Underneath the ground, all over North America, there is a network of piping systems that delivers water to your home. Every time you turn on a tap, the water that enters your tub or your glass flows from miles away.

It’s a modern marvel of engineering: twist a knob, get water in a moment. Since 1968, Specification Rubber Products (or Spec Rubber, as we’re called) has been proud to play a part in that experience, and it all started with a vision to deliver something as essential to water to our local communities: meaningful work.

This is the story of Specification Rubber Products: how the company grew from one small building in a rural Alabama town to today providing high-quality, American-made gaskets and products to over twenty-five countries across the globe.

Our Founders’ Vision

In 1968, when our doors opened for the first time, 75% of ductile iron piping used in America’s waterworks industry came from the foundries and foothills of Birmingham, Alabama. 

At the time, America was going through a growth spurt: a massive boom in infrastructure dating from the end of World War II, when our GIs came home and started having children and building communities across the country.  

Those new families needed water. No one wanted to stay stuck in a past where you needed to depend on a well, especially not in rural areas. That’s why the industry laid as much ductile pipe as it could get its hands on – but it wasn’t just the pipes we needed. 

The founders of Spec Rubber – including E.W. “Bud” Quiggle” – saw this unprecedented growth as not just an opportunity for modernization, but a chance to provide something even greater: opportunity. 

By manufacturing the rubber gaskets needed to ensure the water stayed in the pipes where it belonged – on the way to your house – and not leaking into the earth, the founders would help support communities on multiple levels. Not only would we help deliver water, we’d help deliver jobs. 

The vision of being a responsible and valued neighbor, providing reliable work while delivering an essential product at an affordable price, led the founders to that moment in 1968 when our doors opened for the very first time.

Our History: From Alabaster to the World

The very first Spec Rubber facility was modest by today’s standards: 18,000 square feet, sprawling across a very rural town called Alabaster.

The location was advantageous because it was just a short drive away from the ductile pipe companies that dotted the landscape in nearby Birmingham.

They were our first customers: companies that needed reliable rubber gaskets for water pipes so Americans could all enjoy the benefits of clean water on demand. 

Success came quickly; in just a year, Spec Rubber became a part of a rapidly growing family of companies that today is known as AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company (itself founded in 1905 in Birmingham). 

In 1975, we took our next major leap forward with the production of the Tyton Joint Gaskets – a product that effectively doubled our business. It wasn’t just the technological advance of a newer, more efficient product that fueled this surge; it was also our growing reputation for high-quality products delivered to exact specifications at a price companies could afford.

Even though the 1970’s were filled with economic turmoil, Spec Rubber kept producing home-grown ingenuity and hard work. It didn’t take long for our company to achieve the highest standards in the industry; in 1992, we achieved the NSF-61 Product Listing Certification, followed in just two years by the coveted ISO 9001 quality certification, marking our products as things customers could count on to do their job and then some.

We also branched out from rubber gaskets to a wider range of essential products, including specialty mechanical molded goods for industrial applications. We’ve innovated with groundbreaking technology like our Barracuda® Gasket, which was released in 2014 and provides an easy (and colorful) way to show if a pipe joint is properly installed and restrained.

And we partner with customers who have unique requirements that call for custom-engineered solutions – a little old-fashioned American ingenuity and know-how to solve problems that take more than just any part off a shelf.

From NSF-61 flat gaskets to mechanical joint gaskets and more, our products have branched out from serving the waterworks industry to delivering quality for applications in agriculture, energy, mining, and beyond.

We like to say that if it’s made from molded rubber, we can make it (and we probably have).

Our Community: Only in America

In a modern era where outsourcing has become the main way to do business – and in a country where domestic manufacturing has fallen from its historic highs during the middle of the 20th Century – Spec Rubber is proud to produce our products right here in the USA, from the same local teammates you may see in the grocery store or at the ballpark. 

That guiding vision of delivering economic opportunity to our friends, families, and neighbors has helped us stay focused on providing jobs in a positive environment, one where teammates know they’re valued for their contributions.

Our production facilities employ over 70 teammates, some of whom come to us right out of high school and stay with us until they retire. 

We’ve been named the Best Place to Work in the North American Rubber Industry by Rubber News, selected as a finalist for Manufacturer of the Year by the Business Council of Alabama and the Alabama Technology Network, local Business of the Year by the Shelby County Chamber, and one of the states’ Safest Manufacturers – all a part of our commitment to change American-made industries for the better.

