What Fratco does

Fratco is a privately held, family-owned U.S. manufacturer of corrugated drainage pipe and complementary fittings, founded circa 1920 in Francesville, Indiana. The company designs and produces HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and HDPP (high-density polypropylene) pipe in both single-wall and dual-wall configurations across diameters from 2 to 60 inches, organized under five core brands — SingleCorr (single-wall HDPE), TruFlo (single-wall recycled HDPE), SmoothCorr (dual-wall HDPE), FlexCorr (flexible dual-wall HDPE), and ProCorr (heavy-duty dual-wall HDPP) — and segmented by resin grade into a V-Series (virgin resin) and an R-Series (recycled-blend resin).

The business is built on a multi-plant Midwest manufacturing base — Francesville (IN), St. Anne (IL), Mt. Pleasant (IA), Algona (IA), and Westfield (IA, via the Stateline Tile location) — supplemented by a 42,000 sq ft greenfield plant under construction on 32 acres in Fort Payne, Alabama that is expected to come online by mid-2025 with 50-60 new hires. Surrounding the pipe core is a broad catalog of fittings (adapters, couplers, tees, wyes, reducers, sump pits, injection-molded components) and accessories (valves, animal guards, fabric, Agri-Drain controlled-drainage structures), plus engineering resources including pipe-size and drainage-potential calculators. The company is Build America, Buy America (BABA) certified, enabling its products to qualify for federally funded infrastructure projects.

Fratco sells through a two-tier go-to-market: a regional distributor and dealer network across the Midwest and expanding Southeast — with operators such as Liles Enterprises and Johns Brothers Tiling & Excavating providing last-mile delivery, GPS mapping, and field design — alongside direct plant pickup and field-sales-rep engagement with mid-market and enterprise accounts. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, reflecting a relationship-driven channel typical of agricultural and civil-infrastructure commodity-plus pipe. The customer base spans three core segments: agricultural (the primary vertical, including farmers, land improvement contractors, and conservation-drainage practitioners), commercial (stormwater management, parking-lot and construction-site drainage, municipal infrastructure), and residential (foundation drainage, sump systems, yard drainage), with custom-engineered specialty fittings addressed to project-specific requirements.

Name

Fratco

Legal name

Fratco

Website

https://fratco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Fratco is a privately held, family-owned U.S. manufacturer of corrugated HDPE and HDPP drainage pipe, fittings, and accessories, serving agricultural, commercial, and residential customers through six manufacturing locations across the Midwest and expanding Southeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Francesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. HDPE/HDPP Pipe Sales: Fratco manufactures and sells corrugated drainage pipe in various configurations including single-wall, dual-wall, flexible, and heavy-duty options. Pipe is sold in various diameters from 2 inches to 60 inches.
2. Pipe Fittings Sales: Sale of complementary pipe fittings including adapters, couplers, tees, wyes, elbows, risers, caps, and specialty fittings
3. Accessories Sales: Sale of installation accessories, tools, and complementary products including coupler ties, marker flags, lube, hole saws, septic products, trash baskets, flap gates, animal guards, grates, fabric, trailers, and Agri-Drain controlled drainage products
4. Custom Solutions: Specialty drainage fittings and custom products built to specification for unique project requirements

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fratco manufactures and sells HDPE and HDPP corrugated drainage pipe in single-wall and dual-wall configurations, offered under five core brands (SingleCorr, TruFlo, SmoothCorr, FlexCorr, ProCorr) and two resin series (V-Series virgin, R-Series recycled). The company complements its pipe line with a comprehensive fittings catalog (adapters, couplers, tees, wyes, reducers, end caps, sump pits), installation accessories, the Agri-Drain controlled drainage system, Western Irrigation water transport systems, and custom-engineered drainage solutions. Pipe is produced in diameters from 2 inches to 60 inches.

Product overview

Fratco is a manufacturer of HDPE and HDPP corrugated drainage pipe and accessories serving agricultural, commercial, and residential markets. The product portfolio centers on five core pipe brands: SingleCorr (single-wall HDPE), TruFlo (recycled HDPE), SmoothCorr (dual-wall HDPE), FlexCorr (flexible dual-wall HDPE), and ProCorr (heavy-duty dual-wall HDPP). These pipes are offered in two resin series: V-Series (virgin resin) and R-Series (recycled resin). Supporting the pipe products is a comprehensive fittings line including adapters, couplers (snap, split, mar mac), tees (single-wall, tap, flex tap), wyes, reducers, end caps, sump pits/lids, and injection molded fittings in various sizes from 2 to 48 inches. The accessories category includes installation tools, valves, PVC components, risers, fabric/erosion control, and the Agri-Drain controlled drainage system. Fratco also offers Western Irrigation water transportation systems, custom specialty fittings, and engineering tools including pipe sizing and drainage potential calculators. The company operates multiple manufacturing plants in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa, with a new facility under construction in Alabama.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SingleCorr Pipe Single-wall HDPE corrugated drainage pipe available in 2 to 60 inch diameters, used by contractors for cost-efficient agricultural, commercial, and residential drainage installations.
• TruFlo Pipe Single-wall HDPE corrugated drainage pipe manufactured from premium recycled resin blends, intended for sustainability-focused drainage applications.
• SmoothCorr Pipe Dual-wall HDPE corrugated pipe with a smooth interior wall for improved hydraulic flow, used in commercial and agricultural drainage systems.
• FlexCorr Pipe Flexible dual-wall HDPE corrugated pipe designed to bend around obstacles during installation in challenging terrain.
• ProCorr Pipe Heavy-duty dual-wall HDPP (high-density polypropylene) corrugated pipe engineered for commercial applications requiring enhanced durability.
• Fratco Fittings Complete catalog of pipe fittings including adapters, snap/split/Mar Mac couplers, single-wall and tap tees, wyes, multi-reducers, end caps, seep collars, sump pits and lids, meter pit extensions, injection molded fittings, downspout adapters, and radon-resistant sump basins, in sizes ranging from 2 to 48 inches.
• Fratco Accessories Drainage installation accessories and complementary products supporting pipe system deployment and maintenance, including installation tools, valves, erosion control materials, risers, and protective components.
• Agri-Drain Controlled Drainage Systems Controlled drainage structures using stoplogs or flashboards to manage water table levels on agricultural land, typically controlling 10-20 acres per structure. Quantified outcomes include 26-60 bu/acre yield improvements, ~30% lower fertilizer expenditure, 20% reduced water outflow, 45% reduced nitrate losses, and 35% reduced phosphorus runoff.
• Western Irrigation Systems All-in-one water transportation systems for irrigation applications, targeted at the western United States where water management is critical.
• Custom Drainage Solutions Specialty drainage fittings and custom products manufactured to specification for unique project requirements that standard catalog items cannot address.

