TowSmart

What TowSmart does

TowSmart is a brand of Winston Products, LLC, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, that manufactures and distributes towing and trailer accessories. Founded in 2012, the company produces custom-fit hitches, ball mount bars, hitch balls, couplers, and related trailer hardware engineered for more than 70 vehicle-specific applications. Its products are built to SAE J684 and V5 standards and are manufactured in the United States.

The business sells through a multi-channel retail network that includes Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon, U-Haul, and AutoZone, alongside a direct e-commerce storefront. Catalog pricing spans roughly $5 for individual accessories up to approximately $750 for custom-fit hitch assemblies, and the company operates a Custom Fit Hitch Finder tool that matches products to specific vehicle make, model, and year. A Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policy governs how channel partners advertise TowSmart products.

TowSmart's business model is product-led and channel-driven: revenue is generated from unit sales of physical hardware distributed through retailer partnerships and direct-to-consumer e-commerce. The customer base reflected in testimonials is fragmented across individual end-consumers and DIY buyers rather than concentrated in commercial fleet or enterprise accounts. No subscription, service, licensing, or recurring revenue stream is indicated in the available information.

Name

TowSmart

Legal name

Winston Products, LLC

Website

https://towsmart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TowSmart is a Cleveland, Ohio-based manufacturer of towing and trailer accessories operating since 2012. It sells custom-fit hitches, ball mounts, and trailer hardware for 70+ vehicle applications through major retailers including Walmart, Home Depot, Amazon, and AutoZone, plus direct e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Towing Equipment and Trailer Accessories

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing (33621), Transportation Equipment and Supplies (except Motor Vehicle) Merchant Wholesalers (42386)

SIC

Wholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts (5013), Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment (3790)

akta.pro primary industry

Trailer Manufacturing (Utility/Enclosed/Flatbed/Car Hauler) (IMACAGAA)

Keywords

• Trailer hitches
• Towing accessories
• Ball mount bars
• Trailer couplers
• Receiver hitch pins

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Towing Accessories Sales: Direct-to-consumer and retail sales of towing accessories including ball mount bars, hitch balls, heavy duty accessories, receiver pins and locks, safety and security products, and utility accessories. Products sold through e-commerce, retail stores, and online marketplaces.
2. Custom Fit Hitches Sales: Vehicle-specific custom receiver hitches sold directly to consumers and through retail partners. Hitches are engineered for specific vehicle makes and models.
3. Trailer Accessories Sales: Sales of trailer accessories including couplers, lighting and electrical components, safety and security products, and utility accessories for trailer applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

TowSmart designs, manufactures, and sells custom vehicle-specific receiver hitches and a full line of towing and trailer accessories, including ball mount bars, hitch balls, couplers, receiver pins and locks, trailer lighting and electrical components, and utility accessories. Products are engineered for specific vehicle makes and models, manufactured in America with OEM certified finishes, and meet V5 and SAE J684 standards. The lineup spans Class I through Class V towing capacities from under $5 accessories up to approximately $750 specialty hitches.

Product overview

TowSmart is a towing and trailer equipment company offering a comprehensive portfolio of towing accessories and custom-fit hitches. The product line includes two main categories: Towing Accessories (Ball Mount Bars, Heavy Duty Accessories, Hitch Balls, Lighting and Electrical, Receiver Pins and Locks, Safety and Security, Utility and Convenience Accessories) and Trailer Accessories (Couplers, Lighting and Electrical, Safety and Security, Utility and Convenience Accessories). The company also offers Custom Fit Hitches—vehicle-specific receiver hitches designed to fit particular vehicle models including Ford, Toyota, Jeep, Chevrolet, Dodge, BMW, Lexus, Acura, Audi, and others. Products are sold through retail partners including U-Haul, Home Depot, AutoZone, Meijer, Menards, Walmart, Amazon, and eTrailer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartStraps: A brand of Winston Products, LLC offering cargo securing and strapping products.
• CargoSmart
• SWOPT
• HydroTech
• Flat Cat

