Windy City Wire
Windy City Wire is a U.S. manufacturer of low-voltage wire and cable, selling through integrators, contractors, and distributors from 19 nationwide stocking locations with a patented reel-in-box packaging system.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersBolingbrook, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Windy City Wire does
Windy City Wire is a U.S. manufacturer of low-voltage wire and cable products founded in 1994 and headquartered in Bolingbrook, Illinois. The company designs and produces cable for security, fire alarm, professional AV, category/data, DAS, fiber, petroleum, access control, and temperature control applications, organized across 13 product categories and a portfolio of branded sub-lines including SmartCAT, SmartFIBER, SmartGUARD, SmartKITS, SmartPATCH, RackStak, DragonSkin, Water Warrior, MegaPack, and Grab-N-Go.
Its core technical differentiator is the patented RackPack system, a reel-in-box cable packaging format that the company positions as a labor- and waste-saving alternative to traditional pull-box cable. The product line spans specialty constructions such as the DragonSkin plenum line and the Water Warrior outdoor/water-resistant line, alongside fiber, category, and control cable families. The RackPack Field System extends the platform with co-branded packaging for installer customers.
The company sells primarily through integrators, contractors, and distributors serving commercial low-voltage projects, with Convergint Technologies among its named enterprise accounts. Distribution is supported by 19 nationwide stocking locations that compress delivery times for field installers, and the company has recently added digital tooling, including a 2026 online order tracking platform, plus a partnership with LG for temperature control cable to extend into the HVAC controls vertical.
Windy City Wire firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Windy City Wire
- Legal name
- Windy City Wire
- Website
- https://smartwire.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Windy City Wire is a U.S. manufacturer of low-voltage wire and cable, selling through integrators, contractors, and distributors from 19 nationwide stocking locations with a patented reel-in-box packaging system.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Windy City Wire industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Low-Voltage Wire and Cable Products
- NAICS
- Communication and Energy Wire and Cable Manufacturing (33592), Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturing (335921)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Electrical Apparatus & Equipment, Wiring Supplies (5063), Wholesale-Electronic Parts & Equipment, Nec (5065), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cable Management & Pathways (Racks/Panels/Trays/Conduits/Organizers) (HDAFALAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cable Assemblies & Patch Cords (Copper/Fiber) (HDAFALAF), Coaxial, RF & Specialty Signal Cable (IMADAMAE), Building Wire & Cable (Residential/Commercial) (IMADAMAA)
Keywords
Where Windy City Wire is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bolingbrook
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Windy City Wire business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Low-Voltage Cable and Wire Sales: Manufactures and distributes low-voltage cable and wire products including PRO AV, Building Wire, Category Cable (Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a, Cat7), CCTV, DAS, Fire, Petroleum, Outdoor, Security & Access Control, Temperature Control cables, and fiber optic solutions. Products sold as one-time purchases with repeat purchasing patterns from professional installers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based pricing for all products |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Windy City Wire product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Windy City Wire manufactures and distributes low-voltage wire and cable products, packaged in the patented RackPack reel-in-the-box system, with American-made SmartWire cables featuring FastFIND Footage Markers and SmartWire Glide Lubrication. The offering spans 15+ cable categories — PRO AV, Category Cable (Cat5e through Cat7), Building Wire, CCTV, DAS, Fiber, Fire Alarm, Petroleum, Outdoor, Security & Access Control, and Temperature Control — supported by RackPack Transporters and Cabling Accessories, sold to integrators, contractors, and distributors across 19 nationwide stocking locations.
