What Schaefer Brush Manufacturing does

Schaefer Brush Manufacturing is a US-based industrial brush manufacturer founded in 1905 and headquartered in a 60,000-square-foot facility at 1101 S. Prairie Avenue, Waukesha, Wisconsin. The company designs and produces a comprehensive portfolio of industrial brushes using multiple construction methods including twisted-in-wire, staple-set, metal back strip, hand-drawn, and cylinder brush techniques, with filaments spanning nylon, polypropylene, polyester, brass, phosphor bronze, stainless steel, carbon steel, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, horsehair, and tampico. Its proprietary products include the S-VECO conveyor cleaning system (used in mining and bulk-material handling) and Spin Grit/Spin Clean condenser cleaning brushes. The company serves end markets across HVAC/refrigeration, plumbing, MRO/industrial, mining, and the original brewing trade, with a wholly-owned subsidiary brand, Gornell Brush, specializing in staple-set and custom brushes following the March 2019 acquisition.

Schaefer operates a dual revenue model comprising standard catalog brush sales and custom-engineered brush manufacturing services. Standard products ship through a US distributor network augmented by direct sales via phone, email, and in-house engineering consultation, with a $200 minimum order for standard items and Net 30 terms to pre-approved accounts. Custom work requires a 50% deposit before materials are ordered, carries non-cancellable/non-returnable terms, and has lead times of 4-6 weeks for design and up to 12 weeks for final delivery. Production capacity is demonstrated at 10,000 brushes per shift on the Series 8138 welder brush machine.

The company has been privately held by Blackthorne Partners since June 2015, when the Brookfield, Wisconsin-based investment group acquired it from fourth-generation owner Harold Schaefer. Sheri Reichart remained as President post-acquisition and Gonzalo Martinez was appointed President and CEO effective December 1, 2021. Headcount is 51-100 employees, with no public revenue disclosure. Distribution is overwhelmingly US-domestic through distributors, though the company claims a worldwide customer footprint.

Name

Schaefer Brush Manufacturing

Legal name

Schaefer Brush Manufacturing, LLC

Website

https://schaeferbrush.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Schaefer Brush Manufacturing is a Waukesha, Wisconsin-based industrial brush manufacturer founded in 1905, producing twisted-in-wire, staple-set, metal back strip, hand-drawn, and cylinder brushes for HVAC, plumbing, MRO, mining, and brewing end markets through US distributors and direct sales, and owned by Blackthorne Partners since 2015.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Brush Manufacturing

NAICS

Broom, Brush, and Mop Manufacturing (339994)

SIC

Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Care Tools & Consumables (Sponges, Wipes, Brushes, Gloves, Mop Refills) (CRADAKAM)

Keywords

• Industrial brush manufacturing
• Twisted-in-wire brushes
• Conveyor cleaning systems
• HVAC tube brushes
• Custom brush engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Waukesha

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, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Standard Industrial Brush Sales: Sale of pre-engineered industrial brushes including twisted-in-wire brushes, tube brushes, fitting brushes, chimney brushes, scrub brushes, scratch brushes, and chip brushes through distributor network and direct sales.
2. Custom Brush Manufacturing: Custom brush design and manufacturing services with 50% down payment required. Includes custom brush design forms for twisted in wire, metal back strip, cylinder brushes, staple set and hand drawn brushes, and S-VECO brushes.
3. Conveyor Cleaning Systems: S-VECO brush systems for conveyor belt cleaning applications in industrial and mining environments.
4. Brush Accessories: Sale of accessories including extension rods, adaptors, pull rings, and specialty handles for industrial brush applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Schaefer Brush Manufacturing designs, engineers, and produces standard and custom industrial brushes for HVAC/refrigeration, plumbing, MRO/industrial maintenance, and conveyor cleaning applications. The portfolio includes twisted-in-wire, staple-set, metal back strip, hand-drawn, and cylinder brushes, plus the proprietary S-VECO conveyor cleaning systems, with in-house engineering support for custom OEM projects.

