Engineered Specialty Products

What Engineered Specialty Products does

Engineered Specialty Products (ESP) is a U.S. manufacturer of pressure and temperature instrumentation, founded in 1983 by Don and Carol Wise in Kennesaw, Georgia and currently owned by Flow Control Group (acquired 2022, following a 2013 acquisition by Tonka Bay). The company designs, manufactures, and supplies analog pressure gauges, digital pressure gauges, pressure transmitters, diaphragm seals, bimetal thermometers, and the cloud-connected Cirrus Wireless Thermometer System, operating a portfolio of four brands: PIC Gauges, Bourdon (under exclusive U.S. manufacturing rights since 2018, extended to Mexico in 2019), WGTC (acquired October 2019, focused on HVAC), and Marsh Instruments (acquired 2023).

The business is organized around an industrial-instrumentation platform with 12,000+ active SKUs maintained in stock, same-day shipping on orders placed before 2pm, NIST-traceable calibration (3, 5, and 10-point) using a B-Trace automatic calibration station, and value-added services including custom dials, laser engraving, diaphragm seal assembly, and failure analysis. Manufacturing, warehousing, and engineering operate from a 40,000 sq ft facility at 3295 Cobb International Boulevard NW, Kennesaw, holding over $14M of finished goods (WGTC alone). Certifications include ISO 9001-quality calibration offerings, NIST-traceable accuracy, RoHS/REACH compliance, and 3A certification for sanitary diaphragm seals.

Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of measurement instruments, supplemented by professional services (customization, calibration, engineering support). Distribution combines a formal industrial and HVAC distribution-partner network with direct e-commerce across four branded storefronts (espgauges.com, picgauges.com, bourdonusa.com, wekslerglass.com, marshgauges.com). End markets span oil and gas (upstream, midstream, downstream), HVAC (especially Eastern U.S.), transportation (aerospace, marine, railway), food and beverage, healthcare, and agriculture, with active trade-show participation (AHR Expo, OTC, PBIO, Bakken Oil Show). Pricing is quote-based, not publicly disclosed, and varies with configuration. Brien Whitford serves as President & CEO, succeeding founder Don Wise, who passed away in April 2024.

Name

Engineered Specialty Products

Legal name

Engineered Specialty Products, Inc.

Website

https://espgauges.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Engineered Specialty Products (ESP) is a U.S. manufacturer of pressure gauges, thermometers, diaphragm seals, and the cloud-connected Cirrus wireless thermometer system, serving oil and gas, HVAC, transportation, food and beverage, and agriculture customers through four brands (PIC, Bourdon, WGTC, Marsh), a distribution network, and direct e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Pressure and Temperature Instrumentation

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Refrigeration Components & Controls (Compressors, Valves, Sensors) (IMAHAKAH)

Keywords

• Pressure gauges
• Temperature instruments
• Diaphragm seals
• Industrial instrumentation
• Process measurement

Headquarters

HQ city

Kennesaw

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pressure and Temperature Instruments Sales: ESP generates revenue primarily through the sale of manufactured pressure gauges, thermometers, diaphragm seals, and accessories. With over 12,000 active SKUs always in stock, orders before 2pm ship same day. The company operates through both direct sales and distributor channels.
2. Custom Services (Dials, Assembly, Calibration, Laser Engraving): ESP provides value-added services including custom dial printing, diaphragm seal assembly, liquid fill options, NIST-traceable calibration certifications (3, 5, and 10-point), and laser engraving/marking. These services are bundled with product sales to drive additional revenue per customer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Engineered Specialty Products (ESP) designs, manufactures, and supplies pressure gauges, thermometers, diaphragm seals, pressure transmitters, valves, manifolds, capillaries, and accessories under its PIC, Bourdon, WGTC, and Marsh brands. The company serves process, HVAC, transportation, food/beverage, and agricultural end markets through industrial distributors and direct e-commerce, supported by custom dial printing, calibration, laser engraving, and failure-analysis engineering services.

