bale band-it

What bale band-it does

Bale Band-It, manufactured by Pike Mfg. Corp. (formerly operating as GFC), is a U.S.-based specialty equipment manufacturer that produces automated bundling machines for small-square hay and straw bales. The Bale Band-It product line — comprising the Model 100, 200, 210, and the newly released Model 220 — bundles 14x18-inch and 16x18-inch bales into 21-bale or 18-bale packages using steel strapping and a proprietary seal-less seal design. Core technical features include photo-eye bale tracking, compression grooves, and encoder-based control, with the iBand-It mobile app (Bluetooth LE) providing operator-side monitoring. Manufacturing is vertically integrated at the company's Pittsfield, Illinois facility, which houses laser cutting, CNC milling, press brake bending, and powder painting operations.

The company's commercial model combines capital equipment sales with an aftermarket consumables and service stream. Equipment is distributed through a U.S. dealer network organized under the "Join the Brand" program, with protected territories and direct dealer sales supplemented by agricultural trade-show presence. Bale Band-It serves farmers and straw producers in the hay and forage vertical, with consumable strapping supplied via a partnership with DuBose Strapping at approximately $3.50–$3.75 per bundle, and formalized service plans ($500) and accessories ($340–$960) generating incremental aftermarket revenue. The company is privately held, with no disclosed funding, headcount, or revenue figures.

Name

bale band-it

Legal name

Pike Mfg. Corp.

Website

https://balebandit.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bale Band-It, manufactured by Pike Mfg. Corp., designs and produces automated steel-strapping bundling equipment for small-square hay and straw bales, serving farmers and straw producers across the United States through a dealer network and direct sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Equipment

akta.pro primary industry

Hay & Forage Machinery (Mowers, Rakes, Tedders, Balers, Wrappers) (AFAAAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hay & Bale Handling Equipment (IMAHACAF)

Keywords

• Hay bale bundling equipment
• Agricultural machinery manufacturing
• Small square bale handling
• Farm equipment dealer network
• Replacement parts and accessories

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of Bale Band-It bundling equipment including Model 220, Model 210, Model 200, and Model 100; also offers pickup unit option for versatile in-field operations
2. Parts Sales: Online parts store with extensive inventory of replacement parts including banding drums, straps, electrical components, hydraulic parts; ships across the country
3. Service and Accessories: Inspection and tune-up service ($500), retrofit ladders ($750), feed assist kits ($480-$960), banding drum pivot assembly ($360), LED strobe lights ($340), hydraulic cooling unit (quote-based)
4. Strapping Materials: 1/2 inch x 0.020 inch regular duty steel strapping with approximately 1170lb break strength; one set of 2 rolls bundles approximately 122 bundles (2,562 bales)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bale Band-It (manufactured by Pike Mfg. Corp.) designs, engineers, and assembles automated bale bundling equipment that bundles small square hay bales (14x18 and 16x18 inches) into 21-bale or 18-bale packages using steel strapping with a proprietary seal-less seal design. The company sells its equipment through a dealer network and direct channels, complemented by a Bluetooth-enabled iPad monitoring app, replacement parts, service, and accessories for the hay and forage industry.

