tagman
CFE-Tagman is a Chicago-based manufacturer and online retailer of police and fire recognition insignia, uniform accessories, and custom award mounting products, serving law enforcement and fire agencies, wholesale resellers, and individual consumers nationwide. Founded in 1975, it was acquired by Blue HQ, LLC in 2023.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What tagman does
CFE-Tagman is a private Illinois-based manufacturer and online retailer of police and fire recognition insignia, uniform accessories, and custom-configured award mounting products. Founded in 1975 as Larry's Engraving in Chicago and rebranded to CFE-Tagman (Chicago's Finest Engravers) in 1997, the company was acquired by Blue HQ, LLC in 2023 and relocated back to Chicago, IL. Its core product catalog includes commendation bars, cloth ribbon bars (1-27 stripe configurations), metal drapes, medals, ribbon appurtenances and devices, mounts and frames, the proprietary Adapt-Award Plate system (developed in the early 1980s to consolidate ribbons, name tags, and recognition trees into a single removable cluster), agency-specific patches and pins (Chicago Police, Chicago Fire, Cook County Sheriff, Illinois State Police, federal agencies, and other public-safety departments), collar brass, hatbands, rank insignia, leather goods, and novelty/family-member items such as dog collars, magnets, and decals. Underlying technology is a WooCommerce storefront integrated with Stripe, Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and EasyPost shipping, with in-house engraving and hand assembly performed domestically.
The company monetizes primarily through direct e-commerce unit sales (individual products priced approximately $3.50 to $44.75+), volume discounts on orders of 25+ items, and quote-based custom work. Complementary services include Rack Building Services (Chicago Police Department-specific and generic agency configurations with complimentary history engraving, payment required prior to assembly), Rack Upgrade Services (a flat $25 labor fee plus materials for adding ribbons/devices to existing racks), and an Awards Program Service that consults on agency recognition program design. Three go-to-market motions are documented: direct-to-consumer e-commerce for individuals and small buyers, a sales-led wholesale/reseller and tax-exempt program with dedicated account representatives for authorized uniform stores, police/fire supply retailers, gift shops, and government/institutional buyers, and word-of-mouth distribution through Chicago-area uniform stores and nationwide shops.
tagman firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- tagman
- Legal name
- CFE-Tagman, a Blue HQ, LLC brand
- Website
- https://cfe-tagman.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CFE-Tagman is a Chicago-based manufacturer and online retailer of police and fire recognition insignia, uniform accessories, and custom award mounting products, serving law enforcement and fire agencies, wholesale resellers, and individual consumers nationwide. Founded in 1975, it was acquired by Blue HQ, LLC in 2023.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
tagman industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Law Enforcement Awards and Recognition Products
- NAICS
- Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (3169), Apparel Manufacturing (315)
- SIC
- Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Buttons & Buckles Manufacturing (Buttons/Toggles/Buckles/Slides) (IMAOALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bag & Accessory Components/Hardware (Straps, Buckles, Zippers) (CRAAAJAJ), Headwear Manufacturing (Hats/Caps/Beanies) (IMAOAFAA)
Keywords
Where tagman is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
tagman business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Direct e-commerce sales of badges, patches, pins, ribbons, medals, name tags, leather goods, and uniform accessories to individual consumers and organizations.
- Rack Building Services: Custom rack mount assembly services for Chicago Police Department and other agencies, including ribbon selection, mount configuration, and complimentary history engraving. Orders must be paid in full prior to assembly.
- Rack Upgrade Services: Service to add ribbons or devices to existing rack mounts. $25 labor fee plus cost of new materials. Covers standard slide-on racks and device upgrades.
- Awards Program Services: Consulting and planning services to help agencies develop award recognition programs, including strategy consultation and program planning support.
