AK Industries

What AK Industries does

AK Industries, Inc. is a privately held U.S. manufacturer, founded in 1981 by brothers John and Butch Sabo in Plymouth, Indiana, that produces fiberglass and polyethylene products for the wastewater industry. The company operates four divisions — Fiberglass, Poly, Septic, and Custom Molding — across more than 400,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Its core product lines include high-capacity fiberglass lift stations and basins (18"–120" diameter) for municipalities, rotationally molded polyethylene sump pits, sewage basins, and septic tanks with lifetime warranties, horizontal leg tanks for potable water and chemicals, and specialty triple-garage basins for volatile-liquid separation. The technical platform combines rotational and (since 2020) injection molding, anti-floatation collar engineering, and specialty resin formulations for high-temperature and chemical-exposure applications. Products carry IAPMO and CSA approvals in nearly every U.S. state and meet ASTM D3753-99 for FRP lift stations and FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 for potable-water contact.

The business model is a sales-led, quote-based direct-to-customer operation with division-specific phone/fax lines, dedicated Request-for-Quote forms, and a content-rich website with catalogs, installation guides, and a buoyancy calculator. Customer segments are municipalities (centralized wastewater management), residential/homeowners (decentralized septic and sump systems), and custom/project-based customers requiring specialty molding. Distribution is single-country domestic through direct sales, supplemented by stocking locations to improve lead times. Revenue streams come from one-time sales of fiberglass products, polyethylene products, and custom molding services — pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company completed the acquisition of SludgeHammer Group, Ltd. (2024) to extend into broader wastewater treatment solutions, invested in a new rotational molding machine and energy-efficiency infrastructure (88% lighting energy reduction, $42,000+ annual savings), and added injection molding capability in 2020 to support new SKUs and capacity growth.

Name

AK Industries

Legal name

AK Industries, Inc.

Website

https://akindustries.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AK Industries, Inc. is a Plymouth, Indiana-based manufacturer of fiberglass and polyethylene products for the wastewater industry, serving municipalities and residential customers across the U.S. with lift stations, septic tanks, basins, and custom molding services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wastewater Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Plastics Pipe, Pipe Fitting, and Unlaminated Profile Shape Manufacturing (32612), Plastics Product Manufacturing (3261)

SIC

Plastics Products, Nec (3089)

akta.pro primary industry

Plumbing & Building Drain/Waste/Vent (DWV) Pipe & Fittings (IMANADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water & Sewer Pipe & Fittings (PVC/HDPE/PP) (IMANADAA)

Keywords

• Fiberglass basins
• Polyethylene septic tanks
• Wastewater lift stations
• Rotational molding
• Injection molding

Headquarters

HQ city

Plymouth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fiberglass Products: Sale of fiberglass basins, valve boxes, lift stations, and accessories for municipal and residential wastewater applications
2. Polyethylene Products: Sale of polyethylene septic tanks, sump pits, sewage basins, and accessories
3. Custom Molding Services: Custom rotational and injection molding services for product development and production to meet specific customer requirements

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AK Industries manufactures fiberglass and polyethylene products for the wastewater industry, including basins, septic tanks, valve boxes, and pre-engineered lift station systems for municipal, residential, and industrial applications. The company also provides custom rotational and injection molding services for specialized applications requiring tailored plastic parts. Operations are based in Plymouth, Indiana, and have been continuous since 1981.

Product overview

AK Industries is a manufacturer of fiberglass and polyethylene products for the wastewater industry, operating four divisions across more than 400,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The product portfolio consists of: (1) Fiberglass Division - high-capacity basins (18"-120" diameter), valve boxes, accessories, covers, pre-engineered lift station systems, and special resin basins for high-temperature/chemical applications; (2) Poly Division - rotomolded polyethylene sump pits, sewage basins, covers, horizontal leg tanks (30-325 gal FDA-compliant), and triple garage basins for volatile liquid separation; (3) Septic Division - rotomolded polyethylene septic tanks with lifetime warranty, accessories, potable water tanks, and plain tanks; (4) Custom Molding Division - rotational and injection molding services for custom product development. The products serve both centralized and decentralized wastewater management needs for municipalities and individual residences, with products approved in nearly every state carrying IAPMO and CSA certifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fiberglass Basins

Quantifiable outcome

• Products protect environment from harmful wastewater that endangers human health and degrades the environment
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SludgeHammer Group, Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAK Industries acquired SludgeHammer Group, Ltd., expanding their product portfolio and capabilities in the wastewater industry. SludgeHammer had built an impressive presence in the market before the acquisition.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Snyder Industries: Snyder Industries manufactures rotationally molded polyethylene tanks for water, wastewater, chemical, and industrial applications. Comparable in process technology (rotomolding) and product mix to AK Industries' custom molding and poly divisions.
• Containment Solutions: Containment Solutions is a major U.S. manufacturer of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) underground storage and wastewater tanks. Direct overlap with AK Industries on fiberglass lift stations and wastewater basins for municipal and industrial buyers.
• Infiltrator Water Technologies: Infiltrator is a leading manufacturer of plastic septic and stormwater chambers and tanks. Overlaps directly with AK Industries' polyethylene septic tanks, plastic basins, and decentralized wastewater solutions for residential and commercial developers.
• Norwesco: Norwesco is one of the largest North American rotational molders of polyethylene tanks for water, septic, and chemical storage. Direct overlap with AK Industries' poly septic and sump/sewage basin lines serving identical residential and agricultural customers.
• Wieser Concrete Products: Wieser Concrete manufactures concrete septic tanks, grease interceptors, and utility vaults. Substitutable material offering to AK Industries' polyethylene tanks, competing head-to-head on decentralized wastewater applications in residential and commercial segments.
• Xerxes (ZCL Composites): Xerxes manufactures fiberglass (FRP) underground storage tanks primarily for fuel and water/wastewater applications. Directly comparable to AK Industries' fiberglass lift station and basin lines on material, end-use, and customer base.
• ParkUSA: ParkUSA produces prefabricated wastewater lift stations, packaged treatment systems, and fiberglass enclosures. Direct overlap with AK Industries' pre-engineered fiberglass lift station offering serving municipal water/wastewater customers.

Emerging players

• NDS (Norma Davis & Sons): NDS is a broader drainage and stormwater management solutions provider offering catch basins, channels, and flow management. Partial overlap with AK Industries on polyethylene basin technology and the contractor/specification buyer segment.
• RotoMold USA: RotoMold USA provides custom rotational molding services and tanks for industrial and agricultural customers. Comparable custom-molding capability to AK Industries' custom division, though narrower product depth.

Broad incumbents

• Smith & Loveless: Smith & Loveless is an established manufacturer of wastewater lift stations and treatment systems with broader municipal/industrial scope. Overlaps with AK Industries' fiberglass lift stations but operates as a much larger incumbent with full treatment plant capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ak-industries

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 AK Industries