What Lewis Bolt & Nut does

Lewis Bolt & Nut Company is a third-generation, family-owned manufacturer of railroad fasteners headquartered in Wayzata, Minnesota with primary production in La Junta, Colorado. The company designs and produces hot-forged and cold-headed track hardware — including screw spikes, rail anchors, hook bolts, frog and switch bolts, hex/square nuts, and washers — for Class 1 Railroads, transit operators, bridge contractors, and grade crossing installers across North America. Its product portfolio spans over 60 SKUs, with patented flagship lines such as the Quick-Set Hook Bolt System (US Patent 9,512,573), Permagrip Screw Spike, Evergrip G2, and Viper-1 Rail Anchor, differentiated by performance metrics including 9,000 lb holding power versus the 6,000 lb AREMA standard, 5-minute install times versus traditional drilling, and 2.5x faster installation versus legacy lagging methods.

Core production runs through the largest hot-forging upsetter operation in North America, supported by cold-heading lines for standard 1/4" to 5/8" diameter bolts and dedicated rail anchor plants. Manufacturing occupies more than 100,000 sq ft of purpose-built space in La Junta built up in stages since the 1992 relocation from Minneapolis, with the City of La Junta serving as a long-term capital partner that constructed and lease-back expansion buildings. Quality control is anchored by AAR M-1003 certification for railroad suppliers, A2LA ISO 17025 accreditation (Certificate 1103.01) for in-house tensile testing up to 300,000 lb, and Buy America compliance, which together create significant certification barriers for new entrants.

The business model is direct B2B hardware sales: products ship from La Junta to customers nationwide, with quote-based pricing negotiated through a Minnesota sales office and dedicated regional account managers targeting enterprise Class 1 buyers. Revenue derives from unit sales of fasteners rather than licensing or services, and the go-to-market is relationship-driven direct sales supplemented by a product catalog website with quote-request capture and trade publication presence. Long-tenured customer relationships, AREMA spec approvals, and cumulative installed base (LT-1 rail anchor alone in 100+ million feet of track) anchor recurring revenue. Ownership remains 100% in the Paper family, with Tom Paper assuming the presidency on January 1, 2024 as the third generation of family leadership.

Name

Lewis Bolt & Nut

Legal name

Lewis Bolt & Nut Company

Website

https://lewisbolt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lewis Bolt & Nut Company is a third-generation, family-owned manufacturer of hot-forged and cold-headed railroad fasteners — including screw spikes, rail anchors, hook bolts, and bridge hardware — sold to Class 1 Railroads, transit operators, and bridge contractors across North America from its La Junta, Colorado production facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railroad Fasteners and Track Hardware

NAICS

Bolt, Nut, Screw, Rivet, and Washer Manufacturing (332722)

SIC

Bolts, Nuts, Screws, Rivets & Washers (3452)

akta.pro primary industry

Wear Parts & Consumables (Liners, Mantles, Hammers) (IMAHAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wear Parts & Consumables (GET, Liners, Drill Bits, Grinding Media) (IMAKANAH)

Keywords

• Railroad fasteners
• Screw spikes
• Rail anchors
• Bridge fastening systems
• Hot-forged track bolts

Headquarters

HQ city

La Junta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Railroad Fastener Products: Manufacture and sale of railroad fasteners including screw spikes, rail anchors, bolts, nuts, washers, and specialized track hardware. Products sold directly to Class 1 Railroads and railroad contractors.
2. Custom Manufacturing: Bespoke manufacturing services for railroad, bridge, and industrial applications. Products range from 3/8" to 2" diameter and from a few inches to several feet in length.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Lewis Bolt & Nut Company manufactures hot-forged and cold-headed railroad fasteners including screw spikes, rail anchors, bridge bolts, track bolts, hook bolts, nuts, washers, and lag screws. The company operates as a vertically integrated domestic manufacturer with over 100,000 sq ft of production space in La Junta, Colorado, serving Class 1 Railroads, railroad contractors, and bridge builders across North America. Its product portfolio centers on patented innovations such as Evergrip G2 screw spikes, Permagrip screw spikes, Quick-Set Hook Bolt, and Viper-1 Rail Anchor, all engineered to meet AREMA standards and Buy America requirements.

