What William Hackett does

William Hackett is a privately held UK industrial manufacturer specializing in safety-critical lifting, rigging, hoisting, and chain equipment. Founded in 1892 and headquartered in Alnwick, Northumberland, the company operates a primary manufacturing facility in Cradley Heath, West Midlands, and a US sales office in Houston, Texas, serving customers in more than 42 countries. Since December 2023, the company has been owned by H2 Equity Partners following a private equity investment.

The company's product portfolio centers on industrial lifting hardware including chain hoists, components and slings, master links, lifting chain (Hack8 and Hack10 assemblies), load attachment hardware, rigging hardware, and harrows. Its most recently launched product, the WH C4 QT quiet chain hoist, features a patent-pending reduced-noise braking system that achieves 75.08 dB at 0.75 m per minute pull rate, compared with standard hoists exceeding 85 dB, and is positioned against the company's newly introduced QUIET TIER standard for noise-sensitive environments. The Hackett App extends a digital layer through RFID scanning of chain assemblies for instant access to certifications and safety instructions. Manufacturing is augmented by bespoke component capabilities and the company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications.

William Hackett generates revenue through direct B2B enterprise field sales, with quote-based pricing determined through technical consultation rather than self-service channels. The company targets 15+ industry verticals including construction, industrial, oil and gas, marine, renewables, subsea, rail, utilities, mining, agriculture, and aquaculture. In February 2025, William Hackett expanded its manufacturing footprint through the acquisition of Forge Lifting Gear and B&S Chains, both previously based in Halesowen, which have been relocated into the Cradley Heath facility. No public revenue figures are disclosed; the company employs between 101 and 250 people.

Name

William Hackett

Legal name

William Hackett

Website

https://williamhackett.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1892

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Lifting Equipment

NAICS

Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392), Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

Lifting Accessories & Rigging (Slings, Shackles, Hooks, Spreaders) (IMAHAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hoists (Electric, Manual & Pneumatic) (IMAHAJAG), Cranes, Hoists & Overhead Material Handling (Industrial) (IMAHABAE), Crane & Hoist Components (Wire Rope, Chain, Drums, Sheaves, Motors, Controls) (IMAHAJAK)

Keywords

• Lifting equipment manufacturing
• Industrial chain hoists
• Rigging hardware
• Load attachment products
• Safety-critical lifting

Headquarters

HQ city

Alnwick

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lifting Equipment Sales: Sale of safety-critical lifting and rigging equipment including hoists, chain, components, slings, hardware, and load attachment products. Primarily one-time hardware sales with potential for repeat orders from industrial customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

William Hackett designs, manufactures, and supplies safety-critical lifting, rigging, and chain equipment for industrial customers worldwide. The portfolio spans chain hoists (including the patent-pending QT quiet hoist), lifting components and slings, master links, industrial chain (Hack8 and Hack10 assemblies), load attachment hardware, rigging hardware, and harrows. Products are engineered for noise-sensitive and confined-space environments and supported by RFID-enabled traceability via the Hackett mobile app.

