R.J. Thomas Mfg

What R.J. Thomas Mfg does

R.J. Thomas Mfg. Co. Inc. is a privately held, vertically integrated metal fabrication company headquartered and operating from a single manufacturing facility at 5648 U.S. Hwy 59, Cherokee, Iowa, three miles south of town. Founded in 1959, the company designs and manufactures the Pilot Rock brand of commercial-duty outdoor site amenities — including charcoal grills, campfire rings, benches, picnic tables, pet waste stations, trash and recycling receptacles, bike racks, lantern poles, and planters — all fabricated in the United States from steel, aluminum, recycled plastic, and lumber with hot dip galvanized or powder coat finishes. Notable proprietary engineering includes a 360-degree theft-proof swivel attachment for grills mounted to 3-1/2 inch OD base posts, infinitely adjustable cooking grates, ADA-compliant accessible grill and picnic table designs, and a non-tip, non-trip walk-through picnic table frame.

The company serves a diversified buyer base spanning federal, state, and local government agencies; public and private campgrounds; K-12 schools and universities; lodges, resorts, hotels, golf courses, and amusement parks; commercial construction firms; park equipment dealers; shooting ranges; and individual homeowners. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time hardware sales of catalog SKUs, with secondary streams in custom metal fabrication, accessories and replacement parts (anchor kits, lids, liners, padlocks), and frame kits that allow buyers to supply their own lumber or recycled plastic planking.

The go-to-market is a hybrid of an inside-sales desk (1-800-762-5002, Mon-Fri 8am-5pm CT) handling a Request-for-Quote workflow for most products, a Buy Now e-commerce storefront with online checkout and FedEx/UPS shipping for select items, and a physical Wholesale Corral at the Cherokee facility selling blemished and overstock inventory at discount. Marketing is executed through the pilotrock.com website catalog, monthly e-newsletter, organic social presence on Facebook/X/YouTube/LinkedIn, and affiliate relationships with the National Recreation Park Association, Iowa Parks & Recreation, Iowa County Conservation System, and the International Association of Fairs & Expos.

Name

R.J. Thomas Mfg

Legal name

R.J. Thomas Mfg. Co. Inc.

Website

https://pilotrock.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

R.J. Thomas Mfg. Co. (Pilot Rock) is a Cherokee, Iowa-based metal fabricator that since 1959 has designed and manufactured commercial-duty outdoor park equipment — grills, picnic tables, benches, trash receptacles, and pet waste stations — for government, campground, school, hospitality, and commercial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Park Equipment

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Cooking, Hydration & Food Storage Retail (CRAMAAAF)

Keywords

• Outdoor park equipment
• Commercial charcoal grills
• Picnic tables
• Campfire rings
• Park site furnishings

Headquarters

HQ city

Cherokee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Park Equipment Sales: One-time sale of outdoor park equipment including charcoal grills, campfire rings, benches, picnic tables, trash receptacles, bike racks, dog park equipment, and pet waste stations. Products are commercial-duty designed and manufactured in the USA since 1959.
2. Custom Metal Fabrication: Custom design, fabrication and finishing capabilities for customized outdoor site products and metal fabrication services.
3. Accessories and Replacement Parts: Sales of accessories including anchor kits, cover caps, armrests, lids, liners, shelves, padlocks, and replacement bags for pet waste stations.
4. Frame Kits (DIY): Frame kits sold without tabletop/seat materials, allowing customers to provide their own lumber or materials, reducing freight costs while delivering steel frame durability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

R.J. Thomas Mfg. Co. Inc. designs and manufactures the Pilot Rock brand of commercial-duty outdoor park equipment in the United States. Core offerings include charcoal grills, campfire rings, park benches, picnic tables (and frame kits), trash and recycling receptacles, dog park products/pet waste stations, bike racks, lantern poles, and site amenities, supported by custom metal fabrication services. Products are built primarily from steel (including expanded, perforated, and steel strap variants) and finished with hot dip galvanizing or powder coat for outdoor durability, with ADA-compliant accessible options for select products.

