The Cowles Tool Legacy

The Cowles Tool company has been serving the steel industry for over 100 years. Established in 1917 and located in Cleveland, Ohio, we began operations as a milling cutter supplier. Soon after, we were approached by a new customer in need of a square edge knife for their production line and from that day forward, Cowles Tool has been manufacturing slitter knives.

As we grew, we needed additional space, first, moving to Canfield, Ohio and then to our current location in Austintown, Ohio. Our upgraded facility covers over 27,000 square feet, offering a more ergonomic and efficient floor plan. This allows for better flow during the many manufacturing steps, shortening times between operations, and getting our products to our customers faster than ever before.

Due to our efforts of continuous process improvement and increased efficiency, our new plant demonstrates Cowles' commitment to growth. We are able to offer more competitive pricing, while we continue to offer the highest-quality tools and services in the industry.

“PIC” or Perfection in Carbide began operations in 1959 with one goal in mind. “Provide our customers with the finest carbide inlaid wear parts in the market.” Carbide-tipped work rest blades for centerless grinders were the first carbide-tipped tools manufactured by PIC and we didn’t stop there. 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 efficiency and productivity of their operations.