What McWane does

McWane, Inc. is a privately held, fifth-generation family-owned industrial manufacturer founded in 1921 in Birmingham, Alabama, that designs and produces ductile iron pipe, valves, fire hydrants, waterworks fittings, plumbing products, fire extinguishers and suppression systems, pressure vessels, and ductile iron utility poles. Its core technology is ductile iron casting and foundry manufacturing, with more than 25 manufacturing facilities across the United States, Canada, China, and India, supported by 6,000+ employees and 750,000+ tons of scrap iron recycled annually. The company holds ISO 14001 certification across multiple facilities and its products comply with AWWA, NSF, UL, FM, ASTM, ANSI, NFPA, and MSS standards required for municipal water and fire safety procurement.

McWane generates revenue primarily through hardware sales across five segments: waterworks products (pipe, valves, hydrants, fittings), plumbing products (cast iron soil pipe and couplings), fire suppression (Amerex extinguishers and systems), pressure vessels (Manchester Tank propane and refrigerant cylinders), and utility poles (McWane Poles, which surpassed $100M in annual revenue). The company sells through an established distributor network across all 50 US states and through direct enterprise sales to municipal utilities and large commercial and industrial customers, with international operations in Canada, India, and China. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, consistent with a B2B industrial manufacturer selling through long-standing channel relationships and procurement specifications rather than transactional markets.

The company has expanded its technology platform with the iHydrant and iHydrantPlus systems, which use sensors installed in fire hydrants combined with machine learning to provide acoustic leak detection, pressure monitoring, temperature analytics, and real-time alerts for water utilities. McWane's strategy is anchored by long-duration municipal infrastructure replacement cycles, generational product durability (ductile iron pipe can exceed 100 years of service life), and bolt-on acquisitions that extend product lifecycles and adjacent service capabilities, including the 2024 acquisition of Ditech Testing for tank refurbishment and recertification.

Name

McWane

Legal name

McWane, LLC

Website

https://mcwane.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

McWane is a privately held, family-owned industrial manufacturer founded in 1921 that produces ductile iron pipe, valves, fire hydrants, plumbing products, fire extinguishers, pressure vessels, and utility poles through 25+ facilities and 6,000+ employees across the US, Canada, China, and India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Infrastructure Manufacturing

NAICS

Other Metal Valve and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing (332919), Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing (33242)

SIC

Steel Pipe & Tubes (3317)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant Equipment (Clarifiers, Aeration, Membrane Systems) (IMAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Heating Accessories & Plumbing Connection Kits (Connectors, Hoses, Traps) (IMADALAG)

Keywords

• Ductile iron pipe
• Waterworks infrastructure
• Fire suppression equipment
• Pressure vessels
• Utility poles

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Waterworks Products: Ductile iron pipe, valves, hydrants, and waterworks fittings sold to municipal water distribution systems and utilities
2. Plumbing Products: Cast iron soil pipe, fittings, and related plumbing products for residential and commercial construction
3. Fire Suppression: Fire extinguishers, suppression systems, and fire hydrants for commercial and industrial applications
4. Pressure Vessels: Propane tanks and pressurized cylinders for residential, commercial, medical, and industrial applications
5. Utility Poles: Ductile iron utility poles for the electric utility industry, stronger and longer-lasting than steel and wood alternatives

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

McWane manufactures and sells ductile iron pipe, valves, fire hydrants, waterworks fittings, cast iron plumbing pipe, fire extinguishers and suppression systems, propane and refrigerant pressure vessels, and ductile iron utility poles. It also sells the iHydrant and iHydrantPlus smart water system monitoring platforms. Products are sold primarily to municipal water utilities, electric utilities, plumbing contractors, and commercial/industrial fire protection customers through waterworks distributors and direct enterprise sales.

