What Rees does

Rees, Inc. is a privately held, Fremont, Indiana-based manufacturer of electromechanical industrial control switches founded in 1929 by Mackworth G. Rees. The company designs and builds a catalog of cable/rope-operated switches (including bi-directional, inline, and explosion-proof variants), 22.5mm and 30.5mm push-button operators, single- and double-plunger palm buttons, selector switches, pilot lights, positive-opening contact blocks, and NEMA-rated enclosures in cast aluminum, steel, stainless steel, and fiberglass-reinforced polyester. Differentiated technical features include IEC 60947-5-1 direct-opening contacts, gold-plated bifurcated contacts for low-level signal reliability, high-impact thermoplastic construction, and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.217-compliant two-hand anti-tiedown stations. The product set is safety-rated for industrial machine control, conveyor emergency-stop, and hazardous-location applications.

The business model is B2B hardware sales via a quote-based catalog (pricing not publicly disclosed, terms Net 25th Proximo with a 2% 10th-Proximo discount, free freight at $2,000 NET and a 3% processing fee below that, 20% restocking fee, one-year warranty). Rees operates four concurrent go-to-market motions: inside sales ([email protected] / 260.495.9811), an authorized industrial electrical distributor network (Crescent Electric, CBT Company, Becker Electric, The Reynolds Company, and others), a regional field-sales rep network, and a self-service e-commerce catalog at catalog.reesinc.com. Custom/special operator control stations are non-cancelable engineering builds.

Named end customers include Ford Motor Company, FedEx, Chrysler/Stellantis, and Amazon (with dedicated approved-parts catalog landings for Chrysler 22.5mm and Amazon items), plus U.S. government agencies under CAGE code 89698. The company is a certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBENC), Certified Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (Disability:IN), ISO 9001:2015 registered, and UL/CSA listed. Ownership is closely held under CEO/Owner Danna Breeden, who is supported by a President/GM (Joel Jepson) and an Engineering Manager (Caleb McGuire); the workforce is reported at 64% women with multiple 40-50+ year employee tenures. No outside funding rounds, M&A activity, or institutional investors are disclosed.

Name

Rees

Legal name

Rees, Inc.

Website

https://reesinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rees, Inc. is a privately held Fremont, Indiana manufacturer of electromechanical industrial control switches — including rope/cable pull switches, push buttons, E-stops, palm buttons, contact blocks, and explosion-proof enclosures — sold to industrial OEMs, operators, and government buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Control Switches

NAICS

Switchgear and Switchboard Apparatus Manufacturing (335313), Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314), Electrical Equipment Manufacturing (33531)

SIC

Switchgear & Switchboard Apparatus (3613), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Low-Voltage Switchboards & Panelboards (LV distribution panels, MCCs, switchboards) (IMAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electromechanical Components (Relays, Switches, Potentiometers, Encoders) (IMAGAJAB), Wiring Devices & Receptacles (switches, sockets, plugs, industrial outlets, pin & sleeve) (IMAGAEAF)

Keywords

• Electromechanical industrial switches
• Push button operators
• Emergency stop switches
• Cable operated switches
• Explosion proof switches

Headquarters

HQ city

Fremont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Control Switch Hardware Sales: One-time sales of manufactured electromechanical switches (rope/cable pull, palm buttons, push buttons, E-stops, contact blocks, explosion-proof switches, enclosures, accessories). Majority of standard catalog products available for immediate shipment; custom/special configurations offered; 1-year warranty on manufacturing defects; 20% restocking fee for catalog returns within 2 years of manufacture.
2. Custom/Specials Engineering Work: Custom-built operator control stations with multiple operators (palm buttons, selector switches, pilot lights, E-stops) in single enclosures tailored to customer specifications; custom legend plates, wire colors, and connector options. Engineering team works directly with customers; specials are non-cancelable.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Core offering

Rees, Inc. manufactures and sells electromechanical industrial control switches from its Fremont, Indiana facility, including cable/rope operated pull switches, single- and double-plunger push button operators, 30.5 mm and 22.5 mm panel-mount control units, palm buttons, emergency stops, contact blocks, and explosion-proof switches housed in NEMA-rated enclosures. It also engineers custom operator control stations combining multiple operators, legend plates, and wiring into single enclosures, and supplies related accessories such as ring guards, pilot lights, and vinyl-covered aircraft cable.