Product overview

R.J. Thomas Mfg. Co., operating under the Pilot Rock brand since 1959, manufactures commercial-duty outdoor park equipment made in the USA. The product portfolio centers on physical site amenities including charcoal grills (A-20, EC-26/S, N2-2032, ASW-20 series), campfire rings, park benches (Channel/CXB, OWRB series), picnic tables (UT, XT frame kits, TPT series), trash and recycling receptacles (perforated steel, expanded steel, vertical steel strap variants), pet waste collection stations, bike racks, lantern poles, and site amenities. Products feature steel, aluminum, recycled plastic, or wood materials with hot dip galvanized or powder coat finishes. The company also offers customization services, metal fabrication, and sells accessories including anchor kits, lids, liners, covers, and replacement parts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pilot Rock: Primary brand name for outdoor park equipment including campfire rings, grills, benches, picnic tables, trash receptacles, dog park equipment, pet waste stations, bike racks, and lantern poles

Products and services

• EC-26/S Series Covered Charcoal Grill Covered charcoal grill with 320 sq. inches of cooking area, hinged single-level cooking grate, fire grate, four adjustable draft vents, and 360-degree rotation on a theft-proof swivel attachment; designed for park and commercial outdoor cooking.
• A-20 Series Charcoal Grill Premier permanent-mount park grill featuring an infinitely adjustable cooking grate (320 sq. inches), tilting grate for easy fire building and cleanup, and a 360-degree rotation on a theft-proof swivel attachment; built for high-traffic public park use.
• ASW-20 Series Accessible Grills ADA-compliant charcoal grill with 300 sq. inches of cooking space, a swivel grate that rotates 180 degrees, requiring less than 5 lbs. of force to operate, and a cooking surface under 34 inches high for wheelchair accessibility.
• N2-2032 Series Multi-Level Twin Grate Charcoal Grill Multi-level twin grates charcoal grill providing 600 sq. inches of total cooking area across twin 300 sq. inch, four-level adjustable back-to-back cooking grates served by two independent fireboxes.
• MST-1 Series Marksman Shooting Table Outdoor shooting table for shooting ranges and gun clubs featuring a twin radius-cut table top design and an adjustable swivel seat accommodating left- and right-handed shooters, with embedded or surface mount installation options.
• Channel Park Bench (PCXB/SCXB Series) Channel-style park bench with welded steel frame construction, available with stationary embedded or portable/surface mount installation, and compatible with recycled plastic or lumber planking.
• OWRB Contour Park Bench Single-pedestal contour park bench with a central 4-inch square tube support post, available in 4 or 6 ft lengths with recycled plastic or redwood seat/back materials.
• UT Series Picnic Table Non-tip, non-trip walk-through picnic table with all-welded steel pipe frames, available in 6, 8, or 10 ft lengths with expanded steel, recycled plastic, or lumber top/seat materials.
• XT Series Picnic Table Frame Kit (Extra Heavy Duty) Extra heavy duty picnic table frame kit with non-tip, non-trip walk-through design, sold without tabletops/seat materials so customers can supply their own lumber; available in 6, 8, 10, and 12 ft lengths.
• TPT Series Twin Pedestal Picnic Table Twin pedestal picnic table with secure stationary supports designed to prevent theft, available in 6 or 8 ft lengths with 100% recycled plastic planks.
• Pilot Rock Pet Waste Collection Station PWS-D006 (Bags On a Roll) Complete pet waste collection station comprising a steel post, aluminum bag dispenser with 1,000-bag capacity, aluminum 11-gallon waste can, and signage; 72 inches tall when installed.
• DogiPot Pet Waste Collection Station PWS-DOGI1010 Lightweight polyethylene pet waste station with junior bag dispenser (400-bag capacity), 10-gallon trash receptacle, and telescoping fiberglass mounting post.
• Round Perforated Steel Trash Receptacle (CN-R/R) Perforated steel round trash receptacle available in 32, 52, or 55 gallon capacities, with all-welded construction and hot dip galvanized or thermoplastic coated finish.
• Round Expanded Steel Trash Receptacle (CN-R/D) Expanded steel round trash receptacle in 32, 52, or 55 gallon capacities with diamond-hole pattern and thermoplastic coated finish.
• Round Vertical Steel Straps Trash Receptacle (CN-R/SS2) Vertical steel strap trash receptacle designed to hold 30–36 gallon liners, with flared top and steel flange ring base, finished in powder coat.
