Parker-Hannifin is a diversified engineer of motion and control systems (hydraulics, pneumatics, electromechanical drives, filtration, and engineered materials) with a global footprint. The company itself notes that it competes against “hundreds of competitors” worldwide.
In its 2024 annual report, Parker lists key rivals across its segments: in industrial markets Bosch Rexroth, Danaher, Danfoss, Donaldson, Emerson (climate/ASCO), Festo, Freudenberg-NOK, Gates, IMI/Norgren, SMC, Swagelok and Trelleborg, and in aerospace markets Crane Co., Eaton, Honeywell, Moog, RTX, Safran, Senior, Triumph and Woodward. No single firm covers Parker’s entire portfolio, but each is a leader in overlapping niches.
The sections below profile these top competitors, focusing on their strengths, market positions, product portfolios and recent moves (acquisitions, digital initiatives, sustainability).
Top Competitors and Alternatives of Parker-Hannifin
Fluid Power & Motion-Control Leaders
Eaton Corporation (NYSE: ETN)
Website – https://www.eaton.com/in/en-us.html
A Dublin-based industrial conglomerate (~$25 billion revenue in 2024), Eaton is a top power-management company. Its product lines include electrical components, hydraulics, transmissions, clutches/brakes and aerospace fluid systems.
Eaton’s hydraulics and pneumatics offerings closely overlap Parker’s fluid-power business. It has been expanding into complementary markets: in 2025 Eaton paid $1.4 billion to acquire Fibrebond, a maker of modular data-center power enclosures, and announced a $1.55 billion deal for Ultra PCS (a U.K. aerospace electronics/safety systems supplier)eaton.com. Eaton emphasizes electrification and digitalization (its Brightlayer® software platform) and sustainability (its stated goal is 50% GHG reduction by 2030 and net-zero by 2050).
Eaton serves >160 countries with ~105,000 employees, making it a formidable global industrial competitor.
Bosch Rexroth (Germany)
Website – https://www.boschrexroth.com/en/dc/
A division of Robert Bosch GmbH, Rexroth is a world leader in hydraulics, pneumatics, electric drives/controls and factory automation. In 2023 Bosch Rexroth grew sales ~7.5% to €7.6 billion.
Growth was largely driven by acquisitions: it acquired U.S. pump-maker HydraForce (specialty hydraulics) in 2023 and integrated ELMO Motion Control (servo motors) and most of Kassow Robots. Rexroth invests heavily in R&D (R&D spend ~6%+ of sales) to develop new hydraulic pumps, control systems and automation platforms like its ctrlX OS software.
Its global footprint (~33,800 employees) and broad hydraulics/pneumatics portfolio directly compete with Parker’s fluid-power divisions. Bosch also pushes digitalization and sustainability: for example, it is developing hydrogen-compression solutions and emphasizes carbon-neutral manufacturing.
Danfoss (Denmark)
Website – https://www.danfoss.com/en-in/
A privately-held engineering group (~€10–11 billion annual sales).
Danfoss makes electric drives, power electronics, and mobile/climate equipment (e.g. HVAC compressors, refrigeration, mobile hydraulics). Its offerings overlap Parker’s in pumps, valves and climate controls. In 2023 Danfoss reported ~13% growth (sales up to €5.5 billion in H1) driven by both organic demand and M&A.
The company has been active in acquisitions to broaden its portfolio: it closed the €850 million acquisition of BOCK (a German CO₂/compressor specialist) in March 2023, and it is integrating Eaton’s former hydraulics business (acquired in 2021) into its mobile hydraulics line.
Danfoss is a technology leader in energy efficiency: it committed to 100% solar power at its North American sites by 2025 and carbon neutrality by 2030, and it invests heavily in “green” solutions (e.g. CO₂ refrigerants, electric vehicle drive systems).
Gates Industrial (NYSE: GTES)
Website – https://www.gates.com/
An American maker of belts, hose, and fluid-power connectors. Gates explicitly brands itself as “a global manufacturer of highly engineered power transmission and fluid power solutions”.
It competes with Parker in hydraulic hoses, couplings and industrial powertrain components. Gates posted steady growth through 2023 and has made sustainability a priority: its 2023 report highlights solar-energy installations and projects to reduce gas/electricity use (e.g. adding ~818,000 kWh of solar capacity and cutting 18M kWh of natural-gas and 7M kWh of electricity).
