Company Description
Acme United Corporation (NYSE American: ACU) is described in its public disclosures as a worldwide supplier of safety solutions and cutting technology serving the school, home, office, hardware, sporting goods and industrial markets. The company is in the manufacturing sector and is associated with metal kitchen cookware, utensil, cutlery, and flatware (except precious) manufacturing, as well as first aid and medical products and a range of cutting and measuring tools.
According to company and third-party descriptions, Acme United’s principal products include first aid kits and medical products, scissors, shears, knives, rulers, pencil sharpeners, and sharpening tools. These products are sold into multiple channels, including mass market and e‑commerce retailers, industrial distributors, wholesale, contract and retail stationery distributors, office supply superstores, sporting goods stores, and hardware chains. The company’s business is organized into reportable segments covering the United States, Canada, and Europe, with the majority of revenue derived from the U.S. segment.
Brands and product families
Acme United highlights a portfolio of branded product lines that support its focus on safety and cutting tools. In its press releases, the company identifies leading brands such as First Aid Only, First Aid Central, PhysiciansCare, Pac-Kit, Spill Magic, Westcott, Clauss, DMT, Med-Nap, Safety Made, and Elite or Elite First Aid. Through these brands, Acme United participates in first aid and medical supplies, spill clean-up products, and cutting tools for school, office, home, and industrial use.
The company describes itself as a supplier of safety solutions, which includes first aid and medical products under brands such as First Aid Only, First Aid Central, PhysiciansCare, Pac-Kit, Med-Nap, Safety Made, and Elite/Elite First Aid. It also emphasizes cutting technology and related tools through brands like Westcott, Clauss, and DMT, which cover scissors, shears, knives, sharpeners, and other cutting and measuring tools.
End markets and distribution
Based on its own and third-party descriptions, Acme United serves a range of end markets: school and office, home, hardware and do‑it‑yourself, sporting goods, and industrial customers. Its products reach these markets through mass market retailers, e‑commerce platforms, industrial distributors, office supply superstores, sporting goods chains, hardware chains, and various wholesale and contract stationery distributors. This multi‑channel distribution approach allows the company to sell both safety and cutting products across consumer, commercial, and industrial applications.
The company’s geographic reporting segments are the United States, Canada, and Europe. Public earnings releases describe U.S. segment performance in first aid and medical products as well as school and office products, and they separately discuss European and Canadian net sales, including school and office products in Europe and first aid products in Canada.
Safety and spill management
Within safety solutions, Acme United highlights first aid and medical products and spill clean‑up offerings. Its Spill Magic business is described as a leader in bodily fluid and spill clean‑up solutions, using a lightweight absorbent powder that encapsulates spills. The Spill Response System is said to provide tools to clean up spills and reduce slip and fall accidents in venues such as grocery, retail and big box stores, food service and hotel chains, municipal facilities, and industry‑specific distributors in the U.S.
First aid brands such as First Aid Only, First Aid Central, PhysiciansCare, Pac-Kit, Med-Nap, Safety Made, and Elite/Elite First Aid are cited in company communications as key components of its safety offering. Earnings releases refer to strong sales growth in first aid products in both the U.S. and Canada, indicating that first aid and medical products are an important part of the company’s operations.
Cutting tools and school/office products
Acme United’s cutting technology activities are closely associated with its Westcott, Clauss, and DMT brands. Westcott is described in company news as a market leader in scissors and as a brand with a long history in cutting tools and school, home and office products. The company has highlighted Westcott as the “#1 scissor brand in the USA” in a press release about National Scissors Day. Clauss and DMT are also identified as cutting and sharpening brands in company descriptions.
Public statements note that Acme United sells school and office products, including cutting tools such as scissors and related items. Earnings releases reference school and office products within the U.S., European, and Canadian segments, and mention that tariffs and economic conditions can affect demand for these products. The company also reports sales of kitchen sharpeners to a major mass market retailer, which aligns with its broader presence in cutting and sharpening tools.
Operations, facilities, and supply base
Acme United’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission identify it as a Connecticut corporation with a principal office in Shelton, Connecticut. The company has disclosed a secured revolving credit facility under a Loan and Security Agreement with HSBC Bank USA, N.A., and an amendment extending the maturity of this facility.
