This section provides an overview for guardrails as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 27 guardrail manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked guardrail companies as of November, 2024: 1.GSI Highway Products, 2.Steel King Industries, Inc., 3.Ideal Shield.
Table of Contents
A guardrail is a protective barrier used in factories and other industrial settings to prevent or mitigate damage from vehicle collisions. With the frequent operation of forklifts, AGVs, and other vehicles, guardrails play a crucial role in averting industrial accidents and preserving the safety of workers and equipment.
While traditional safety measures focused on human-centered approaches like training and rule compliance, the adoption of guardrails as physical barriers is increasingly recognized as essential. They are key to ensuring the separation of pedestrians and vehicles in workplaces.
Guardrails serve two primary purposes:
Guardrails are installed to physically separate pedestrian zones from vehicle-operating areas, enhancing safety in factories where both coexist.
They are also employed to safeguard production equipment, transport equipment, and infrastructure like buildings, shutters, and piping against vehicle collisions.
Guardrails at manufacturing sites come in various types, each suited to specific operational environments:
Simple barriers are floor-installed and act mainly as visual warnings. They are used both temporarily and permanently but don’t offer significant impact resistance.
Steel barriers provide a moderate level of protection but tend to deform upon impact and may damage concrete floors due to lack of shock absorption.
These modern barriers are made of polymer resin, known for their impact absorption and recovery properties. They offer advanced protection without the drawbacks of rusting or paint peeling and don’t damage the floor upon impact. Choosing a barrier rated for the specific impact level needed for the work environment ensures appropriate protection.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Steel King Industries, Inc. based in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, USA and was established in 1970 is a manufacturer of material handling products and systems. The company offers pallet racks, drive in rack, flow rack, pushback rack, pick modules, mezzanines, cantilever racks, portable racks, industrial containers, custom shipping racks, and industrial safety guard railing. It is the nation’s only single-source manufacturer of its products and has a proven devotion to the material handling and standards that improve operational efficiency in various environments.
GSI Highway Products was founded in 1970 as Gordon’s Specialties Inc., headquartered in Hutchins, Texas, and is a manufacturer and supplier of bridges and rails. The company specializes in the production and distribution of steel and aluminum bridge rails, pedestrian rails, handrails, highway guardrails, fabricated steel components, and trailer truck-mounted attenuators serving the highway, bridge, and utility construction sectors. For traffic control and road safety, the company designs and manufactures arrow boards, message boards, wide-flange terminal anchor beams, expansion joints, and JJ hooks. The company is an AISC-certified fabricator and manufactures its products according to DOT standards.
Ideal Shield is a manufacturer of facility maintenance and protection products, headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, and was founded in 1997. The company's product line includes bollards and bollard covers, guardrails, handrails, sign systems, electric vehicle charging accessories, and others. It operates five manufacturing plants and has a vast distribution network throughout the United States. The company's products are used in stadiums, parking lots, manufacturing and landscaping industries, and municipalities. It is part of the Ideal Group of Companies, providing steel and construction services, facility maintenance and protection products, and material management.
Garlock Safety Systems was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota. The company is a manufacturer of fall protection safety equipment. The company provides rooftop and indoor fall protection solutions, it also provides roofing and construction services and material handling solutions. The company's products line includes LadderGuard, RailGuard, and maintenance hole fall prevention systems. The company's construction safety equipment are used in skylight guarding, roof hatch and machine guarding, and roof edge protection, these products meet the OSHA standards.
Tie Down Engineering, established in 1969, based in Atlanta, Georgia, is a manufacturer of roofing, marine, and safety products. The company’s products include roof zone, roofing tools, safety equipment, construction equipment, and dock hardware and accessories, among others. Since 1985, it includes the existing technology and security standards in the field of general constructions. Its aim was to manufacture and supply products made specifically in the United States, reducing dependence on foreign imports. Over 90 patents and 7,000 products used all over the world.
