Ford Meter Box

What Ford Meter Box does

Ford Meter Box, founded in 1898 and incorporated in 1911, is a family-owned US manufacturer headquartered in Wabash, Indiana, with a secondary Pipe Products Division manufacturing facility of 335,000 square feet in Pell City, Alabama. The company designs and produces waterworks brass and fabricated steel products including water meter boxes, meter setters, yokes, pit setters, curb stops, corporation stops, service line couplings, check valves, ball valves, repair clamps, tapping sleeves, and the Uni-Flange line of water main pipe restraints. Core technology centers on compression fitting systems (Pack Joint, Grip Joint, Quick Joint, Ultra-tite), water meter test benches (first patented in 1916), and joint restraint products that eliminate concrete thrust blocks. The company holds ISO 9001-2015 certification, has been continuously certified since 1996, and operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries Uni-Flange Corporation (acquired 1994) and Baker Coupling LLC (2023 asset acquisition).

The company sells exclusively through a vast network of authorized distributor partners across North America and select international markets, supported by a dedicated International Sales team and a distributor portal (my.fordmeterbox.com). Pricing is managed through distributor price books and catalogs; a February 2026 price increase letter signals active list-price management. End customers are municipal and regional water utilities (vertical: water meter installation, water distribution, pipeline maintenance) and water works contractors (vertical: water main installation, repair, and pipeline connections). The company does not sell direct to end customers, does not disclose pricing publicly, and operates as a privately held corporation with no external investors identified.

Strategic activity over the past three years has focused on capacity expansion (new foundry under construction), tuck-in M&A (Baker Coupling 2023), product line extension (Adjustable S-Tube, Dismantling Joints), and a generational leadership transition with Chris Shanks succeeding Steve Ford as President in May 2026. Marketing is built around technical content, FMB.TV training videos, interactive engineering tools, and affiliations with industry associations including NRWA, AWWA, and WEF.

Name

Ford Meter Box

Legal name

The Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.

Website

https://fordmeterbox.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Ford Meter Box is a family-owned US manufacturer, founded in 1898, of waterworks brass and pipeline products including meter boxes, setters, valves, repair clamps, and Uni-Flange pipe restraints, sold through distributors to municipal water utilities and water works contractors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waterworks and Pipeline Infrastructure Products

NAICS

Fluid Power Valve and Hose Fitting Manufacturing (332912), Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914)

SIC

Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561), Totalizing Fluid Meters & Counting Devices (3824)

akta.pro primary industry

Pumps & Plumbing Pump Accessories (Sump, Sewage, Booster) (IMADALAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty & Metering Pumps (IMAHANAC)

Keywords

• Waterworks brass products
• Water meter setting equipment
• Pipe repair clamps
• Pipe joint restraints
• Municipal water distribution fittings

Headquarters

HQ city

Indiana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

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. Waterworks Products Sales: Ford Meter Box generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of waterworks brass products, water meter setting equipment, pipe products, and related pipeline infrastructure components. Products are sold through a distribution partner network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ford Meter Box manufactures and sells waterworks brass products and pipeline components for municipal water distribution systems. Its product portfolio covers water meter boxes and meter setting equipment, service line valves and fittings (corporation stops, curb stops, couplings, check valves), pipe repair products (stainless steel clamps, couplings, tapping sleeves), and Uni-Flange joint restraints. All products are sold through a network of authorized waterworks distributors serving utilities and contractors in the United States and internationally.

Product overview

Ford Meter Box is a family-owned manufacturer of waterworks brass and pipeline products serving water utilities and contractors since 1898. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of water meter setting equipment (meter boxes, setters, yokes, pit setters), brass valves and fittings (corporation stops, curb stops, check valves, couplings), and pipe products including repair clamps, couplings, tapping sleeves, and Uni-Flange pipe restraints. The core product architecture centers on water meter installation and protection systems, complemented by a full line of brass service line products and the Pipe Products Division (acquired 1982, expanded through Baker Coupling acquisition in 2023) manufacturing fabricated steel items in Pell City, Alabama. The company also offers Uni-Flange joint restraints and dismantling joints as key product lines. Interactive tools for pipe thrust restraint calculation, yoke assembly building, and setter configuration are provided as complementary digital resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Uni-Flange: Complete line of water main pipe restraints. The Uni-Flange lines of joint restraint eliminate the need for costly and time-consuming concrete thrust blocks.