Product overview
Windy City Wire is a U.S.-based manufacturer and distributor of low-voltage wire and cable solutions offering a comprehensive portfolio organized around its patented RackPack Field System Solution. The core offering centers on SmartWire cables (American-made with FastFIND Footage Markers and SmartWire Glide Lubrication), packaged in the patented RackPack reel-in-the-box system, supported by RackPack Transporters for mobility. The product line spans 13 major categories: PRO AV (including category cable, coax, fiber, lighting control for Lutron/Crestron/AXLink, premade patch cables, and SmartPATCH), Building Wire, Category Cable (Cat5e through Cat7), CCTV, DAS (including DragonSkin and SmartGUARD branded cables), SmartCAT, SmartFIBER, Fire Alarm (including 2-hour rated and armored variants), Petroleum (oil-resistant for gas stations), Outdoor (water-resistant and direct burial), Security & Access Control (OSDP, BACnet), and Temperature Control (compatible with major building automation systems). Supporting tools include SmartKITS for custom kit creation, Quick Quote for pricing, Order Tracking for shipment visibility, and calculators for conduit sizing and voltage drop. The company operates 19 stocking locations nationwide with corporate headquarters in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SmartWire: American-made cables with value-added features like FastFIND Footage Markers and SmartWire Glide Lubrication
- RackPack
- RackPack Transporters
- SmartCAT
- SmartFIBER
- SmartGUARD
- SmartKITS
- SmartPATCH
- RackStak
- DragonSkin
- Water Warrior
- MegaPack
- Grab-N-Go
Products and services
- SmartWire Cable American-made low-voltage cables featuring FastFIND Footage Markers and SmartWire Glide Lubrication for superior quality, reliability, and ease of use in cabling installations.
- RackPack Patented reel-in-the-box cable packaging system designed to streamline installations, reduce waste, and enhance efficiency for low-voltage cabling projects.
- RackPack Transporters Transportation devices designed exclusively to hold RackPack cartons, providing simplified mobility, improved safety, and efficiency for users at all stages of cable handling.
- Category Cable Full range of category cables including Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a, and Cat7 for networking applications, available in plenum, non-plenum, and outdoor variants.
- Fire Alarm Cable Fire-rated cables including 2-hour fire cable, armored fire alarm, plenum, non-plenum, and NYC-approved variants for life safety systems.
- DAS Cable Distributed Antenna System cables including 50-ohm braided coax, plenum, outdoor, and digital electricity variants for in-building wireless coverage.
- SmartCAT Specialized category cable solutions available in outdoor and plenum variants with corresponding tools and connectors.
- SmartFIBER Fiber optic cable solutions for harsh or long-distance environments, supporting modern security and AV installations.
- Petroleum Cable Oil and fuel-resistant cables including shielded, triad, and category cable variants designed for gas stations and harsh petroleum environments.
- Building Wire Single and multi-conductor wire in pair, quad, and triad configurations available in solid and stranded variants for building construction applications.
- CCTV Cable Coaxial and category cables for closed-circuit television surveillance systems, including RG6 and RG59 variants.
- Security & Access Control Cable Cables for security systems including OSDP, BACnet RS232, shielded, non-plenum, plenum, multi-conductor composite, and outdoor water warrior variants.
- Temperature Control Cable Control cables for HVAC and building automation systems, including options compatible with ALC, Alerton, BACnet, Distech, Honeywell, JCI, LG, Schneider, Trane, and other control systems.
- Outdoor Cable Water-resistant and direct burial cables including Cat5e, Cat6, composite outdoor, shielded, plenum, siamese, and water warrior variants for outdoor installations.
- PRO AV Cable Professional audio/video cables including category cable, coax, fiber, connectors, tools, lighting control (Lutron, Crestron, AXLink), mic/line level control, speaker audio, premade patch cables (HDMI, USB, DisplayPort, DB9, VGA, DVI), and SmartPATCH panels.
- Cabling Accessories Supporting products including adhesive mounting pads, brackets, cable ties, decorative gang plates, hardware, heat shrink, plates, tape, TechFlex, and Velcro Dual Lock.
Quantifiable outcome
- 15% reduction in installation labor costs
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Windy City Wire
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Windy City Wire technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Windy City Wire partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Windy City Wire competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Belden Inc. Belden is a leading global manufacturer of cable, connectivity, and networking products. It competes directly with Windy City Wire in low-voltage category cable, coax, fiber, and AV/security cabling for commercial integrators, though at significantly broader scale and a global footprint.