Product overview

McWane is a diversified industrial manufacturer of waterworks infrastructure and related products. The portfolio operates as a platform-plus-segments model: ductile iron pipe (McWane Ductile) forms the core water distribution backbone, complemented by multiple product lines including plumbing products (AB&I Foundry, Anaco, Tyler Pipe & Coupling, Bibby-Ste-Croix), fire suppression (AMEREX fire extinguishers and suppression systems), valves and hydrants (Clow Valve, Kennedy Valve, M&H Valve), the iHydrant/iHydrantPlus smart monitoring add-on module, waterworks fittings (Tyler Union, Tyler Xianxian), pressure vessels (Manchester Tank, Ditech Testing), and utility poles (McWane Poles). Operations span North America (U.S. and Canada), China, and India with over 25 manufacturing facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iHydrantPlus: Water system intelligence platform combining acoustic leak detection, pressure monitoring and temperature data with machine learning tools for real-time water system analytics.
• iHydrant

Products and services

• McWane Ductile Iron Pipe Ductile iron pipe products for water distribution infrastructure, manufactured at three McWane Ductile facilities (New Jersey, Ohio, Utah) for municipal, industrial, and high-pressure water applications. When properly installed, ductile iron pipe can be used for more than a century.
• AB&I Foundry Cast Iron Soil Pipe and Fittings Cast iron soil pipe and fittings for plumbing applications, manufactured in Tyler, Texas. Used in residential and commercial plumbing systems.
• Anaco Couplings Couplings products for plumbing and waterworks applications, acquired by McWane in 1995.
• Tyler Pipe & Coupling Pipe and coupling products for plumbing systems, manufactured in Tyler, Texas, including operations at the Sri City, India Coupling plant.
• AMEREX Fire Extinguishers and Suppression Systems Hand portable and wheeled fire extinguishers and fire suppression systems for commercial and industrial applications. Headquartered in Trussville, Alabama; described as the world's largest manufacturer of hand portable and wheeled fire extinguishers.
• Clow Valve Valves for water distribution systems and water/wastewater treatment facilities. Operates foundry and machine shop facilities in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
• Kennedy Valve AWWA-compliant resilient valves and fire hydrants for municipal water distribution systems and water/wastewater treatment facilities. Located in Elmira, New York.
• M&H Valve AWWA-compliant resilient valves and fire hydrants for municipal water distribution systems and water/wastewater treatment facilities. Products comply with NSF, UL, FM, ASTM, USC, ANSI, NFPA, and MSS standards. Located in Anniston, Alabama.
• iHydrant Monitoring System Hydrant-based system monitoring technology for water infrastructure. The original iHydrant system monitors water distribution through sensors installed in fire hydrants, providing data to water utilities.
• iHydrantPlus Water System Intelligence Platform Advanced water system intelligence platform that builds on iHydrant technology by combining acoustic leak detection, pressure monitoring, and temperature data with machine learning to provide real-time system analytics and alerts for water utilities. Helps operators identify leaks and reduce non-revenue water loss.
• McWane Plant and Industrial (MPI) Valves and water system products including swing check valves certified for drinking water. Located in Birmingham, Alabama with multiple facilities across the U.S.
• Tyler Union Waterworks Fittings Waterworks fittings for municipal and industrial water distribution systems. Located in Anniston, Alabama.
• Manchester Tank Pressure Vessels Pressure vessels including propane tanks, refrigerant cylinders, and CO2 cylinders for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Multiple manufacturing facilities in the U.S.
• Ditech Testing Tank Refurbishment and Recertification Tank refurbishment and tank recertification services for pressurized vessels, based in Canada. Acquired by McWane in 2024 to complete the Manchester Tank product lifecycle.
• McWane Poles Ductile Iron Utility Poles Ductile iron utility poles for the electric utility industry. Stronger and longer-lasting than steel and wood poles, with lower life-cycle costs. Made from recycled materials and recyclable at end of life. Facilities in Ohio and Utah.
• Canada Pipe Ductile iron pipe products for the Canadian market. Located in Hamilton, Ontario.
• Clow Canada Valves and Waterworks Products Valves and waterworks products for the Canadian market. Consolidated manufacturing operations in Saint John, New Brunswick.
• Bibby-Ste-Croix Plumbing Products Plumbing products for the Canadian market. Located in Ste-Croix, Quebec.
• McWane India Valves and Water Meters Engineering design, manufacturing of valves and water meters, IoT development, IT services, and business support operations for the Indian market. Located in Coimbatore and Sri City, India.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ductile iron pipe lasts 100+ years when properly installed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA)minorOthersIndustry association providing accurate, reliable engineering information about ductile iron pipe to utility and consulting engineers.
• The Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute (CISPI)minorOthersTrade institute organized in 1949 by leading American manufacturers of cast iron soil pipe and fittings, dedicated to improving the plumbing industry.
• The American Foundry Society (AFS)minorOthersProvides and promotes knowledge and services that strengthen the metal casting industry.
• The American Water Works Association (AWWA)minorOthersAuthoritative resource for knowledge, information, and advocacy to improve the quality and supply of water in North America and beyond.
• The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA)minorOthersNational trade association representing the U.S. propane industry.
• The National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors (NAFED)minorOthersEstablished 1963 to improve economic environment, business performance, and technical competence in the fire protection industry.
• Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association (VPPPA)minorOthersLeading organization dedicated to cooperative occupational safety, health and environmental management systems.
• National Safety Council (NSC)minorOthersNon-profit dedicated to prevention of accidental injuries and deaths; promotes safety in workplace, transportation, and communities.
• U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC)minorOthersCertifies sustainable businesses, homes, hospitals, schools and neighborhoods; promotes green building practices through LEED rating system.
• South Region Minority Business Council (SRMBC)minorOthersAffiliate of National Minority Supplier Development Council; expands business opportunities for Minority Business Enterprises.
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)minorOthersWorld's leading advocate of fire prevention; develops and disseminates consensus codes and standards for fire and risk minimization.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mueller Water Products: Publicly traded maker of water infrastructure products including hydrants, valves, ductile iron pipe, and smart-water technology. Direct overlap with McWane's waterworks valves, hydrants, fittings, and iHydrant-style smart monitoring offerings.
• EBAA Iron Sales: Manufacturer of ductile iron pipe fittings, restraints, and connectors for water and wastewater applications. Comparable product-line competitor in the waterworks fittings segment alongside McWane's Tyler Union brand.
• U.S. Pipe and Foundry Company: One of the largest US manufacturers of ductile iron pipe, fittings, and fabrications for water and wastewater infrastructure. Direct competitor to McWane Ductile in municipal water pipe bids across the US.
• American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO): Birmingham, Alabama-based manufacturer of ductile iron pipe, fire hydrants, valves, and fabricated steel products for waterworks. Closest geographic and product-line competitor to McWane, also serving municipal water utilities.
• Forterra: Leading US manufacturer of water and drainage pipe products, including ductile iron and pressure pipe, concrete, and PVC pipe. Competes with McWane Ductile in municipal water infrastructure tenders.