Product overview

William Hackett is a global provider of safety-critical lifting, rigging, and chain solutions with over 130 years of expertise. The company operates a platform-plus-products architecture centered on industrial lifting equipment including chain hoists (with the new WH C4 QT quiet hoist as a flagship product), components and slings, master links, chains (featuring Hack8 and Hack10 assemblies), load attachment hardware, and harrows. The product portfolio is supported by the Hackett App mobile application with RFID scanning capabilities. Recent expansion includes the acquisition of Forge Lifting Gear and B&S Chains, both relocated to the Cradley Heath facility. Products serve 12+ sectors including construction, industrial, oil and gas, agriculture, utilities, rail, marine, transportation, subsea, renewables, mining, aquaculture, sports and recreation, and entertainment, with global distribution to more than 42 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hoists Industrial chain hoists and lifting equipment for safety-critical applications, including the WH C4 QT quiet hoist engineered for noise-sensitive environments and confined spaces.
• WH C4 QT Chain Hoist Quiet chain hoist designed to QUIET TIER standard for noise-sensitive and confined-space environments, featuring a patent-pending reduced-noise braking system that lowers operator noise exposure versus standard hoists.
• Components and Slings Lifting components and sling assemblies designed for safety-critical applications across industrial sectors including construction, oil and gas, marine, and renewables.
• Master Links Master link assemblies used for load attachment in industrial and commercial lifting operations.
• Chain Industrial lifting chain products including Hack8 and Hack10 chain assemblies, supported by RFID-enabled traceability through the Hackett mobile app for instant access to certifications and safety instructions.
• Load Attachment Load attachment hardware and components engineered for rigging and safety-critical lifting applications.
• Hardware Rigging hardware including hooks, shackles, and other lifting accessories for safety-critical applications.
• Harrows Harrow products for agricultural and industrial applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• QT Hoist achieves 75.08 dB noise rating at 0.75 m/min pull rate vs standard hoists exceeding 85 dB
• +1 more outcomes

Segments15 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Forge Lifting GearminorOthers · 20 February 2025William Hackett acquired Forge Lifting Gear, a lifting gear manufacturer based in Halesowen. The company has relocated to William Hackett's facility in Cradley Heath as part of expansion strategy.
• B&S ChainsminorOthers · 20 February 2025William Hackett acquired B&S Chains, a chain manufacturer based in Halesowen. The company has relocated to William Hackett's facility in Cradley Heath as part of expansion strategy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Gunnebo Industries: Gunnebo Industries manufactures hoists, lifting equipment, and components for industrial and offshore applications. It directly competes with William Hackett in chain hoists and lifting gear across construction, marine, and industrial sectors.
• Tractel: Tractel is a global specialist in lifting, load measurement, and access solutions serving construction, industrial, and energy markets. It directly parallels William Hackett's safety-critical lifting focus and serves many of the same verticals including oil & gas, construction, and utilities.
• Crosby Group: The Crosby Group is a leading global manufacturer of lifting, rigging, and material handling hardware including shackles, hooks, slings, and master links. It is the most directly comparable peer to William Hackett's rigging and hardware portfolio, serving similar industrial safety-critical applications worldwide.
• Kito Group: Kito Group is a Japanese-headquartered global manufacturer of chain hoists, electric hoists, and crane components. It is a direct peer in the chain hoist category, competing head-to-head with William Hackett's QT Hoist and traditional chain hoist offerings in industrial markets.
• Pewag: Pewag is an Austrian-headquartered manufacturer of chains, tire chains, and lifting chains for industrial applications. It is directly comparable to William Hackett's chain manufacturing capabilities, particularly in safety-critical lifting chain products.
• RUD Ketten Rieger & Dietz: RUD is a German manufacturer of chain and lifting technology including lifting chains, slings, and chain components. It serves the same industrial lifting markets as William Hackett with overlapping chain and rigging product lines.
• The Caldwell Company: Caldwell is a US-based manufacturer of below-the-hook lifting devices, crane attachments, and rigging equipment. It directly parallels William Hackett's load attachment and rigging hardware portfolio for industrial and construction lifting applications.
• Bridon-Bekaert Ropes Group: Bridon-Bekaert manufactures steel wire rope, synthetic rope, and lifting solutions for mining, oil & gas, marine, and industrial applications. It overlaps with William Hackett's chain and rigging categories, particularly in heavy-duty industrial lifting environments.

Broad incumbents

• Konecranes: Konecranes is a Finnish global leader in overhead cranes, port cranes, and lifting equipment with a service-led business model. As a broader incumbent, it overlaps with William Hackett's hoist and lifting offerings while operating at much larger scale across industrial and port logistics applications.
• Columbus McKinnon: Columbus McKinnon is a global manufacturer of hoists, cranes, rigging, and chain products serving industrial, construction, and entertainment markets. It is the broadest incumbent in the same product category as William Hackett, with overlapping hoist, chain, and rigging portfolios at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WHackettGroup

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about William Hackett