Empire Level - Division of Milwaukee Tool Corp.

What Empire Level - Division of Milwaukee Tool Corp. does

Empire Level, founded in 1919 and headquartered in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, manufactures professional layout and measuring tools for the construction trades. The company operates as a division of Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation, which was acquired by Techtronic Industries (TTI) in 2014. The core product portfolio includes box levels (e75 True Blue, e95 UltraView LED, e105 Digital, 650 Compact, eXT Extendable series), I-beam levels, torpedo levels, utility levels, a complete squares lineup (rafter, framing, combination, T, try, T-bevel), self-leveling green lasers, and adjacent categories spanning marking and layout tools, safety and utility tapes, and measuring instruments. Technical differentiators include patented e-BAND vial technology delivering .0005"/inch accuracy, patent-pending UltraView LED illumination, the industry's first auto-calibrated digital level (e105), laser-etched permanent markings, and proprietary features such as ARC-SCRIBE, SCRIBE-GUIDE, BLADE-LOCK, and DUAL-PITCH vials.

The business is a traditional hardware manufacturer with revenue generated primarily through one-time product sales. Distribution is multi-channel and horizontal: big-box retail (The Home Depot, Home Depot Canada, Bunnings Warehouse), a broad network of professional tool distributors across North America and internationally (Fastenal, KMS Tools, Wolseley Canada, Tenaquip, Brafasco, Source Atlantic, and European/Australian partners), e-commerce (Amazon US/UK, company website), and a dedicated OEM/private-label sales line. Marketing relies on trade press coverage, product demo videos, email newsletters, and the "Built on Trust" and "TRUE BLUE" brand platforms. The Mukwonago facility employs over 200 people and produces all products in the USA, with distribution reaching more than 50 countries.

Customer segments are spread horizontally across professional construction trades — carpenters, electricians, plumbers, masons, utility/infrastructure workers, and remodelers — rather than concentrated in named accounts. Pricing is retail-list (e.g., $69.99 MSRP for the em105.9 9" Magnetic Digital Torpedo Level), positioning Empire Level in the professional-grade tier. Capital structure is absorbed within the Milwaukee Tool / TTI corporate umbrella; no separate funding rounds exist.

Name

Empire Level - Division of Milwaukee Tool Corp.

Legal name

Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation

Website

https://empirelevel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Empire Level, founded in 1919, is a division of Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation that manufactures professional layout and measuring tools — levels, squares, lasers, and marking instruments — for construction trades, sold through retail, distributors, and OEM channels in over 50 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mukwonago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hand Tool Sales: Empire Level generates revenue through the sale of precision measuring and layout tools including levels, squares, tapes, and marking tools. Products are sold through retail channels (The Home Depot, Amazon, Bunnings Warehouse), distributors, and OEM sales. Revenue is primarily one-time hardware purchase revenue with warranty support as a secondary service component.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Empire Level manufactures and sells precision measuring and layout tools for professional construction trades, including spirit levels (box, I-beam, torpedo, utility), digital and laser levels, framing/rafter/combination/T-squares, tape measures, and marking/layout products such as flagging tape, stake flags, plumb bobs, scribers, and magnets. Products are MADE IN THE USA at the Mukwonago, Wisconsin facility and are sold under the premium TRUE BLUE® brand and standard Empire branding, with patented technologies including e-BAND™ vials, UltraView™ LED, and Auto-Calibration digital readouts.

Product overview

Empire Level is a manufacturer of professional layout and measuring tools, organized as a division of Milwaukee Tool. The product portfolio centers on core leveling and measurement categories: Box Levels (including e75, e95 ULTRAVIEW LED, e105 Digital, 650 Compact, and eXT Extendable series), I-Beam Levels (500, 540, 580 series), Torpedo Levels (digital, LED, die-cast, magnetic models), and Squares (Rafter, Framing, Combination, T, Try, T-Bevel). Supporting product lines include Lasers (green self-leveling cross line and 3-point), Marking and Layout tools (Flagging Tape, Stake Flags, Line Reels, Plumb Bobs, Scribers, Magnets), Safety and Utility Tape (Barricade, Reinforced, Underground), and Measuring tools (Tape Measures, Long Reel Tapes, Straight Edges, Rulers, Calipers, Specialty Measuring). Products are sold under the TRUE BLUE premium brand and standard Empire branding, with key technologies including e-Band vial technology, ULTRAVIEW LED illumination, auto-calibrated digital readouts, and laser-etched permanent markings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TRUE BLUE: Premium product platform representing the best in performance, durability and technology. Includes box levels, I-beam levels, torpedo levels, squares, and combination squares marked with the TRUE BLUE badge of quality.
• e-BAND
• ULTRAVIEW LED
• e105 Series
• eXT Extendable
• MAGNATEC
• THORTEC
• SHIELDTEC
• DURATEC