Babcock Davis, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of specialty building and access products that was established in 1948 and is headquartered in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, USA. The company specializes in the design and production of multiple products including Access Doors, Entrance Mats and Grilles, Fall Protection, Fire Protection Specialties, and Floor Doors. Its products such as roof hatches, smoke vents, and stair treads are used by several industries, as diverse as commercial construction, industrial, and institutional. The company also offers a wide range of services, including engineering, and installation.
WernerCo, established in 1922 and headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, operates as a manufacturer and distributor of aluminum and fiberglass ladders, light-duty construction equipment, fall protection equipment, and related items. The company's product portfolio includes aluminum and fiberglass ladders, climbing equipment, drop safety equipment, secure storage systems, light-duty construction equipment, and more. These products are used in climbing, fall protection, and secure storage. The company serves products of brands, which include names like Werner, Weather Gaurd, Better Built, Haemmerlin, and Bailey and Zarges.
Valtir, LLC is a manufacturer and supplier of highway safety products, founded in 1969 and headquartered in Addison, Texas. The company's product line includes sign supports, guardrails, crash cushions, end terminals, and many others. It provides a wide range of infrastructure products for highways, rural roads, urban development, and specialty niche markets. The company supports industry associations through active memberships and committee participation, these associations includes American Traffic Safety Services Association and Associated General Contractors.
Omega Industrial Safety, established in 1987 and headquartered in Saukville, Wisconsin, is a supplier of safety barrier solutions. Its comprehensive range of industrial barrier and safe access products safeguards workers from hazards. Products encompass guardrails & posts, pipe and column guard protection, bollard guards and covers, pallet rack and floor guards, as well as door & track guards, and heavy duty corner guards. Its products play a crucial role in enhancing workplace safety by providing an array of protective solutions for various industries, offering protection to personnel, machinery, walls, doors, and finished goods on-site.
Nystrom Building Products, founded in Minneapolis, MN, in 1948 is a supplier of building products such as Expansion Joint & Compression Seal Systems and Access Doors & Panels. The company's product range includes full lines of lumber, plywood and sheathing, masonry supplies, decking materials, windows and doors. Their products are used in Commercial Spaces, Construction, Commercial Buildings, industrial Automation and Office Spaces. The company also provides services including national distribution, product selection, customized services, technical support and customer service.
SAYFA GROUP, founded in Australia in 2002 is a manufacturer of height safety and fall protection solutions. The company offers an extensive selection of full-body harnesses and lanyards designed for various applications, from construction to maintenance work, a line of anchor points and anchor systems that enable safe and secure attachment for fall protection equipment and guardrail and edge protection solutions are designed to create a safe working environment along edges and open sides of structures.
NIPPON STEEL METAL PRODUCTS CO. is a manufacturer of cold roll-formed steel products, founded in 1973 at Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo. The company’s parent organization is Nippon Steel which manufactures cold-pressed steel for both construction and civil engineering. Products comprise steel sheets, steel strips, steel bars, guardrails, steel frame dams, etc. Mold flux for continuous casting is included in their chemical materials for steel manufacturing. The products are made from stainless steel offering a holistic solution against aggressive conditions and delivering immense endurability. These are primarily used in automobiles, electrical appliances, heavy construction, dams, and bridges, etc.
MPM is a manufacturer of Industrial protection and safety systems located in Padova, Italy, and was established in 1985. The company's product line includes guardrails, bollards, cable covers, rack protections, and other safety products. These products are space-saving, modular and easy to install for safety of workers, racks, and machinery. The company's products find application in transport and logistics, food and beverage production, chemical and textiles, airports, and several others. The company provides safety system accessories, useful safety tools, and fixing accessories.
Cogan Wire and Metal Products Ltd, founded in 1901 and headquartered in Terrebonne, Quebec is a manufacturer of guiding solutions in space management. The company offers diverse products, including guardrails for pedestrians, wire mesh rack guards, and narrow aisle cantilever racking. The guardrails offered by the company are crucial components in public roads and infrastructure, as well as in offices and domestic use. Additionally, the company provides customer services such as technical support, catalog requests, and customized services.
mmcité USA, founded in the USA in 2018 with headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the North American branch of mmcité based in the Czech Republic that was established in 1994 and is a designer, manufacturer, and supplier of street furniture for the public and corporate spaces. The company creates purpose-built streetscapes, including site furnishings, shade structures, and seating, such as gazebos, benches, tables, litter receptacles, and bike racks. The company partners with and supports a number of organizations, including the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Landscape Architecture Foundation.
