What Reed Manufacturing Company does

Reed Manufacturing Company, founded in 1896 and headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania, is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of professional-grade pipe working tools. The company designs, makes, and brands an extensive portfolio organized across nine product categories: cutters and cutter wheels (including the Universal Pipe Cutter for 6"–48" O.D. pipe and Quick Release™ tubing cutters), large-diameter pipe tools, plastic pipe tools (Bevel Boss® bevelers, Clean Ream Extreme® reamers, DEB4® deburr tools, PE peelers, squeeze-off tools), water services tools (Feed Tap™ drilling, direct tapping, valve operators, cordless power drive), threaders and dies (R12+ dropheads, universal die heads, Double Deep™ oilers), test pumps and groovers, vises, wrenches, and general pipe-working tools such as the Pump Stick® cordless water transfer pump. Differentiated technical features include high shock-resistant tool steel cutter wheels, spring-loaded four-sided carbide blades on PE peelers, modular hydraulic PE squeeze systems, and an 18V–20V slide-battery cordless platform.

The business model is a pure B2B hardware sales operation, generating revenue through wholesale of branded tools to a global network of authorized distributors. REED does not sell direct to end users; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is set channel-by-channel. Go-to-market emphasizes the trade channel (distributor locator, prospective distributor recruitment, trade shows, multilingual catalog in 8 languages) complemented by content marketing through training videos, a documents library, and product finders (Cutter Finder, Cutter Wheel Finder). End customers are professional trades and municipal crews across seven verticals: water/wastewater, plumbing/HVAC, industrial/construction, gas distribution, oil/gas drilling and pipeline, fire and fabrication, and PVF/industrial process piping. The company employs 51–100 people, holds a portfolio of registered trademarks on its sub-brands (Pump Stick®, Bevel Boss®, Quick Release™, Clean Ream Extreme®, DEB4®, Double Squeeze™, Bear Hug™, True Peel®, Saw It®, Double Deep™, Feed Tap™, Thru-Bolt™), and operates without disclosed external funding rounds, subsidiaries, or a parent company. CEO is Gary Clark.

Name

Reed Manufacturing Company

Legal name

Reed Manufacturing Company

Website

https://reedmfgco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1896

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Reed Manufacturing Company, founded in 1896 and headquartered in Erie, PA, designs and manufactures professional-grade pipe working tools (cutters, threaders, vises, wrenches, plastic pipe tools) sold exclusively through a global authorized distributor network to plumbing, waterworks, gas distribution, and industrial/construction trades.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Erie

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, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tool Sales: REED generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of professional pipe working tools sold exclusively through a global distributor network. Products include cutters, wrenches, vises, threaders, test pumps, and specialized tools for plastic and metal pipe applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Reed Manufacturing Company manufactures professional-grade pipe working tools and vises for industrial contractors, plumbers, water services crews, and gas distribution operators. The product portfolio spans pipe cutters, threaders, PE squeeze tools, bevelers, hydrostatic test pumps, vises, wrenches, and dropheads/dies, covering pipe materials including ductile iron, cast iron, clay, concrete, steel, PVC, and PE across diameters from small tubing up to 48 inches. Products are sold exclusively through authorized distributors in multiple countries and serve verticals such as Water/Wastewater, Plumbing/HVAC, Gas Distribution, Industrial/Construction, Oil/Gas Drilling & Pipeline, Fire & Fabrication, and PVF/Industrial Process Piping.

Product overview

Reed Manufacturing Company is a manufacturer of professional-grade pipe working tools serving the plumbing, waterworks, construction, and industrial piping industries. The company has been in business since 1896 and offers an extensive portfolio of hand tools and power tools organized into nine product categories: Cutters & Cutter Wheels (including the Universal Pipe Cutter, Quick Release™ Tubing Cutters, Soil Pipe Cutters, Steel Pipe Cutters, Hinged Pipe Cutters, Rotary Pipe Cutters, Saw It® Pneumatic Saw, and Cutter Wheels), Large Diameter Pipe Tools (including Universal Pipe Cutters up to 48", PLAS Rotary Cutters, and PE Squeeze Tools), Plastic Pipe Tools (including Guillotine Pipe Cutters, Bevel Boss® Cordless Pipe Bevelers, PE Pipe Peelers, Clean Ream Extreme® Reamers, DEB4® Deburr/Chamfer Tools, True Peel® PE Prep Tools, Bear Hug™ PE Squeeze Tools, and various cutters and shears), Water Services Tools (including Feed Tap™ Drilling Machines, Direct Tapping Machines, Drilling Machines, Valve Operators, and Cordless Power Drives), Threaders & Dies (including R12+ Dropheads, Universal Die Heads, Block Dies, Power Drives, and Double Deep™ Oilers), Test Pumps & Groovers (including Drill-Powered, Electric, and Manual Hydrostatic Test Pumps, and Combo/Portable Roll Groovers), Vises (including Tripod Pipe Vises, Chain Vises, Field Pipe Vises, and Yoke Pipe Vises), Wrenches (including Heavy Duty Pipe Wrenches, Aluminum Pipe Wrenches, Chain Wrenches, Strap Wrenches, Thru-Bolt™ Ratchet Wrenches, and Hydrant Wrenches), and General Pipe Working Tools (including Pump Stick® Cordless Water Transfer Pump, Hot Tapping Machines, Tubing Benders, and Multi-Purpose Pipe Joiners). The product line emphasizes durability, professional-grade quality, and solutions for challenging pipe working applications across municipal water, gas distribution, industrial/construction, and plumbing/HVAC sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bevel Boss®: Cordless pipe bevelers for plastic pipe preparation
• Clean Ream Extreme®
• DEB4®
• Quick Release™
• Pump Stick®
• True Peel®
• Bear Hug™
• Double Squeeze™
• Feed Tap™
• Saw It®
• Double Deep™