Products and services

• Ball Mount Bars High performance ball mount bars rated for Class I through Class V applications, designed for towing trailers with various receiver sizes.
• Heavy Duty Accessories Hardworking accessories designed for heavy duty towing applications, including components for demanding towing situations.
• Hitch Balls Quality made hitch balls for various towing jobs, available in different sizes for compatible trailer and vehicle connections.
• Lighting and Electrical (Towing) Road-ready clearance lights, wiring and electrical components for safe trailer lighting and connection to tow vehicles.
• Receiver Pins and Locks Security components including receiver pins and locks designed to safeguard against theft of ball mounts and hitch accessories.
• Safety and Security (Towing) Functional protection products for vehicles and trailers during towing operations.
• Utility and Convenience Accessories Useful towing accessories including winches, wrenches and other tools to enhance towing convenience and functionality.
• Couplers Trailer couplers that create secure vehicle-trailer connections, available in various sizes for different towing applications.
• Custom Fit Hitches Vehicle-specific custom receiver hitches engineered to fit specific vehicle models perfectly, built with high-strength materials and manufactured to OEM specifications.
• 1,000 lbs. Swing Down Trailer Jack Side wind, swing down, bolt-on trailer jack with 1,000 lb capacity, featuring zinc plated finish for weather resistance and a 6-inch solid molded wheel for maneuverability.
• TowSmart Custom Class III Trailer Hitch (Ford Transit) Custom Class III receiver hitches engineered to vehicle manufacturer rated towing capacities, meeting V5 and SAE J684 standards, with matte black powder coat finish on carbon steel construction.

Quantifiable outcome

• Custom hitches engineered to vehicle manufacturer rated towing capacities meeting V5 and SAE J684 standards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Home DepotmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHome Depot is a major retail partner for TowSmart products. TowSmart towing and trailer accessories are available for purchase at Home Depot stores nationwide and through HomeDepot.com.
• U-HaulmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorU-Haul serves as a retail partner for TowSmart products, offering towing accessories at their locations and through their website.
• AmazonmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon is a marketplace partner selling TowSmart products including custom hitches and accessories through Amazon.com.
• AutoZonemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAutoZone retails TowSmart products in their automotive parts stores and through AutoZone.com.
• WalmartmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWalmart carries TowSmart products in their retail stores and on Walmart.com.
• eTrailermajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributoreTrailer is a specialty online retailer for trailer parts and towing equipment, offering an extensive catalog of TowSmart products including custom hitches.
• MeijerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMeijer, a regional Midwestern retailer, carries TowSmart products in their stores and on Meijer.com.
• MenardsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMenards, a Midwestern home improvement retailer, offers TowSmart products in their stores and on Menards.com.
• Winston Products LLCcoreOthersTowSmart is a division of Winston Products, LLC, a company that owns multiple consumer brands including SmartStraps, CargoSmart, SWOPT, HydroTech, Flat Cat, and Flat Cat CBD. Winston Products is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio and establishes business policies including MAP pricing for all subsidiary brands.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Andersen Hitches: Smaller US maker of innovative aluminum ball mounts and trailer couplers. Competes in overlapping SKUs with TowSmart's adjustable ball mount and coupler lines, with a growing DTC and retail footprint.
• BulletProof Hitches: DTC-focused US manufacturer of heavy-duty adjustable ball mounts and hitch accessories. Comparable in product mix to TowSmart's higher-end adjustable and Class IV/V offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Yakima: Larger outdoor and automotive accessories brand with broader cargo/towing portfolio (hitch-mounted racks, cargo carriers). Adjacent to TowSmart's trailer-accessory line and competes for the same DIY/outdoor buyer.

Direct peers

• Husky Towing: Brand offering trailer hitches, ball mounts, and towing accessories sold through retail and online channels. Directly comparable to TowSmart's mid-tier accessory portfolio and product breadth.
• Blue Ox: Manufacturer of towing products including baseplates, hitches, and tow bars for vehicle-trailer connections. Comparable mid-sized US aftermarket towing brand with similar retail distribution.
• Reese (Horizon Global): Iconic towing and hitch brand under Horizon Global, with broad custom-hitch coverage and presence in Walmart, AutoZone, and Amazon — directly competing with TowSmart for shelf space and shopper mindshare.
• CURT Manufacturing: One of the largest US manufacturers of towing products including custom hitches, ball mounts, and wiring. Directly competes with TowSmart in the same retail aisles (Amazon, AutoZone, Walmart) across overlapping SKUs.
• etrailer: Specialty online retailer of towing and trailer parts that both distributes TowSmart products and competes via its own-brand offerings. Closely comparable as both a channel and a competitor to TowSmart's DTC business.
• Draw-Tite: Major aftermarket trailer hitch brand owned by Horizon Global. Offers vehicle-specific custom hitches and towing accessories sold through the same big-box and auto-parts retail channels as TowSmart.
• B&W Trailer Hitches: US manufacturer of heavy-duty and custom-fit trailer hitches, ball mounts, and towing accessories. Comparable premium positioning to TowSmart with overlapping Class III–V product range.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TowSmartUS
• Facebookfacebook.com/TowSmart

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 TowSmart