Gates uses an “Eco-Innovation” process to design lower-emission products, aligning with many customers’ decarbonization goals.
Donaldson Company (NYSE: DCI)
Website – https://www.donaldson.com/en-in/
A U.S. specialist in industrial filters (air, gas, liquid, dust collectors). Donaldson is a direct Parker competitor in air and liquid filtration for engines, machines and HVAC. The company (FY2023 revenue ~$2.9B) emphasizes innovation in filtration media and systems.
Its 2023 Sustainability Report underscores a major ESG focus: Donaldson has science-based targets to cut Scope 1/2 GHG by 42% by 2030 and already achieved a 25% reduction from 2021 through efficiency gains. (Donaldson calls its strategy “Filtration for a Thriving Future.)
Donaldson continues to invest in new filter technologies (including for electric vehicles and renewable energy equipment) to serve global customers demanding higher efficiency and cleaner operations.
Pneumatics and Fluid-Control Specialists
Festo (Germany) and SMC (Japan) lead pneumatic automation (air cylinders, valves, grippers) worldwide; both are expanding digital controls (e.g. networked valve terminals) and smart factory products.
IMI Group (UK) (with brands like Norgren) makes valves and flow-control products, often found on factory equipment similar to Parker’s offerings.
Swagelok (US) and Trelleborg (Sweden) supply fluid fittings, hoses and seals that compete with Parker’s couplings and engineered-materials products. These niche specialists innovate in sensors and connectivity but generally lack Parker’s broad system scope. (Parker notes none of these rivals competes across all its segments.)
Aerospace & Defense Suppliers
Honeywell Aerospace (US)
Website – https://aerospace.honeywell.com/
Honeywell (NYSE: HON, ~ $34B sales) is a diversified tech firm whose Aerospace division ($15B revenue in 2024) produces avionics, flight-control systems, auxiliary power units, environmental controls and more. Honeywell Aerospace equipment (e.g. turbine fuel valves, hydraulic actuators) overlaps Parker’s hydraulic, pneumatic and motion-control offerings for aircraft. Honeywell also provides industrial and building automation products that cross into Parker’s industrial markets.
Notably, Honeywell is restructuring its portfolio: it plans to spin off Honeywell Aerospace and its Automation segment into separate companies by 2026, allowing each to focus on innovation (e.g. electrification of flight, autonomous building systems). Honeywell is adding capabilities via acquisitions as well – for example, it bought the Civitanavi avionics company and Carrier’s Access Solutions to broaden aerospace avionics and security products.
In sustainability, Honeywell’s Advanced Materials business (being spun out as Solstice Advanced Materials) is a leader in low-GWP refrigerants and fibers, reflecting how environmental tech has become strategic.
RTX Corporation (US)
Website – https://www.rtx.com/
Formerly Raytheon Technologies, RTX (NYSE: RTX, ~$64B revenue) is a behemoth aerospace and defense company combining Pratt & Whitney engines, Collins Aerospace (flight systems and interiors) and Raytheon Missiles & Defense. Parker primarily overlaps RTX via Collins Aerospace. For example, Collins designs aircraft electro-mechanical actuators, valves and control components that compete with Parker’s flight-control and fluid-handling systems.
In 2023-24 RTX reorganized into three segments (Collins, Pratt, Raytheon) and pursued digital initiatives (Collins acquired FlightAware for real-time flight data to improve airline operations). RTX has also set ESG targets (e.g. net-zero by 2050) and invests in greener technology like more efficient engines and sustainable fuels. Despite differing core products, RTX’s influence in aerospace supply chains and its push into digitized aircraft (connected, data-driven systems) make it a powerful industry leader.
Safran (France)
Website – https://www.safran-group.com/
A global aerospace champion (~€21B sales in 2023), Safran makes aircraft engines (via CFM International with GE), landing gear, braking systems, and cabin interiors. Parker overlaps Safran mainly in aircraft fluid and fuel systems (Safran offers fuel pumps and regulators; Parker offers valves and hoses) and in aerodynamic cabin controls.