Products and services

• Corporation Stops & Connections Brass corporation stops and connection fittings used by utilities and contractors to connect service lines to water mains.
• Tapping Sleeves & Saddles Tapping sleeves and saddles that allow new service connections to existing water mains without interrupting service.
• Drilling Machine & SIMTAP Mechanical drilling machines and SIMTAP hot-tap equipment used for live pipe tapping operations on pressurized water mains.
• Inside Water Meter Setters Indoor meter setting devices used to position water meters inside buildings.
• Water Meter Boxes Protective enclosures for water meters installed in ground-level settings; the company's founding product since 1898.
• Meter Pit Covers & Lids Covers and lids for meter pits providing access and protection for underground water meter installations.
• Water Meter Yoke Settings Yoke-style assemblies used to mount water meters in a variety of installation configurations.
• Meter Setters & Resetters Coppersetter and meter setter products used for new water meter installations and meter replacement projects.
• Meter Pit Setters Setter products designed for water meter installations in below-ground pits.
• Curb Stops & Meter Valves Ball-valve curb stops and meter valves (1/2 inch through 2 inch, angle or straight design) used for water service control.
• Curb Boxes Above-ground access boxes for curb stop valves installed on water service lines.
• Water Meter Couplings Couplings for connecting water meters to service lines, offered in Pack Joint, Grip Joint, Quick Joint, and Ultra-tite compression fitting options.
• Check Valves & Retrosetters Check valves integrated into meter settings plus retrosetter products designed to prevent backflow and water contamination.
• Service Line Couplings Brass couplings that connect service line tubing using Ford compression fitting technology.
• Water Meter Test Benches Water meter testing equipment ranging from basic manual benches to fully computerized models, used by utilities to verify meter accuracy.
• Pipe Repair Clamps Stainless steel repair clamps used to fix damaged pipe sections in water distribution systems.
• Pipe Couplings Couplings used for pipe repair and connection across a range of pipe materials and configurations.
• Engineered Pipe Products and Fittings Fabricated steel pipe products and fittings for water distribution systems, produced at the Pipe Products Division in Pell City, Alabama.
• Uni-Flange Pipe Restraints Water main pipe restraints including M11 restraints, restrained couplings, flange adapters, joint restraints, casing spacers, and Uni-Flange adapter (UFA200/400/420/900) series that eliminate the need for concrete thrust blocks.
• Baker Coupling Pipe Products Pipe coupling products manufactured under the Baker Coupling line at the Pipe Products Division in Pell City, Alabama.
• Dismantling Joints Dismantling joints for routine maintenance, new construction, and demanding environments, offered in fabricated steel, stainless steel, multiple coatings, gaskets, and hardware options.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Uni-Flange CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired in 1994, Uni-Flange Corporation offers a complete line of water main pipe restraints. The Uni-Flange lines of joint restraint eliminate the need for costly and time-consuming concrete thrust blocks. This is a wholly-owned subsidiary that has become a core part of Ford's product portfolio.
• Baker Coupling, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2023, Ford Meter Box, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Baker Coupling, LLC, entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets of Baker Coupling Company, Inc. This addition expanded Ford's line of Pipe Products manufactured in Pell City, Alabama.
• Superior Utility ProductscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired in 1982, Superior Utility Products has grown into 335,000 square feet of manufacturing space known as the Pipe Products Division. This acquisition expanded Ford's manufacturing capacity and product offerings.
• NRWA (National Rural Water Association)minorOthersFord Meter Box is affiliated with the National Rural Water Association, a member organization shown on their website.
• AWWA (American Water Works Association)minorOthersFord Meter Box is affiliated with the American Water Works Association, an industry organization shown on their website.
• WEF (Water Environment Federation)minorOthersFord Meter Box is affiliated with the Water Environment Federation, an industry organization shown on their website.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mueller Water Products: Leading US manufacturer of water infrastructure products including valves, hydrants, and pipe fittings. Directly comparable as a brass and iron waterworks product manufacturer serving municipal utilities with an overlapping product portfolio.
• JCM Industries: Manufacturer of pipe couplings, repair clamps, tapping sleeves, and fabricated steel pipe products for the waterworks industry. Direct competitor to Ford's Pipe Products Division serving similar utility and contractor customers.
• EBAA Iron Sales: Manufacturer of pipe restraint products including the Megalug and other joint restraint systems. Directly comparable to Ford's Uni-Flange pipe restraint line, competing in the same specification-driven municipal restraint market.
• Romac Industries: Manufacturer of pipe repair products, couplings, tapping sleeves, and fittings for water and wastewater infrastructure. Directly comparable to Ford's pipe products division and brass coupling offerings.
• A.Y. McDonald Manufacturing Co. Family-owned manufacturer of waterworks brass fittings, valves, pumps, and plumbing products. Highly comparable as a long-standing, family-held competitor in the same water service line and meter-setting product categories.
• Smith-Blair (Xylem brand): Manufacturer of pipe couplings, repair clamps, tapping sleeves, and restrained joint products. Directly comparable through Ford's Pipe Products Division (Superior Utility Products / Baker Coupling) which competes in the same pipe repair and connection categories.

Broad incumbents

• Kennedy Valve (McWane): Manufacturer of waterworks valves, fittings, and hydrants. Comparable to Ford's brass valve and fitting lines within a larger McWane-owned portfolio of water infrastructure products.
• Tyler Pipe: Manufacturer of cast iron soil pipe and fittings for plumbing and drainage applications. Compares as a broader incumbent in related plumbing and water infrastructure products, with overlapping but distinct end markets.
• Clow Valve (McWane): Manufacturer of waterworks valves, hydrants, and related products under McWane's broader portfolio. Comparable as an incumbent competitor in municipal waterworks valves, though broader in scope than Ford's brass fittings focus.
• Hawle Water Metering (Mueller): Mueller-owned water meter and metering accessory business. Comparable through the meter-setting ecosystem where Ford supplies meter boxes, setters, and brass fittings that complement the meters themselves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fordmeterbox

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Ford Meter Box