What Simonds International does

Simonds International, LLC is a North American manufacturer of industrial cutting tools, machine knives, circular saws, and filing room automation equipment serving the wood processing industry. Founded in 1832 and headquartered in Woodland, Washington, the company operates as the oldest cutting tool manufacturer in North America and is the legal entity under which the Burton Mill Solutions brand does business. Its core product lines include wide and narrow bandsaw blades, machine knives (chipping, peeling, shaping, finishing), custom circular saw blades from 12" to 96" diameter (including the ITCO, Kodiak, and F2 carbide-tipped sub-brands), and Armstrong-branded filing room equipment such as the No. 2, No. 4, and VariSharp CNC bandsaw sharpeners, AutoSwage swage/shaper, and Control Tower grinder interface. Underlying capabilities include proprietary in-house heat treatment at Big Rapids, Michigan, CNC precision milling and grinding, and a 2013-added large-diameter circle saw heat treating facility; the company also operates the Saw Filer Vocational Training Center (SITC) in Florence, South Carolina.

The company generates revenue primarily through direct field sales of hardware (consumable cutting tools and capital equipment) to sawmills, pallet manufacturers, lumber/panel/OSB producers, tree care companies, and engineered wood product manufacturers, with an inside sales overlay and distribution through Burton Mill Solutions affiliate brands. It holds an exclusive North American distribution agreement with VOLLMER for circular saw sharpening machines. Following the 2017 merger with B.G.R. Saws, the 2018 acquisition of Burton Saw & Supply, the 2021 Wood Fiber Group merger with USNR, and the 2022 acquisition of The Knife Source, Simonds is part of a broader platform with 9 facilities across the United States and Canada, providing consumables, equipment, automation, and technical services to modern wood processing facilities under the Burton Mill Solutions umbrella. The company has been privately held since a 1988 management buyout backed by Greylock Management Co.

Name

Simonds International

Legal name

Simonds International, LLC

Website

https://simondsint.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1832

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Simonds International, founded 1832, is the oldest cutting tool manufacturer in North America, producing bandsaw blades, machine knives, circular saws, and Armstrong filing room equipment for sawmills, pallet, OSB/panel, and tree care processors across 9 North American facilities under the Burton Mill Solutions umbrella.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial cutting tools and wood processing equipment

NAICS

Saw Blade and Handtool Manufacturing (332216), Cutting Tool and Machine Tool Accessory Manufacturing (333515)

SIC

Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540), Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Saws & Cutting Systems (Band/Circular Saws, Abrasive Cutting) (IMAHADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wood Remanufacturing (Mouldings, Millwork Blanks, Cut Stock) (IMAMABAI), Metal Cutting Tools, Tooling & Workholding (Cutters, Inserts, Chucks, Fixtures) (IMAHADAB)

Keywords

• Industrial cutting tools
• Wood processing equipment
• Bandsaw blades
• Machine knives
• Circular saw blades

Headquarters

HQ city

Fitchburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Cutting Tools Sales: Sale of bandsaw blades, machine knives, circular saws, and related cutting tools to wood processing industries. Products include wide and narrow wood cutting bandsaw blades, custom designed circular saw blades from 12" to 96" diameter, and inserted tooth circle saws for producing boards and cutting logs.
2. Filing Room Equipment: Armstrong brand saw maintenance equipment including sharpeners, swages, stretcher rolls, and related OEM parts and supplies for sawmills.
3. Vocational Training Services: Saw Filer Vocational Training Center (SITC) offering hands-on and classroom training programs for saw filers, with 14 classes scheduled for 2024 including wide bandsaw and gang/board edger/trim saw training.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Simonds International manufactures and sells industrial cutting tools for the wood processing industry, including wide and narrow bandsaw blades, machine knives, circular saws ranging from 12" to 96" in diameter, and Armstrong-brand filing room equipment (sharpeners, swagers, stretcher rolls, and grinders). The company also operates the Saw Filer Vocational Training Center (SITC) in Florence, SC providing hands-on and classroom training to saw filers.

