What Christys does

Christy's (legally T. Christy Enterprises) is a U.S.-based specialty chemical manufacturer founded in 1984 and headquartered in Anaheim, California, with manufacturing and warehousing operations in Hartsville, Tennessee. The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of IPS Corporation, a diversified industrial conglomerate, and is described in its own materials as one of North America's largest manufacturers of adhesives, solvents, and sealants. Its core technology is chemical formulation of solvent cements, primers, and adhesives engineered to join PVC and CPVC piping systems — including specialty grades for wet conditions, cold weather, Schedule 80 pipe, and low-VOC/low-emission applications. The flagship product, Red Hot Blue Glue, is positioned as the #1 top-rated solvent cement in the irrigation industry, supported by the broader Red Hot sub-brand (Clear Glue, Purple Primer, Clear Primer), companion MitreBond construction adhesives, Fastfix epoxy putty, Slick-Wrap pipe repair kits, and Pro-Lube joint lubricant lines.

The product catalog extends well beyond chemistries into a full contractor supply assortment — hand and cutting tools (including Channellock), marking products, geotextiles, polywrap for underground pipe protection, waterworks and cathodic-protection components, job-site essentials, and bundled Handy Pack SKUs pairing cement with primer. The portfolio carries UL GREENGUARD GOLD Certification across solvent cements, primers, and cleaning products, plus NSF listing and ASTM F-656 compliance on flagship primers, supporting specification in potable water, healthcare, and other regulated environments.

Christy's makes money through a wholesale B2B distribution model: products are priced via published price lists (unit pricing, pay-as-you-go billing) and sold through wholesale plumbing suppliers serving professional contractors in plumbing, irrigation, and waterworks, with secondary reach through select hardware retail locations for smaller contractors and DIY consumers and through authorized international distributors outside the United States. End customers are professional plumbing and irrigation contractors (the primary segment), supplemented by smaller trade buyers and DIY consumers; no enterprise key-account structure is disclosed. The company supports the channel with technical content (SDS in English and Spanish, set/cure-time guides, how-to-specify guides, tutorial videos) and, since April 2022, a SnapPay self-service invoice payment portal for wholesale accounts.

Name

Christys

Legal name

T. Christy Enterprises

Website

https://tchristy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Christy's (T. Christy Enterprises) is a U.S. specialty chemical manufacturer of PVC and CPVC solvent cements, primers, adhesives, and sealants serving professional plumbing and irrigation contractors through wholesale plumbing suppliers and hardware retailers. Founded in 1984 and owned by IPS Corporation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Adhesives and Sealants

NAICS

Adhesive Manufacturing (325520)

SIC

Adhesives & Sealants (2891), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Gaskets, Packg & Sealg Devices & Rubber & Plastics Hose (3050)

akta.pro primary industry

Pipe Accessories & Joining Systems (Couplings, Gaskets, Solvent Cement, Fusion Fittings) (IMANADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adhesives & Sealants Chemicals (IMAEABAA), Seals, Gaskets & Fluid Connectors (O-rings, packings, rotary seals, quick couplers) (IMAHAGAI)

Keywords

• PVC solvent cements
• Pipe joining adhesives
• Irrigation primers
• Plumbing sealants
• Construction adhesives

Headquarters

HQ city

Anaheim

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Chemical Products Manufacturing and Distribution: Manufactures and distributes solvent cements, primers, adhesives, sealants, lubricants, and epoxies for plumbing, irrigation, and construction applications. Products are sold through wholesale distributors and hardware retailers to professional contractors and tradespeople.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Christy's manufactures and distributes solvent cements, primers, adhesives, sealants, lubricants, and epoxies for joining PVC and CPVC piping in plumbing, irrigation, waterworks, and construction applications. Its flagship Red Hot Blue Glue is positioned as the #1 top-rated solvent cement in the irrigation industry, and the portfolio extends to primers (Purple, Red Hot Clear, Clear), construction adhesives (Vinyl, 2-Part, MitreBond), pipe protection (Polywrap), sealants, pipe repair epoxies, and a broad accessory range of tools, marking products, geotextiles, waterworks supplies, and job site essentials sold through wholesale plumbing suppliers.

