What Howco Group does

Howco Group plc is a Glasgow-headquartered, Scotland-registered manufacturer, processor, and global distributor of high-performance alloys and precision-engineered metal components, founded in 1982 and operating from 10 facilities across 6 countries on 4 continents (UK, Norway, USA, Singapore, UAE). The company serves four core verticals — oil and gas (upstream and midstream/downstream), energy (including gas turbines and renewables), aerospace, and chemical processing — with a portfolio spanning high-nickel super alloys (Alloy 625, 718, 725, 825, 925, 945, 945X), stainless/duplex/super-duplex steels, and low-alloy steels. Its technical stack combines CNC machining (5-axis Millturns, borers), deep hole boring (25–483mm diameter, up to 10m length), forging, vacuum heat treatment (UK's largest such facility), and a metal additive manufacturing line built around SLM500 quad-laser and SLM280 dual-laser powder bed fusion machines, complemented by in-house 3D scanning, CMM inspection, and NDT.

The business operates as a vertically integrated B2B supplier monetizing across four revenue streams: high-performance alloy distribution (transactional), precision component manufacturing (one-time contracts), additive manufacturing services (professional services), and integrated supply chain services (managed/consignment programs). Pricing is quote-based, anchored on alloy grade, form, processing, and volume, typically under multi-year contracts. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales supported by direct-to-customer "Request Quote" digital intake, strategic participation in ADIPEC, Stainless Steel World, and Farnborough, and deep consignment / on-site inventory programs at customer manufacturing facilities. The company is wholly backed by Sumitomo Corporation, a major Japanese trading conglomerate, providing long-term capital for capacity and capability expansion. David Preston serves as CEO.

Howco's strategic posture is in active transition. While O&G and energy remain the revenue base, the company has secured AS9100D accreditation at Sheffield (2026), launched a Houston-based additive manufacturing subsidiary (2024), delivered flight-qualified AM components for Intuitive Machines' IM-1 lunar lander (February 2024), and was selected as one of six winners of the $1.7M America Makes JAQS-SQ Group 1 award (May 2026) for defense-oriented AM process qualification. These moves position the company to capture share from the 18,000+ aircraft backlog and the projected 43,000-aircraft 20-year demand wave in aerospace, while also extending into space and defense supply chains.

Name

Howco Group

Legal name

Howco Group plc

Website

https://howcogroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Howco Group is a Glasgow-based, Sumitomo-backed global processor and distributor of high-performance nickel alloys, stainless/duplex steels, and precision-machined components serving oil and gas, energy, aerospace, and chemical processing customers across 10 facilities in 6 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Alloy Manufacturing and Distribution

NAICS

Machine Shops (332710), Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3329)

SIC

Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490), Screw Machine Products (3451)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Alloy Steel (Stainless, Tool Steel, Electrical Steel, High-Strength/HSLA) (IMAKABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metal Airframe Structures & Machined Parts (IMABAEAC), Pressure Vessels, Columns & Storage Tanks (ASME/Process Vessels) (IMAHAEAF)

Keywords

• High-performance alloy distribution
• Precision metal machining
• Metal additive manufacturing
• Oil and gas materials
• Aerospace alloy supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. High-Performance Alloy Distribution: Distribution and supply of nickel, stainless steel and low alloy steels. Howco manages direct relationships with mills globally, providing inventory management and procurement services.
2. Precision Component Manufacturing: Manufacturing of precision machined components including forging, CNC machining, heat treatment, and finishing. Turnkey manufacturing from raw materials to finished parts.
3. Additive Manufacturing Services: Metal 3D printing services using SLM technology for aerospace, oil and gas, and other demanding industries. Provides prototyping to full production capabilities.
4. Integrated Supply Chain Services: Comprehensive procurement process management including consignment programs, just-in-time material provision, inventory management, and system integration services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Howco Group manufactures, supplies, and manages bespoke metal products for demanding industrial applications. The company distributes high-performance alloys (nickel super alloys, stainless/duplex/super duplex steels, low alloy steels, mechanical tubing and OCTG) and produces precision machined components through CNC machining, forging, heat treatment, deep hole boring, sawing, and metal additive manufacturing using SLM powder bed fusion. It serves oil and gas upstream, midstream and downstream, chemical processing, energy, and aerospace sectors globally from 10 facilities in 6 countries.

Product overview

Howco Group is a global distributor and processor of high-performance alloys and manufacturer of precision machined components. The company operates a multi-module portfolio centered on materials distribution (nickel super alloys, stainless/duplex steels, low alloy steels, mechanical tubing) combined with integrated manufacturing services (forging, heat treatment, deep hole boring, sawing, first stage machining). The additive manufacturing division provides metal 3D printing (SLM technology) with post-processing capabilities, while the CNC machining division offers precision manufacturing, assembly, testing, welding, coating, and fabrication services. The company serves oil & gas (upstream, mid/downstream), energy, and aerospace sectors from 10 locations in 6 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Howco Additive: Additive manufacturing division specializing in metal 3D printing for aerospace, oil and gas, and other demanding industries.

