Why This Means to Distributors: Technical expertise and engineering support are becoming increasingly important competitive advantages in industrial distribution, driving acquisitions that expand automation, controls, and value-added service capabilities.
Airline Hydraulics Corp. has acquired Industrial Automation Supply, a Portland, Maine-based distributor of industrial automation and controls products, expanding its New England operations and strengthening its position in the growing industrial automation market.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
The acquisition adds Industrial Automation Supply’s controls expertise, customer relationships and regional presence to Airline Hydraulics, an employee-owned distributor of hydraulics, pneumatics, automation, and engineered systems headquartered in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.
Founded in 1993, Industrial Automation Supply serves original equipment manufacturers and contract manufacturers across New England. The company specializes in industrial controls and automation products used in manufacturing, machine building, and production environments.
Airline said the Portland facility will continue operating as an Industrial Automation Supply division of the company. Approximately 30 employees are expected to join Airline as part of the transition.
The deal adds about 6,000 square feet of distribution, production and value-added service space, doubling Airline’s footprint in New England. The company also plans to add 10 positions to support engineering, technical and customer service functions.
“This acquisition meaningfully rounds out our business in New England,” Airline CEO Mark Steffens said. “Their deep expertise in controls, combined with Airline’s strengths in fluid power, automation and engineered solutions, creates a partnership many companies only aspire to achieve.”
Industrial Automation Supply President Chris LeBel said the companies share similar approaches to customer service, technical support, and supplier relationships.
The acquisition reflects broader trends across industrial distribution, where demand for automation technologies continues to reshape competitive dynamics. As manufacturers invest in productivity improvements, robotics, controls and connected equipment, distributors are increasingly expanding engineering resources and technical capabilities to support more complex customer requirements.
For Airline, the transaction strengthens its position in a region where it has operated for more than 25 years while adding expertise in a product category that continues to attract investment across the industrial sector.
Founded in 1949, Airline Hydraulics is a 100% employee-owned industrial technology distributor serving customers throughout the eastern United States. The company supplies hydraulic, pneumatic and automation products and provides engineering, integration, and technical support services.
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