Product overview

Schaefer Brush Manufacturing is an industrial brush manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of over 100 years of brush manufacturing experience. The company produces pre-engineered standard brushes organized across market segments (HVAC/Refrigeration, Plumbing, MRO/Industrial, Conveyor Cleaning) and custom brush solutions. Core products include twisted-in-wire brushes, staple set brushes, hand drawn brushes, and specialty brushes for applications ranging from fitting brushes and tube brushes to chimney brushes, scrub brushes, and conveyor cleaning systems. The custom solutions division manufactures brushes tailored to specific customer requirements using various construction methods (twisted in wire, metal back strip, cylinder, staple set, hand drawn) and materials (nylon, polypropylene, stainless steel, brass, silicon carbide, horsehair). The company operates a subsidiary, Gornell Brush, which specializes in staple-set and custom brushes. Manufacturing is performed in-house at the Waukesha, Wisconsin facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hand Fitting Brush Fitting brushes designed for cleaning, scoring, and preparing copper fittings and pipes for soldering in plumbing and HVAC applications. Available in 900, 800, and 700 series with various constructions and filament types.
• Power Fitting Brush Power-driven fitting brushes for cleaning copper fittings and pipes with medium to light deposits. Includes 9700 series (hex shaft), 9500 series, 8700 series (twisted stem), and 8500 series with various aggressiveness levels.
• Condenser Brush Tube brushes for cleaning condenser tubes in HVAC and refrigeration systems. Available in brass, nylon, stainless steel (standard and extra stiff), and Spin Grit/Spin Clean variants with silicon carbide-impregnated nylon filaments.
• Flue Boiler Brush Industrial tube brushes designed for cleaning flues, boiler tubes, heat exchangers, and furnaces. Available in brass, nylon, stainless steel, flat tempered wire, and spring grade tempered wire constructions.
• Boiler Brush Specialized brushes for cleaning ash and soot from boiler firebox chambers and flue interiors. Includes Weil McLain specific designs and flat style Columbia brushes for cleaning fins, blades, coils, radiators, and furnaces.
• Furnace/Radiator Brush Brushes designed for cleaning furnaces, heaters, and radiators. Available with horsehair, tempered wire, stainless steel, or brass filaments, in various sizes and configurations for different deposit levels.
• Chimney Brush Chimney cleaning brushes including Pro-Sweep professional series (round, rectangle, square shapes in various sizes), Pro-Clean home series (oil tempered wire and polypropylene), and Pellet Stove Brushes. Designed for various chimney sizes and deposit types.
• Chimney Noodle Brush Flexible chimney brush with bendable shaft for cleaning hard-to-reach HVAC locations. Features Tampico vegetable fiber filament with 2-1/4 inch diameter.
• Industrial Tube Brush Heavy-duty tube brushes for industrial maintenance, repair, and operations applications. Available in stainless steel, brass, natural bristle, nylon, and extra-long handle configurations in various sizes.
• Scratch Brush Industrial-grade scratch brushes for cleaning and surface preparation. Available with curved handle, die cast, shoe handle, stiff wire, stove and appliance, and welder configurations. Filament options include brass, nylon, stainless steel, and tempered steel.
• Scrub Brush Industrial-strength scrub brushes for tough cleaning jobs. Options include dusting scrub brush, spoke scrub brush, Sure Surface brush (220-degree bristle coverage), and FDA-approved nylon scrub brush for food industry applications.
• Chip Brush Multi-purpose brushes for sweeping debris and applying materials like adhesives, paints, and solvents. Available in natural bristle, polyester varnish, stainless wire handle, and flat oil (Tampico filament) configurations.
• Plumbing Fitting Brushes Copper fitting and plumbing tools and accessories, including stainless steel and carbon filament fitting brushes designed to clean and deburr fittings and tubing in a variety of plumbing applications.
• 4-in-1 Plumbing Tool Multi-purpose plumbing tool that cleans inside most common fitting sizes and outside of most tubes. Made from stainless steel and carbon steel with ergonomic grip design.
• Outside Tube Brush Brushes designed for cleaning light deposits on outside surfaces of tubes. Available in stainless steel for HVAC applications with outside diameters from 5/8 inch to 7/8 inch.
• Fin Wisk Brush Specialized brushes with polyester bristles for fine cleaning of condenser fins and evaporators in HVAC applications. Features durable plastic handle with 6-1/2 inch length.
• Refrigerator Coil Cleaning Brush Brushes specifically designed for cleaning refrigerator coils, fan blades, and hard-to-reach areas under and behind appliances. Available in three sizes with wood handles or wood/wire grip options.
• Series 8138 Welder Brush Welder brushes with plastic ergonomic handles and wire filament stapled to the brush head. Available in 7 filament types: aluminum, brass, bronze, carbon steel, horsehair, nylon, and stainless steel. Production capacity of 10,000 brushes per shift on the 8138 welder brush machine.
• Acid Brush and Dope Brush Small disposable acid brushes (horsehair bristles with tin handles) and larger dope brushes (thick wood handle with high-quality horsehair filaments) for applying oil-based solvents, glue, paint, and lubricants; originally designed for applying acid flux in soldering.
• S-VECO Brush System Conveyor cleaning brush systems designed for cleaning top and underside of conveyor belts. Used in mining and bulk-material handling environments for continuous cleaning during operation.
• Channel Sweep Brush Purpose-designed brushes for cleaning enclosed overhead conveyor chain systems. Used in paint lines and finishing operations to prevent buildup that causes chain drag and contamination.
• Custom Twisted-In-Wire Brush Custom-manufactured twisted in wire brushes with aluminum, steel, or stainless steel cores. Can be designed with various filament types including nylon, polypropylene, polyester, brass, stainless steel, and carbon steel.
• Custom Metal Back Strip Brush Custom metal back strip brushes with silicon carbide and aluminum oxide filaments for abrasive applications. Manufactured to specific customer requirements and dimensions.
• Custom Cylinder Brush Custom cylinder brushes for industrial, food processing, agricultural, automotive, and environmental cleaning applications. Available in various bristle materials for specific operational requirements.
• Custom Staple Set Brush Custom staple set brushes where filaments are secured by staples into the brush body. Can be manufactured with various filament materials and configurations for specific applications.
• Custom Hand Drawn Brush Custom hand drawn brushes with filaments individually drawn through holes in the base and tied off. Designed for harsh conditions including heat, caustic environments, and high-wear applications where secure bristle mounting is essential.
• Burr Brush Power tube brushes with blunt ends designed for cleaning blind holes in machining, manufacturing, and maintenance applications. Feature precision bristle configuration and high-quality materials for long-lasting durability.
• Spin Grit Brush Industrial cleaning brush with single stem construction and silicon carbide/nylon coextruded bristles. Features oversized bristles that bend over during use for maximum surface contact and deep cleaning of condenser tubes and brass tubes.
• Spin Clean Brush Condenser cleaning brush with long and short bristles strategically positioned to reach grooves and flat surfaces. Silicon carbide and nylon coextruded bristles provide aggressive cleaning with longer brush life than conventional brushes.
• Gornell Brush Staple-Set and Custom Brushes Staple-set and custom brushes sold under the Gornell Brush brand, which is owned and operated by Schaefer Brush. Represents the legacy of E. Gornell & Sons acquired in March 2019.

