Who makes what, and who owns whom
Iowa Precision and Engel are both Mestek Machinery brands, built at one site in Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Mestek markets the two side by side, buyers tend to treat Iowa Precision as the higher-end line and Engel as the lower-cost one, and both sell through Mestek’s US and Canadian dealers. Vicon (Pevely, Missouri) and Firmac (Scarborough, UK) both belong to the Swedish Lindab group since 2024 and 2023. Taokron is independent. So a shortlist of “Iowa Precision, Engel and Vicon” is two owners, not three. Our brand ownership map covers the rest of the industry.
The comparison table
Figures are each maker’s published specifications; “not stated” means the maker does not publish it. Metric conversions in brackets are ours.
| Line | Coil width | Gauge | Coil weight / stations | Stated speed | Controls and software | Owner |
|---|
| Iowa Precision Pro-Fabriduct | 4 or 5 ft (1220 / 1524 mm) | 16 ga standard, 14 ga option; 18 ga dual-head TDC/TDF | Multi-coil; 10 ft transfer (12 / 14 ft option); in-line full-width plasma bed | Not published by Mestek | Imports Autodesk, Trimble, PractiCAM, SDS | Mestek |
| Iowa Precision Fabriduct NEO | 47.88–60.12 in (1216–1527 mm) | 16 ga max (14 ga option); thin end not stated | 8 coils standard (2–10) | No line speed published; gauge changeover stated as one minute | B&R Dynamic Control System | Mestek |
| Iowa Precision Fabriduct Infinity | Not published by Mestek | 16–25 ga | Up to 12 stations at 12,000 lb (20,000 on request) | Up to 75 ft/min (23 m/min) | HMI touch screen on an industrial PLC; imports Trimble SysQue and FabShop, Autodesk Fabrication, PractiCAD/PractiCAM, SDS | Mestek |
| Engel Compact II (Starter / Full) | Not published by Mestek | 16 ga beader and shear | 12,000 lb uncoiler; 3-table squaring transfer | Not published by Mestek | Solid-state PLC touch screen; SMACNA-tested T-25b connector rollforming | Mestek |
| Engel ValuePLUS2 Space Saver | Not published by Mestek | Not published; ships with 1/2 in Pittsburgh and snap-lock rolls as standard | 12,000 or 20,000 lb belt or hydraulic uncoiler; 2–10 stations | 16×16 in wrap in 60 s | Touch-screen control | Mestek |
| Vicon Duct Line Express / Full Coil Line | 48–60 in (1220–1524 mm) | 16–30 ga | 12,000 lb; 1–6 stations | Servo feed; “fastest in the industry”, figure not stated | Vicon Coil Line Software (Windows) | Lindab |
| Firmac Automatic Duct Former (ADF) | 1000–1500 mm | 0.60–1.2 mm galvanised | 2–6 coils in line, 5,000 kg max | 35 s per 300×300 mm duct (about 100/h) | Omron controller, touchscreen at the machine | Lindab |
| Firmac Pro-Duct DRS | 1500 mm standard (2000 mm option) | 0.60–1.2 mm galvanised / mild steel | Six coils in a line or 3+3, 5,000 kg max | 10 ducts of about 300×300 mm in under 10 minutes | Omron controller, touchscreen; Ethernet or modem diagnostics | Lindab |
| Taokron SBAL-V (U-shape) | 1250 or 1550 mm (49 / 61 in) | 0.5–1.5 mm (26–16 ga) | Multi-coil; 14.5 m line, 16 t | 18 m/min feed (59 ft/min) | PLC touch screen; standard cut lists and nesting output | Taokron |
| Taokron SBAL-III | 1250 or 1550 mm | 0.5–2.0 mm (26–14 ga) | 8,000 kg decoiler; hydraulic notch and shear | 18 m/min feed | PLC touch screen | Taokron |
| Taokron SBAL-II | 1250 or 1550 mm | 0.5–2.0 mm | 8,000 kg decoiler | 18 m/min feed | PLC touch screen | Taokron |
Brand and product names are the property of their respective owners, referenced here for honest comparison only. Ownership, positioning and published ranges are as verified in September 2026 from each maker’s own publications; confirm current specifications and support with each vendor before buying.
Reading the table honestly
- Feed speed is not output. Taokron publishes 18 m/min feed and Iowa Precision 75 ft/min for the Infinity; neither is ducts per shift. A line spends most of its cycle notching, shearing, flanging and wrapping. Ask every vendor for a timed cycle on a 600×400 mm (24×16 in) duct at your gauge, and for a factory acceptance test that repeats it.
