A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co

What A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co does

A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co is a privately held, family-controlled industrial manufacturer headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa, with operations dating to the mid-19th century (founded 1856; the company references continuous operations since 1867). The company manufactures brass and no-lead (NL) brass valves, fittings, saddles, and related components for three utility-adjacent verticals: municipal waterworks, plumbing, and natural gas distribution. Core product categories include corporation stops, service saddles (including the proprietary Titan Bolt torque-control line), curb stops, meter valves, meter setters, gas meter set assemblies, regulators, and risers. Proprietary technology platforms include the Commander remote shut-off system, the UFR (Unmeasured-Flow Reducer) for capturing low-flow water that would otherwise go unmetered, Titan Bolt saddle technology, and CoreCoat+ corrosion protection. Products carry NSF/ANSI/CAN certifications and comply with California Prop 65 and federal lead-free requirements, and the company manufactures in the United States to support Build America Buy America procurement preferences.

The company operates a B2B, sales-led go-to-market model, distributing directly via its e-commerce storefront, a 1-800 phone sales line, and an active US tradeshow presence. Customer segments are municipal water utilities and municipalities, plumbing contractors, and natural gas distribution utilities. Pricing is unit-based, with repair components in the approximate $190-$300 range and a plumbing price increase announced for July 7, 2026. The business model is essentially one-time product sale across three product categories (Waterworks, Plumbing, Natural Gas) with an ongoing replacement-part revenue stream tied to the installed base. Brand reach is supported by an A.Y. Alerts email newsletter, a YouTube channel, and the A.Y. University (AYU) contractor training platform.

The company has 101-250 employees, no disclosed institutional or private-equity ownership, and shows no evidence of public listing. Recent strategic activity is centered on product launches in 2026 and incremental buildout of US regional sales and product management teams.

Name

A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co

Legal name

A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co

Website

https://aymcdonald.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1856

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co is a privately held, family-owned US manufacturer of brass and no-lead brass valves, fittings, and components serving municipal water utilities, plumbing contractors, and natural gas distribution utilities across waterworks, plumbing, and gas product lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubuque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Waterworks Products: Manufactures and sells water distribution components including corporation stops, service saddles, curb stops, meter valves, curb boxes, service fittings, meter couplings, single and dual checks, and meter setters. Revenue generated through direct product sales to water utilities and municipalities.
2. Plumbing Products: Sells plumbing valves, fittings, threaded fittings, tank tees, LP/Natural Gas products, and related accessories to plumbing contractors and wholesale distributors.
3. Natural Gas Products: Provides meter set assemblies, gas valves, risers, regulators, bypass kits, and meter bars for residential and industrial natural gas applications.
4. Replacement Parts: Ongoing revenue stream from replacement and repair parts for their installed product base, including repair curb stops, replacement components, and accessories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co manufactures and sells waterworks brass components (corporation stops, service saddles, curb stops, meter valves, curb boxes, meter setters), plumbing valves and fittings, and natural gas meter set assemblies, regulators, and risers. Products are precision-machined brass and no-lead brass components used by municipal water utilities, plumbing contractors, and natural gas utilities for water distribution, metering, and gas delivery infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TITAN: Built-in torque control for consistent saddle installations - hinged saddles and swing connect saddles with proprietary Titan Bolt technology
• Commander
• UFR (Unmeasured-Flow Reducer)
• CoreCoat+

Products and services

• Commander Remote Shut-off System Smart water management system that allows water utilities to remotely control meter valves, simplifying operation, improving serviceability, and reducing costly field visits for service disconnection. Targeted at municipal water utilities.
• UFR (Unmeasured-Flow Reducer)

Quantifiable outcome

• UFR installations can increase the measurement of billable water between as much as five and ten percent, reducing apparent losses and increasing revenue for water utilities

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mueller Industries: Major publicly-traded manufacturer of copper, brass, and aluminum products including waterworks brass fittings, valves, and gas distribution products. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping product portfolio in waterworks and plumbing brass categories serving similar utility customers.
• Ford Meter Box Company: Family-owned manufacturer of water meter settings, brass valves, and waterworks fittings. Closest comparable peer given similar product portfolio, family-owned private status, and shared customer base in municipal water utilities across the United States.
• NIBCO: Manufacturer of plumbing valves, fittings, and flow control products for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Direct competitor in plumbing valves and fittings segment serving plumbing contractors with overlapping product categories.
• Apollo Valves: Valve manufacturer (by Aalberts) producing valves for plumbing, HVAC, and industrial applications including natural gas distribution. Comparable peer in valve manufacturing with overlap in natural gas meter set assemblies and plumbing valves.
• Jones Stephens: Plumbing product manufacturer and distributor serving plumbing contractors with fittings, valves, and accessories. Comparable peer in plumbing product distribution serving the same contractor customer base with similar product categories.
• Matco-Norca: Manufacturer and supplier of plumbing valves, fittings, and accessories for residential and commercial applications. Comparable peer in plumbing valves and fittings with overlapping distribution channels to wholesale distributors.
• Reliance Worldwide Corporation: Manufacturer of plumbing valves, water control products, and fittings including SharkBite push-to-connect fittings. Comparable peer in plumbing valves and water distribution products serving plumbing contractors and water utilities.

Broad incumbents

• Watts Water Technologies: Larger publicly-traded manufacturer of water and plumbing products including valves, fittings, and water treatment systems. Operates broadly in the same industry with overlapping capabilities across residential, commercial, and institutional water products, but at substantially greater scale.
• Honeywell: Industrial conglomerate with significant presence in gas valves, regulators, and controls through its Process Solutions and Building Technologies divisions. Broader incumbent with natural gas distribution products overlapping with A.Y. McDonald's gas meter set assemblies and risers.
• A.O. Smith Corporation: Larger publicly-traded manufacturer of water heating, water treatment, and air purification products. Adjacent incumbent in water products serving residential and commercial markets with overlapping customer relationships in plumbing and water infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@aymcdonaldmfg
• Xx.com/ay_mcdonald
• Facebookfacebook.com/A.Y.McDonald1856
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/a-y-mcdonald-mfg-co-

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 A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co