Product overview

Christy's (T. Christy Enterprises) is a manufacturer of adhesives, solvents, and sealants for the plumbing, irrigation, and construction industries. The product portfolio is organized around several core product lines: (1) Cements, Primers & Adhesives — the flagship Red Hot Blue Glue line of solvent cements for PVC/CPVC piping, complemented by primers (Purple, Clear) and construction adhesives including Vinyl Adhesives and MitreBond; (2) Sealants, Lubricants & Epoxies — thread sealants, pipe joint lubricants, and repair products; (3) Polywrap — protective pipe wrap for underground applications; (4) Tools — hand tools, cutting tools, measuring instruments, and specialty irrigation/plumbing tools; (5) Marking Products — flagging tape, paints, ID tags, and valve markers for utility identification; (6) Job Site Essentials — consumables, safety equipment, electrical supplies, and general supplies; (7) Geotextiles — drain filter fabric, landscape fabric, and drainage products; (8) Waterworks & Corrosion — water infrastructure components including backflow protection, chlorine treatment, and corrosion prevention; (9) Plumbing accessories. The company positions the Red Hot Blue Glue as its #1 top-rated solvent cement in the irrigation industry, supported by an extensive portfolio of accessories and complementary products for professional contractors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Red Hot: Product line featuring Red Hot Blue Glue, Red Hot Clear Glue, Red Hot Purple Primer, and related solvent cements - positioned as premium/high-performance offerings
• Weld-On