- Multilink Inc. Multilink is a manufacturer of cable, connectivity, and related low-voltage communications products. It competes in similar builder/integrator channels with category cable, fiber, and structured cabling offerings that overlap with Windy City Wire's portfolio.
- CommScope: CommScope is a major manufacturer of network and connectivity infrastructure, including category cable, fiber, and structured cabling systems. It serves many of the same enterprise, integrator, and data center end-markets that Windy City Wire targets with SmartCAT and SmartFIBER products.
- Paige Electric: Paige Electric designs and manufactures specialty wire and cable products, including low-voltage, security, fire alarm, and communications cable. Its product portfolio and integrator/pro-AV customer base closely mirror Windy City Wire's low-voltage focus.
- Superior Essex International: Superior Essex manufactures communications and energy wire and cable products, including category cables, hybrid cables, and building wire. It competes directly with Windy City Wire in the same low-voltage commercial and integrator channel, with overlap on category and hybrid cable SKUs.
- Lake Cable: Lake Cable is a U.S. manufacturer of custom and stock wire and cable products serving industrial, commercial, and communications markets. It overlaps with Windy City Wire in low-voltage and specialty cable manufacturing for installer and integrator customers.
- West Penn Wire (a brand of Prysmian): West Penn Wire is a brand focused on AV, security, broadband, and low-voltage cable for commercial integrators. It is a near-direct competitor to Windy City Wire across category cable, AV, security, and fire alarm product categories.
Broad incumbents
- Southwire Company: Southwire is one of North America's largest wire and cable manufacturers, with broad coverage in building wire, low-voltage cable, and specialty industrial cable. While much larger and broader in portfolio, it overlaps directly with Windy City Wire's Building Wire and specialty low-voltage product lines.
- Legrand (Ortronics): Legrand is a global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructure, with Ortronics providing structured cabling, patch panels, and connectivity. It competes with Windy City Wire in network and AV connectivity, including patch panels and cabling solutions for commercial projects.
Emerging players
- CableWholesale: CableWholesale is a value-oriented distributor of low-voltage cable, networking, and AV connectivity products. It serves overlapping commercial and integrator customer segments to Windy City Wire, with a stronger e-commerce/distribution-led GTM versus Windy City Wire's RackPack-packaged system approach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Windy City Wire social profiles
Digital presenceWindy City Wire financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Windy City Wire leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Windy City Wire funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Windy City Wire M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Windy City Wire
What does Windy City Wire do?
Windy City Wire manufactures and distributes low-voltage wire and cable products, packaged in the patented RackPack reel-in-the-box system, with American-made SmartWire cables featuring FastFIND Footage Markers and SmartWire Glide Lubrication. The offering spans 15+ cable categories — PRO AV, Category Cable (Cat5e through Cat7), Building Wire, CCTV, DAS, Fiber, Fire Alarm, Petroleum, Outdoor, Security & Access Control, and Temperature Control — supported by RackPack Transporters and Cabling Accessories, sold to integrators, contractors, and distributors across 19 nationwide stocking locations.
Is Windy City Wire a public or private company?
Windy City Wire is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Windy City Wire founded?
Windy City Wire was founded in 1994. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Windy City Wire based?
Windy City Wire is headquartered in Bolingbrook, United States, in the North America region.
How does Windy City Wire make money?
One revenue line is on record: low-Voltage Cable and Wire Sales.
Who are Windy City Wire's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Belden Inc., Multilink Inc., CommScope, Paige Electric, Superior Essex International, Lake Cable and West Penn Wire (a brand of Prysmian). Broad incumbents are Southwire Company and Legrand (Ortronics). CableWholesale is listed as an emerging player.
Does Windy City Wire have an API?
No public API is recorded for Windy City Wire.
What industry is Windy City Wire in?
Windy City Wire's product category is Low-Voltage Wire and Cable Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAFALAH, Cable Management & Pathways (Racks/Panels/Trays/Conduits/Organizers), with a secondary code of HDAFALAF, Cable Assemblies & Patch Cords (Copper/Fiber). Its NAICS code is 33592 and its SIC code is 5063.