Stoody

About Stoody: Over a Century of Hardfacing Leadership

Stoody is one of the most storied names in industrial welding, with a heritage stretching back to 1921. Founded by Shelley Stoody and Elder Rice as Stoody-Rice Welding Co., the brand is widely credited with creating an entirely new product category — hardfacing — that would go on to serve industries from oil and gas to mining, construction, and heavy manufacturing for generations.

What Is Hardfacing and Why Does It Matter?

Hardfacing is the process of welding a harder, more wear-resistant alloy onto a base metal surface to extend the working life of equipment and components. Rather than replacing worn parts outright, skilled welders use hardfacing consumables to rebuild and reinforce surfaces that face relentless abrasion, impact, erosion, or corrosion. The result is dramatically longer service intervals and lower total cost of ownership — exactly the kind of practical engineering solution that defines Stoody's product philosophy.

A Pioneer in High-Alloy Welding Consumables

Stoody's century-long track record of innovation is unmatched in the hardfacing world. Among the brand's landmark achievements, Stoody introduced Stoodite®, the first cast hardfacing rod, and Borium®, the world's first tungsten carbide material engineered specifically for hardfacing applications. Stoody is also credited with the industry's first use of the submerged arc welding process for hardfacing, as well as development of the world's most wear-resistant all-position wire.

Today, as part of the ESAB family of brands, Stoody offers a comprehensive lineup that includes specialty coated stick electrodes, open-arc and gas-shielded MIG wires, TIG rods, submerged arc wires, and advanced plasma transfer arc and laser cladding powders. The alloy families span iron-, nickel-, cobalt-, stainless-, tungsten carbide-, and vanadium carbide-based chemistries, giving fabricators and maintenance professionals the right metallurgy for virtually any wear environment.

Industries and Applications

Stoody's welding consumables are trusted across a wide range of demanding industries, including:

• Mining and aggregate processing — protecting crusher components, bucket lips, and conveyor parts from severe abrasion
• Oil and gas drilling — hardbanding wire that extends drill pipe service life in harsh downhole conditions
• Cement and power generation — rebuilding mill rolls and wear plates subjected to extreme grinding forces
• Construction and earthmoving — rebuilding cutting edges, teeth, and wear surfaces on heavy equipment
• Steel, foundry, and recycling — restoring and protecting components exposed to high-impact, high-heat wear

Engineering and Technical Support

What sets Stoody apart from commodity welding consumable suppliers is its commitment to engineered solutions. The brand maintains complete laboratory and engineering services, offering custom metallurgy and product development for customers with specialized application requirements. Stoody's Express product selector tool helps professionals match the right electrode or wire to their specific base metal, wear type, and operating conditions — reducing guesswork and improving results in the field.

Whether you are a maintenance welder rebuilding worn equipment on the shop floor or an engineer specifying overlays for a new piece of capital machinery, Stoody's depth of product and technical expertise makes it a go-to resource for wear-resistance solutions.