Royal Brass

What Royal Brass does

Royal Brass & Hose (legal entity Royal Brass Inc.) is a Knoxville, Tennessee-based authorized industrial distributor of hydraulic, pneumatic, mobile equipment, and fluid power components, founded in 1949 by John MacDonald as a single-person operation selling brass fittings and now operating 11 branches across 10 states serving the continental United States. The company offers a comprehensive catalog across 12 product categories — Agriculture (PTO drivelines, bearings, farm accessories), Hydraulics (hoses, fittings, adapters, tubing), Fasteners, Quick Disconnects, Electrical Supplies, Industrial (clamps, gauges, valves, welding), Tools, Automotive (battery cables, A/C parts, brake components), Safety and Job Site Maintenance, Storage and Display Racks, Paint and Coatings, and Food and Beverage — supplemented by a Haystix agricultural sub-brand. Core technical capabilities center on value-added fabrication services including custom hose assemblies, OEM kitting, CNC tube bending, laser vector cutting, end forming, DOT-certified brake hose assembly, and hydraulic hose pressure testing, backed by certified assembler status with Gates, Continental, Dixon, Weasler, and others.

The company runs a hybrid B2B distribution model combining nine full-service retail counters with two distribution-only facilities (Marietta, GA and Mint Hill, NC), a 24/7 account-based e-commerce platform with Quick Order spreadsheet upload, and territory manager field coverage for technical support and account management. Revenue is generated through product sales (hydraulic/pneumatic components, hoses, fittings, fasteners), professional services (custom hose fabrication, tube bending, OEM kitting, pressure testing), and managed services (vendor managed inventory, blanket order/JIT shipments). Pricing is account-based and customer-specific with no public rate disclosure or guest checkout, reflecting standard industrial distribution practice of relationship-based accounts rather than transactional retail. Customer segments span Agriculture, Automotive, Industrial, Heavy Transportation, and Construction verticals, with primary emphasis on Agriculture and Automotive.

Ownership is held through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) established in 2018, making all employees stakeholder-owners under CEO Drew MacDonald (likely a family member of founder John MacDonald), CFO Zac Lemons, President Frank Stephens, Vice President Bob Lackey, and Director of Branch Operations Mary Ann Staton. The company holds multiple industry memberships and certifications — Fluid Power Society, Industrial Distribution Association, NAHAD, Gates Safe Hydraulics, Dixon and Continental certified assembler status, and Alemite certification at Madisonville — supporting technical credibility and access to major OEM product lines. Royal Brass is privately held with no parent company, no disclosed external investors, and no funding rounds, positioning it as a mature, self-funded mid-market industrial distributor rather than a venture-backed growth company.

Name

Royal Brass

Legal name

Royal Brass Inc.

Website

https://royalbrassandhose.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Royal Brass & Hose is a Knoxville, Tennessee-based authorized industrial distributor, founded 1949 and employee-owned since 2018, operating 11 branches across 10 states serving agriculture, automotive, industrial, heavy transportation, and construction customers with hydraulic/pneumatic components, fasteners, custom hose fabrication, and value-added supply chain services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Distribution

NAICS

Rubber and Plastics Hoses and Belting Manufacturing (326220), Fluid Power Valve and Hose Fitting Manufacturing (332912), Mechanical Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing (333613)

SIC

Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

Hoses, Tubing & Fittings (Hydraulic/Pneumatic Lines & Connectors) (IMAHAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bulk Handling & Conveying for Processing Lines (Augers, Elevators, Conveyors) (AFAAAJAJ)

Keywords

• Industrial distribution
• Hydraulic hose fittings
• Mobile equipment parts
• Custom hose fabrication
• Agricultural parts

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of industrial hydraulic and pneumatic components, hoses, fittings, fasteners, and related mobile equipment parts through retail counters and E-commerce platform
2. Custom Fabrication Services: Value-added custom hose fabrication, tube bending, and assembly services including OEM production and pressure testing
3. Vendor Managed Inventory: VMI arrangements with customers for inventory management and supply chain optimization

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Royal Brass & Hose is an authorized industrial wholesale distributor of hydraulic, pneumatic, and mobile equipment components — including hoses, fittings, fasteners, quick disconnects, battery cables, and agricultural driveline parts — sold through 11 branches in 10 states and a 24/7 account-based e-commerce platform. The company adds value through custom hose fabrication, tube bending with CNC and laser cutting, DOT-certified brake hose assembly, hose pressure testing, custom PTO shaft building, OEM kitting, vendor managed inventory, and blanket/JIT shipment programs. Customers span agriculture, automotive, industrial, heavy transportation, and construction sectors.