Safran has a strong digital and sustainability agenda. It is co-leading the RISE (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines) program with GE to build ultra-efficient engines (targeting >20% fuel burn reduction over current engines). Domestically, Safran has installed large-scale solar power at factories and signed offshore wind/solar PPAs to decarbonize operations.
The company is also advancing hybrid/electric propulsion (e.g. its ENGINeUS electric motor, first flight of a hybrid Airbus demonstrator) and new low-emission materials. In short, Safran is strengthening its aerospace leadership through high-tech engine development and green innovation.
Moog Inc. (US)
Website – https://www.moog.com/
Moog (NYSE: MOG.A/MOG.B, ~$3.3B revenue in 2023) specializes in precision motion control for aerospace, defense and industrial equipment. Its products include aircraft control actuators, military vehicle turrets, space thrusters, and simulation systems. Moog’s Aircraft Controls and Defense Controls segments directly compete with Parker’s aerospace hydraulics and electronic controls.
In FY2023, Moog grew sales 9% to a record $3.32B, benefiting from civilian jet demand and defense programs. Moog has been enhancing its capabilities via targeted M&A: for example, in mid-2025 it agreed to acquire COTSWORKS, a fiber-optic transceiver maker, to boost high-speed communication and sensor tech for defense applications. This digital push complements its hardware products and positions Moog to serve next-generation aerospace systems.
Crane Co. (US)
Website – https://www.craneco.com/
Crane (NYSE: CR, ~$3B revenue) is a diversified manufacturer whose Aerospace & Electronics division makes flight-critical systems (fuel pumps, hydraulic actuators, valves, sensing equipment) for aircraft and spacecraft. Its products directly overlap Parker’s in many hydraulic and fluid subsystems.
Crane has also been expanding via acquisitions: notably, in 2025 it announced a $1.06 billion deal to buy Baker Hughes’s Precision Sensors & Instrumentation (PSI) business. This adds brands like Druck (pressure sensors) and Panametrics (flow meters) to Crane’s portfolio, strengthening its aerospace sensing and flow-control capabilities. (Parker, by contrast, also makes flight sensors but has not grown via big M&A in this niche.)
Crane is leveraging its Crane Business System to integrate such deals and target high-margin engineered products.
Other Aerospace Suppliers
UK’s Senior plc and US’s Triumph Group are also on Parker’s radarparker.com. Senior makes hydraulic actuation and electronic systems (e.g. fuel nozzles, thrust reversers) for airliners, overlapping with Parker’s fluids products.
Triumph (plus recently spun-off Collins Aerospace products at RTX) produces airframe components and would-be competitors in avionics and structures.
Woodward Inc. (US) designs turbine and aircraft engine control systems; Parker has less overlap here (Woodward’s focus is on turbine controls and green energy systems). These specialty firms compete for aerospace OEM contracts in niches adjacent to Parker’s core products.
Industrial Automation & Digital Innovators
Emerson Electric Co. (US)
Website – https://www.emerson.com/en-in
Emerson (NYSE: EMR, ~$18B revenue) is a global automation and climate solutions company. Its Process Systems & Solutions segment (including brands like ASCO valves and Fisher regulators) competes with Parker in valves, regulators and control systems. Emerson Climate (Copeland compressors, thermostats) overlaps Parker’s HVAC and thermal management products.
A key recent move: in October 2023 Emerson closed its acquisition of National Instruments (NI) for $8.2 billion. NI’s software-connected test & measurement equipment significantly boosts Emerson’s industrial software/automation portfolio, aligning with digitalization trends.
Emerson also emphasizes sustainability: its 2023 ESG report notes a 52% reduction in Scope 1+2 GHG intensity since 2021 and 49% renewables use. Emerson’s integrated automation software (including AspenTech, which it acquired earlier) and focus on digital twin/cloud solutions mean it remains a top competitor in any industrial setting.
ABB Ltd (Switzerland)
Website – https://global.abb/group/en
ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation. It makes motors, drives, robots, and industrial software, aiming to optimize manufacturing and power systems. While ABB’s main overlap with Parker is limited (ABB does not make hydraulics or pneumatics), ABB’s broad scale and innovations (e.g. in data center power, motion control) compete at the enterprise level.