Quantifiable outcome

• Machine can produce 10,000 brushes per shift
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• E. Gornell & Sons (Gornell Brush)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerE. Gornell & Sons (operating as Gornell Brush) was added to the Schaefer Brush organization in March 2019. Gornell Brush specializes in Staple-Set and custom brushes and is owned and operated by Schaefer Brush.
• American Brushware Association (ABA)minorOthersIndustry association membership providing industry networking and standards participation.
• Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributor Association (STAFDA)minorOthersTrade association membership for specialty tools and fasteners distributors.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gordon Brush: Gordon Brush is a US-based industrial brush manufacturer offering custom and standard brushes across industries including aerospace, medical, and electronics. It is the most direct comparable to Schaefer Brush in product breadth, custom capabilities, and target customer base.
• Milwaukee Brush Company: Milwaukee Brush is a Wisconsin-based industrial brush manufacturer producing custom and standard brushes for industrial applications. Geographic proximity and similar product mix make it a direct competitor to Schaefer Brush, particularly in custom twisted-in-wire and staple-set brushes.
• Carolina Brush Company: Carolina Brush manufactures industrial brushes including strip brushes, cylinder brushes, and twisted-in-wire brushes for manufacturing, conveying, and material handling. Overlapping product portfolio and similar custom engineering services position it as a direct peer.
• Tanis Brush: Tanis Brush is a US manufacturer of industrial and maintenance brushes including twisted-in-wire, strip, and cylinder brushes. Direct overlap with Schaefer's core brush constructions and customer base in MRO and industrial markets.
• Jensen Brush: Jensen Brush is a custom industrial brush manufacturer offering twisted-in-wire, strip, and specialty brushes. Comparable in custom engineering orientation and serving similar industrial and OEM customers as Schaefer Brush.
• Precision Brush: Precision Brush manufactures custom industrial brushes for technical applications including medical, electronics, and industrial cleaning. Smaller and more specialty-focused, but competes with Schaefer in custom engineered brush solutions.

Broad incumbents

• Weiler Corporation: Weiler is a large established manufacturer of power brushes, abrasives, and maintenance brushes for industrial and metalworking applications. While much larger and broader, it overlaps directly with Schaefer's scratch, scrub, and tube brush offerings for MRO and industrial customers.
• Anderson Products: Anderson Products manufactures industrial brushes and abrasive products for welding, metalworking, and surface finishing. Its product range overlaps with Schaefer's scratch brushes, welder brushes, and MRO/industrial category.
• 3M (Abrasives Division): 3M offers industrial brushes and abrasive products as part of its broader industrial portfolio. While brushes are a small fraction of its offering, 3M competes with Schaefer in MRO and surface finishing brushes through distribution.
• OSBORN (Saint-Gobain): Osborn is a global manufacturer of industrial brushes, finishing tools, and surface treatment solutions. Competes with Schaefer in industrial brushes for metal finishing, tube cleaning, and MRO applications, with broader geographic reach and product portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Schaefer Brush Manufacturing