Products and services

• Universal Pipe Cutter (UPC) Lightweight pipe cutter that handles tough cuts in the trench, underwater or aboveground across 6"-48" nominal diameter (150-1300 mm O.D.) ductile iron, cast iron, clay, concrete, steel, PVC or PE pipe by changing the blade.
• Pump Stick® Cordless Water Transfer Pump Cordless water transfer pump that removes up to 15 gallons per minute; compatible with multiple 18V-20V slide-style battery brands via interchangeable battery plate adapters.
• HPC4+ Guillotine Pipe Cutter Manual guillotine-style cutter that slices smoothly through 4" DIPS and IPS for PE pipe; updated design weighs 30% less than the prior HPC4 model with expanded capacity.
• Quick Release™ Tubing Cutters Industry-standard tubing cutters for cutting copper, aluminum, light wall steel, stainless steel tubing, and plastic pipe; known for best tracking and easiest cutting.
• Bevel Boss® Cordless Pipe Beveler Battery-powered pipe beveler for beveling external or internal diameters of plastic pipe; provides safe, cordless convenience with fast, consistent beveling.
• Clean Ream Extreme® Plastic Pipe Fitting Reamer Plastic pipe fitting reamer that cleans leftover pipe and solvent cement residue from PVC, CPVC or ABS fittings for reuse.
• PE Pipe Peeler Prepares polyethylene pipe for electrofusion by removing the oxidized layer and contaminants. Spring-loaded blade holder maintains constant pressure for a uniformly peeled surface; four-sided carbide blade and acetal copolymer chain rollers resist corrosion. Models include PEPEEL6 (1.5-6", 48-180 mm O.D.) and PEPEEL12 (6-12", 168-324 mm O.D.).
• Bear Hug™ PE Squeeze Tool Modular, hydraulic PE pipe squeeze system with a choice of manual or pneumatic pump source for safely squeezing PE pipe.
• PES6DB Double Squeeze™ PE Squeeze Tool New 6-inch Double Squeeze PE squeeze tool with optimized double-bar design.
• True Peel® PE Prep Tools Peels pipe ends and tapping tees in preparation for electrofusion; available in imperial and metric sizes.
• PE Squeeze Tools (manual, hydraulic, heavy-duty) Manual, hydraulic, and heavy-duty hydraulic tools for stopping flow in PE pipe; capacities range from 1/2" to 8" diameter pipe.
• Soil Pipe Cutters Manual cutters for fast cuts on cast iron soil pipe, clay pipe, and small diameter concrete pipe.
• Steel Pipe Cutters (2") Pipe cutters that make square cuts on steel, stainless steel, or cast iron pipe, leaving no burr.
• Hinged Pipe Cutters Four-wheel cutters for steel, stainless steel, cast and ductile iron with only 90° to 110° handle swing.
• Rotary Pipe Cutters Cold cut large-diameter steel, most stainless steel, ductile, and cast iron pipe in close quarters.
• PLAS In-Line Rotary Pipe Cutters Cutters for 6" to 28" (160-800 mm) diameter PVC or PE pipe; suitable for in-trench or above-ground use.
• Guillotine Pipe Cutters Manual guillotine-style cutters that provide a smooth, square cut on medium- and high-density polyethylene pipe.
• Scissor Shears Squeeze together for fast cutting of thin wall and small diameter plastic pipe/tubing.
• Ratchet Shears Ideal for cutting PE, PP, PEX and ABS pipe; ratchet action with 13 steps ensures smooth, reliable cuts using less grip force.
• DEB4® Deburr/Chamfer Tool In one rotation, deburrs and chamfers plastic pipe; fits six different pipe sizes.
• Plastic Pipe Saws Designed to specification to cut a wide variety of plastics.
• Internal Pipe Cutters Cut pipe from the inside; ideal for drain pipe and fire sprinkler drops.
• PEX Crimpers Widest selection of high-quality solutions for crimping PEX copper crimp rings.
• Plastic Pipe Joiners Solvent-cement connection joiners provide 28:1 leverage for one-person joining of PVC pipe up to 12"; gasketed pipe joiners handle up to 16" diameter joints.
• Pipe Descalers Feature wide, tough scrapers that remove scale, dirt, and corrosion cleanly and quickly from pipe surface.
• Saw It® Pneumatic Reciprocating Saw Pneumatic-powered saw that provides reciprocating motion to blades to cut steel and plastic pipe.
• REED Cutter Wheels All REED cutter wheels are made from high shock-resistant tool steel; company claims competitors use carbon steel or lower-quality tool steel. Largest cutter wheel line in the industry.
• Feed Tap™ Drilling Machine Waterworks drilling tool that drills through the pipe wall while under pressure using a corporation stop inserted into a service saddle.
