Atlantic States Pipe Company, now known as McWane Ductile – New Jersey, made its first water pipe in 1856. Atlantic States became a part of the McWane family of companies in 1975.
The McWane legacy traces its roots to the ingenuity of a family who lived in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. In 1871, Charles Phillip (C.P.) McWane entered the foundry business, and his sons, Henry and James Ransom (J.R.), helped manage the family business.
McWane companies have been manufacturing valves since 1877. Kennedy Valve began casting iron valves in Lower Manhattan before moving the business to Elmira, New York, where the company now resides. Kennedy joined McWane in 1988.
Union Foundry Company, now known as Tyler Union, started operations in 1892 on seven acres of land in Anniston, Alabama, and almost 100 years later, in 1977, Tyler Union joined McWane.
In 1903, J.R. McWane brought his family to Birmingham at the request of the city's Commercial Club. He purchased the Hood Machine & Foundry Company, which later became known as the Birmingham Steel and Iron Company — the beginnings of the Magic City.
Birmingham's iconic Vulcan Statue represents the city's history of ironwork and metalcasting. For the St. Louis Fair in 1904, J.R. McWane and his firm cast the iron statue — the largest in the world — that embodies the Roman god of metalworking. The statue remains the symbol of the city today.
Clow Canada started in Saint John, New Brunswick, as Thomas MacAvity & Company, and in 1907, Thomas MacAvity Stewart invented the first vortex-flushing toilet bowl, which creates a self-cleansing effect.
In 1912, Tyler Union manufactured cast iron light poles for the "Great White Way" of Anniston, Alabama — an illuminated path that helped Anniston earn the title "The City That Lights the World." Still standing today, these poles were the first of their kind.
McWane companies have propelled through the century with their innovation. In 1912, M&H Valve added 20 ovens to their product line to increase production. M&H Valve joined McWane in 1984.
During WWI (1914–1918), Clow Canada was the largest supplier of large ammunition shells for the American military.
J.R. McWane set the tone of leadership that we follow today. In 1920 he said, "The glory of business is not to make money out of it alone, but to make progress to develop men and women and methods and product to improve the 'state of the art.'"
One of the three companies that helped McWane expand further into Canada, Bibby Ste. Croix was founded in 1921 in Quebec and was added to the McWane family of companies in 1997 by Canada Pipe.
With his background in iron and steel manufacturing, and after establishing himself as an innovative leader in developing high-quality products and in worker welfare initiatives, J.R. McWane started the McWane Cast Iron Pipe Company in 1921.
To J.R. McWane, supporting the communities where his facilities operated and team members worked was extremely important. J.R. made sure to give back locally, not forgetting places that impacted his life, including a church, serving as a trustee on school boards and helping construct a golf course, stadium and pool.
J.R. McWane expanded operations to include a second facility in 1926 called the Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company in Provo, Utah, to better serve and meet the needs of westward expansion in the United States.
As America grew, so did the need for clean water and safe waste removal. In 1926, the McWane family of companies was founded when a second location opened in Utah. Today, the McWane family of companies has 12 foundries and 34 manufacturing facilities across 11 states and 8 countries.
J.R. McWane lived a long and happy life, managing his two foundry businesses: McWane Cast Iron Pipe Company and Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company. In 1933, J.R. passed away, leaving a revered legacy of innovation, leadership and excellence that rivaled others in the industry.
J.R.'s son, William (Bill) McWane, took over the family business in 1933 and became President of McWane.
AB&I has manufactured cast iron soil pipe from Oakland, California, since the housing boom of the 1940s, after World War II. AB&I, the largest manufacturer of cast iron soil pipe and fittings in the western United States at the time, joined the McWane in 2006.
As an industry leader, McWane has been innovating since the beginning. In 1947, McWane received licenses to install the deLavaud centrifugal metal casting mold process that eliminated pipe cores and cast pipe using a spinning mold method.
Innovation is integral to the McWane companies. Obtaining the license to manufacture the Tyton Joint in the late 1950s allowed McWane to stay at the forefront of innovation in the pipe manufacturing industry.
In 1962, McWane acquired the Empire Coke Company of Holt, Alabama, that manufactured foundry coke and by-products for industrial operations. A mining company covering 28,000 acres joined McWane seven years later and was renamed McWane Coal Company in 1977.
J.R. McWane left a proud legacy and was granted a remarkable 75 patents for inventions and innovations related to metalwork, many of which are still in use today.