Product overview

Lewis Bolt & Nut Company is a domestic manufacturer of railroad fasteners serving the North American railroad industry since 1927. The company operates as a single unified manufacturing operation producing a comprehensive portfolio of hot-forged and cold-headed fasteners. The product portfolio centers on patented rail anchors (Viper-1, LT-1 Drive-On), screw spikes (Evergrip G2, Permagrip), and bridge fastening systems (Evertite System), supported by a complete range of track bolts (switch bolts, frog bolts, track bolts), hook bolts (Quick-Set patented system, safety hook bolts), general fasteners (carriage bolts, plow bolts, square bolts), fastener components (hex and square nuts, various washers), lag screws (recessed head, square head, hex head, sealtite washer head), timber screws, spikes (boat spikes, dome head drive, washer head drive), drift pins, nails, and wooden tie plugs. Manufacturing facilities are located in La Junta, Colorado with a sales office in Wayzata, Minnesota.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LT-1 Drive-On Rail Anchor
• Viper-1 Rail Anchor (Patented)
• Permagrip Screw Spike
• Evergrip G2 Screw Spike
• Quick-Set Hook Bolt System (Patented)
• Safety Hook Bolt
• 2" Standard Sealtite Hook Bolt
• Hex Head Bridge Machine Bolt
• Square Head Bridge Machine Bolt
• Button Head Oval Neck Track Bolt
• Heavy Square Switch Bolt
• Heavy Hex Switch Bolt Undrilled
• Square Head Frog Bolt
• Hex Head Frog Bolt
• Long Point Frog Bolt
• No Fin Dome Head Bolt
• 4-Fin Dome Head Bolt
• 4-Fin Dome Head Bolt With Hole
• Washer Head 2-Fin Bolt
• Washer Head 4-Fin Bolt
• Washer Head No Fin Bolt
• Carriage Bolt
• Sealtite Car Bolt
• Square Head Bolt
• Plow Bolt
• Heavy Square Nut
• Heavy Hex Nut
• Hex Everlok Nut
• Square Everlok Nut
• Finished Hex Nut
• ANCO Hex Lock Nut
• Nylon Insert Lock Hex Nut
• Regular Square Nut
• Washer Nut
• Slotted Hex Nut
• Malleable Iron Washer
• Type A Wide Flat Washer
• Cast OGEE Washer
• Spring Washers
• F436 Washer
• Heavy Duty Bridge Washer (3 inch OD)
• Evertite System
• Square Head Lag Screw
• Hex Head Lag Screw
• Sealtite Washer Head Lag Screw
• Recessed Head Lag Screws
• North American Standard Coach Screw
• Square Head Timber Screw (BNSF Style)
• Square Head Timber Screw Style X
• Square Head Timber Screw Style A
• Square Head Timber Screw Style B
• Square Head Timber Screw Style L
• Diamond Head Cone Point Boat Spike
• Dome Head Drive Spikes
• Washer Head Drive Spikes
• Drift Pins
• Nails
• Cedar Wood Tie Plugs

Quantifiable outcome

• Installation time reduced to 5 minutes per bolt with Quick-Set Hook Bolt System
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.

• City of La JuntacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1992, the city of La Junta has been an integral partner in Lewis Bolt's growth. The city assisted in refinancing company debt, constructed new buildings for the factory and leased them back to Lewis. Built 32,000 sq ft building in 90 days, 18,000 sq ft addition in 1998, 22,500 sq ft warehouse in 2005, and 50,000 sq ft additional buildings in 2013. Partnership has enabled expansion to 275 employees.
• Clean Valley RecyclingminorOthersEnvironmental partnership for recycling and sustainability initiatives. Lewis Bolt has partnered with Clean Valley Recycling to promote environmental initiatives and greater sustainability in manufacturing operations.
• Pinnacol AssurancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafety training and education partnership. Lewis Bolt teams up with Pinnacol Assurance and Colorado Safety Association for continual training and educational opportunities for employees.
• Colorado Safety AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafety training partnership providing continual training and educational opportunities for Lewis Bolt employees alongside Pinnacol Assurance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pandrol: Pandrol is the global market leader in rail fastening systems, producing rail clips, anchors, and concrete sleeper fastenings used by railroads worldwide. Directly competes with Lewis Bolt's Viper-1, LT-1 Drive-On, and Evergrip product lines in the railroad fastener market.
• Vossloh: Vossloh is a major international supplier of rail infrastructure products including rail fastening systems and switches for freight and transit rail. Directly comparable to Lewis Bolt's core railroad fastener and trackwork offerings across both transit and freight applications.
• L.B. Foster Company: L.B. Foster provides rail products and services including rail fasteners, trackwork, and concrete ties to North American Class 1 Railroads. Directly competes with Lewis Bolt in the rail fastener and track hardware market with overlapping customer accounts.
• Portland Bolt & Manufacturing: Portland Bolt is a US manufacturer of large-diameter custom industrial bolts with similar hot-forging capabilities and custom manufacturing focus. Operates in adjacent industrial fastener markets with comparable manufacturing model, scale, and custom-engineering orientation.
• Birmingham Fastener & Supply: Birmingham Fastener is a US manufacturer and distributor of industrial fasteners with a broad product range including construction and infrastructure products. Comparable to Lewis Bolt in fastener manufacturing capability and customer base across industrial markets.
• Elgin Fastener Group: Elgin Fastener Group is a US manufacturer of engineered fastening solutions serving multiple industrial markets. Similar business model and product category to Lewis Bolt's industrial fastener manufacturing with overlapping capabilities in custom-engineered screw and bolt production.

Broad incumbents

• Progress Rail Services (Caterpillar): Progress Rail, a Caterpillar subsidiary, is a major diversified rail services company offering locomotives, rail products, and infrastructure services. Overlaps with Lewis Bolt in rail products but operates at much greater scale with a broader portfolio across the entire rail value chain.
• Amsted Rail: Amsted Rail is a major supplier of freight car components including castings, brakes, and rail anchors for the railroad industry. Operates in the same end-market as Lewis Bolt but with a broader portfolio focused on freight car equipment rather than track hardware.

Others

• Nord-Lock Group: Nord-Lock Group specializes in bolt-securing solutions including wedge-locking washers and bolted joint training services. Adjacent to Lewis Bolt's washer products with a focus on fastener security and anti-vibration rather than traditional fastener hardware.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lewisboltandnut

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Lewis Bolt & Nut