Today, we support our communities and focus on giving back and being a civic-minded company, one on which our teammates and their families can rely. Even though our products can be found all over the globe, each one got its start right here in America – and so did we.

Our Future – And Yours

It’s been more than half a century since our first gasket rolled off the line in 1968. We began with a clear vision of supporting a crucial industry in an area of high need and continued to drive innovation and provide opportunity to the American workforce.

Our job isn’t complete; there will always be problems that need solving, teammates that need to make a living, and families that need clean water and close-knit communities. Spec Rubber is proud to be a part of it all. 

We encourage you to learn more about our company, our mission, and the vital role domestic manufacturers play in the economic health of our people and country.

And the next time you turn on the tap, think of us – we’ll be thinking of you.

Elfrida McClain

Elfrida McClain has worked with Spec Rubber for more than 4 decades. She started as a front-line employee and now manages production. See how she and the Spec Rubber team provide world-class service to delight our customers. 

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I’ve worked at Specification Rubber Products for more than 45 years. I started as a front-line production employee, and now I’m our Production Manager. Spec Rubber has given me a great career path. 

Our customers know “Made in the USA” matters because a lot of projects require it. But I think it’s more important to say “Made at Spec Rubber” because I’m proud of the company I’ve worked for over the last 4 and half decades, and I’d like to tell you why. 

Company Culture

I started at Spec Rubber working part-time in the cutting department, but the company could see I wanted to learn. So they offered me a chance to continue to advance, and I learned about every job I could. Eventually, Spec Rubber promoted me to Supervisor. I earned that opportunity because I had learned every step in the production process. 

At Spec Rubber, we think supervisors should be out on the floor instead of holed up in their offices because it makes it easier for production employees to communicate with you. If they notice a problem, they can ask for help without worrying you’ll be upset about stopping production. We have each other’s backs, and everyone does what it takes to keep things running smoothly to eliminate waste and prevent project delays. 

Employee Retention

We have a lot of long-time employees. It’s a great place to work, and a lot of folks have stayed here for more than 40 years, but only one person worked here longer than me. He retired at 46 years, and every time I see him, I say, “I’m going to catch you!” I just have one year to go. But I think I’ll keep going for a while longer. I have too much energy to just sit on the porch. 

You don’t keep employees for decades if you don’t take care of them and give the folks who want to learn opportunities to advance. Some folks like to work the same job day after day and year after year, and it’s fine for them to be the very best at what they do. Others want to learn everything and advance like me. Spec Rubber does a great job of providing a career path for each employee. 

If you are looking for a rewarding career with long-term opportunities, find your future at Spec Rubber!

Customer Service

I think our customer service is the reason most of our customers do business with us. When a customer calls, they get someone right here in Alabaster, Alabama who understands their job and can provide the information they need. 

I think the most important part of providing great customer service is keeping your promises. Maintenance takes great care of our equipment, and we work hard to maintain our supply of raw materials because when we say we are going to deliver something, we deliver it. I’m responsible for planning every aspect of production so that we can promise the fastest possible delivery date without overpromising. If I’m going to put my name on something, we are going to do it. And when the unexpected happens, I tell customer service immediately. That way, we don’t make promises we can’t keep, and we communicate with our customers whenever anything changes. Most folks in our industry aren’t used to that kind of service, and it makes me proud that we take care of folks like that. These customers are the reason I’ve had this job for 45 years, so I want to make sure we do things right every time to take care of them.  

Request A Sample Gasket 

Would you like a sample of a gasket made by Elfrida’s team? Request a free gasket sample here or call us at (800) 633-3415. A real person will answer the phone to answer your questions. And if customer service makes promises, we will deliver. Elfrida will be sure of that.

Specification Rubber Products recently received top honors as the 2021 Best Place to Work in the North American Rubber Industry by Rubber News. This milestone achievement prompted a visit from Alabama’s Governor Kay Ivey, who toured the facility on March 21, 2022.

The company produces products for multiple industries, with its largest division being the waterworks industry. Specification Rubber Products prides itself as an ISO-9001 certified manufacturer providing NSF-61 certified gaskets and sealing components to the drinking water industry.

Specification Rubber Products President Steven A. Smith said, “Gov. Ivey’s visit, her participation in the celebration, and her recognition of the work our teammates do mean the world to us. It helped make an extraordinary day even more extraordinary. Having the governor, our special guests, our teammates, corporate leaders, and elected officials, including Alabaster’s Mayor Scott Brakefield, with us on our special day was incredible. It is fascinating to see what’s happening here. While our company has enjoyed good times in our 54-year history, our best days are ahead of us. It is an extremely exciting time to be part of the Spec Rubber family.”