"We may not be able to solve all of our problems overnight, but if we all make up our minds that we are going to do the right from day to day, as we are given to see the right, everything will work out satisfactorily in the end," J.R. McWane said in the early 1900s.
In the 1970s, an era of diversification, McWane continued to grow in innovation and success by adding 11 foundries, breathing new hope and direction into them.
Giving to the communities we serve defines our past and shapes our future. J.R. McWane had a strong sense of community and instilled that in his team members, all while leaving a legacy for future generations.
Amerex, an industry leader in making fire extinguishers, was founded in 1971 by Ned Paine. Amerex joined McWane in 1999.
In 1971, William (Bill) McWane's son, Jim McWane, became President of the company and in 1975, Jim was named Chairman and CEO.
In the 1970s, McWane switched from making cast iron pipe to making Ductile iron pipe. Did you know metallurgical elements are added to the molten iron to increase the strength and durability of Ductile iron pipe?
In 1977, McWane, Incorporated was established as the company grew and expanded under Jim McWane's leadership.
A generational spotlight: The Champion family has been a part of Amerex's history since the beginning. Mike Champion, Senior Marketing Designer, joined Amerex in 1978 and worked with company founder Ned Paine. Mike's grandmother, uncle, cousins, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and now his daughter, Kayla, also have worked at Amerex.
In 1980, Jim McWane's son, Phillip McWane, began his long tenure with McWane. Currently serving as Chairman of the board, Phillip is a fourth-generation McWane to lead the company.
The 1980s were a time of expansion for McWane. Leaders in their trade, M&H Valve Company, Clow Valve Company and Kennedy Valve Company joined McWane to begin what is now the McWane Valve & Hydrant Group, later adding Waterman Industries in 2018.
A generational spotlight: Steve and Cody Davis, father and son, are generational team members at Clow Valve in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Steve’s been part of the Clow family since 1982, and his father, Bert, also worked 36 years with Clow, starting in 1968. Cody joined five years ago. Together, they embody McWane For Generations.
Clow joined the McWane family of companies in 1985 and was split into Clow Valve Company in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and Clow Water Systems in Coshocton, Ohio.
A generational spotlight: The Costa family has been part of AB&I Foundry since 1985, when Alfredo Costa started working there. Alfredo retired last year, and his son, David, worked at AB&I from 1997–2001. His daughter Jennifer Grundell joined in 2008 and is still a team member today.
A generational spotlight: Martin and Jose Vizciya, an uncle and nephew pair, currently work at Tyler Union. In the mid-80s, Martin transferred from McWane Trinity Valley in Fort Worth, Texas.
A generational spotlight: Paul and Jon Callahan, father and son, are generational team members at Clow Valve. Paul began working at Clow in 1987 and was a supervisor for many years at the Metal Casting Facility before retiring in 2019. Jon is currently an environmental engineer.
Canada Pipe Company joined the McWane family of companies in 1989 and was formed as the primary distributor of pipe to all of Canada. In 1990, McWane further expanded by adding Clow Canada, the largest Canadian manufacturer of valves and hydrants.
Clow Canada was established in 1834 and is now the oldest company in Saint John, New Brunswick. Clow Canada joined the McWane family of companies in 1990.
In 1990, the McWane family of companies employed 2,935 people. Today, there are more than 6,000 outstanding team members across our 34 McWane facilities.
In 1991, Futurecom Systems Group started manufacturing radio coverage products to solve challenges first responders face. In 2012, the company brought their technology products to McWane. Based in Ontario, Futurecom helps increase public safety communications through RF Coverage Extension Systems.
In 1992, McWane established the international arm of the company to fulfill a global demand for McWane company products. Now known as McWane International, the sales team markets all McWane products worldwide.
In 1993, Futurecom developed the first-generation vehicular repeater for the Ontario Ministry of Health.
During the Great Flood of 1993, all tri-state area bridges across the Mississippi River closed. To keep the plant running, Manchester Tank flew team members back and forth across the river from Illinois to Missouri for work each day so they could continue to provide key infrastructure products.
In 1995, Tyler Pipe joined the McWane family, moving it into the waterworks fittings industry. For more than 80 years, Tyler Pipe & Couplings has served its customers as one of the nation's premier manufacturers of cast iron soil pipe and fittings for the plumbing industry.
Founded in 1865, Wade Drains is an industry leader in manufacturing drains, waste and vent products. Wade & Wade Canada joined the McWane family of companies in 1995.