Product overview

Simonds International is a manufacturer of industrial cutting tools for the wood processing industry. The product portfolio centers on four core product lines: (1) Bandsaw Blades in wide and narrow configurations for sawmills and portable sawmills; (2) Machine Knives including brush chipper knives, chipper knives, and specialty knives for brands like Bandit, Morbark, and JP Carlton; (3) Circular Saws including custom ITCO (Inserted Tooth Cut Off) saws, slasher saws, and firewood processing saws in diameters from 12" to 96"; and (4) Armstrong-brand filing room equipment including band saw sharpeners (No. 2, No. 4, and CNC VariSharp), the AutoSwage automatic swage and shaper, Control Tower grinders, stretcher rolls, and circle saw benches. Additionally, the company operates the Saw Filer Vocational Training Center (SITC) providing hands-on and classroom training for saw filers. The company is the oldest cutting tool manufacturer in North America, founded in 1832, and operates as part of Burton Mill Solutions following mergers with B.G.R. Saws (2017) and Wood Fiber Group/USNR (2021).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Burton Saw & Supply: Affiliated company and leading producer and marketer of cutting tools and related equipment for the primary wood fiber industry in North America.
• Armstrong
• BGR Saws
• Cut Technologies
• U.S. Blades
• Wright Machines
• The Knife Source
• ITCO
• Kodiak
• F2

