What Kennedy Valve does

Kennedy Valve Company, founded in 1877 and headquartered in Elmira, New York, is a U.S. manufacturer of fire hydrants, waterworks valves, and UL-FM fire protection products. Operations have been anchored at a 52.59-acre integrated casting and CNC machining facility in Elmira since 1907. The product portfolio includes the K81 Guardian (K81A, K81D, K81AM) and patented K17 Industrial fire hydrants (U.S. Patents #9,260,840 and #9,260,844, with 350 PSI working pressure and a true 6-inch flow path), a full AWWA-compliant waterworks valve line (butterfly, check, resilient-seated gate, OS&Y, NRS, and indicator posts), and UL Listed/FM Approved fire protection valves and indicator posts. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of McWane, LLC, operating within the McWane Valve & Hydrant Group alongside sister companies M&H Valve and Clow Valve.

Kennedy sells primarily through a 28+ Territory Sales Manager field force covering all 50 U.S. states, an Inside Sales team, and an extensive distributor network including Core & Main, Ferguson Waterworks, HD Supply for waterworks, and Viking Supply Net, Sprinkfab, and American Pipe for UL-FM fire protection. Pricing is quote-based on published price books. In addition to hardware sales, Kennedy markets the iHydrant and iHydrant Plus smart-monitoring platforms, which embed sensors in installed hydrants and apply machine learning to acoustic, pressure, and temperature data for real-time leak detection and system analytics—a subscription-based recurring revenue stream layered onto the legacy hardware business. International sales are handled by a Global Inside Sales Coordinator.

The company holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018 certifications and complies with AWWA standards C500, C502, C503, C504, C508, C509, C515, C517, and C550, alongside UL-FM approvals for its fire protection portfolio. Customers are primarily municipal water utilities (B2G), fire protection contractors, industrial water system operators (oil and gas, petrochemical), and fire departments. The combination of entrenched specification-driven municipal procurement cycles, multi-decade product lifecycles, and a 140+ year American-made brand position Kennedy as a stable incumbent in U.S. water and fire-protection infrastructure markets.

Name

Kennedy Valve

Legal name

Kennedy Valve Company

Website

https://kennedyvalve.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1877

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kennedy Valve Company, founded 1877 and based in Elmira, NY, manufactures fire hydrants, waterworks valves, and UL-FM fire protection products for U.S. municipal water utilities, fire protection contractors, and industrial operators, distributed nationwide through a 28+ person sales force and major utility distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Infrastructure and Fire Protection Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Industrial Valve Manufacturing (332911), Metal Valve Manufacturing (33291), Other Metal Valve and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing (332919)

SIC

Steam & Air-Conditioning Supply (4961)

akta.pro primary industry

Fire Protection Piping & Sprinkler System Components (IMADALAJ)

Keywords

• Fire hydrant manufacturing
• Water distribution valves
• AWWA valve products
• UL-FM fire protection
• Ductile iron castings

Headquarters

HQ city

Elmira

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fire Hydrant Sales: Manufacturing and sale of fire hydrants including K81A, K81D Guardian, K17 Industrial, and monitor hydrants
2. Waterworks Valve Sales: Butterfly valves, check valves, resilient seated gate valves, OS&Y and NRS gate valves for water utilities
3. UL-FM Fire Protection Products: UL Listed and FM Approved valves for fire protection systems including resilient wedge gate valves, indicator posts, and butterfly valves
4. iHydrant Monitoring Services: Real-time system monitoring and analytics services for water infrastructure using IoT sensors

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kennedy Valve manufactures and sells AWWA-compliant fire hydrants (K81A, K81D, K81AM, and K17 Industrial), a full line of waterworks valves (butterfly, check, resilient seated gate, OS&Y, NRS), and UL-FM approved fire protection valves for municipal water utilities and fire protection contractors. The company complements its physical product line with iHydrant, a smart hydrant monitoring platform that provides real-time pressure and temperature data, and iHydrant Plus, which layers acoustic leak detection and machine learning analytics for proactive water infrastructure management. Products are made in the United States at the Elmira, NY facility using in-house ductile iron casting and CNC machining, and are distributed nationwide through direct field sales, inside sales, and an AWWA / UL-FM distributor network.

Product overview

Kennedy Valve is a manufacturer of fire hydrants, water valves, and fire protection products. The product portfolio consists of iHydrant (smart monitoring system with real-time pressure and temperature sensors), fire hydrants (K81A, K81D, K81AM Guardian series and K17 Industrial/Monitor hydrant), waterworks valves (butterfly valves, check valves, resilient seated gate valves, OS&Y and NRS gate valves, indicator posts), and UL-FM approved fire protection products. Products are manufactured in the United States and distributed worldwide, with distribution across the United States and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iHydrant: Real-time pressure and temperature monitoring system for water infrastructure with wireless sensors and analytics platform
• Guardian
• iHydrant Plus