Broad incumbents

• Worthington Industries: Publicly traded manufacturer of pressure cylinders, steel processing, and consumer products. Comparable to McWane's Manchester Tank pressure vessel business for propane and refrigerant cylinders.
• Mueller Industries: Diversified manufacturer of copper, brass, aluminum, and plastic products serving plumbing, HVAC, industrial, and waterworks markets. Overlaps with McWane's plumbing group (Tyler Pipe, AB&I, Anaco) and broader water infrastructure business.
• Tyco / Johnson Controls Fire Suppression: Global leader in fire suppression systems, sprinklers, and extinguishers through the Ansul, Tyco, and Grinnell brands. Direct competitor to McWane's Amerex subsidiary in fire extinguishers and suppression equipment.
• Watts Water Technologies: Global manufacturer of water products including valves, flow control, drainage, and water quality solutions. Broader portfolio than McWane but overlapping in plumbing and waterworks valves and fittings.

Emerging players

• Badger Meter: US-based manufacturer of flow measurement and smart water monitoring solutions for utilities. Comparable to McWane's iHydrant/iHydrantPlus business in bringing digital intelligence to municipal water distribution networks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=wpGON2iRKfc
• Facebookfacebook.com/mcwaneinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcwane-inc-
• Xx.com/McWaneInc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A3 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about McWane