About Maze Nails
About Maze Nails
Maze Nails traces its roots to 1848, when Irish immigrant Samuel Nesbitt Maze founded a lumber company along the Illinois River just 30 years after Illinois became a state. In the late 1800s, after customers complained about rust and failures from nails sourced through wholesalers, Maze purchased his own nail machine in 1886 and began manufacturing nails from pure zinc rather than continuing to resell inferior stock.
What began as a solution to a quality problem in Maze's own lumber business grew into a dedicated nail manufacturing operation, eventually evolving into one of the largest specialty nail manufacturers in the country with more than 2,800 different items including trim nails, collated stick nails, and wire and plastic collated nails. This breadth lets contractors source highly specific nail types for siding, roofing, and trim work rather than settling for generic fasteners.
Maze Nails remains a sixth-generation family business still based in Peru, Illinois, with the Maze family having run the company continuously for 175 years. ChatMRO indexes the Maze Nails catalog so buyers can search by nail type, coating, or collation style to find matching products.
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Frequently asked questions
What products does Maze Nails manufacture?
Maze Nails manufactures specialty nails including trim nails, collated stick nails, and wire and plastic collated nails, with more than 2,800 different items in its catalog. The company has manufactured nails since 1886.
Why did Maze Nails start manufacturing its own nails?
Samuel Maze began manufacturing his own nails in 1886 after receiving rust complaints and experiencing serious nail failures from wholesaler-supplied nails sold alongside his lumber. He purchased a nail machine and began producing nails from pure zinc to solve the quality problem.
Is Maze Nails still a family-owned business?
Yes, Maze Nails is a sixth-generation family business that has been run continuously by Maze descendants for 175 years. The company remains headquartered in Peru, Illinois.
What types of nails does Maze Nails specialize in?
Maze Nails specializes in a wide range of specialty nail types, including trim nails, collated stick nails, and wire and plastic collated nails for pneumatic nailers. This specialization has made the company one of the largest specialty nail manufacturers in the country.
How long has Maze Nails been in business?
Maze Nails' lumber company roots date back to 1848, with dedicated nail manufacturing beginning in 1886. Combined, this gives the company a continuous operating history of over 175 years.