Product overview

Rees, Inc. is a single-line industrial manufacturer (no software platform) producing electromechanical industrial control switches from its Fremont, Indiana facility. Its offering is organized as a catalog of related switch families rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture: the core lines are Cable/Rope Operated Switches (including the newest Inline Cable Switches and Bi-Directional and Explosion Proof variants), Single Plunger and Double Plunger Push Button Switches, 30.5 MM Control Units (with their 30.5mm Push Buttons), 22.5 MM Control Units, Contact Blocks, Supplemental Industrial Switches, and a Specific Selector Switch. The accessories line (ring guards, legend plates, NEMA-rated enclosures, cable, pilot lights) is sold alongside the operators, and customer-specific landings (Chrysler 22.5mm, Amazon Approved Items) index approved parts from within the same catalog.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cable/Rope Operated Switches Electromechanical rope/cable pull emergency-stop switches providing continuous emergency-stop coverage along conveyors and equipment lines, available in standard and explosion-proof variants and in single- or bi-directional pull configurations. Used by industrial OEMs and plant operators.
• Single Plunger Push Button Switches Heavy-duty single-plunger electromechanical push-button operators used as machine control and start/stop switches in industrial environments.
• Double Plunger Push Button Switches Two-button start/stop push-button operators that actuate independent plungers, typically used for two-hand control safety circuits on presses and forming equipment.
• 30.5 MM Control Units Heavy-duty 30.5 mm panel-mount control units including emergency-stop push buttons, palm buttons, selector switches, pilot lights, and contact-block stacks for operator stations.
• 22.5 MM Control Units 22.5 mm panel-mount operators (push buttons, selector switches, emergency stops, pilot lights) built with high-impact thermoplastic/polymer housings rated for severe industrial impact conditions.
• Explosion Proof Cable Operated Switches Rope-pull emergency-stop switches housed in NEMA 7/NEMA 9 explosion-proof enclosures, UL and CSA listed for Class I Div 1 Groups C & D and Class II Div 1 Groups E, F & G hazardous locations.
• Supplemental Industrial Switches Supplementary industrial control switches sold alongside the main Rees catalog offering.
• Accessories & Associated Control Switches Ring guards, legend plates, NEMA-rated enclosures (NEMA 1/4/4X/12/13 in cast aluminum, steel, stainless steel, and fiberglass-reinforced polyester), vinyl-covered aircraft cable, and pilot lights for use with Rees operator stations.
• Inline Cable Switches Inline-style cable switches offered as Rees's newest product line, listed under the cable/rope-operated switches catalog category.
• Contact Blocks Snap-action electrical contact blocks (NO/NC/combination) with positive-opening direct-opening action, gold-plated bifurcated contacts, and Heavy Duty A600/N150 ratings; up to six blocks can be stacked per operator.
• 30.5mm Push Buttons 30.5 mm industrial push-button operators (flush, extended, mushroom-head) including lockable emergency-stop styles, designed for rugged manufacturing environments.
• Bi-Directional Cable Operated Switch Rope-pull switch that responds to pulls from either direction, continuously monitors cable tension, and triggers emergency stop on broken, cut, or slack cable with manual reset and optional LED status indicators.
• Specific Selector Switch A dedicated selector-switch SKU listed within Rees's all-categories catalog.
• Chrysler 22.5mm Approved Parts Catalog landing page aggregating 22.5 mm Rees parts approved for Chrysler/Stellantis applications.
• Amazon Approved / Elected Items Catalog landing page aggregating Rees parts elected/approved for use in Amazon fulfillment and distribution facilities.
• Custom/Special Operator Control Stations Custom-built operator control stations that combine multiple operators (palm buttons, selector switches, pilot lights, E-stops) inside a single enclosure to customer specifications, including custom legend plates, wire colors, and connector options; engineered directly with the customer and supplied as non-cancelable specials.

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell International: Honeywell's Safety and Productivity Solutions segment sells emergency-stop devices, rope-pull switches, and machine safety controls that directly overlap Rees's E-stop and cable-operated product lines. Comparable as a much larger incumbent supplying the same industrial customer base with broader automation portfolios.
• Eaton: Eaton's Industrial Control division manufactures 22.5mm and 30.5mm push buttons, selector switches, pilot devices, and E-stops in the same form factors Rees produces. Comparable as a diversified electrical-equipment incumbent competing for the same panel-builder and OEM customers.
• Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley): Allen-Bradley Bulletin 800T/800H push buttons, 30.5mm operators, and cable-pull switches compete head-to-head with Rees for industrial OEM and automotive line-builder business. Comparable as a broad automation incumbent offering switches as part of a larger controls ecosystem.
• Schneider Electric: Schneider's Telemecanique/Harmony XB4/XB5 22mm push buttons, E-stops, and operator stations overlap Rees's 22.5mm and 30.5mm control-unit lines. Comparable as a global incumbent serving overlapping industrial OEMs and panel builders.
• Siemens: Siemens SIRIUS line of push buttons, indicator lights, and command devices directly competes with Rees's 22.5mm and 30.5mm control units and E-stops in machine-builder applications. Comparable as a broad industrial-automation incumbent.
• ABB: ABB's modular plastic and metal 22mm/30mm push-button lines and pilot devices compete with Rees's 22.5mm and 30.5mm control units across industrial OEM customers. Comparable as a broad industrial-electrification incumbent with global channel coverage.

Direct peers

• IDEC Corporation: IDEC manufactures 22mm and 30mm push buttons, selector switches, E-stops, and contact blocks in nearly identical form factors and ratings to Rees's 22.5mm and 30.5mm lines. Comparable as a focused, similarly-sized specialist competing for the same panel-builder and OEM switch business.
• Schmersal Group: Schmersal specializes in safety switches, rope-pull E-stops, and positive-opening contact blocks with IEC 60947-5-1 ratings comparable to Rees's safety-rated contact blocks and explosion-proof cable switches. Comparable as a safety-switch specialist targeting conveyor and machine-builder applications.

Emerging players

• SICK AG: SICK produces safety rope-pull switches, E-stop devices, and safety controllers that overlap Rees's cable-operated and E-stop product lines for conveyor safety. Comparable as a safety-focused competitor with broader sensor and digital safety offerings.
• Banner Engineering: Banner sells safety pull-cord switches, E-stop buttons, and machine safety devices that compete with Rees's rope-pull switches and palm buttons in conveyor and packaging applications. Comparable as a focused safety-products competitor with strong industrial channel presence.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Rees