The two groups
Lindab (Sweden, listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, and Europe’s largest duct maker) owns Spiro International (Bösingen, Switzerland; inventor of the Tubeformer, owned since 1992) and its US plant Spiral-Helix (Bensenville, Illinois), Firmac (Scarborough, UK; rectangular lines, Nu-Loc, bought May 2023) and the Vicon group (Bohemia, New York; coil lines, TDX formers and plasma from Pevely, Missouri and Meadville, Pennsylvania, with Plasma Automation; bought February 2024). Lindab puts their combined machinery sales at about SEK 600 million a year.
Mestek Machinery (Mestek, Inc., Westfield, Massachusetts) owns Lockformer (founded 1938, Mestek since 2000 through Met-Coil), Iowa Precision (1950, Mestek 2000/2001), Engel Industries (1949, Mestek 2003) and Roto-Die (1965), all built at one site in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and sold through one dealer network across the United States and Canada. ISM spiral machines and Lion light-gauge brakes were folded into the Lockformer and Mestek ranges.
So a Spiro-versus-Vicon quote, or an Engel-versus-Iowa-Precision quote, is one owner talking to you twice. That is not a criticism of either group; it is the fact you need before you call it a competitive tender.
The map
| Brand | Owner (since) | What it makes | Alternatives guide |
|---|
| Spiro International / Spiral-Helix | Lindab (1992) | Spiral tubeformers, round fittings machines, cutters, welders | Spiro alternatives |
| Firmac | Lindab (2023) | Rectangular duct lines, Nu-Loc seamer, integral flange lines | Lindab group alternatives |
| Vicon Machinery / Plasma Automation | Lindab (2024) | Coil lines, TDX flange formers, HVAC plasma and laser, software | Vicon alternatives |
| Lockformer (incl. Vulcan plasma, ISM spiral) | Mestek (2000) | Pittsburgh formers, TDC formers, spiral tubeformers, Vulcan plasma | Lockformer · Vulcan plasma |
| Iowa Precision | Mestek (2000/2001) | Premium coil lines (Pro-Fabriduct, Fabriduct NEO, Infinity) | Iowa Precision alternatives |
| Engel Industries | Mestek (2003) | Value coil lines, TDF T25B and 800 Series roll formers | Engel alternatives |
| Roto-Die | Mestek | Hydraulic bending brakes | Folder alternatives |
| Tormec | Independent (Spain, Swiss office) | Spiral tubeformers, round fittings, rectangular lines, cutting | Tormec alternatives |
| RAS Reinhardt, Schechtl | Independent (Germany) | CNC and swivel folders, bending centres | RAS alternatives |
| CIDAN Machinery Group | Independent (Sweden; owns Forstner, Thalmann) | Folders, coil handling, shears | Folder alternatives |
| Roper Whitney | TennSmith (USA) | Folders, brakes, HVAC rotary machines | Folder alternatives |
| Swift-Cut | ESAB | HVAC plasma tables with Trimble, PractiCAM or CAMduct | Plasma alternatives |
| Esprit Automation, Machitech, Production Products, Tin Knocker | Independent (UK, Canada, USA) | HVAC plasma tables | Plasma alternatives |
| Taokron | Independent (Australian supplier, since 1995) | Spiral, auto duct lines, TDF and Pittsburgh formers, fittings, welding, plasma and laser, folders | Full catalog |
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.
What ownership changes for a buyer
- Second quotes. Inside a group, brands share owners even where they keep separate sales teams. Get at least one quote from outside the group you are already talking to.
- Service and dealers. Mestek brands share one dealer network and one factory; Lindab’s machinery companies still publish service separately (Spiro Care, Firmac care agreements, Vicon lifetime phone support), with no group-level global service statement yet.
- Controls and software. Mestek lines integrate with Autodesk, Trimble, PractiCAM and SDS; the Vulcan is built around Trimble FabShop; Vicon runs Vicon software. Groups tend to converge controls over time, which can help or hurt a shop already standardised on one CAM.
- Priorities. Lindab is also Europe’s largest duct maker; Mestek is a machinery and HVAC-products group. Neither fact changes a machine’s specification, but some contractors weigh whose customer they are.
- Standards protect you. Whoever owns the brand, the spiral lock seam, Pittsburgh and snap-lock seams and the TDF (T-25b) and TDC (T-25a) flanges are SMACNA standards. Duct from any properly built machine mates with duct from any other. Tooling, controls and software are what do not transfer.
Where Taokron fits on the map
Taokron is independent, and this is our own entry, so read it that way. We are an Australian supplier that has built HVAC duct machinery since 1995, with 5,000+ machines in 100+ countries, ISO 9001:2015 and CE certification and catalog-accurate published specs. We cover the whole shop from one catalogue: spiral tubeformers and round fittings, auto duct lines, TDF and Pittsburgh formers, welding, plasma, laser and folding. We do not sell duct, so we never compete with the contractor who buys our line, and one engineering team commissions everything. Each guide linked above shows where we sit against that brand, tier by tier, with our specs beside theirs.
Get a vendor-neutral read on your shortlist →
FAQ
Are Spiro and Spiral-Helix the same company?
Yes. Spiral-Helix Inc. in Bensenville, Illinois, is Spiro International’s own North American company, founded in 1974 as Spiro America. Both are part of the Lindab group.
Is Vicon still independent?
No. Lindab announced the purchase of the Vicon group, including Plasma Automation, in January 2024 and closed it on 8 February 2024. Vicon still builds in Missouri and Pennsylvania with its existing management.
Which brands does Mestek Machinery own?
Lockformer, Iowa Precision, Engel Industries and Roto-Die, all built in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and sold through one US and Canadian dealer network. ISM spiral machines and Lion brakes were folded into those ranges.
Is Engel Europa part of Engel Industries?
No. Engel Europa in Sheffield, UK, describes itself as an independent family-owned firm making folders and flanging machines. Engel Industries is the US Mestek brand.
Which duct machine makers are still independent?
Among the Western names: Tormec (Spain, Swiss office), RAS Reinhardt and Schechtl (Germany), CIDAN Machinery Group (Sweden), Esprit Automation (UK), Machitech (Canada), Production Products and Tin Knocker (USA). Roper Whitney belongs to TennSmith and Swift-Cut to ESAB. Taokron is independent.
Does it matter who owns the brand if the machine is good?
For the machine, no. For the tender, yes: two quotes from one owner are not a competitive tender. For the long term, ownership shapes dealer networks, control platforms and priorities. Standards protect your ductwork either way; tooling and software are what lock you in.
