Cowles Tool

With over a century of serving the steel industry, Cowles Tools has been an industry leader since the Woodrow Wilson administration. The Cowles Tool line was established in 1917 and has grown to be one of the most respected slitter tooling lines manufacturers in America. In 1997, the company merged with PIC and from its Austintown, Ohio base, Cowles Tools now produces industry-leading slitter tooling, shear blades, lath cutters, and many carbide inlaid cutting and wear products. Today, Cowles Tool supplies manufacturers of steel, aluminum, plastics, wood, paper, and refractory brick including numerous manufacturers of durable goods with precision carbide inlaid tools, helping them to maximize the efficiency and productivity of their operations.

Over the last several years the company has been upgrading its equipment to maintain a high level of quality and improve overall efficiency. One of the upgrades of equipment is the purchase of a C-620NC Cosen Saw to cut the bars of steel into individual knife units. “The Cosen saw was added to our existing saws and increased our capacity both in quantity and maximum diameter,” says David Smith, President of Cowles Tool. “We have found the Cosen Saw to be a great improvement to our efficiency as it cuts through a bar in half the time our previous saws were able to cut. The Cosen saw has also reduced the saw blade usage as we are able to cut a much higher amount of square inches of material per blade.”

Throughout the company’s history, Cowles Tool has been well known for its innovation and ingenuity. For instance, the company began production of its Carbide-tipped work rest blades under its ‘PIC’ or Perfection in Carbide banner. The Carbide-tipped work rest blades for centerless grinders were the first carbide-tipped tools manufactured by Cowles Tool PIC division.

Additionally, Cowles Tool recently upgraded its production facility, now covering more than 27,000 square feet. Ergonomically designed with a modern and efficient floor plan, Cowles Tool’s new facility allows for better flow during the vast array of manufacturing steps, shortening times between operations, and getting products to customers at a faster rate than ever before.

“Our upgrades in machinery have been to continue to produce the line of products we currently manufacture. The demand for the Cowles Slitter tooling is high and keeps our facility and personnel very busy,” says Smith. “We are one of a very limited number of manufacturers that produce slitter knives in the United States. We believe this sets us apart from our competitors that import their knives from foreign sources.”

Cowles Tool is a privately owned limited liability company with strong sales and operations leadership teams. “The company looks forward to continued growth and success,” says Smith, “as we continue to upgrade our equipment and meet the needs of our valued customers.”