robinair

What robinair does

Robinair designs and manufactures refrigerant recovery, recycling, and recharging (RRR) equipment for automotive service shops, commercial fleet operators, and HVAC/R contractors. The product portfolio spans R-134a, R-1234yf, multi-refrigerant, and heavy-duty A/C machines (34788NI Premier, 34288NI Economy, AC1234-4/6/9 1234yf series, 17800C multi-refrigerant, 34888HD heavy-duty, plus 34998 and AC1234-9 connected variants), supported by leak detectors (LD7, LD9-TG), charging scales, vacuum pumps, manifolds, refrigerant identifiers, and consumables including vacuum pump oil and replacement filters. Core technology combines fully automatic recovery/recycling/recharging with SAE J2788/J2843/J2927/J2970-compliant efficiency, integrated refrigerant identification, mechanical scale lock for mobile service, and optional Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity via the 80211VCI kit that integrates OBDII/VIN data for correct charge amounts.

The company monetizes primarily through one-time hardware sales — sold via authorized distributors, direct enterprise sales, international 230V variants, and an e-commerce catalog — with recurring revenue from proprietary vehicle database SD cards, consumables (vacuum pump oil, filters, hoses), and service contracts through a network of over 255 trained and certified service facilities across North America. Pricing is tiered across Economy, Premier, Specialty (R-1234yf/multi-refrigerant), and Heavy-Duty lines but is not publicly disclosed. Customer segments are diversified across automotive dealerships and independent shops (primary), commercial fleet operators (transit, refrigerated, mass-transit authorities), HVAC contractors, and emerging hybrid/EV specialty service providers.

Robinair has been a brand of Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC — a subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH — since December 2012, operating within the Automotive Aftermarket Business Division with no public ticker, no disclosed revenue, and no independent capital structure. The brand leverages Bosch corporate infrastructure for R&D, regulatory compliance, and distribution while maintaining its own product identity, certification credentials (UL1963, SAE standards, partial WCAG 2.0 AA for the website), and service-center ecosystem.

Name

robinair

Legal name

Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC

Website

https://robinair.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Robinair designs and sells A/C refrigerant recovery, recycling, and recharging equipment for automotive service shops, commercial fleet operators, and HVAC/R contractors. Its portfolio spans R-134a, R-1234yf, multi-refrigerant, and connected machines plus leak detectors and consumables, operating as a Bosch Automotive Service Solutions brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive HVAC Service Equipment

NAICS

Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334), Warm Air Heating and Air-Conditioning Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423730), Warm Air Heating and Air-Conditioning Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42373), Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42374), Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423740)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580), Steam & Air-Conditioning Supply (4961), Wholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts (5013), Wholesale-Motor Vehicles & Motor Vehicle Parts & Supplies (5010), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Compressors, Refrigeration Components & Condensing Units (IMADANAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vacuum Pumps & Systems (IMAHANAD), Air Quality & Filtration Equipment (IAQ) (IMAHAKAI), Refrigeration & Cold-Chain Equipment Service (IMAIABAE), HVAC & Cooling System Services (A/C, Radiator) (TLAKAAAG)

Keywords

• Refrigerant recovery equipment
• A/C service machines
• HVAC service tools
• Leak detection equipment
• Automotive service equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Plymouth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. A/C Recovery/Recycling/Recharging Equipment: Sale of main equipment including R-134a machines, R-1234yf machines, multi-refrigerant machines, and heavy-duty units. One-time hardware purchase with varying price points based on capability and automation level.
2. Replacement Parts and Accessories: Filters, oils, hoses, couplers, printers, database cards, and maintenance kits for existing equipment. Ongoing consumables and replacement parts revenue.
3. Specialty Tools: Leak detectors, vacuum pumps, charging scales, manifolds, and diagnostic accessories sold as standalone products or add-ons.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Robinair manufactures and sells equipment for automotive and HVAC/R refrigerant recovery, recycling, recharging, leak detection, and vacuum service. Its portfolio spans fully automatic and economy A/C service machines for R-134a and R-1234yf refrigerants, heavy-duty and multi-refrigerant machines for buses and mass transit, connected Wi-Fi/Bluetooth machines, leak detectors, vacuum pumps, and related consumables, accessories, and replacement parts.