The celebration began with an overview of Specification Rubber’s operations and products by Marketing and Sales Manager Wesley Helton. “We are so fortunate to have such great teammates who put their heart and soul into Specification Rubber Products daily,” Helton said. “Without their support and love of this company, we would never have had a chance at such a prestigious award.”

Ivey and others toured Specification Rubber’s manufacturing operations before Governor Ivey spoke to the crowd. “It is quite an accomplishment to be named the number one manufacturer in your industry in North America. Without all of you and your work, we wouldn’t have the components needed to help make water clean and safe. You are making a huge difference in our state and beyond. Keep up the outstanding work and bring this title back to the great state of Alabama next year!”

After the celebration, Specification Rubber Products Customer Service Manager Paige Harkins said, “We have a wonderful group of teammates. We are very proud of our experienced and diverse team here at Spec Rubber. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have many devoted teammates, many having more than 25 years with the company. In the audience today, we had our most senior teammate who recently celebrated her 45th year with the company, as well as our newest teammate having only two days.”

Spec Rubber was founded in 1968 and is a subsidiary of AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company, located in Birmingham, Alabama. The company is the pre-eminent supplier of rubber gaskets and sealing products to the North American water industry.

For more information about Specification Rubber Products, including open positions, visit Specrubber.com.

Specification Rubber Products, Inc. has been named one of Rubber News’ “Best Places to Work” in 2021.  

The Rubber News’ “Best Places to Work” program, recognizes and honors companies in the rubber  industry for outstanding employee satisfaction. The rubber industry is defined as companies that make  end rubber products, as well as suppliers or providers of services for the rubber industry. 

Determining the best places to work involves a two-step process. The first step involves an evaluation of  participating companies’ workplace policies, practices, and demographics. In the second step, employee  surveys are conducted to directly assess the experiences and attitudes of individual employees with  respect to their workplace. The combined scores determine the top organizations and the final ranking.  

Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process, and also analyzed the data  and used its expertise to determine the final ranking.  

About Specification Rubber Products: Founded in 1968, Specification Rubber Products is a wholly  owned subsidiary of AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company. Specification Rubber Products is the  preeminent supplier of rubber gaskets and sealing products within the United States of America alongside it’s robust industrial market sectors. The company is headquartered in Alabaster, Alabama where the sole plant produces over 2 million rubber components per year. Specification Rubber  Products’ prides itself as an ISO-9001 certified company. Every component intended for drinking water  application is NSF-61 certified.

For more information about Specification Rubber Products visit  www.specrubber.com or contact Wesley Helton (whelton@specrubber.com).  

Spec Rubber was recently nominated as a finalist for “Manufacturer of the Year” by the Business Council of Alabama and the Alabama Technology Network! We are so honored to be among these amazing nominees. Congrats to the winners!

Each year the National Association of Manufacturers recognizes “Manufacturing Day” on the first Friday in October. Manufacturing Day aims to raise awareness about modern manufacturing and the rewarding careers available, especially among students, parents, educators, and the general public.

Modern Manufacturing: History and Industry Trends

Manufacturing as an industry has been around for hundreds of years. From the first major shift during the Industrial Revolution, to lean manufacturing and robotics, each new level of innovation makes production more impressive and efficient. 

We have seen some remarkable gains in the manufacturing industry over the last ten years. Industrial robots have gone from heavy equipment designed to perform only the most dangerous tasks to smaller machines that collaborate side-by-side with employees. Additive manufacturing has matured in the last decade, lowering cost barriers in prototyping and production. Technologies are advancing and consumers and businesses are in the market for unique, quality products at a much higher rate. 

In 2019, manufacturers in the United States accounted for almost 12% of the total economic output, and employed 8.51% of the nation’s workforce. Over the years the manufacturing output has increased by billions of dollars — every single year.

Out of the top 10 manufacturing sectors, Plastics and Rubber Products ranked 10th, with an estimated $83 billion in output.  

And the industry is continuing to adapt and grow.

How the Pandemic Affected the Manufacturing Industry

Last year, the pandemic affected millions of jobs and hundreds of industries, and manufacturing was no exception. Forced shutdowns in the early months of the pandemic caused a significant dip in manufacturing employment levels. April 2020 recorded manufacturing’s lowest employment levels since 2010. 

Today, production and order levels are seemingly at an all time high. While the industry’s recovery may have been relatively quick. It will take effort to maintain our current climate.