Product overview

Engineered Specialty Products (ESP) is a global manufacturer of quality pressure and temperature instruments with three primary product brands—PIC Gauges, Bourdon, and WGTC (including Marsh Instruments)—serving the M.R.O., process, and industrial marketplace. The product portfolio centers on pressure gauges (analog, digital, and transmitters), temperature instruments (thermometers and the Cirrus wireless system), and diaphragm seals as protective accessories. Supporting products include valves, manifolds, capillaries, thermowells, and custom services such as custom dials, laser engraving, calibration, and failure analysis. With over 12,000 active SKUs and same-day shipping on orders before 2pm, ESP positions itself as the industry's trusted supply chain partner emphasizing speed, service, and availability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PIC Gauges: Private gauge offering for over 40 years. High-quality, competitively priced line of pressure gauges, thermometers and accessories with an unparalleled selection of product available in stock for immediate shipment.
• Bourdon
• WGTC (Weksler Glass)
• Marsh Instruments

Products and services

• Pressure Gauges Core instrumentation product line for measuring pressure across a wide range of industrial applications, including analog process gauges and stainless/ brass configurations sold to process, HVAC, transportation, oil & gas, food & beverage, and agricultural customers via distributors and direct e-commerce.
• Digital Pressure Gauges (DPG Series) Digital pressure gauges with no mechanical links or connections, designed for high-vibration applications including transportation, aerospace, marine, and railway. Feature easy-to-read local display and superb accuracy.
• Pressure Transmitters Electronic pressure transmitters offering greater accuracy and robustness than digital gauges. Mountable to the medium and wired to any remote location for applications where up-close display reading is not feasible.
• Diaphragm Seals Protective seals that isolate pressure gauge and switch sensing elements from corrosive, sedimentous, and viscous fluids. Available in threaded, flanged, sanitary, and in-line configurations with multiple diaphragm materials (metal, rubber, Teflon, plated metal) and thicknesses from 0.002 to 0.008 inches.
• Bimetal Thermometers Temperature measurement instruments featuring a hermetically sealed design, stainless steel cases, and dual Fahrenheit/Celsius scales. Available in 2", 3", and 5" dials with custom options for winery and food/beverage applications.
• Differential Pressure Gauges Pressure gauges for measuring differential pressure, available in inline, diaphragm seal, dual pointer, magnetic, back-mount, and lower-mount configurations across multiple sizes.
• Cirrus Wireless Thermometer System Cloud-enabled wireless temperature monitoring system for HVAC applications that connects up to 60 thermometers per gateway and relays readings to AWS cloud for remote monitoring via a mobile app. Uses high-impact, fire-resistant thermometers for accurate HVAC and process temperature monitoring.
• MAG Series Forged Brass Pressure Gauges Forged brass pressure gauges designed for heavy vibration and pulsation applications including hydraulic pump systems, compressors, firetrucks, and mobile hydraulics. Available in 2.5" and 4" sizes with pressure ranges up to 15,000 PSI.
• All Stainless Steel Gauges (300 Series) All-stainless design gauges with internal restrictor and optional liquid filling for vibration and pulsation resistance. Available in sizes from 1.5" to 10" with pressure ranges from vacuum to 20,000 psi, targeting harsh-service oil & gas and process-industry applications.
• Valves and Manifolds Valves for adding protection and control to pressure systems. Offered in brass, carbon steel, or stainless steel with pressure ratings from 6,000 psi to 20,000 psi, used to complement pressure gauges and transmitters.
• Custom Dials Service Custom dial printing and design service allowing company logos, contact information, color zones, multiple scales, refrigerant scales, serial numbers, and laser etching for gauges across the ESP brand portfolio.
• Calibration Services Mechanical and electrical calibration services performed using the B-Trace automatic calibration station and high-precision master gauges. Offers 48-hour turnaround with cloud-based storage of calibration records and NIST-traceable certifications (3, 5, and 10-point).
• Diaphragm Seal Assembly Service Comprehensive diaphragm seal assembly services including in-house diaphragm assembly, custom configurations, testing, and integration with gauges and accessories. Ships dry Bourdon diaphragm seals within 2 days and assembled seals within 5 days.
• Failure Analysis Service Engineering service leveraging 30+ years of gauge design experience to help customers identify the root cause of product or process failures. Includes on-site visits, technical reports, and best-practice recommendations; full audit of entire operation sites is available.
• Laser Engraving, Marking and Etching Service Laser engraving services for serial numbers, lot tracking, custom branding, and UDI compliance for FDA requirements across various material types, applied to gauges and accessories.