Products and services

• iHydrant iHydrant is a smart hydrant monitoring product for water utilities: it combines always-on sensors installed in the lower valve plate with a monitoring platform that sends wireless real-time pressure and temperature feedback, allowing utilities to make informed decisions, protect water infrastructure, and manage operating costs.
• iHydrant Plus iHydrant Plus is a water system intelligence platform that combines acoustic leak detection, pressure monitoring, and temperature data with machine learning tools to identify leaks and pressure anomalies in real time, enabling public and private water system operators to reduce non-revenue water loss.
• Fire Hydrants (K81A, K81D, K81AM, K17) Kennedy Valve's AWWA-compliant fire hydrant line includes the K81A Guardian, K81D Guardian, K81AM, and K17 Industrial fire hydrants; the K17 provides 350 PSI working pressure, a true 6-inch flow path, and near-laminar flow, while the Guardian series provides general-purpose municipal fire hydrants. Used by municipal water utilities, fire protection contractors, and industrial facilities.
• Waterworks Valves (Butterfly, Check, Gate, OS&Y, NRS, Indicator Posts) Kennedy Valve's comprehensive AWWA-compliant waterworks valve portfolio includes butterfly valves, check valves, resilient seated gate valves, OS&Y valves, NRS valves, and indicator posts, designed as widely available and trustworthy components for water utility distribution systems.
• UL-FM Fire Protection Valves and Products Kennedy Valve UL/FM Approved fire protection products for commercial and residential fire sprinkler and suppression systems, including resilient wedge gate valves, indicator posts, butterfly valves (XBFV, BB series), the K17 Industrial Hydrant, and the KVOS2 factory-installed tamper switch. Sold through specialized fire protection distributors including Viking Supply Net, Sprinkfab, and American Pipe.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% on-time delivery and 100% quality product goals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Endeavors Puerto RicominorOthersCollaborated at annual sales meeting to provide supply packs to homeless veterans in the community as part of McWane Valve & Hydrant team volunteer initiative
• Corning Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKennedy Valve hosted students from the manufacturing technician program for facility tours and career information sessions as part of workforce development initiative to encourage career development in local manufacturing
• Limestone Volunteer Fire DepartmentminorOthersKennedy Valve donated two K81 Hydrant Uppers for the creation of their new station sign, supporting local fire department operations
• Elmira-Chemung Transportation Council (ECTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcWane and Kennedy Valve donated $1.5 million grant to ECTC for Chemung Canal Connector Trail Project to close 8-mile gap between Catharine Valley Trail and Lackawanna Rail Trail
• Arnot Ogden Medical Center NICUminorOthersCharity golf tournament beneficiary - third annual tournament raised $7,128.60 for Arnot Ogden Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• StacheStrongminorOthersSponsored 8th annual StacheStrong 5K Run/Walk devoted to raising funds and awareness for brain cancer research. Event raised $233,000 funding three research grants at Brigham and Women's, Johns Hopkins and University of Michigan
• American Water Works Association (AWWA)coreOthersKennedy Valve is a member supporting AWWA standards and participates in events like Hydrant Hysteria competition at AWWA regional and national conferences
• Chemung County Chamber of CommercecoreOthersKennedy Valve is a member and supporter of the Chamber which provides voice for business in the region for over 100 years
• American Foundry Society (AFS)coreOthersKennedy Valve supports AFS which provides knowledge and services to strengthen the metal casting industry
• Water and Sewer Distributors of America (WASDA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWASDA comprises over 100 distributors and manufacturers of waterworks and wastewater products - part of Kennedy's distribution ecosystem
• Manufacturers Standardization Society (MSS)minorOthersKennedy Valve adheres to MSS standards for valves and fittings industry, contributing to development of industry codes and standards
• McWane Valve & Hydrant Group (Clow Valve, M&H Valve)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKennedy Valve is part of McWane Valve & Hydrant Group along with Clow Valve and M&H Valve, collaborating on AWWA Hydrant Hysteria events and sharing resources

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Ferguson Waterworks: Ferguson Waterworks is a major AWWA distributor that stocks Kennedy Valve products alongside competing brands; it shapes end-customer choice and exerts channel leverage over manufacturers.
• Core & Main: Core & Main is a large waterworks distributor and one of Kennedy Valve's named AWWA distribution partners; it also distributes competing brands, making it an enabling-but-also-competitive channel participant in municipal bids.

Broad incumbents

• Watts Water Technologies: Watts is a larger publicly traded incumbent that supplies water valves, backflow preventers and plumbing products across residential, commercial and institutional markets, with adjacent waterworks offerings that overlap Kennedy Valve's UL/FM valve portfolio.

Direct peers

• Clow Valve: Clow Valve is a sister manufacturer inside McWane's Valve & Hydrant Group that produces AWWA hydrants and waterworks valves, sharing distribution and federal bid infrastructure with Kennedy Valve and competing on overlapping product lines.
• American AVK Company: American AVK manufactures AWWA-compliant fire hydrants, gate valves, butterfly valves and check valves for the North American waterworks market, making it a head-to-head competitor on municipal and contractor specifications.
• M&H Valve Company: M&H Valve is McWane's hydrant and waterworks valve sister brand, co-marketed through shared territory sales managers and the same AWWA distributor network as Kennedy Valve, making it the most operationally overlapping peer.
• Kennedy Iron Works / AWWA Direct Competitors: Kennedy Iron Works historically operated in adjacent iron-castings for municipal infrastructure; while specific competitors vary, direct North American hydrant/valve foundries including Star Pipe Products and Sigma Corporation compete in ductile-iron waterworks castings.
• Mueller Water Products: Mueller Water Products is one of North America's largest manufacturers of fire hydrants and waterworks valves (gate, butterfly, check), directly competing with Kennedy Valve on AWWA-spec municipal bids in the same product categories.
• East Jordan Iron Works (EJ Group): EJ produces municipal castings including hydrants, valve boxes, manhole frames and waterworks fittings, competing with Kennedy Valve on many of the same DOT and municipal utility specifications.

Emerging players

• Victaulic: Victaulic is a leading mechanical pipe-joining and fire-protection fittings manufacturer whose grooved-end valves, couplings and sprinkler-system components compete for the same UL/FM fire-protection bids Kennedy Valve serves with OS&Y and butterfly valves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kennedyvalve
• Xx.com/KennedyValve

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Kennedy Valve