- Wholesale/Reseller Pricing: Special wholesale pricing and tax-exempt purchasing for authorized resellers (uniform stores, police/fire supply retailers, department stores, gift shops) and tax-exempt organizations (government agencies, institutions, nonprofits).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Consumer Products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Custom/Made-to-Order Products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Rack Upgrade Service |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bulk Orders (25+ units) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Wholesale/Reseller Accounts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
tagman product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CFE-Tagman manufactures and supplies police awards, ribbons, badges, patches, name tags, badge mounts, and related uniform accessories. The company also offers custom rack building services, where customer-supplied awards are assembled onto proprietary plates and shipped ready to wear or gift. Products are sold both directly to end customers and through a wholesale/reseller network, with select items made in the USA via in-house engraving.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use tagman
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
tagman technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature2 records
tagman partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
tagman competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hero's Pride: Manufactures and distributes police badges, patches, ID products, insignia, and uniform accessories for law enforcement agencies nationwide. Closest direct competitor to CFE-Tagman's core product line, operating at significantly larger scale.
- Smith & Warren: Long-established manufacturer of badges, ID products, and insignia for law enforcement, military, and government agencies. Directly competes with CFE-Tagman in the metal badge and insignia category with deeper institutional customer relationships.
- V.H. Blackinton & Co. One of the oldest badge manufacturers in the US, producing custom law enforcement and military badges, insignia, and ID products. Directly competes in the same metal insignia category as CFE-Tagman with broader institutional reach.
Broad incumbents
- 5.11 Tactical: Large public company (IPO 2021) producing uniforms, tactical gear, and accessories for law enforcement and military. Much broader product portfolio than CFE-Tagman but operates in the same end-customer category with overlapping insignia and accessory offerings.
- Galls: Largest public safety equipment retailer in the US, carrying uniforms, badges, insignia, and accessories from multiple manufacturers. Serves the same agency customer base as CFE-Tagman through both online and catalog channels, often competing for the same procurement budgets.
- LA Police Gear: Online retailer of law enforcement equipment, badges, uniforms, and accessories. Operates at greater scale than CFE-Tagman with broader catalog and national reach, serving many of the same agency and individual officer customers.
- Blauer Manufacturing: Established manufacturer of public safety uniforms, outerwear, and uniform accessories. Larger scale than CFE-Tagman and serves many of the same law enforcement agency customers with broader uniform solutions.
- Elbeco: Manufacturer of uniforms and uniform accessories for law enforcement, fire, and EMS. Operates at greater scale than CFE-Tagman and overlaps in uniform insignia and accessory categories serving similar agencies.
- CopsPlus Police Supplies: Large online retailer of police equipment, uniforms, badges, and insignia. Operates as a multi-brand retailer serving individual officers and departments nationwide, competing for the same customer wallet as CFE-Tagman.
- Spiewak: Manufacturer of public safety and military uniforms, outerwear, and accessories. Larger scale with broader product portfolio than CFE-Tagman, serving overlapping law enforcement and first-responder customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
tagman social profiles
Digital presencetagman financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
tagman leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
tagman funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
tagman M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about tagman
What does tagman do?
CFE-Tagman manufactures and supplies police awards, ribbons, badges, patches, name tags, badge mounts, and related uniform accessories. The company also offers custom rack building services, where customer-supplied awards are assembled onto proprietary plates and shipped ready to wear or gift. Products are sold both directly to end customers and through a wholesale/reseller network, with select items made in the USA via in-house engraving.
Is tagman a public or private company?
tagman is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was tagman founded?
tagman was founded in 1975. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is tagman based?
tagman is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does tagman make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are rack Building Services, rack Upgrade Services, awards Program Services and wholesale/Reseller Pricing.
Who are tagman's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hero's Pride, Smith & Warren and V.H. Blackinton & Co.. Broad incumbents are 5.11 Tactical, Galls, LA Police Gear, Blauer Manufacturing, Elbeco, CopsPlus Police Supplies and Spiewak.
Does tagman have an API?
No public API is recorded for tagman.
What industry is tagman in?
tagman's product category is Law Enforcement Awards and Recognition Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAOALAB, Buttons & Buckles Manufacturing (Buttons/Toggles/Buckles/Slides), with a secondary code of CRAAAJAJ, Bag & Accessory Components/Hardware (Straps, Buckles, Zippers). Its NAICS code is 3159 and its SIC code is 2300.