What Thomas Magnete USA makes

Thomas Magnete USA, LLC is the North American sales, distribution, and engineering center for Thomas Group, the family-owned German maker of electromagnetic and fluidic actuator systems. From its base in Brookfield, Wisconsin, with an engineering presence in Troy, Michigan, the company supports North American customers with the group's core product ranges: proportional solenoids, proportional valves, solenoid valves, and metering pumps, along with mechatronic control systems for mobile hydraulics and electromechanical actuators.

The product line is built around precise electromagnetic control of fluid and motion. Proportional solenoids and valves meter flow and pressure in transmissions, chassis systems, and mobile hydraulic circuits, and the group is a documented pioneer of components for clean exhaust gases. Its metering pumps dose fluid for diesel particulate filter regeneration and selective catalytic reduction, the two emission-control technologies that let off-highway and commercial diesel engines meet tightening standards. That emission-management heritage runs back to metering pumps the company first developed for parking heaters and later adapted for exhaust aftertreatment.

The customer base is OEM and tier supplier programs across two main markets: off-highway equipment (construction, agricultural, forestry, and material-handling machinery, plus special vehicles) and on-road mobility (emission management, chassis, ePowertrain, and alternative fuels). These are demanding, long-lifecycle programs where a solenoid or dosing pump has to survive years of vibration, temperature swings, and duty cycles, which is why parts move through PPAP qualification before they reach production.

Ownership and history

Thomas Magnete USA is a subsidiary of Thomas Group, headquartered at the Innomotion Park in Herdorf, Germany. The parent traces to 1962, when Thomas Magnete began as a branch of Robert Thomas Metall- und Elektrowerke and developed its first proportional solenoid for hydraulic applications. A 1972 management buy-out brought the business under the Hermann Thomas family, and from January 1, 1993 it traded as Thomas Magnete. The group remains family-owned and describes its guiding principles as honesty, courage, and support.

The US arm dates to the company's first foreign subsidiary, established in the 1990s. The current Wisconsin footprint was announced in August 2011, when the company committed roughly $3 million to a 30,000-square-foot Brookfield operation projected to create 27 jobs, supported by a $79,000 Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation tax credit. The company's then-CEO cited Wisconsin's manufacturing work ethic, engineering talent from MSOE and UW-Madison, and a regional supply base, noting that about 60 percent of manufactured products would come from suppliers within four hours of Brookfield. Alongside the US, the group runs Thomas Magnete Italia in Modena, Italy and actuation-technology operations in Shanghai and Kunshan, China, and in 2025 it extended into healthcare by acquiring German Medical Engineering GmbH.

Certifications and quality

Thomas builds to automotive-supplier quality expectations and publishes a zero-defects quality philosophy across the group. The relationship with major automakers is on the record: Ford Motor Company awarded Thomas Magnete a Quality First award in June 2011. Automotive actuator suppliers of this kind operate to the IATF 16949 standard as the sector norm, though a dated US-entity certificate was not located for this profile, so that credential is reported as a claim rather than a verified current certificate.

Sourcing evidence

Thomas Magnete USA's US import record reads exactly the way a distribution-and-engineering subsidiary's should. US customs bill-of-lading data shows 189 sea shipments on record, with the most recent logged on September 21, 2026, and the dominant lane running from the German parent to the Brookfield operation. This is intercompany flow: finished solenoids, valves, pumps, and actuators built in Herdorf and shipped to North America for sale and support, rather than a broad third-party supply base. For buyers, that pattern signals a supplier whose North American channel is an extension of an established European manufacturer, relevant when weighing nearshoring and supply-continuity questions.

Coverage caveats: these are US ocean-freight records only. Air, truck, and rail movements do not appear, some records name freight intermediaries rather than manufacturers, and product categories come from declared manifest codes, which can be noisy. Absence of a record is not evidence of absence.

Frequently asked questions

What does Thomas Magnete USA make?

Thomas Magnete USA is the North American sales, distribution, and engineering center for Thomas Group's electromagnetic and fluidic actuator systems. Its core products are proportional solenoids, proportional valves, solenoid valves, and metering pumps, plus mechatronic controls for mobile hydraulics. The company is known for metering pumps used in diesel emission-control systems (DPF regeneration and SCR).

Who owns Thomas Magnete USA?

Thomas Magnete USA, LLC is a subsidiary of Thomas Group, a family-owned company headquartered in Herdorf, Germany. The parent was founded in 1962 and has been controlled by the Thomas family since a 1972 management buy-out. The group also operates in Italy and China.

Where is Thomas Magnete USA located?

Thomas Magnete USA is headquartered at 3225 Gateway Road, Suite 350, Brookfield, Wisconsin 53045, with an engineering presence in Troy, Michigan. The Brookfield operation opened in 2011 as the company's North American center.

What markets does Thomas Magnete USA serve?

The company serves off-highway equipment makers (construction, agricultural, forestry, and material-handling machinery and special vehicles) and on-road mobility programs (emission management, chassis, ePowertrain, and alternative fuels). Its customers are automotive and mobile-machinery OEMs and their tier suppliers.

How large is Thomas Magnete USA?

Thomas Magnete USA is a mid-size subsidiary within a global group of roughly 500 to 900 employees across Germany, the USA, Italy, and China. Its Brookfield operation started at about 30,000 square feet with a planned 27-person workforce. Standalone US revenue and headcount are not publicly reported.

Last verified September 28, 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.