Quantifiable outcome

• Controlled drainage with Agri-Drain can improve yields by 26-60 bu/acre
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and strategic.

• Schlatter's Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1952Long-term manufacturing partnership since 1952 where Schlatter's Inc. manufactures custom drainage equipment and accessories for Fratco. Originally started as a welding shop that began making drainage fittings based on a suggestion from Fratco's CEO's grandfather. Now in third generation of family ownership, Schlatter's provides reel carriers, disk closers, and other custom equipment specifically designed to work with Fratco pipe. They also provide GPS technology sales and support.
• UNICORcoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment manufacturer partnership for pipe manufacturing machinery. UNICOR supplies corrugation equipment for Fratco's pipe manufacturing operations, enabling the company to create less variability, more efficiency, and higher throughputs.
• Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerState agency providing workforce training for the new Fort Payne, Alabama facility. AIDT will send a filming crew to Francesville to create customized training modules based on Fratco's actual operations, handle drug testing, interviews, and ongoing training at no cost to Fratco.
• State of Alabama / City of Fort PaynestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partnership for the new manufacturing facility. First major economic development project under Alabama's 2021 Economic Development Statute. The city and state provided incentives and support to attract the facility.
• Iowa Nitrogen Initiative / Dr. Michael Castellano (Iowa State University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership focused on conservation drainage practices. Dr. Castellano's research supports the use of Fratco products in sustainable agriculture through controlled drainage systems that improve nitrogen efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
• Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition (ADMC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partnership. ADMC promotes conservation drainage practices and advocates for programs that benefit the drainage industry. Keegan Kult serves as Executive Director.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Advanced Drainage Systems: ADS is the largest US manufacturer of HDPE corrugated drainage pipe and stormwater management products, directly competing with Fratco across agricultural, commercial, and infrastructure drainage. As the public-market leader in the exact same product category, ADS is the most direct comparable for Fratco.
• Prinsco: Prinsco is a privately held Midwest-based HDPE corrugated drainage pipe manufacturer with a comparable multi-state plant footprint and dealer distribution model. Its agricultural drainage focus and regional production base closely mirror Fratco's profile.
• Lane Enterprises: Lane Enterprises manufactures HDPE and polypropylene corrugated drainage pipe along with fittings and accessories for stormwater and agricultural drainage. Its product portfolio, dual-wall/single-wall offerings, and dealer channel overlap almost entirely with Fratco's.
• Hancor: Hancor is a legacy HDPE corrugated drainage pipe brand (now part of ADS) that historically competed head-to-head with Fratco in agricultural and commercial drainage. It remains a relevant comparison point on product mix and dealer relationships.
• Pacific Corrugated Pipe Company: Pacific Corrugated manufactures HDPE and polypropylene corrugated drainage pipe, fittings, and accessories for agricultural, highway, and commercial drainage applications. It is a smaller, comparable specialist competing in the same product category.
• NDS (NDS Inc.): NDS makes drainage products — catch basins, channel drains, fittings, and landscape drainage components — sold through retailers and contractors. Its product set overlaps Fratco's residential/commercial drainage fittings and accessories business, though with greater retail-channel penetration.

Broad incumbents

• Contech Engineered Solutions: Contech (part of Quikrete) provides a broad portfolio of drainage, stormwater, and site-development solutions including plastic pipe, metal pipe, and engineered structures. While its plastic pipe lines overlap with Fratco, it competes as a one-stop drainage supplier with significantly more scale and product breadth.
• JM Eagle: JM Eagle is the largest plastic pipe manufacturer in North America, focused primarily on PVC pressure and DWV pipe for municipal and plumbing applications. While material and process overlap with Fratco exists, JM Eagle operates at substantially greater scale and a different end-market mix.

Regional players

• Baughman Tile Company: Baughman Tile is a Midwest-based manufacturer of concrete drainage tile and related products serving agricultural subsurface drainage. It competes with Fratco in the ag-drainage market but uses a different material (concrete) and is geographically concentrated in the upper Midwest.

Emerging players

• Pratt Industries (Rainbow Plastics / Drainage Products): Pratt's drainage/irrigation segment produces corrugated HDPE pipe and fittings for agricultural and infrastructure drainage, with growing US manufacturing presence. It is a smaller but expanding peer competing for the same agricultural and municipal drainage contracts as Fratco.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC93f9Ny80vWednYSfE_iRkQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/fratcodrainage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fratco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Fratco