Product overview

Royal Brass & Hose is an authorized industrial distributor offering a comprehensive portfolio of mobile equipment products across 12 main categories. The company operates as a single unified distribution platform offering both products and value-added services. Core product categories include Agriculture (PTO drivelines, bearings, farm accessories), Hydraulics (hoses, fittings, adapters, tubing), Fasteners, Quick Disconnects, Electrical Supplies, Industrial products, Tools, Automotive (battery cables, A/C parts, brake components), Safety & Job Site Maintenance, Storage & Display Racks, Paint & Coatings, and Food & Beverage. Key services include custom hose fabrication (assemblies, pressure testing), tube bending and fabrication, DOT brake hose assembly, vendor managed inventory, custom kitting, and blanket order/JIT shipments. The company operates 11 locations serving the continental United States with e-commerce capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Haystix: Agricultural product brand carried by Royal Brass & Hose.

Products and services

• Agriculture Products

Quantifiable outcome

• Maximize equipment uptime and minimize downtime through reliable inventory and custom fabrication
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• GatescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRoyal Brass & Hose is a licensed distributor of Gates hydraulic and industrial hose products, including Gates hydraulic hose fittings and assemblies
• ContinentalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Continental hose products including Spiraflex layflat hoses and certified assembler status
• WeaslercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Weasler agricultural PTO driveline components and assemblies
• PioneermajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Pioneer quick disconnect couplings and hydraulic components
• DixoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Dixon quick disconnects and couplings; company holds Dixon Certified Assembler status
• BrakeQuipmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of BrakeQuip brake system components and assemblies
• Brighton-Best InternationalmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Brighton-Best International fasteners
• KuriyamamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Kuriyama industrial hose products
• Band-ItmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Band-It clamping products
• QuickCablemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrime dealer of QuickCable brand battery cables, connectors, tools, and accessories. Specializes in custom battery cable assemblies.
• Bondioli & PavesimajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Bondioli & Pavesi metric PTO driveline components (Italian style)
• Adapt AllminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Adapt All products
• OetikermajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Oetiker clamping and joining solutions
• MizemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Mize products including twin lead booster cables and related accessories
• HaystixminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed distributor of Haystix agricultural products including hay handling equipment

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Motion Industries: Largest US industrial MRO distributor (a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company) operating more than 700 branches with extensive hydraulic hose and fluid power coverage. Directly comparable business model of multi-vertical industrial distribution with custom hose fabrication capabilities.
• Applied Industrial Technologies: Public industrial distributor with hundreds of service centers across North America distributing bearings, power transmission, fluid power, and engineered rubber products. Comparable multi-vertical industrial distribution with fluid power and hose assembly operations.
• MSC Industrial Direct: Large public industrial MRO distributor with deep catalog of metalworking, fluid power, and maintenance products in the US. Comparable broad-line industrial distribution model, though with a heavier digital orientation.
• Fastenal: Public industrial supplies distributor with thousands of US locations focused on fasteners, tools, and fluid power accessories. Comparable multi-vertical MRO distribution with a hybrid store-and-vending model and similar end-market mix.
• Grainger: Largest US industrial MRO distributor operating keepStock vending, branches, and a dominant digital catalog. Comparable broad-line industrial distribution, though with significantly larger scale and stronger e-commerce position than Royal Brass.

Direct peers

• Pirtek USA: Franchised hydraulic and industrial hose service network specializing in on-site and in-shop hose fabrication with mobile service vehicles. Closest comparable specialist in custom hose assembly and rapid-response fluid power service to Royal Brass' fabrication-led model.
• Hydraulic Supply Company: Distributor of hydraulic and pneumatic components, mobile equipment parts, and industrial hose serving the Southeast US out of multiple branches. Highly comparable regional competitor targeting the same agricultural, industrial, and mobile equipment customers as Royal Brass.
• Kaman Industrial Technologies: Industrial distributor of bearings, power transmission, fluid power, and hose products through a branch network in the US. Comparable multi-vertical industrial distribution with strong fluid power overlap and similar customer base.

Emerging players

• Brennan Industries: Manufacturer and supplier of hydraulic fittings, adapters, and accessories. Comparable fluid power component supplier-distributor hybrid serving industrial and mobile equipment OEMs.
• HOSEs.com / Industrial Hose Source: Specialty industrial hose and accessories distributor with a direct e-commerce focus. Comparable niche industrial hose and fittings distribution, but predominantly digital without the branch-and-counter footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5ABa_jUmq6OU0zVEpIubQg
• Facebookfacebook.com/royalbrassandhose
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/royal-brass-&-hose

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Royal Brass