces from 50 to 3,500 kN. Features energy savings of 50-84% compared to hydraulic machines, 0.05mm positioning repeatability, and no water cooling required on motors. Distributed by Koot Automation in the Netherlands.
• Shibaura EC/SXIII Series Injection Molding Machines (4,500-25,000 kN) Large-scale fully electric injection molding machines with clamping forces from 4,500 to 25,000 kN. Offers energy savings and high repeatability similar to the smaller models in the EC/SXIII range. Distributed by Koot Automation in the Netherlands.
• Star X/XW Series Linear Robots High-precision linear take-out robots with vertical strokes from 600 to 2,500mm, suitable for injection molding machines from 50 to over 800 tons. Steel construction with 0.1mm accuracy and Stec 520 control (mode or free programmable). Distributed by Koot Automation as part of its robotics portfolio.
• Fanuc 6-Axis Robots 6-axis industrial robots for injection molding automation, including the LR-Mate series and larger models used for handling, assembly, pick-and-place, laser marking, and weighing. Integrated with Koot's proprietary duo-interface for coordination with linear robots.
• Star Sp F IV Sprue Pickers Pneumatic take-out robots (takkenpikkers) for automatically separating sprues from molded products at speeds faster than 0.8 seconds. Available in three sizes (450, 600, 800). Distributed by Koot Automation for injection molding operations.
• Special/Custom Machines Custom-built automation systems including standalone units, in-line automation cells, and integrated manufacturing solutions for injection molding production. A core specialty of Koot Automation with over 100 systems delivered.
• In Mold Labeling (IML) Systems Custom IML (In Mold Labeling) solutions including flat IML, round IML, and universal 4-sided systems. Uses standard linear robots or additional Fanuc 6-axis robots coordinated via Koot's proprietary duo-interface technology for complex labeling automation.
• Labeling/Sticker Systems Inline labeling solutions for applying barcode and full-color labels using Weber Marking equipment. Includes standard and low-cost options with pneumatic pushers (Koot barcode label pusher system) for inline barcode labeling of injection molded products.
• Production Storage Systems Storage solutions including belt lifts (3-band and 4-band), turntables, box/crate changers, and paternoster systems for unmanned production and extended buffer times. Custom rotary turntable systems available in 2-24 box positions with single or double-layer configurations.
• Unique Gripper Concepts Custom gripper concepts with quick-coupling systems for vacuum handling and integrated weighing solutions. Enables robots to decouple gripper halves onto separate scales for weighing products during automation.
• Insert/Clip Mounting Systems Automated mounting cells for blind rivet nuts and clips using Fanuc robots with automated feeding systems and quality control sensors for post-processing of injection molded parts.
• Service & Maintenance Ongoing service and maintenance for installed equipment including field service, telephone support, and on-site maintenance for injection molding machines, robots, and automation systems. Generates recurring service contract revenue.

Quantifiable outcome

• Energy savings of 60-75% compared to hydraulic machines (Shibaura fully electric injection molding machines)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Shibaura Machine (formerly Toshiba Machine)coreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive distribution partner for Shibaura Machine fully electric injection molding machines in the Netherlands. Koot Automation offers machines from 500 kN to 25,000 kN clamping force, providing comprehensive coverage of injection molding machine needs.
• Star (linear robots)coreTechnology or IntegrationDistribution partner for Star linear robots including X-series, XW-series, and Sp-series take-out robots (takkenpikkers). Star is described as the most sold robot in Europe.
• Fanuc (6-axis robots)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartner for Fanuc 6-axis robots used in complex automation tasks including IML, pick-and-place, laser marking, and weighing applications.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sepro Robotique: French manufacturer of 3-axis linear robots and 6-axis robots for injection molding automation. Sepro competes directly with Koot's Star and Fanuc robot integration offerings, particularly in the European market.
• Wittmann Battenfeld: Austrian-headquartered direct competitor providing robots, automation, and auxiliary equipment for injection molding. Wittmann Battenfeld's product portfolio in injection molding automation closely overlaps with Koot's offerings, though at significantly larger scale.
• Yushin Precision Equipment: Japanese manufacturer of take-out robots and automation systems for injection molding. Yushin is one of the largest dedicated robot makers in injection molding, directly competitive with Koot's Star robot distribution and automation integration work.

Broad incumbents

• Stäubli Robotics: Swiss manufacturer of industrial robots including dedicated lines for plastics and injection molding applications. Stäubli's robotics portfolio competes with Koot's Fanuc-based automation solutions, particularly in high-precision plastics applications.
• KUKA Robotics: German manufacturer of industrial robots with strong applications in plastics automation. KUKA competes with Fanuc (one of Koot's key partners) and provides robotics that compete with Koot's automation integration offerings.
• Husky Injection Molding Systems: Canadian-based supplier of injection molding equipment, hot runners, and integrated systems. Husky is a large global incumbent with significant focus on packaging and PET preforms, overlapping with Koot's IML and packaging automation capabilities.
• ABB Robotics: Swiss-Swedish multinational offering industrial robots and automation including for plastics manufacturing. ABB is a broad incumbent in industrial robotics that competes with Koot's robot integration capabilities.
• Arburg: German manufacturer of injection molding machines and turnkey systems. Arburg is a major incumbent in the European injection molding market with bundled automation offerings that overlap with Koot's customer base and capability set.
• Engel Austria: Austrian manufacturer of injection molding machines and integrated automation systems. Engel is a much larger incumbent offering similar turnkey solutions to Koot but with global scale, broader product lines, and direct sales infrastructure.
• KraussMaffei: German manufacturer of injection molding machines, automation, and complete production systems. KraussMaffei is a large incumbent with global reach, providing solutions that compete with Koot's special machine and integration offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/koot-automation-b-v

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Koot Automation & Service B.V.