Products and services

• Red Hot Blue Glue (PVC Solvent Cement) Premium PVC solvent cement positioned as the #1 top-rated solvent cement in the irrigation industry, featuring fast set times and wet-condition performance for PVC pipe joining used by professional plumbing and irrigation contractors.
• Solvent Cements (full line: PVC, CPVC, Specialty PVC) Complete line of PVC, CPVC, and specialty solvent cements used to join plastic piping, offered in multiple colors and viscosity grades to suit varied application and pipe size requirements for plumbing and irrigation contractors.
• Red Hot Quick Fix (One-Step PVC Cement for Quick Repairs) One-step PVC cement formulated for quick repairs, enabling rapid single-application joining for repair work by plumbing and irrigation professionals.
• Primers (Purple, Red Hot Purple, Clear, Red Hot Clear) Industrial-grade PVC and CPVC primers (Purple and Clear, including premium Red Hot variants) that soften and prepare pipe and fittings prior to cement application, for use on Schedule 80 pipes and in cold-weather applications.
• Red Hot Clear Primer Premium industrial grade clear primer for PVC and CPVC including Schedule 80, providing clean joint appearance for exposed installations while softening pipe and fittings prior to solvent cement application.
• Clear Primer Professional grade aggressive primer for PVC and CPVC including Schedule 80, used to soften pipe and fittings prior to application of solvent cement.
• Construction Adhesives (Vinyl Adhesives, 2-Part Adhesives, MitreBond) Adhesives for construction bonding applications, including vinyl adhesives (clear and white), 2-part adhesives, and MitreBond construction adhesive for contractors and tradespeople.
• Sealants, Lubricants & Epoxies Range of thread sealants (including Permatex with PTFE and Ultra Seal T-10,000), pipe joint lubricants (including Christy's Pro-Lube), and repair epoxies (Christy's Fastfix and Slick-Wrap Pipe Repair Kit) for plumbing and waterworks applications.
• Polywrap (Pipe Protection) Polyethylene pipe wrap and sleeve products for protecting buried piping, available in multiple colors and lengths (20 ft and 22 ft perforations), plus Polywrap-C sleeving and polyethylene fitting wrap for waterworks and irrigation installations.
• Tools (hand, cutting, plumbing & irrigation specialty) Range of contractor and tradesperson hand tools, cutting tools, plumbing and irrigation specialty tools, long handle tools, measuring and layout equipment, and striking tools, including the Channellock pliers brand.
• Marking Products (Flagging Tape, ID Tags, Marking Whiskers, Paints, Decals) Jobsite and utility marking solutions, including flagging tape, marking whiskers, ID tags and valve markers, marking flags, detectable and non-detectable marking tapes, and paint marking products for plumbing, irrigation, and waterworks contractors.
• Job Site Essentials (Clean-up, Electrical, Gloves, Safety, Tape, Tarps) Consumables and general supplies for contractor jobsites, including clean-up, electrical, gloves, hoses and garden accessories, rain gear, safety equipment, tape, batteries, rope and twine, tie-downs and tarps, and warehouse supplies.
• Geotextiles (Drain Filter Fabric, Landscape Fabric, Drain-eez Drain Sock, Gravel Bags) Geotextile products for drainage and landscape applications, including non-woven drain filter fabric, spunbond and polyspun landscape fabric, Drain-eez drain socks, and gravel bags for irrigation and waterworks projects.
• Waterworks & Corrosion Products (Bolts, Backflow Protection, Chlorine, Cathodic Protection) Water infrastructure products covering bolt kits, gaskets, check valves and tracer wire, backflow prevention, chlorine treatment, and corrosion and cathodic protection (anodes, coatings, test stations) for waterworks installations.
• Plumbing Supplies (Hose Clamps, Test/Pressure Gauges, Brushes, Copper Soldering, Plumbing Chemicals) Plumbing supplies and accessories, including hose clamps, test and pressure gauges, brushes, copper soldering materials, and plumbing chemicals for contractors.
• Handy Pack Bundles (Cement + Primer Combinations) Convenience bundled products pairing Christy's solvent cement with compatible primer (e.g., Red Hot Blue Glue with Purple Primer, and Clear Regular PVC Cement with Purple Primer) for standard PVC cementing applications.
• Red Hot Blue Glue - Low VOC Low VOC formulation variant of the flagship Red Hot Blue Glue PVC solvent cement for applications requiring reduced volatile organic compound emissions.
• Red Hot Clear Glue - Low VOC Clear, low VOC variant of the Red Hot solvent cement for PVC pipe applications requiring clean joint appearance and reduced volatile organic compound emissions.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• IPS CorporationcoreOthersT Christy Enterprises is a subsidiary of IPS Corporation, which also owns the Weld-On brand. This parent-subsidiary relationship provides access to a broader portfolio of adhesive and solvent products and shared manufacturing and distribution capabilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oatey: Oatey is a leading manufacturer of PVC/CPVC solvent cements, primers, plumbing chemicals, and pipe installation products sold through wholesale plumbing distributors. Christy's and Oatey compete head-to-head in solvent cements, primers, and accessories for plumbing and irrigation contractors.
• Sioux Chief: Sioux Chief manufactures plumbing specialty products including rough plumbing supplies and accessories sold through wholesale distributors. While stronger in fittings than chemicals, it competes for the same contractor plumbing-supply shelf space and budget as Christy's.
• IPS Corporation (Weld-On): IPS Corporation is Christy's parent company and owner of the Weld-On brand, which directly competes in PVC/CPVC solvent cements and primers. Weld-On and Christy's share manufacturing and distribution infrastructure while competing in overlapping product categories.
• Keeney Manufacturing: Keeney Manufacturing produces plumbing specialty products including bath, drain, and pipe-related accessories distributed through plumbing wholesalers. It is a smaller but comparable specialty manufacturer competing for shelf space at the same wholesale channels as Christy's.
• Hercules Chemical: Hercules Chemical produces specialty plumbing chemicals including PVC cements, primers, and drain maintenance products sold through plumbing wholesalers. It competes directly with Christy's in solvent cements and pipe installation chemicals.
• RectorSeal: RectorSeal manufactures pipe thread sealants, pipe joint compounds, and plumbing specialty chemicals sold through plumbing wholesalers. It is a direct peer in sealants, lubricants, and pipe joining chemistry serving the same contractor base as Christy's.
• J.C. Whitlam Manufacturing: J.C. Whitlam manufactures plumbing specialty chemicals and pipe installation products distributed through plumbing wholesalers. It is a comparable specialty chemical manufacturer serving the same plumbing and HVAC contractor channels as Christy's.

Broad incumbents

• 3M: 3M's Industrial Adhesives and Tapes division produces a broad portfolio of industrial adhesives, sealants, and bonding products. While not focused on PVC plumbing chemicals, 3M competes broadly in industrial adhesives and could expand into contractor-grade specialty adhesives adjacent to Christy's categories.
• H.B. Fuller: H.B. Fuller is a global industrial adhesives manufacturer serving construction, packaging, and specialty markets. While it focuses on higher-volume industrial applications, it competes broadly in construction adhesives and sealants that overlap with Christy's construction adhesives category.
• Henkel: Henkel Adhesive Technologies is one of the world's largest adhesives and sealants manufacturers with products spanning industrial, construction, and consumer applications. It is a broad incumbent whose construction adhesives and sealants portfolios partially overlap with Christy's construction adhesives and sealants lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/christysredhot

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Christys