- Gauge ceilings differ by a full class. Vicon publishes 16 ga (1.5 mm), Iowa Precision 16 ga standard with a 14 ga (2.0 mm) option, Firmac 1.2 mm, Taokron SBAL-V 1.5 mm and SBAL-III/II 2.0 mm. If hospital or industrial duct at 16 ga is in your specifications, buy the line rated a class above it.
- Coil weight sets your crane and your buying. 12,000 lb (5,400 kg) is the US norm, 20,000 lb on option; Firmac states 5,000 kg; Taokron 8,000 kg on the SBAL-III/II decoiler. Heavier coils mean fewer changeovers and a bigger crane.
- Plasma in line or beside it. Iowa Precision’s Pro-Fabriduct integrates a full-width plasma bed; the others pair the line with a separate table (Vicon HVAC 510/520, Lockformer Vulcan, Taokron SBPC). Both work; the in-line bed saves handling, the separate table keeps fittings cutting independent of straight-duct production.
- Software path. Mestek lines import Autodesk, Trimble, PractiCAM and SDS; Vicon runs its own Coil Line Software; Taokron takes standard cut lists and nesting output. Test your real job file on the controller before you sign, whichever line it is.
- Flange system. US lines offer TDC or TDF formers (dual head on the Pro-Fabriduct); Firmac uses its CGF integral-flange nomenclature; Taokron fits the SBTDF TDF former or a TDC former. Translate everything to the SMACNA profile your cleats and corners fit; see our TDF flange machine comparison.
- Footprint. A full U-shape line such as the SBAL-V needs about 14.5 × 5 m; straight lines with a 10–14 ft transfer need 12–15 m of floor plus run-out. Measure before you shortlist.
Where Taokron fits
This is our own entry, so read it as a vendor’s case. Taokron is an Australian supplier that has built HVAC duct machinery since 1995, with 5,000+ machines in 100+ countries, ISO 9001:2015 certification and CE marking and catalog-accurate published specs. The SBAL-V is the U-shape automatic line for shops that want straight duct produced on a compact footprint at 1.5 mm; the SBAL-III and SBAL-II take the same coil to 2.0 mm with hydraulic notching and shearing on an 8,000 kg decoiler. Around them we supply the TDF former, Pittsburgh former, plasma table, folders and welders, so one engineering team commissions the whole rectangular shop and one factory acceptance test covers it. Best for: shops outside the North American dealer maps, and first-line buyers anywhere, who want coil-line automation at export-competitive capital cost with direct engineer support. Weigh: we publish feed speed rather than a headline cycle time, so hold us to the same timed-cycle test you put to the others; our SBAL-V vs SBAL-III vs SBAL-II guide explains the three lines.
Ask for a coil line quotation with your coil, gauge and duct sizes →
FAQ
Which coil line is fastest?
No maker publishes ducts per shift. Iowa Precision states up to 75 ft/min line speed for the Fabriduct Infinity, Taokron 18 m/min (59 ft/min) feed for the SBAL lines, Vicon claims the fastest servo feed without a figure, and Engel states a 60-second wrap for a 16 x 16 in duct. Compare timed cycles on one duct size at your gauge, witnessed in a factory acceptance test.
Are Iowa Precision and Engel competitors?
No. Both are Mestek Machinery brands built in Cedar Rapids and sold through the same dealers; Mestek markets both side by side, and in practice buyers tend to treat Iowa Precision as the higher-end line and Engel as the lower-cost one. Vicon and Firmac are likewise both Lindab companies.
What coil width should I buy?
Match your coil supplier: 48 and 60 in in North America, 1250 and 1550 mm in metric markets. Firmac publishes 1000–1500 mm on the ADF and 1500 mm with a 2000 mm option on the Pro-Duct DRS; Taokron lines take 1250 or 1550 mm.
Do I need a 14 gauge (2.0 mm) line?
If 16 ga (1.5 mm) duct appears in your specifications, buy a line rated above it: Iowa Precision with the 14 ga option, or Taokron SBAL-III/II at 2.0 mm. Lines rated to 16 ga run their heaviest gauge at the edge of capacity.
Should plasma be in the line or beside it?
Either works. The Iowa Precision Pro-Fabriduct integrates a full-width plasma bed and saves handling; a separate table (Vicon HVAC 510/520, Lockformer Vulcan, Taokron SBPC) keeps fittings cutting independent of straight-duct production and is cheaper to add later.
Will duct from a different line fit my existing duct?
Yes, if seam and flange profile match. Pittsburgh and snap lock are SMACNA seams; TDF (T-25b) and TDC (T-25a) are standard flanges. Translate Firmac’s CGF nomenclature to the SMACNA profile your cleats fit and confirm with a sample joint.