Product overview

Robinair offers a comprehensive portfolio of A/C refrigerant recovery, recycling, and recharging (RRR) equipment for automotive and HVAC applications. The core product lines include the Premier series (34788NI, 34788NI-H, AC1234-4, AC1234-4-230) providing fully automatic operation with 98.5% recovery efficiency, the Economy series (34288NI, 34288NI-230) for cost-conscious shops, the Heavy-Duty 34888HD for bus and large vehicle systems, and the Multi-refrigerant 17800C for mass transit and refrigeration applications. Connected versions (34998, AC1234-9) add Wi-Fi connectivity for networked operations. The mobile-service AC1234-4SL features an integrated scale lock for transport durability. Supporting products include leak detectors (LD7, LD9-TG tracer gas), accessories (30038 printer, refrigerant databases, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth kits), and replacement parts/consumables (vacuum pump oil, filters, hoses, couplers). All products are sold under the Bosch Automotive Service Solutions business unit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 34788NI Premier R-134a Refrigerant Recovery, Recycling, and Recharging Machine Fully automatic R-134a refrigerant recovery, recycling, and recharging machine with 98.5% recovery efficiency, automatic oil drain/inject, leak testing, and optional Wi-Fi capability. Built for automotive service shops servicing standard and hybrid vehicles; available in 115V and 230V versions.
• 34788NI-H Premier R-134a Refrigerant Recovery, Recycling, and Recharging Machine for Hybrid and Non-Hybrid Vehicles 115V version of the 34788NI designed for both hybrid/EV and standard vehicles, with automatic refrigerant refill and oil drain/inject features, and 98.5% recovery efficiency.
• 34288NI Economy R-134a Recover, Recycle, Recharge Machine Economy-class A/C machine for R-134a refrigerant meeting SAE J-2788 standards, with manual panel valve operation, recovers over 95% of refrigerant, and includes automatic oil injection. Available in 115V and 230V versions for cost-conscious automotive service shops.
• AC1234-4 Premier R-1234yf Recover, Recycle and Recharge Machine R-1234yf A/C machine meeting SAE J2927 and J2843 standards with integrated refrigerant identifier, 98.5% recovery efficiency, hybrid/EV capability, and compatibility with the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth 80211VCI upgrade kit. Available in 115V and 230V versions.
• AC1234-4SL Premier R-1234yf Recover, Recycle and Recharge Machine for Mobile Service Mobile-service version of the R-1234yf A/C machine with integrated mechanical scale lock to prevent calibration drift during transport, 12-foot hoses, and scale-lock status indicator. Designed for mobile automotive service operations.
• AC1234-6 1234YF Recover, Recycle, Recharge Machine First commercially available machine meeting SAE requirements for R-1234yf refrigerant recovery, with integrated refrigerant identifier, automatic operation, hybrid vehicle compatibility, and USB, SD, and RJ45 ports for data sharing and database updates.
• 34998 Connected R-134a ACS Machine Connected version of the R-134a A/C service machine with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity for networked service operations, enabling data sharing and integration with shop diagnostic systems.
• AC1234-9 Connected R-1234YF ACS Machine Connected version of the R-1234yf A/C service machine with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity for networked service operations, enabling data sharing and integration with shop diagnostic systems.
• 17800C Multi-refrigerant Recover, Recycle, Recharge Machine Multi-refrigerant A/C machine supporting R-12, R-134a, R-22, R-404A, R-407C, R-452A, R-448A, R-449A, and other blends. UL 1963 certified. Built for mass transit vehicles, buses, and refrigerated trailer applications. Available in 115V and 230V versions.
• 34888HD Advanced R134A Heavy-Duty Recover, Recycle, Recharge Machine Heavy-duty R-134a A/C machine with liquid pump, nitrogen port for drying/leak testing, UV dye injection, integrated printer, and 50 lb removable tank. Designed for buses and large commercial vehicle A/C systems.
• LD7 Premium Refrigerant Leak Detector Premium refrigerant leak detector with color graphic display, bar graph and sweep modes, audible alarm, and UV LED lights. Compatible with R-134a and R-1234yf refrigerants. 10-year sensor life, 2-year warranty.
• LD9-TG Tracer Gas Leak Detector Tracer gas leak detector using 5% hydrogen/95% nitrogen mixture, detecting leaks as small as 0.05 oz/yr for R-134a and 0.015 oz/yr for R-1234yf. Full-color LCD, sweep mode, and 3-LED inspection light. Meets SAE J2970.
• RG3 Portable Refrigerant Recovery Machine Portable refrigerant recovery machine designed for HVAC applications where service equipment must be brought to stationary commercial or residential A/C systems.
• RG6 Portable Refrigerant Recovery Machine Portable refrigerant recovery machine for HVAC applications with enhanced capacity relative to the RG3, supporting higher-volume stationary A/C system service.
• 30038 Printer Add-on printer compatible with most Robinair A/C Recover, Recycle, and Recharge machines for printing vehicle service reports.
• 17506 50Lb Refillable Tank 50 lb refillable refrigerant tank with 1/4 inch fittings, intended for use with the 17800C and other Robinair multi-refrigerant machines.
• 80211VCI Wireless Master Kit Wi-Fi/Bluetooth upgrade kit for Robinair A/C service machines. Includes USB adapter, OBDII dongle, and refrigerant capacity database SD card for reading VIN and YMME data.
• 34412-E R134A Vehicle A/C Capacities Database SD card database for R-134a A/C systems covering 1997-2019 vehicle model years, providing refrigerant charge amounts and oil capacities for Robinair R-134a A/C service machines.
• 34414-A R1234yf Vehicle A/C Capacities Database SD card database for R-1234yf A/C systems covering 2013-2019 vehicle model years, compatible with the AC1234-6 A/C recovery machine.
• 13203 Premium High Vacuum Pump Oil Genuine Robinair vacuum pump oil engineered for maximum viscosity at high temperatures, improved cold weather starts, and lower moisture content than competitors. Sold as a quart bottle, case of 12.
• 16913 Refrigerant Identifier Replacement Filter