Products and services

• Bandsaw Blades Wide and narrow wood cutting bandsaw blades for sawmills and portable sawmills, including precision ground tooth bandsaw blades. Used by Mill Managers, Filers, and Grindermen in primary wood fiber processing.
• Machine Knives Industrial machine knives for wood processing including chipping, peeling, shaping, and finishing applications. Manufactured at the Big Rapids, Michigan facility using proprietary heat treatment and CNC precision milling and grinding.
• Circular Saws Custom designed circular saw blades from 12" to 96" diameter, including ITCO (Inserted Tooth Cut Off) saws, slasher saws, firewood processing saws, and log cut off saws. Used in sawmill and wood processing operations.
• Armstrong Band Saw Sharpeners Armstrong brand band saw sharpening equipment including No. 2, No. 4, and No. 4 VariSharp CNC Bandsaw Sharpeners with touchscreen control, industrial-grade computer, and VariDesign proprietary saw design software for automated precision sharpening.
• Armstrong AutoSwage Automatic band saw swage and shaper for 19 to 13 gauge band saws, with touchscreen control and independent swaging and shaping heads. Designed to keep up with up to four band saw sharpeners in a sawmill filing room.
• Control Tower Integrated control system for #2, #4, #6, or #25 Grinder providing feed control, arbor SFPM control, tooth counter for automatic shut off, resistive braking, and OSHA compliant Lock Out/Tag Out functionality.
• 310-C Stretcher Roll Circle saw stretcher roll for tensioning saws up to 36" diameter, featuring eccentric mandrel adjustment for concentric or spiral crown patterns. Used in sawmill filing rooms for circle saw maintenance.
• Circle Saw Manual Bench Adjustable height work bench for circle saw leveling with air powered lazy susan, replacement UHMW plastic table top, and fluorescent lighting for sawmill filing room operations.
• Saw Filer Vocational Training (SITC) Vocational training programs for saw filers at the Florence, SC facility offering hands-on and classroom instruction for wide bandsaw, circle saw, gang saw, board edger, and trim saw operations. 14 classes were scheduled for 2024.
• ITCO Firewood Processor Blades Inserted tooth circle saw blades for firewood processing machines, available in 36" to 72" diameters with F2 and Kodiak replaceable carbide tips. Used in firewood processing operations.
• ITCO Slasher Saws Inserted tooth cut off saws for stationary decks, available in diameters from 36" to 96" for high-speed cut up operations in sawmill and wood processing facilities.
• Brazed Tip Slasher Saws Brazed tip circular saws up to 96" diameter with Kodiak or F2 tips, manufactured using premium grade plate. Used for high-speed stationary deck cut up operations.
• Brush Chipper Knives Replacement knives for brush chippers covering major brands including Bandit, Morbark, JP Carlton, Altec, Asplundh, and others. Used by tree care and biomass processing operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• First bandsaw blade manufacturer worldwide to achieve ISO certification (May 17, 1993)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The Knife SourcecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2022Wood Technologies International acquired The Knife Source to create the world's most comprehensive supplier of machine knives for lumber, panel, wood chips and biomass processing companies. The combined company delivers unprecedented range of technical expertise, design capabilities, manufacturing capacity, and reconditioning services for industrial wood processing knives.
• USNRcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 October 2021Wood Fiber Group (including Simonds International) merged with USNR to create the world's most comprehensive supplier of equipment, technology, and essential tooling used in modern wood processing facilities. The combined company includes unprecedented technical expertise in wood processing technology, from saws and knives to machinery and automation to process engineering and mill flow.
• VOLLMER of AmericacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 21 May 2020VOLLMER, the global market leader for circular saw sharpening machines in the sawmill industry, announced an exclusive North American distribution agreement with Burton Saw & Supply. Due to Burton's large presence within the sawmill industry, VOLLMER established this relationship to better serve mutual customers and quickly respond to market needs with proven and reliable circle saw maintenance solutions.
• B.G.R. Saws (Scies B.G.R. Inc.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2017Simonds International and Scies B.G.R. Inc. merged to create the leading producer and marketer of cutting tools and related equipment for the primary wood fiber industry. The combined entity operates in the United States and Canada with 9 facilities in major wood fiber regions of North America.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• USNR: USNR merged with Wood Fiber Group (parent of Simonds) in 2021 and supplies sawmill machinery, optimization, and material-handling equipment to the same wood-processor customers. Highly comparable business model targeting identical sawmill customer base with capital equipment instead of consumable tooling.
• Lenox Tools: Lenox (a Stanley Black & Decker brand) manufactures bi-metal bandsaw blades and reciprocating saw blades, directly competing with Simonds' bandsaw blade portfolio in industrial and metal-cutting markets. Comparable product category and customer overlap in sawmills, fabrication shops, and industrial distributors.
• Wikus Sägewerkzeugfabrik: Wikus is a German manufacturer of bimetal and carbide bandsaw blades competing with Simonds across European and North American sawmill and metal-cutting markets. Highly comparable product line, ISO-certified manufacturing, and overlapping industrial customer base.
• Bahco (Snap-on): Bahco, now part of Snap-on, produces hand saws, bandsaw blades, and files historically comparable to Simonds' hand-file and saw-blade lines. Overlap in industrial cutting tools and the wood/metal-processing distributor channel.
• VOLLMER: VOLLMER is the global market leader for circular saw and bandsaw sharpening machines and holds an exclusive North American distribution agreement with Simonds/Burton Saw & Supply. Comparable in sawmill filing-room equipment category, serving the same North American sawmill customer base.
• DoALL Sawing Products: DoALL manufactures industrial band saw machines, saw blades, and cutting fluids for metalworking and industrial sawing applications. Comparable in cutting tools/blades and metal-cutting machinery category with overlap in industrial distributor channels.

Broad incumbents

• Nicholson (Apex Tool Group): Nicholson is the world's #1 hand-file brand owned by Apex Tool Group, competing directly with the historical Simonds file business. Comparable in cutlery/hand-tool manufacturing, with broader hand-tool portfolio spanning pliers, wrenches, and general hardware.
• Stanley Black & Decker: Parent of Lenox Tools and a global diversified industrial conglomerate with comparable cutting-tool product lines. Overlaps with Simonds in bi-metal bandsaw blades but operates across a vastly broader industrial and consumer tool portfolio.
• Snap-on Incorporated: Snap-on owns Bahco and is a global leader in professional tools and equipment serving industrial, automotive, and aerospace markets. Comparable in high-end hand tools, files, and saw blades sold through industrial distribution channels.

Emerging players

• Marvel Manufacturing: Marvel Manufacturing produces vertical tilt-frame and horizontal band saw machines and related cutting equipment for industrial metalworking. Partial overlap with Simonds in industrial sawing solutions, though Marvel focuses on capital sawing equipment rather than consumable cutting tools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/simondsinternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/simonds-international

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries7 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 Simonds International