Quantifiable outcome

• Same-day shipping for orders before 2pm with over 12,000 active SKUs in stock
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Marsh InstrumentscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023ESP acquired Marsh Instruments in 2023, adding another trusted brand for pressure gauges, thermometers, and accessories to the ESP portfolio.
• Weksler Glass Thermometer Corporation (WGTC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019ESP acquired WGTC in October 2019. WGTC is a premier provider of high-quality temperature and pressure instruments for the HVAC market with a full line of industrial thermometers, bimetal thermometers, and accessories. The acquisition expanded ESP's product reach and provided a natural extension to ESP's strong pressure focus, with additional distribution network and customer base.
• Baumer / BourdoncoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2016In 2016, ESP signed a formal agreement to franchise the Bourdon brand from Baumer, becoming the sole representation in the USA market. In 2018, ESP signed a formal agreement for exclusive rights to sell and manufacture Bourdon branded products in the USA market. In 2019, Mexico was added to the agreement. Bourdon is a 150-year-old brand founded by Eugene Bourdon, inventor of the original Bourdon tube.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Omega Engineering: Omega Engineering is a broad-line industrial sensor and instrumentation catalog supplier (now part of DwyerOmega) - overlapping with ESP's pressure and temperature product categories at a wider portfolio scale.
• Rosemount (Emerson): Rosemount (Emerson) is a global leader in pressure, temperature, and level instrumentation with significant process industry penetration - serves the same end-markets as ESP but at much larger scale with broader solution portfolios.

Direct peers

• Ashcroft Inc. Ashcroft is a major US-headquartered manufacturer of pressure and temperature instrumentation (gauges, switches, transducers, calibration equipment) serving oil & gas, HVAC, and process industries - directly comparable to ESP's core product portfolio.
• Winters Instruments: Winters Instruments manufactures pressure and temperature instruments (pressure gauges, thermometers, diaphragm seals) distributed through industrial channels - directly comparable mid-sized North American competitor to ESP.
• Dwyer Instruments: Dwyer Instruments (now part of DwyerOmega) produces pressure, temperature, level, and flow instrumentation through industrial distribution - directly comparable to ESP's product lines and channel strategy.
• NOSHOK: NOSHOK manufactures pressure gauges, transducers, and temperature instrumentation for industrial applications, with a similar mid-market US distribution model and process industry focus as ESP.
• WIKA Instrument Corporation: WIKA is a global leader in pressure, temperature, level, and flow measurement, with a strong US presence and broad industrial process market coverage - directly comparable to ESP across gauges, transmitters, and diaphragm seals.

Emerging players

• Marshall Instruments (Baumer subsidiary): Marsh Instruments brand at Baumer is an adjacent pressure/temperature gauge manufacturer; ESP's recent acquisition of a similarly named 'Marsh Instruments' brand signals competitive overlap in mid-market US gauge supply.

Others

• Swagelok Company: Swagelok supplies fluid system components (valves, fittings, regulators) commonly sold alongside pressure gauges - adjacent industrial supplier ecosystem relevant to ESP's valve and manifold accessories.
• Baumer Group: Baumer is the licensor of the Bourdon brand to ESP and a global manufacturer of sensors and instrumentation; the licensing relationship makes it both a strategic partner and adjacent competitor in pressure/temperature measurement.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/engineered-specialty-products-esp-

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Engineered Specialty Products