Our Role in the Manufacturing Industry 

Specification Rubber Products has been a part of the manufacturing industry for over 50 years, serving clients and customers all across the United States. Our company began in 1968 as a manufacturer of molded rubber components for the waterworks industry, specializing in rubber gaskets. Today, Spec Rubber is a primary supplier for ductile iron pipe, valve, hydrant producers, and specialty mechanical molded goods for industrial applications.

Over the past 53 years, we attribute much of our success to the hardworking individuals that make up the Spec Rubber team. From the employees who have stuck by us since our early years to the eager and skilled individuals who have joined us along the way, they have found rewarding and long-lasting careers in modern manufacturing. 

We want to celebrate Manufacturing Day 2021 by thanking our employees, customers, and community for helping us continue to do what we love each and every day. We also want to do our part in spreading awareness about the great career opportunities that modern manufacturing holds for the next generation! 

If you have any questions about our products or want to learn more about what we do, contact us here! 

Humankind is nothing if not resilient. We see it in the people around us; we hear it from the infamous words of everyone from Rocky Balboa to Nelson Mandela. 

As we remember the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and the many people and heroes who lost their lives that day, we think of this quote by American writer Ryder Carroll:

“No matter how bleak or menacing a situation may appear, it does not entirely own us. It can’t take away our freedom to respond, our power to take action.”

We want to recognize how so many people chose to respond, take action, come together and support one another, and keep moving forward. 

How the Economy Reacted, How the People Responded

In the wake of this tragedy, the entire business community felt the blow. Stock markets immediately fell, and economic damage ensued, adding further injury to the struggling business community.

But by the end of the year, the economy and most markets had recovered surprisingly well. The American economy, and its people, were more resilient than expected. And people all across the nation played a part. 

At Spec Rubber, we remember that day and the months following very well. While we may not have had friends or family in New York at that time, we knew that people were hurting and that it was not a time to give up. So, we continued to serve our community and our country in the best way we knew how — working hard to produce the materials companies needed all across the USA for their industrial applications. 

It was a very small part to play, but we did it in honor of those who lost someone or something that day. All across the country, businesses, communities, and individuals were resilient, taking action, moving forward together.

Made in the USA

For over 50 years, Spec Rubber has been proud to say that all our rubber gaskets and other molded rubber components are made in the USA. From our manufacturing facility in Alabaster, Alabama, to the clients we send products to thousands of miles away, we are proud to serve communities all across the United States. We serve a country full of heroes sacrificing everything, people refusing to give up, and communities coming together in times of need, just like they did in 2001. And we look forward to keeping our “made in the USA” promise for the next 50 years.

Having clean water is like having a good bill of health – it’s very easy to take for granted when you have it. You don’t think about your health every day when your body is working, but as soon as you get sick, it’s a different story. Similarly, you may not think about the clean drinking water in your home until the water has to be shut off for repairs, and your taps are dry. This week, however, is a week to stop and appreciate your clean drinking water! This May 2-8, 2021, is Drinking Water Week, an opportunity for water professionals and those they serve to “recognize the vital role water plays in our daily lives.” 

Safe and Clean Drinking Water

The American Water Works Association, of which Spec Rubber is a member, has been celebrating Drinking Water Week for over 40 years. This year, the theme for Drinking Water Week is “There When You Need It.” Water goes on a long journey to reach your tap, and there are many factors and water professionals involved in getting it there safely and cleanly.

 Spec Rubber is proud to be a part of that journey, supplying many of the gaskets, o-rings, and sealing systems that keep water safe and uncontaminated. Spec Rubber products uphold the highest standards of NSF-61. These are important standards set by the National Sanitation Foundation to ensure that water system components meet the health criteria developed and set by a team of scientists and industry experts. It’s not just unnecessary red tape, these standards include crucial details for manufacturing such as microbial coating and testing for certain harmful chemicals. This covers more than just the metal pipes that deliver your water! These criteria extend to the critical components that seal the pipes, supplied and made in America by Spec Rubber. 

Drinking Water, Not Wasting It!

In addition to water being “There When You Need It,” we would also like to add “Not When You Don’t.” Leaks, dripping water, and burst pipes are no fun, and can lead to contaminated water and unhealthy situations if not handled properly. Spec Rubber’s sealing solutions handle both sides of the spectrum when it comes to accessing clean drinking water! When you go to fill up your cup at the tap this week, we invite you to recognize and celebrate the vital role that clean drinking water plays in your life.

Spec Rubber thanks all its hard-working employees and all water professionals around the world that work to provide clean drinking water that’s there when you need it, not when you don’t!