Still in Production
If you’ve called around looking for a hydraulic joystick controller lately, you’ve probably noticed the list of suppliers keeps getting shorter. That’s not your imagination. Several manufacturers that used to make these controllers have exited the space entirely, and the options left standing can be counted on one hand.
QP Hydraulics is one of the companies still building them.
Why the Field Narrowed
Hydraulic joystick technology has been around long enough that it works, and works well, in the mobile and industrial equipment it was built for. But as manufacturers have shifted investment toward electric control systems, fewer of them have kept dedicated hydraulic joystick lines running. The result: a smaller group of suppliers, and a growing number of operators who rely on equipment built around hydraulic controls that still need to be serviced, replaced, or cross-referenced.
For customers with fleets, machines, or systems already engineered around hydraulic joystick controls, that narrowing supplier base is a real concern. Fewer active manufacturers means fewer places to turn when a part needs to be sourced or replaced, and more pressure on the suppliers who remain to stay reliable.
What This Means for You
If you’re currently running hydraulic joystick controllers, here’s the practical reality: QP Hydraulics is actively manufacturing and supporting this product line. Whether you’re sourcing a replacement, cross-referencing a part from a supplier that’s no longer in business, or specifying joystick controls for a new build, this is a technology QP continues to produce and stand behind.
We frequently work with customers cross-referencing parts from the other remaining suppliers in this space, and from suppliers that have since closed their doors. If you have a part number, a spec sheet, or even just a description of your current setup, that’s usually enough for us to identify a match or a suitable replacement.
Hydraulic vs. Electric: Not an Upgrade, a Different Path
It’s worth being direct about something customers ask often: is electric the “next version” of hydraulic joystick controls? No. Electric control systems solve certain problems well, and they’re the right choice for some applications. But they’re a different technology with different tradeoffs, not a superior replacement for hydraulic controls. If your equipment, your application, or your operational environment is built around hydraulics, moving to electric isn’t automatically an upgrade. It’s a different decision entirely, and one worth making deliberately rather than by default.
For many of our customers, staying with hydraulic joystick controls remains the right call, and having a manufacturer still committed to producing them matters.
Working With QP
Supply continuity is one of the most overlooked factors in equipment planning until a part becomes unavailable. QP Hydraulics has stayed in this product category because customers continue to depend on it, and we intend to keep supporting it.
If you’re evaluating your options, whether that’s a replacement part, a cross-reference from a discontinued supplier, or a question about whether hydraulic or electric is the right fit for your application, reach out to the QP Hydraulics team. We’ll walk through your specific setup and give you a straight answer.
Schedule a discovery call at qphydraulics.com or reach out at (630) 588-0088.