Product overview

Bale Band-It, manufactured by Pike Manufacturing Corp., offers agricultural equipment for bundling small square bales into efficient 21-bale bundles. The product portfolio centers on the Bale Band-It Model 220 (latest generation), supplemented by the iBand-It iPad app providing Bluetooth connectivity for monitoring, diagnostics, and remote control. The company also provides related services (inspection and tune-up), accessories (ladders, feed assist kits, banding drum pivot, hydraulic cooling unit, rotary encoder, LED strobe light), and an online parts store.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bale Band-It Model 220 The flagship automated bale bundling system that bundles 21 small square bales (14x18 inches) into a single self-supporting package using steel strapping with a seal-less seal design. Capable of approximately 600 bales per hour with a bale every 5.5 seconds through the tie cycle. Features hydraulic oil cooler, precision encoder, photo-eye bale tracking, compression grooves, and Bluetooth LE connectivity. Targeted at hay and straw producers seeking to replace manual bundling operations.
• iBand-It App iPad-based mobile application that connects to Bale Band-It equipment via Bluetooth LE, providing real-time cycle time monitoring, performance diagnostics, controls tab for tractor-seat operation, and one-touch access to troubleshooting operation codes.
• Inspection and Tune-Up Service Professional inspection service performed by the US-based service team that inspects the machine, makes necessary adjustments, and runs it through dry cycles. Priced at $500 with replacement parts and repairs billed separately.
• Retrofit Ladder – Chute Side Ladder kit designed for chute side installation on Bale Band-It 200, 210, or 220 model machines. Part number 1-J-ASSEMBLY-006, priced at $750; installation not included.
• Retrofit Ladder – Door Side Ladder kit designed for door side installation on Bale Band-It 200, 210, or 220 model machines. Part number 1-J-ASSEMBLY-007, priced at $750; installation not included.
• Feed Assist Kit Kit that allows use of a drill or impact to feed steel banding for threading the machine. Available as a complete kit (left and right) for $960, or as individual left/right units for $480 each; installation not included.
• Banding Drum Pivot Assembly Bolt-on assembly allowing the left drum to pivot out 73 degrees for easier banding reel changes. Part number 1-M-0000BC, priced at $360; installation not included.
• Hydraulic Cooling Unit Hydraulic oil cooler mounted to control hydraulic oil temperature for consistent operation during demanding conditions. Part number 25-001, installed by Pike Manufacturing or an Authorized Dealer; pricing available by quote.
• LED Strobe Light Long-lasting LED replacement for the existing strobe light on Bale Band-It equipment. Part number 1-X-ASSEMBLY-084, priced at $340.
• Bale Band-It Online Parts Store Online Shopify storefront offering replacement parts for Bale Band-It equipment, with photo-based part identification, 24/7 ordering, and shipping across the United States.

Quantifiable outcome

• 654.5 bales per hour theoretical capacity, approximately 600 practical maximum vs competitor's ~500 bales/hour
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

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 and minor.

• DuBose Strapping & PackagingcoreOthersPreferred strapping supplier for Bale Band-It equipment; delivers quality 1/2" x 0.020" regular duty steel strapping with approximately 1170lb break strength at aggressive pricing; contact at 800-354-3020
• Agricultural Equipment DealerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDealer partners maintain strong presence in rural communities, attend agricultural shows and trade events for brand awareness, and provide parts inventory and repair services to reduce downtime during critical harvest periods
• Industrial Image Inc.minorOthersWebsite design partner responsible for the company website design and development

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CLAAS: German agricultural equipment specialist with a leading hay/forage portfolio including balers and hay tools. Comparable as a broad hay equipment incumbent serving commercial producers globally, with significantly broader product depth than Bale Band-It.
• Vermeer Corporation: Iowa-based manufacturer of hay/forage equipment including bale processors, bale accumulators, and hay tools. Comparable as a broader hay equipment incumbent that competes for hay producer capital expenditure, though Vermeer's portfolio spans many categories beyond bale bundling.
• John Deere: Global agricultural equipment giant with a full hay/forage lineup including balers and hay tools. Comparable because Deere serves the same hay producer customer base with broader equipment solutions, though its small square bale automation footprint is far less specialized than Bale Band-It's.
• Krone: German hay/forage equipment maker with strong North American presence selling balers and hay handling equipment. Comparable because Krone targets the same commercial hay producer customer with automation solutions spanning the full hay workflow.
• CNH Industrial: Parent of Case IH and New Holland, both major hay/forage equipment brands offering balers and hay tools. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving commercial hay producers, with established dealer networks that compete for the same end-customer equipment budgets.
• AGCO Corporation: Global ag equipment maker whose Hesston and Massey Ferguson brands are leading hay/forage equipment providers. Comparable because AGCO sells balers and related hay tools into the same commercial hay producer market, with a much broader product portfolio and dealer network.
• Kuhn Group: European hay/forage equipment specialist with a North American presence offering balers, mowers, and hay tools. Comparable because Kuhn serves commercial hay producers with automation equipment across the hay workflow, though its focus is broader than Bale Band-It's bale bundling niche.

Direct peers

• Pequea Machine: Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of small square bale accumulators and handling equipment for hay operations. Directly comparable because both companies serve the same small square hay bale workflow with automation equipment that reduces manual labor in the field-to-storage chain.
• Highline Manufacturing: Canadian manufacturer of the HayBoss line of bale processing and handling equipment for hay producers. Directly comparable because both companies specialize in downstream hay bale handling equipment aimed at commercial hay/forage operations seeking to automate labor-intensive bale processing.
• Tubeline Manufacturing: Canadian manufacturer of bale wrappers and processing equipment for the hay and forage industry. Directly comparable because Tubeline serves the same downstream bale handling niche, offering complementary automation equipment to commercial hay producers and custom operators.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/balebandit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 bale band-it