What V.H. Blackinton & Co. Inc. does

V.H. Blackinton & Co., Inc. is a privately held, family-owned US manufacturer of public-safety badges, insignia, medals, and related uniform accessories, founded in 1852 and headquartered in Attleboro Falls, Massachusetts. The company self-describes as the largest US manufacturer of police, fire, security, military, and government badges and uniform insignia, with products spanning stars, shields, ovals, Maltese crosses, seals, commendation bars, name bars, awareness badges, FlexBadge variants, and fraternal regalia for organizations such as the Masons, Elks, and Knights of Pythias.

Core manufacturing uses metal die striking, regular and hard (Dura) enamel application, and proprietary finishing processes including 1500-degree oven firing for hard enamel and trademarked treatments such as Hi-Glo, Rho-Glo, V.H.B. KK, V.H.B. Bronze, and V.H.B. Tri-Tone. Beyond physical manufacture, Blackinton markets a "badge security" layer — SmartShield RFID, SecureShift color-shifting, and UVShift — for counterfeiting prevention and authentication. Customers can self-configure using the Design-A-Badge online tool or engage a dedicated sales team for custom projects in three tiers (Personalized, Semi-Custom, and Custom) with turnaround times of 3–8 weeks.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time unit sales of badges, insignia, medals, and related items, priced from roughly $44.50 (entry nickel finish) up to $144+ per unit for specialty insignia, with quantity discounts scaling to 20% off for orders of 100+ units. Distribution is dominated by a nationwide network of more than 800 authorized dealers supported by a dealer portal, complemented by a direct ecommerce storefront and a direct enterprise sales team targeting law enforcement, fire, security, military, and government agencies. Recent product launches include the 2025 America's 250th Anniversary Badge Collection and expanded security/authentication offerings, while operational investments include a solar field and 100% wastewater recycling at the manufacturing facility. No funding rounds, M&A, subsidiaries, or external investors are disclosed; ownership remains with the founding family.

Name

V.H. Blackinton & Co. Inc.

Legal name

V.H. Blackinton & Co., Inc.

Website

https://blackinton.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1852

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

V.H. Blackinton & Co. Inc., founded in 1852 in Attleboro Falls, Massachusetts, is the largest US manufacturer of American-made badges, insignia, medals, and FlexBadge products for law enforcement, fire, security, military, government, and fraternal organizations, distributed through 800+ authorized dealers and direct sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Safety Badges and Insignia

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Jewelry, Silverware & Plated Ware (3910)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Safety & Law Enforcement Uniforms (CRAAALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workwear, Uniform & Protective Apparel Manufacturers (CRAAAAAH), Workwear, Uniforms & Safety Apparel Cut & Sew (IMAOAEAC)

Keywords

• Police badges
• Fire insignia
• Custom badges
• Uniform insignia
• Public safety badges

Headquarters

HQ city

Attleboro Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Badge and Insignia Sales: Direct sales of manufactured badges, insignias, medals, and related products to law enforcement, fire, security, military, and government customers through dealer network and direct orders. Products include standard catalog badges, custom badges, and specialized items like FlexBadge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

V.H. Blackinton & Co. Inc. manufactures American-made public safety badges, uniform insignia, medals, FlexBadges, seals, and related recognition products for law enforcement, fire, security, military, and government agencies. The company offers both standard catalog badges and fully custom badge design services with proprietary security features and finishes, distributed through a nationwide network of more than 800 authorized dealers and direct sales channels.

Product overview

V.H. Blackinton & Co. Inc. is a manufacturer of American-made public safety badges and uniform insignia, established in 1852. The company operates as a single-product portfolio focused on badges and insignia, with three core product categories: standard catalog badges (including stars, shields, ovals, maltese crosses, and various specialty badges), custom badge services (Economical Personalized, Mid-Tier Semi-Custom, and Elite Custom tiers), and security solutions (SmartShield RFID, SecureShift Color Shifting, UVShift). Supporting products include insignia, medals, commendation bars, name bars, awareness badges, seals, and fraternal regalia. The company also offers an online Design-A-Badge tool for customer self-service customization. All products are manufactured in the USA at their Attleboro Falls, Massachusetts facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Badges

Quantifiable outcome

• 170+ years in business since 1852
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 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.

• Dealer NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorV.H. Blackinton operates through a nationwide distribution network of more than 800 authorized dealers who sell, service, and support end customers. Dealers have access to a dealer portal for tracking and ordering.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Spiewak: Spiewak is a US manufacturer of public safety uniforms and outerwear with a long heritage in law enforcement and fire markets. It competes through uniform programs that can include insignia and recognition components overlapping with Blackinton's catalog.
• Blauer Manufacturing: Blauer is a major US manufacturer of law enforcement uniforms, outerwear, and tactical apparel sold through public safety dealers. It competes with Blackinton through overlapping dealer relationships and can bundle uniform and insignia procurement, making it a broader incumbent in the public safety uniform ecosystem.
• 5.11 Tactical: 5.11 Tactical is a large-scale tactical apparel, footwear, and uniform accessories brand serving law enforcement, fire, and military markets. It is a broad incumbent reaching the same public safety buyer through apparel and accessory categories that overlap with Blackinton's insignia and recognition offering.

Direct peers

• Smith & Warren: Smith & Warren is a long-established US manufacturer of badges, insignia, and uniform accessories for law enforcement, fire, and security agencies. It is the closest direct competitor to Blackinton, competing for the same police, sheriff, fire, and security department contracts with overlapping product lines including custom and stock badges.
• Hero's Pride: Hero's Pride manufactures and distributes uniform accessories, badges, insignia, and recognition items for law enforcement, fire, EMS, and security personnel. It competes with Blackinton on badge customization, uniform accessories, and through a multi-brand catalog (including DutyProx and Blackinton-adjacent categories) targeting the same public safety buyer.
• Medalcraft Mint: Medalcraft Mint manufactures custom medals, coins, badges, and recognition products for military, government, law enforcement, and corporate clients. It is a direct competitor in the commemorative medal and recognition awards segment where Blackinton's Medals and Commendation Bars compete.
• Wendell August Forge: Wendell August Forge is a US manufacturer of handcrafted metal commemoratives, badges, recognition items, and insignia. It competes for recognition, commemorative, and specialty badge orders in adjacent public safety, government, and corporate recognition categories.
• Award Emblems: Award Emblems is a US manufacturer of custom emblems, badges, patches, and insignia serving corporate, government, and law enforcement customers. It overlaps with Blackinton in the design and production of custom metal insignia and badges for public safety and recognition applications.
• J. Patrick & Associates: J. Patrick & Associates (dba The Pin People) is a US manufacturer of custom lapel pins, badges, and insignia, including public safety and recognition applications. It competes with Blackinton in the custom badge, medal, and insignia market, particularly for commemorative and recognition orders.

Regional players

• Cimcorp Group: Cimcorp Group is a North American manufacturer of custom recognition products, awards, and insignia serving public sector, corporate, and institutional buyers. It is a comparable regional player competing for municipal and government recognition and commemorative badge business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/blackinton
• Facebookfacebook.com/vhblackinton
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1282910
• Instagraminstagram.com/vhblackinton

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 V.H. Blackinton & Co. Inc.