Who we are
Build your technology with the
strength of trusted relationships.
A history of dynamic change and transformative thinking
Power/mation is a high-tech industrial automation distributor headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota with additional offices across Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and North Dakota. With over 100 suppliers on our line card, we stock U.S. inventory for some of the best automation manufacturers in the world.
With decades of experience in connectivity, sensing, motion control, robotics, safety, and industrial internet (IIoT) solutions, our highly technical team understands the challenges you face when navigating the complexities of modern industrial technology. To you, these are not just technical specifications; they represent the keys to efficiency, reliability, innovation, and safety in your operations.
Central to Power/mation’s ethos is a commitment to putting customers’ needs first. Our team’s entrepreneurial spirit is marked by a readiness to explore new avenues. We pride ourselves on being proactive problem solvers and innovative solution providers for you, standing by our commitment to serve as a collaborative team member and partner in every initiative.
Power/mation Solutions Group
The Power/mation Solutions Group is an extension of our promise to provide innovative automation solutions with exceptional customer service. Our team of engineers and assembly technicians accelerate businesses with custom kits, enclosure modification, safety fencing design, and more for a wide variety of applications.
Our History
Established in 1961 by founders Jim and Don Craighead, Power/mation has a rich history as a leading provider of automation solutions in the Midwest. Our company is dedicated to upholding our founders’ entrepreneurial spirit by merging it with extensive product expertise and collaborating with the industry’s premier brands to help you build what matters.
How it all began
Craighead and Associates, the precursor to Power/mation, was a power transmission factory representative firm founded by Don Craighead and his father Jim. The company, headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota morphed into Power/mation three years later in 1961. Don recruited Ted Mohrman from 3M shortly thereafter, adding more engineering expertise to Power/mation. Ted served in multiple roles including outside sales, Vice President of Engineering and was part-owner along with Don. Together, Don and Ted mentored many of the now-senior sales representatives that currently lead Power/mation.
With Don’s business and marketing savvy, they laid the groundwork to grow Power/mation from a company that started on a Ping-Pong table to the total automation solution provider it is today. By the time of Don’s sale of Power/mation to members of his salesforce in 1990, what started as one office had grown to many throughout the Midwest. Despite the growth Power/mation underwent, our values of maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit while providing technical product expertise have remained intact. These traits embodied by our founders are present in each of our sales representatives today.
The pillar of Power/mation is our individual sales representatives, who each have their own unique technical skill set making them capable of fully servicing their customers’ automation challenges. Along with our qualified sales force, we also have experienced automation specialists, engineers, project managers and designers who focus on helping our customers optimize their manufacturing process.
Automation Capabilities
Robots Execute Tasks with Unmatched Copiability and Repeatability
Find the right solution for your application
Discover RoboticsRobotics
Power/mation Safety Solutions
Having the right safety is imperative in protecting your employees and machinery.
Discover SafetySafety
Apply Pneumatics in Your Industry
We’ve partnered with Festo to offer a full range of pneumatic, electromechanical, and process automation products to our customers.
Discover PneumaticsPneumatics
Automation = Motion Control
Our product portfolio features actuators, motors, drives, controllers, software, and anything else you require for a fully automated solution.
Discover MotionMotion
IIoT Capabilities
Power/mation customizes and designs industrial internet architecture so it can provide as much value to your operation as possible.
Discover IIoTIndustrial Internet
If You Can Measure it, You Can Control it
Harnessing data to improve quality, reduce unplanned downtime and increase your production throughput.
Discover Process AutomationProcess Automation
Innovative Enclosure Technology
Rittal enclosures are in-stock and ready to be customized to your specifications.
Discover Enclosure ModificationEnclosure Modification
Take Full Advantage of Modern VFD Products
We supply VFD hardware, software, and implementation expertise to aid migration’s to current generation drive solutions.
Discover VFD MigrationVFD’s
Industries We Serve
Power/mation has been able to work with companies in a variety of different industries across the world including:
Let's Get Started
Now is the time to start a conversation with our experts. Reach out with the contact form below.