Products and services

• e75 Series TRUE BLUE Box Levels
• e95 Series ULTRAVIEW LED Box Levels
• e105 Series Digital Box Levels
• 650 Series Compact Box Levels
• eXT Extendable Box Levels (eXT40, eXT78)
• 500 Series I-Beam Levels
• 580 Series I-Beam Levels
• 540 Series I-Beam Levels
• Torpedo Levels (Multiple Models)
• 9" Magnetic Digital Torpedo Level (em105.9)
• Utility Levels
• 75' Green Self-Leveling Cross Line Laser (eLGC)
• 125' Green Self-Leveling 3-Point Laser (eLG3D)
• Rafter Squares (e2994, e3992, 2990, 3990, 296, 396)
• Framing Squares (e1190, 1140, 1110, 105)
• Combination Squares (e280, e250, e255, 220)
• T-Squares (418, 419, 410)
• Try Squares (122, 122M)
• T-Bevel Squares (132)
• Flagging Tape
• Stake Flags
• Line Reels
• Plumb Bobs
• Scribers
• Magnets (2708, 27058, 27059, 27060)
• Barricade Tape
• Reinforced Safety Tape
• Underground Tape (MAGNATEC, THORTEC, SHIELDTEC, DURATEC)
• Measuring Tapes (300 Series Chrome, 500AL Series Autolock)
• Long Reel Tapes (6799, 6820, 6830, 6699)
• Straight Edges (4002-4010, e902)
• Calipers (2780, 2783, 2784, 2792, 2794)
• Specialty Measuring (27511, 27512, 27912, 2791, 2754, 2740, 2749)
• Rulers (27302, 27303, 27308, 27318, 2730)
• e55 Series TRUE BLUE I-Beam Levels
• UltraView LED Torpedo Levels
• Level Cases (est024, est048, est078)

Quantifiable outcome

• 4X the brightness of single diode red lasers
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Milwaukee Tool (Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation)coreOthers · 2 June 2014Milwaukee Tool acquired Empire Level on June 2, 2014, expanding Milwaukee Tool's portfolio into the layout and measurement product category. Empire Level operates as a division of Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation. The acquisition brought Empire Level's 95-year history of innovation, manufacturing capabilities in Mukwonago, WI, and distribution reach in over 50 countries under Milwaukee Tool's umbrella. Milwaukee Tool is a Brookfield, Wisconsin-based subsidiary of Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (TTI).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DeWalt: Major professional power tool brand with a growing line of levels, lasers, and measuring tools. Competes through channel overlap (Home Depot) and broader contractor relationships; backed by Stanley Black & Decker.
• Stanley Black & Decker: Major manufacturer of hand tools including Stanley, FatMax, and Bostitch levels, tape measures, and squares. Direct overlap with Empire in core leveling and measuring categories but operates a much broader tool portfolio.
• Bosch (Robert Bosch Power Tools): Global manufacturer with a comprehensive line of construction lasers, levels, and measuring tools. Direct overlap in laser levels (GLM series) and a major competitive force in digital/connected measuring.
• Hultafors Group: European parent of Hultafors, Snickers, and other professional hand tool brands. Overlaps with Empire in measuring and layout tools and represents a global roll-up player in the professional trades space.

Direct peers

• Klein Tools: US manufacturer of professional hand tools for electricians and trades, including levels, tape measures, and layout tools. Competes with Empire in the same professional trades channel and end-user segments.
• Johnson Level & Tool: US-based manufacturer of levels, lasers, squares, and layout tools for construction and surveying. Direct mid-market competitor with overlapping product categories and channel presence.
• Stabila: German premium-level manufacturer known for high-accuracy spirit levels, box levels, and laser measuring tools. Direct head-to-head competitor in professional-grade levels and a global benchmark for accuracy and durability.
• Kapro Tools: Israeli manufacturer of professional levels, lasers, and layout tools. Direct competitor in the spirit-level category with patented vial technology, competing globally with Empire in professional trades.

Emerging players

• Huepar: Growing brand in laser levels and measuring tools, primarily sold through Amazon and e-commerce. Emerging competitor particularly in cross-line and self-leveling laser categories that overlap with Empire's eLGC/eLG3D products.

Others

• Milwaukee Tool: Parent company of Empire Level; also markets its own laser levels and select measuring tools. Sister-brand relationship within TTI - competes and cooperates within the same professional trades channel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/empirelevel
• Facebookfacebook.com/empirelevel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empire-level-mfg-corp-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Empire Level - Division of Milwaukee Tool Corp.