DELTABLOC Sverige AB was launched in 2000 in Helsingborg, Sweden, and is a manufacturer and supplier of noise barriers and concrete vehicle restraints systems. The company's product portfolio includes deltabloc safety barriers, steelbloc safety quad rails, citybloc security barriers, and phonobloc noise barriers. It also makes DB products, special rails, urban barriers, and DB NBF Series that offer permanent, urban, noise, and work zone barriers solutions. The products have been installed in Germany, Brazil, Tanzania, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia.
SafetyLink Pty Ltd., established in 1998, is a manufacturer of fall protection products located in Thornton, New South Wales. The company produces roof anchors, horizontal and vertical lifelines, rail systems, and fistfit davit systems. It provides fall protection planning, up-to-date training, and technical information for its customers. The company runs a network of trained height safety distributors, installers, and engineers. The company's products undergo extensive testing and conform to the standards of accredited testing facilities.
Vestil Manufacturing Corp. is a manufacturer and distributor of material handling equipment, based in Michigan since 1957. The company produces equipment for various industries such as they make floor markers, speed bumps and car stops, etc. for Facilities Maintenance. Their hoists and trollies, drum handling equipment, carts, and dollies, and industrial ladders have applications in the agricultural, manufacturing, construction, and general marketing industries. Other than that scales, casters, wheels, packaging equipment, and similar items have uses in the postal services, hospitals, restaurants, and food production companies. Overall Vestil provides a solution to manage material handling in any department.
TROAX, established in 1955 and based in Hillerstorp, Sweden, is a manufacturer and supplier of specialized steel mesh panel solutions. The company's product range includes machine guarding panels, warehouse partitioning, property protection solutions, flexible steel panels, and adaptable storage solutions. These products are designed for safety and customization in settings such as machinery protection, warehouse divisions, and storage spaces. Industries it serves include manufacturing, warehousing, commercial properties, and process sectors. Additionally, the company offers services such as solution engineering, custom design, installation support, and maintenance consultation.
Handle It, Inc. is a manufacturer of handling and packaging equipment founded in 1976, and located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company manufactures semi-automatic, automatic, and robotic stretch wrap machines, guard rails, rack and post protectors, and orbital wrappers. These products find application in bottles, boxes, plastic components, and more, serving the oil and gas, brewery, agricultural, and pharmaceutical industries.The company provides Industrial and warehouse solutions as well as custom engineered solutions and it is affiliated to the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA).
Ingal Civil Products, a division of Industrial Galvanizers Corporation Pty Ltd., is a manufacturer and supplier of highway safety barrier systems located in Minto, New South Wales, and established in 1993. The company specializes in engineered steel products and galvanizing services. It provides a wide of products such as carpark and Industrial barriers, workzone and traffic control products, and delineation and fencing products. The company provides quality assurance for all its products and these products find application in car parks, mine sites, and railway crossings.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | GSI Highway Products |
12.0%
|
2 | Steel King Industries, Inc. |
10.8%
|
3 | Ideal Shield |
6.3%
|
4 | WernerCo |
4.7%
|
5 | Garlock Safety Systems |
4.4%
|
6 | Valtir, LLC |
4.3%
|
7 | Nystrom, Inc. |
4.2%
|
8 | Babcock Davis, Inc. |
4.2%
|
9 | Tie Down Engineering |
3.9%
|
10 | Omega Industrial Safety |
3.7%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the guardrail page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 10 | 55.6% |
Australia | 2 | 11.1% |
Sweden | 2 | 11.1% |
Japan | 1 | 5.6% |
Italy | 1 | 5.6% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 5.6% |
France | 1 | 5.6% |