• Direct Tapping Machine Machine that drills/taps water mains while under pressure, then installs corporation stops in a 2-step operation.
• Drilling Machines (Water Services) Cut or drill through the pipe wall of cast iron, ductile iron, C900 PVC and PE water mains via corporation stop inserted into a service saddle while under pressure.
• Valve Operators Compact, easy-to-transport systems for valve exercising and maintenance with power-drive capability.
• Cordless Power Drive Battery-powered drive for waterworks applications that brings torque to the jobsite.
• R12+ Dropheads Dropheads designed for improved chip flow and easier cutting; available in sizes 1/2" to 2" NPT thread configuration.
• Universal Die Head (R811) Die head with easy-to-adjust size selection and manual open/close operation, featuring die lubrication slots.
• Block Dies Solid block dies with wide throats and extra-fine threads that pull the die onto pipe even if the burr is large.
• Power Drives (5301PD, 700PD, 601PD) Portable electric power drives for threading pipe and conduit up to 2" diameter. 5301PD rotates pipe for cutting/threading/reaming; 700PD is heavy-duty; 601PD weighs 15.4 pounds with included safety arm and carrying case.
• Double Deep™ Threading Oilers Threading oilers that effectively deliver threading oil to piping work using a gun-and-trigger approach for targeted oiling.
• Drill-Powered Hydrostatic Test Pump Lightweight portable hydrostatic test pump powered by cordless or electric drill for quick, onsite pressure testing.
• Electric Hydrostatic Test Pumps Built for frequent use; handle pressure testing of water systems in residential and commercial settings.
• Manual Hydrostatic Test Pump Durable and easy-to-operate manual pump ideal for testing plumbing lines, water meters, and modest irrigation lines.
• Combo Roll Groovers 2-in-1 service tools that convert from power machine operation to manual work in minutes; provide cost and time savings.
• Portable Roll Groovers Compact, durable tools for use at installation sites for grooving steel, stainless steel, aluminum or PVC.
• Tripod Pipe Vises Portable vise made from heavy-gauge steel with overlapping hinges and adjustable tray clamp for solid performance.
• Chain Vises Vises that permit holding of irregular shapes; provide excellent cost-for-capacity value.
• Field Pipe Vise Holds pipe up to 20" (500 mm) diameter; designed for jobsite use.
• Yoke Pipe Vises Made of ductile or malleable iron with hardened, high-carbon-steel jaws for toughness and long life.
• Heavy Duty Pipe Wrenches (Straight & 45° Offset) High-tensile ductile iron handle and hardened, alloy-steel parts designed to withstand heaviest demands; available in straight and 45° offset styles.
• Aluminum Pipe Wrenches (incl. ARW60) Light and strong wrenches with titanium-aluminum alloy handle heat-treated for maximum strength; available in straight and 90° offset styles. The ARW60 extends the size range up to 60 inches in length with capacity up to 8 inch pipe.
• Chain Wrenches (Heavy Duty) Dual reversible jaws permit ratchet action in either direction without removing wrench from pipe.
• Strap Wrenches Provides gripping power without scratching or deforming plastic or polished metal pipe.
• Thru-Bolt™ Ratchet Wrenches Designed for tightening or loosening nuts on long threaded bolts of service saddles, repair clamps, flanges, and mechanical couplings; available in standard and metric versions, dual socket, and 4-in-1 configurations.
• Hydrant Wrenches Forged steel (HW) and economical cast ductile iron (HWB) wrenches fit pentagon nuts up to 1 3/4" or square nuts up to 1 1/4".
• Mechanical Hot Tapping Machines Machine that cuts or drills into pipe for installing branch connections with 3/4"-4" valves.
• Tubing Benders Ideal for bending soft metal tubes of copper, steel, stainless steel, and aluminum in popular sizes.
• Multi-Purpose Pipe Joiner Lever-and-chain approach to joining medium and large gasketed pipe and fittings up to 14" size.
• Static Grounding Devices Establish a path to ground any static charge for safer work on PE pipe.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clean cuts without burr on pipe and tubing
• +3 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ReedPipeTools
• Facebookfacebook.com/ReedManufacturing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Reed Manufacturing Company