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.5% refrigerant recovery efficiency exceeding SAE J2788 requirements
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2012Robinair has been a Bosch brand since December 2012, integrated into the Automotive Service Solutions Business Unit of the Bosch Automotive Aftermarket Business Division. Bosch provides corporate infrastructure, R&D support, and distribution network leverage.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Yellow Jacket (Ritchie Engineering): Yellow Jacket, a brand of Ritchie Engineering, manufactures refrigerant recovery machines, manifold gauges, leak detectors, and vacuum pumps for HVAC/R professionals. Direct competitor to Robinair across both automotive and HVAC segments with overlapping product categories and similar distribution through wholesalers.
• Mastercool: Mastercool manufactures a full line of A/C recovery, recycling, and recharging equipment, leak detectors, and vacuum pumps primarily for the automotive aftermarket. Direct competitor to Robinair in refrigerant service equipment with comparable SAE-certified product lines.
• CPS Products: CPS Products manufactures automotive A/C service equipment including refrigerant recovery machines, leak detectors, and vacuum pumps. Direct competitor to Robinair with overlapping product portfolio and similar B2B distribution through wholesalers serving automotive and HVAC technicians.
• Mahle Service Solutions: Mahle's Service Solutions division (formerly Behr Service) produces automotive A/C service units, fluid exchange equipment, and diagnostic tools for service shops. Direct peer with comparable product lines and customer base in the automotive aftermarket.
• RTI Technologies: RTI Technologies manufactures refrigerant recovery and recycling equipment for automotive, HVAC, and industrial applications. Direct peer competing in the same SAE-certified recovery machine market with similar distributor-led B2B sales model.

Broad incumbents

• SPX Technologies (Robinair historical parent): SPX (formerly SPX Corporation) owned the Robinair brand prior to the 2012 Bosch acquisition and continues to operate in automotive service equipment through other brands. Broad incumbent with historical positioning in the same refrigerant recovery equipment market.
• Bosch Automotive Service Solutions: Robinair's parent entity and broader portfolio owner. Bosch Automotive Service Solutions operates OTC Tools, Bosch Diagnostics, and other automotive aftermarket brands that compete in adjacent categories (diagnostics, specialty tools) with Robinair.
• Snap-on Incorporated: Snap-on is a major automotive tool and equipment manufacturer with broad service shop offerings including diagnostics, A/C service equipment, and specialty tools. Broad incumbent that overlaps with Robinair in automotive service equipment distributed through dealer/franchise networks.

Emerging players

• Fieldpiece Instruments: Fieldpiece designs and manufactures HVAC/R diagnostic instruments including manifold gauges, leak detectors, and recovery machines targeted at HVAC technicians. Emerging player with partial overlap in leak detection and refrigerant service accessories.
• Testo: Testo is a global manufacturer of measurement and diagnostic instruments, including refrigerant leak detectors and HVAC service tools. Adjacent peer with product overlap in electronic test instruments and leak detection rather than full-line recovery machines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/BoschAutoService
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bosch-automotive-service-solutions

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 robinair