In 1997, Jim McWane passed away, leaving his footprint of growth and success of the company.
At McWane, sustainability is an integral part of business and achieved by safeguarding the health and safety of every team member, protecting the environment, making products using fewer resources, and constantly innovating. McWane recycles more than 610,000 tons of scrap metal each year.
An industry leader in manufacturing steel pressure vessels and propane tanks since 1945, Manchester Tank and Equipment joined McWane in 1999, introducing McWane to the propane tank industry.
The National Board of Boiler Pressure Vessel Inspectors registered their 1 millionth tank, manufactured in 2000 by Manchester Tank in Hannibal, Missouri.
Manchester Tank and Equipment grew in the propane tank business by establishing plants in Indiana and Illinois in 2000. In 2011, they further expanded to Cemcogas SA in Chile.
In 2006, Tyler Union surpassed two million work hours with no lost time due to injury or illness.
In 2004, 100 years after the McWane family brought the Vulcan iron giant to life in Birmingham, McWane companies helped repair, recast and restore the statue, which is still the largest cast iron statue in the world.
In 2004, McWane built a foundry in Guozhaung, Zhenbei, Cangzhou, Hebei, China called Tyler Xianxian to manufacture pipe joints, fittings and restraints.
Since 2006, several McWane companies have received Voluntary Protection Program certifications from OSHA for outstanding efforts in health and safety. To date, we have seven sites that have received the VPP Star designation: Manchester Tank, Tyler Pipe, Clow Valve, McWane Ductile – Utah, McWane Ductile – New Jersey and Amerex.
To date, McWane has awarded 136 scholarships, totaling more than $1 million.
At McWane, we do it safely or not at all. Every human life is valuable, and we are committed to protecting the life and health of every team member. Our Environment, Health and Safety awards encourage and recognize McWane companies for their safety milestones. Since 2002, McWane companies have received 60 awards for safety performance at facilities.
Since early 2000, all divisions across the McWane family of companies continue to make upgrades at their facilities to better the environment and communities where they operate.
McWane, Inc. received the Business Council of Alabama's inaugural Manufacturers Make a Difference Community Leadership Award in 2006.
In 2008, McWane Poles was established as a member of the McWane family of companies. Resistant to woodpeckers, insects, freezing weather and rot, the Ductile iron poles are also engineered to withstand the largest natural disaster threats, such as hurricanes, fires and earthquakes.
In 2008, McWane established Janus Fire Systems, a division of Amerex, adding them to the McWane family of companies.
In 2010, Amerex supported the U.S. Department of Defense by providing engine and crew cab fire suppression systems for more than 8,000 M-ATVs for the war in Afghanistan.
Tyler Pipe manufactured water pipes for the Freedom Tower Site in New York City in 2010. The pipes were symbolically placed on floors 9–11.
In 2010, McWane held its first Ergo Cup. Teams compete by presenting ergonomic-related projects intended to reduce injuries, improve workplace efficiency and transform processes to fit the needs of team members. Successful projects are implemented at McWane facilities annually. McWane has also won nationally at the Applied Ergonomics Society Ergo Cup.
The McWane Technology Group was founded in 2012 when Synapse Wireless, Futurecom Systems Group and Nighthawk Control joined the McWane family. Two years later, in 2014, Zinwave became a McWane technology company.
In 2012, Synapse joined the McWane family of companies. Synapse connects the physical world to the digital world by connecting devices to the cloud and integrating advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms to sense, analyze and control thousands of devices at an industrial scale.
Nighthawk, who joined McWane in 2012, designs and manufactures the iHydrant™ pressure monitoring and the Adaptiv Mesh Cellular Smart Grid AMI solutions for the utility industry.
In 2011 the Pollution Prevention Challenge (P2C) began, allowing teams from across the McWane family to have their ideas judged for innovation, simplicity, cost savings and environmental benefits. The challenge has served as the hallmark of efforts toward sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Founded in 2008, Zinwave became a McWane company in 2014. Zinwave's UNItivity 5000 in-building wireless DAS and 5G solution improves cellular, public safety and two-way radio connectivity.
In 2011, McWane India Private Limited began supporting McWane companies globally.
Ductile iron pipe can withstand temperatures up to 2060 degrees Fahrenheit.
McWane formed the Environment, Health and Safety Steering Committee in 2012 to take EHS performance across the family of companies to a new level.