ABB continues to expand via acquisitions: in 2024 it agreed to buy Germany’s Födisch Group, a specialist in continuous emission monitoring, to bolster its measurement and analytics for energy industries. As ABB’s own press highlights, it employs ~105,000 people globally and focuses on sustainability and connectivity, factors that challenge customers to weigh its solutions against Parker’s electro-mechanical systems.
Schneider Electric (France)
Website – https://www.se.com/ww/en/
Schneider (EPA: SU, >€40B revenue) is a global expert in energy management and automation. Its hardware/software portfolio (e.g. Modicon PLCs, EcoStruxure IoT platform) overlaps Parker in factory and building automation. A major recent deal was Schneider’s acquisition of AVEVA (industrial software) in 2023, making it a powerhouse in digital process management.
Schneider’s tagline is a “leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation.” Like Parker, Schneider is very active on sustainability: it bought climate advisory firm EcoAct and invests in renewable-energy solutions. Its automation focus is more electrical/software, but it competes with Parker in system integration and in offering turnkey industrial solutions.
Rockwell Automation (US)
Website – https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-in.html
Rockwell (NYSE: ROK, ~$7B) is a leading provider of programmable logic controllers (Allen-Bradley), variable-frequency drives and factory software. Rockwell’s offerings overlap with Parker’s machine-control products (e.g. motion controllers), but Rockwell’s main strength is in electrical automation. Rockwell has been expanding globally (Acquiring Plex Systems in cloud software).
It competes with Parker’s industrial automation team especially in North America. (No specific recent news, but Rockwell’s strength is well known.)
Engineered Materials & Other Specialists
Trelleborg AB (Sweden)
Website – https://www.trelleborg.com/en
A specialist in polymer solutions and engineered elastomer seals, hoses and bearings. Parker competes with Trelleborg in seals and vibration-control components. Trelleborg’s products (e.g. sealing solutions for aerospace, oil/gas) overlap Parker’s fluid and engineered-materials lines.
Trelleborg emphasizes lightweight materials and 3D-printed parts for sustainability, pressuring Parker’s materials R&D. (Parker’s filings explicitly list Trelleborg as a competitor in engineered materials.)
Freudenberg-NOK (Germany)
Website – https://www.fst.com/
Freudenberg-NOK (part of Freudenberg Group) makes seals, gaskets and vibration dampers for engines and machinery. Its NOK engine seals compete with Parker’s engine valves and seals in automotive and aerospace applications. The pair often vie for contracts in joint-ventures (e.g. Toyota’s VVT valves).
Like Parker, Freudenberg is privately held and globally oriented. It sells into the same OEMs and highlights durability and low-friction designs. Freudenberg was named alongside Festo and Gates in Parker’s competitor listparker.com.
3M, DuPont, etc. – In broader “engineered materials,” Parker faces some competition from chemical giants. For example, 3M and DuPont sell specialty films and adhesives, and Celanese sells high-performance polymers. Parker’s composite-materials and sealing products overlap these suppliers in some niche applications. These companies often have wider R&D (e.g. DuPont’s Kevlar fibers) but are not primarily mechanical-component manufacturers.
Specialty Automation/Distribution: Applied Industrial Technologies, NSI, and other distributors are indirect competitors in distribution, but not on technology. Parker’s WinStrategy supply-chain system differentiates it in aftermarket.
In summary, Parker-Hannifin’s competitors span massive conglomerates (Eaton, Honeywell, RTX, ABB, Schneider) and niche specialists (Festo, Donaldson, Gates, Moog, Crane, Safran, etc.).
Each brings its own strengths – from vertical integration and R&D muscle to focused product innovation – to markets where Parker is a leader. Recent industry trends (electrification, Industry 4.0, and sustainability) are driving M&A and tech investments across all these companies.
For example, Bosch and Eaton have acquired sensor and power-system firms; Emerson and Schneider are building out software portfolios (NI and AVEVA deals); aerospace suppliers like Safran and Honeywell are developing net-zero technologies; and fluid-power players like Danfoss and Gates are embedding green energy solutions.
This vibrant competitive field pushes Parker to continually innovate in digital controls, networked hydraulics, and eco-friendly materials, even as it remains one of the market leaders in core motion-control markets.
Also Read: Who are ABB’s Top Competitors in Industrial Automation Market?
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