• BR-6DS Safety Bicycle Rack Safety bicycle rack with gently curved arches accommodating bikes on both sides, parking 6 bicycles at 16-inch centers, with hot dip galvanized finish.
• LH-2 Lantern Holder with 2 Arms Lantern holder with crossbar and two curved arms for hanging camping lanterns at 77 inches high, hot dip galvanized finish with optional wheelchair accessible arm.
• Hot Coal Bin Model HCB/B-1 Hot coal bin for safe, convenient charcoal disposal from picnic grills and BBQs, with 23-inch square top funneling to a 12-inch grated opening, anchored to a concrete pad, finished in high-temperature non-toxic black enamel.
• P-22 Vertical Steel Strap Planter Steel strap planter coordinating with the CN-R/SS2-36 trash receptacle, featuring all-welded fabrication with flared top and an included rigid plastic liner.
• Custom Metal Fabrication Services Custom design, fabrication, and finishing services for customized outdoor site products and general metal fabrication, leveraging in-house capabilities to reduce customer costs and shorten lead times.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65+ years of continuous operation since 1959
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• International Association of Fairs and Expos (IAFE)minorOthersPilot Rock is an affiliate of the International Association of Fairs & Expos, a trade organization for the fair and expo industry.
• Iowa Parks and RecreationminorOthersPilot Rock is an affiliate of the Iowa Parks & Recreation association, supporting parks and recreation professionals in Iowa.
• Iowa County Conservation SystemminorOthersPilot Rock is an affiliate of the Iowa County Conservation System, supporting county conservation efforts in Iowa.
• National Recreation Park Association (NRPA)minorOthersPilot Rock is an affiliate of the National Recreation Park Association, a major professional organization for parks and recreation professionals.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wabash Valley Manufacturing: US manufacturer of commercial-grade outdoor site furnishings including tables, benches, grills, and waste receptacles for parks and recreation — directly overlapping with Pilot Rock's product portfolio and customer segments.
• UltraSite (a PlayCore company): Manufactures commercial outdoor site amenities including benches, picnic tables, grills, bike racks, and waste receptacles for parks, schools, and municipalities — a direct competitor with broader catalog and PlayCore distribution scale.
• Victor Stanley: Designs and manufactures steel site furnishings (benches, trash receptacles, tables, bike racks) for parks, streetscapes, and transit — closely comparable in materials, customer base, and Made-in-USA positioning.
• DuMor: Site furnishings manufacturer producing benches, picnic tables, trash receptacles, bollards, and planters for parks and streetscapes — directly comparable in product category and B2G/B2B customer mix.
• Keystone Ridge Designs: US manufacturer of outdoor site furnishings, including custom and standard benches, tables, receptacles, and grills for parks, campuses, and downtown streetscapes.
• Thomas Steele: Manufactures decorative and commercial-grade outdoor site furnishings including benches, receptacles, and tables for parks, universities, and municipalities — comparable in materials and customer mix.
• Kay Park Recreation: Iowa-based manufacturer of commercial outdoor park equipment including charcoal grills, picnic tables, benches, and waste receptacles — direct regional peer with similar product mix.

Broad incumbents

• Iron Mountain Forge: Broader outdoor site and playground equipment manufacturer offering benches, tables, and grills as part of a wider catalog that includes commercial playground structures.
• Anova (formerly GameTime): PlayCore division manufacturing outdoor site furnishings alongside commercial playground equipment — competes in overlapping park amenities but with broader portfolio and stronger dealer network.

Others

• Park Warehouse: Distributor and reseller of park and playground equipment serving municipal and commercial buyers — adjacent channel participant that competes indirectly by aggregating competing brands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pilotrockrjt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/rjthomasmfg
• Facebookfacebook.com/RJThomasMfg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/r-j-thomas-mfg-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about R.J. Thomas Mfg