Company news describes the acquisition of a manufacturing and distribution center in Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee for use primarily by the Spill Magic business. The facility includes manufacturing and warehouse space and is built and maintained to meet FDA‑approved food‑grade specifications. The company has indicated that it plans to invest in capital improvements and automation at this site.
In public comments, Acme United’s management has discussed its supply base and sourcing activities. The company notes that it has been diversifying its supply base over many years, that its recent acquisitions have been manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada, and that its sourcing team has an active presence in countries such as China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Egypt. It has also referenced shifting production within its supply base to manage tariffs and costs.
Financial reporting and segments
Acme United files periodic financial information and current reports with the SEC. Earnings press releases and attached financial statements present net sales, gross profit, operating income, and net income, as well as segment performance for the United States, Europe, and Canada. These disclosures show that first aid and medical products, school and office products, and cutting tools contribute to the company’s results in different regions.
In its communications, the company has discussed factors affecting its financial performance, including tariff uncertainty, inflation, currency fluctuations, supply chain disruptions, labor costs, and changes in client needs and consumer spending habits. It has also described efforts to manage inventory, adjust pricing, and pursue productivity savings and acquisitions, particularly in the first aid space.
Dividends and capital structure
Board resolutions reported in company news indicate that Acme United pays cash dividends on its common stock, with disclosures of dividend amounts per share and record and payment dates. The company has also referenced a history of dividend increases over multiple years. Balance sheet data in earnings materials show bank debt, mortgage payables, lease liabilities, and stockholders’ equity, illustrating how the company finances its operations and investments.
Business risks and disclosures
Acme United’s press releases include forward‑looking statement disclaimers that outline risks and uncertainties. These disclosures mention global economic conditions, international trade policies and tariffs, inflation and interest rates, geopolitical conflicts, supply chain disruptions, labor costs, currency fluctuations, inventory management, competition, technological changes such as growth in online marketing and sales, and the company’s ability to manage growth and integrate acquisitions. The company directs investors to its SEC filings for additional information on these risks.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- What does Acme United Corporation do?
Acme United Corporation describes itself as a worldwide supplier of safety solutions and cutting technology. Its principal products include first aid kits and medical products, scissors, shears, knives, rulers, pencil sharpeners, and sharpening tools sold into school, home, office, hardware, sporting goods and industrial markets. - In which industry and sector does Acme United operate?
Acme United is in the manufacturing sector and is associated with metal kitchen cookware, utensil, cutlery, and flatware (except precious) manufacturing, as well as first aid and medical products and cutting and measuring tools. - What are Acme United’s main brands?
Company communications list brands including First Aid Only, First Aid Central, PhysiciansCare, Pac-Kit, Spill Magic, Westcott, Clauss, DMT, Med-Nap, Safety Made, and Elite or Elite First Aid as key brands within its safety and cutting technology offerings. - Which markets and customer channels does Acme United serve?
According to its descriptions, Acme United serves school, home, office, hardware, sporting goods, and industrial markets. It sells through mass market and e‑commerce retailers, industrial distributors, wholesale, contract and retail stationery distributors, office supply superstores, sporting goods stores, and hardware chains. - How is Acme United’s business geographically organized?
The company identifies reportable business segments consisting of the United States, Canada, and Europe. Public earnings releases provide separate net sales information for each of these segments. - What role do first aid and medical products play in Acme United’s business?
First aid and medical products are described as principal products across the company’s segments. Earnings releases highlight strong sales growth in first aid products in the U.S. and Canada, and the company has made acquisitions in the first aid space, such as Elite First Aid Inc. - What is Spill Magic and how does it fit into Acme United?
Spill Magic is a business within Acme United that provides bodily fluid and spill clean‑up solutions using a lightweight absorbent powder and a Spill Response System. It serves venues such as grocery, retail and big box stores, food service and hotel chains, municipal facilities, and industry‑specific distributors in the U.S. - What is the significance of the Westcott brand for Acme United?
Westcott is identified as a major cutting tools and school, home and office products brand within Acme United. The company has described Westcott as the #1 scissor brand in the USA and has associated it with initiatives such as National Scissors Day. - Where is Acme United headquartered?
SEC filings identify Acme United Corporation as a Connecticut corporation with its principal office located in Shelton, Connecticut. - Does Acme United pay dividends?
Board announcements reported in company news state that Acme United’s Board of Directors has declared cash dividends on its common stock, and the company has noted multiple dividend increases over time.