For over 65 years, Hartfiel Automation has been a specialized high-tech provider of pneumatics, motion and mobile control solutions. and has continued to diversify our service by adding product offerings in hydraulics, aluminum extrusions, robotics and automation solutions to better serve our customers and reach new areas of innovation.
Follow us through the history of Hartfiel from its founding by Bill Hartfiel in 1958 to the present day.
On May 1, 1958, Hartfiel Automation was founded by Bill Hartfiel and headquartered in Eden Prairie, MN serving Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and part of Western Wisconsin.
Hartfiel becomes PHD distributor.
Victor Scheinman develops the Stanford Robot Arm, forerunner of modern robots used for industrial assembly.
ABB (known by their former name ASEA), released their first robot, the IRB 6 - the world's first robot to be controlled by an electric microcomputer.
Bill Hartfiel, David Koch from GRACO and 21 other companies found the MN Keystone Program initially known as the 5% Club).
Hartfiel becomes MAC Valves distributor.
Myron Moser joins Hartfiel as a salesman.
Reorganized team structure.
Hartfiel Automation expands its primarily pneumatic product line to include motion control and robotics. Adding to long-time core products lines of MAC Valves and PHD Inc., are key product lines including Cutler-Hammer, Yamaha Robotics, Kollmorgen (Danaher), Schneider (IMS), and B&R. Hartfiel also adds Balluff, SICK, Teledyne Dalsa, and Canfield sensor and vision products.
Kevin Ashton, cofounder of the Auto-ID Center at MIT, began exploring a technology framework, radio-frequency identification (RFID), that would allow physical devices to connect via microchips and wireless signals and coined the phrase “the Internet of Things.”
Myron Moser becomes CEO.
Hartfiel relocates to a 23,000 sq. ft. location in Lake Corporate Center on Wallace Road in Eden Prairie, MN.
ABB, Sweden, launches the FlexPicker, the world’s fastest picking robot based on the delta robot developed at Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL) by Reymond Clave.
Myron Moser creates the Funnel Process of sales opportunity and action tracking. The tool will be adopted globally by the MAC Distributor Network (MDN).
Myron Moser becomes majority owner, allowing Hartfiel to remain a stand-alone, independent company
Hartfiel acquired MidStates Motion, an MDN Partner headquartered in Des Moines, IA, serving IA and Nebraska.
Key contributors able to acquire company ownership and lends to remaining independent.
Opened a new branch office in Kansas City serving Kansas, western Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Hartfiel continued to expand its territory with a new branch in Dallas, TX with service to all of Texas and Maquiladoras, Mexico.
Myron Moser creates Customer Profit Reinforcement (CPR®), the process to maximize and document customer savings and profit from Hartfiel solutions. Adopted globally by MDN.
Acquired Houston, TX based Fluid Power distributor, eFluid Power.
Industry 4.0 (The Fourth Industrial Revolution) was introduced as the union between physical assets and advanced digital technologies promoting the computerization of manufacturing.
Opened new branch office in Atlanta, GA.
Hartfiel Automation acquired Advanced Pneumatics, an MDN sister company headquartered in Fredericksburg, VA along with a branch office located in Concord, NC. This acquisition allowed for further expansion into Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and part of West Virginia.
Industrial robot installations doubled in a decade.
Acquired Fiero Fluid Power with locations in Salt Lake City, UT and Denver, CO. These two branch offices now operate as Fiero Automation, A Hartfiel Company and serve Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and parts of Eastern Nevada.
Patrick Schusted is appointed as CEO.
Myron Moser retires, Patrick Schusted becomes majority owner. Hartfiel remains an independent company.
Hartfiel on track to finish the year at 40 x sales growth vs. 1990.
Hartfiel remains committed to contributing to a strong manufacturing sector in the U.S. through the advancement of innovative, next-generation technologies that help keep jobs in America.