In 2013, McWane designed and launched the McWane Pocket Engineer, an app that compiles all McWane product information and resources for customer ease.
Kennedy Valve India was formed as a product line at McWane India Private Limited in 2013 to provide valves to the Indian market.
In 2014, Will McWane began his tenure with McWane, making him a fifth-generation McWane to lead the company.
McWane Pipe, Pacific States, Atlantic States and Clow Water formed McWane Ductile in 2015. With more than 900 employees, McWane Ductile is North America’s leading and most experienced Ductile iron pipe manufacturer and supplier, playing a vital role in the future of the world's water infrastructure.
Since the company was founded in 1921, McWane team members have continued to volunteer their time and give back to the communities where they live and work. Giving back is The McWane Way.
Futurecom Systems Group launched a new line of P25 tactical repeaters in 2016 designed for special tactical police teams and military personnel. These P25 tactical repeaters have a backpack option to boost communication ranges.
In 2016, Clow Valve expanded their mold line to provide capabilities for larger matchplate patterns and to improve efficiency.
In 2017, Futurecom launched the PDR8000® Portable Digital Repeater, targeted to federal customers and disaster response customers. In 2019, the company was awarded its first patents for design elements of the PDR8000®.
In 2017, the McWane Valve and Hydrant Group teamed up with Nighthawk to develop the first smart hydrant, which allows customers to monitor their water usage, leaks and save money. This new product is called iHydrant.
Zinwave provided in-building connectivity for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in 2017, installing a wideband solution called UNItivity.
In 2018, M&H Valve reached an exciting milestone — manufacturing their 1 millionth coated wedge for resilient-seated gate valves. M&H has been producing wedges for years, but in 2013, they received the machinery to start coating the rubber wedges on-site for all McWane Valve & Hydrant companies.
NASA asked Kennedy Valve to manufacture a large industrial valve in 2018 for the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad — a valve that had never been produced before. The valve stood 30 feet tall, weighed 160,000 pounds and allowed 30,000 gallons of water to rush through per minute.
Founded in 1912, Waterman industries, which is based in Exeter, California, joined the McWane family of companies in 2018.
M&H Valve created its first waterworks product in 1854 and later joined the McWane family of companies in 1984. Recently, in 2019, M&H celebrated the 90th anniversary of the first hydrant they produced in 1929.
A generational spotlight: Tyler Pipe team member James Madison celebrated 60 years of service in 2019.
On January 31, 2019, team members from M&H Valve and Tyer Union visited the White House for the signing of the executive order "Strengthening Buy American Preferences for Infrastructure Projects," which was designed to strengthen the "Buy America" rules for federal agencies.
In 2020, Manchester Tank & Equipment produced more than 4.5 million tank/cylinder units.
As of June 2020, 600 utilities in the United States and Canada use Ductile iron pipe that has lasted 100 years of service, and 23 utilities have had 150 years of service.
While looking forward to the future, McWane takes pride in its past. In an industry so important to history and growth, we remain a vital part of the world's future. From an idea and a dream in 1921 to today, McWane now operates 34 facilities worldwide.
McWane Plant and Industrial brings together top McWane valve companies — Kennedy Valve, Waterman Valve, McWane Ductile and Tyler Union — to provide a comprehensive solution to large industrial waterworks projects. MPI celebrated its launch this year in 2021.
McWane products are built to last for generations. Our water infrastructure was installed by our great grandparents. Cast iron pipe served their communities then and is still serving many of them today.
McWane products are strong. Our continued commitment to innovation and excellence means we will develop products and practices that are stronger, safer and more sustainable for years to come. Resilient infrastructure paves the way to a stronger future together.
Each year, McWane Ductile produces about 2,635 miles of Ductile iron pipe, enough to run from New York to Los Angeles.
Since the early 1950s, McWane and its companies’ products have been delivered to more than 200 countries across the globe. In the past two years alone, McWane has shipped our products to 125 countries.
Since 2002, McWane companies have received more than 82 awards or recognitions for Environment, Safety and Health initiatives.
An average baghouse system that has run for 10 hours filters 24 million cubic feet of air, ensuring that most emissions are captured and controlled so our production facilities operate with sustainable business practices.
Ductile iron pipe is Iron Strong — strong enough to withstand 900 pounds per square (psi) inch of ground pressure! The legal load weight of an 18-wheeler is 95 psi.
