This year marks a remarkable milestone at AGF Manufacturing: 40 years of unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and domestic manufacturing in the fire sprinkler industry. Since our founding in 1986, we’ve stood tall as one of the few family-owned American manufacturers serving the fire sprinkler industry, and we couldn’t be prouder of the journey we’ve taken.
From the very beginning, our mission was clear: simplify life-safety systems, reduce labor burdens for contractors, and give engineers and designers products they could rely on. That vision began with a breakthrough; the original TESTanDRAIN Model 1000 single-handle inspector’s test valve, invented to replace a complex loop of 17 components with one intuitive solution. That spark of innovation didn’t just solve a problem; it started a legacy.
A Family Legacy of Innovation
AGF was founded by George J. McHugh III and Alan Gilmore, built on ingenuity, practical problem-solving, and a deep respect for the fire protection community. Four decades later, those same values continue to guide the company.
Today, AGF remains family-owned and operated, led by the second and third generations of the McHugh family. Brothers Jim McHugh and George McHugh IV play key roles in steering the company forward, while Joe McHugh, George’s son, represents the third generation, actively involved in AGF’s operations and future growth. This continuity of leadership ensures that decisions are made with long-term integrity, not short-term gain, a rare and meaningful difference in today’s manufacturing landscape.
Proudly Made in America
While much of the industry has shifted production overseas or been absorbed into global conglomerates, AGF has stayed true to its roots. We continue to manufacture and assemble products in the United States, supporting American jobs, maintaining quality control, and delivering dependable supply chain performance for our customers.
Being American-made isn’t just a label for us, it’s a promise. A promise of accountability, craftsmanship, and responsiveness to the people who rely on our products to protect lives and property.
Four Decades of Solutions That Matter
Over the last forty years, AGF has expanded far beyond a single product. Our portfolio now includes a full suite of fire sprinkler system products designed to meet real challenges in the field:
- TESTanDRAIN Valves
- Inspector’sTEST Valves
- RemoteTEST Valves
- PURGEnVENT Air Vents
- COLLECTanDRAIN Auxiliary Drains
- RiserPACK Floor Control Assemblies
- FloodELIMINATOR
- CORRinSITE Corrosion Monitors
- AGFConnect Smart Monitoring
- Pressure Relief Valves and Accessories
Each product line reflects innovation rooted in listening to contractors, engineers, and facility managers, the people who depend on fire sprinkler systems every day.
Thank You to Our Community
As we celebrate this milestone, we extend our sincere thanks to our distributor partners, contractors, engineers, vendors, and employees. Your feedback has guided our products’ evolution. Your loyalty has fueled our growth. And your commitment to fire safety inspires us to keep innovating.
As we celebrate four decades of manufacturing excellence, we reaffirm our pledge to deliver products that make fire protection systems more reliable, more efficient, faster to install, and easier to maintain.
Here’s to the next 40 years, continuing the tradition of American craftsmanship, family leadership, and industry innovation.