Products and services

• Additive Manufacturing (Metal 3D Printing) Metal 3D printing services using SLM (Selective Laser Melting) powder bed fusion technology for high-performance alloys, enabling rapid production of complex geometries for aerospace, oil and gas, and space applications. Includes printing (SLM500 quad-laser and SLM280 dual-laser machines), heat treatment (AMS 2750 Class 3 vacuum furnace), turnkey manufacturing with HIP and post-machining, and reverse engineering with 3D scanning. AS9100 certified for manufacture of additively manufactured parts.
• Integrated Services Integrated metals processing services including deep hole boring (25mm-483mm diameter, parts from 50mm to 10,000mm length), first stage machining (rough machining up to 1270mm diameter and 26 tonnes), forging of nickel alloys, stainless steel and low alloy steels from raw ingot to near-net shape, heat treatment in the UK's largest capacity facility (furnaces up to 20 tonnes, max 6.4m length, 500-1100°C), and sawing (12.7mm-1300mm diameter, material handling up to 26,000 kgs).
• CNC Machining and Manufacturing Precision CNC machining using Millturns, Vertical Borers, and Horizontal Borers with 5-axis machining, facing/contouring heads, multi-angled milling heads, and Edgecam 3D modeling. Includes assembly and pressure testing (hydrostatic up to 23,000 psi and gas testing up to 20,000 psi, 550m² facilities, 20-ton lifting), welding and cladding (automated GTAW, butt welding, PWHT/stress relieving), precision fabrication (FCAW, TIG, MMA, Sub Arc to ASME IX and EN ISO 9606-1), coating and finishing (Norsok M-501, PTFE, polyurethane, phosphating, shot blasting), scientific assembly (Class 10,000 cleanroom with helium leak checking for oilfield, semi-conductor, and scientific instrument industries), testing and NDT (UT, MT, PT, PMI, phased array), and quality control inspection (CMM, shadow graph, API thread measurement, hardness testing).
• Materials Distribution Global distribution of high-performance alloys sourced directly from mills, including nickel super alloys (Alloy 625, 625 Aero, 625 Plus, 718, 718 Aero, 725, 825, 925, 945, 945X), stainless/duplex/super duplex steels (Grade 410, 420 Modified, 13-5-2, F6NM, 17-4 PH, S31803-F51 Duplex, S32760-F55 Super Duplex), low alloy steels (AISI 4130, 4140, 4145, 4330V, 4340, 8630, F22), and mechanical tubing/OCTG products (9 CR/1 MO, Alloy 825 and 28 Tube, Alloy 925 Tube, Grade 4130/4140/4145 Tube, Grade 420 MOD and API 5CT 13CR Tube).

Quantifiable outcome

• Components have been successfully deployed on the lunar surface as part of the Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission Nova-C class lunar lander
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• America MakescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2026Howco Additive was selected as one of six winners for the $1.7 million Joint Additive Qualification for Sustainment - Supplier Qualification (JAQS-SQ) Group 1 project call. The project is funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of War, Manufacturing Technology Office, aimed at strengthening the defense industrial base supply chain through developing process controls for qualified additive manufacturing production.
• LSU Engineering Students / ExxonMobilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2025Partnership with Louisiana State University engineering students, sponsored by ExxonMobil, on a metal 3D printing project to redesign industrial components. The project involved Nikon SLM Solutions and Howco Additive and was recognized with awards at LSU.
• Intuitive MachinesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Howco Additive supplied additively manufactured metal components for the Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission Nova-C class lunar lander, representing a significant advancement showcasing the company's ability to provide high-quality precision components for space exploration applications.
• Midlands Aerospace AlliancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHowco has joined the Midlands Aerospace Alliance (MAA), embedding the company within the UK's thriving aerospace community to support market expansion and industry engagement.
• North West Aerospace AlliancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHowco has joined the North West Aerospace Alliance (NWAA), embedding the company within the UK's aerospace industry community to support growth in the aerospace sector.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Direct peers

• Special Metals (Precision Castparts / Berkshire Hathaway): World's largest producer of nickel alloys including Inconel, Incoloy, and Monel, serving aerospace, oil & gas, and chemical processing. Closely comparable to Howco's nickel super alloy distribution and processing for the same customer base.
• Carpenter Technology Corporation: US-based producer and distributor of specialty alloys including nickel, stainless, and titanium for aerospace, defense, energy, and medical. Closely comparable to Howco's nickel super alloy and specialty stainless portfolio for extreme-environment applications.
• Bodycote plc: Global provider of heat treatment and metal joining services including HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing), serving aerospace, oil & gas, and energy end markets. Directly comparable to Howco's heat treatment and integrated services portfolio.
• Miba AG: Austrian specialist in highly engineered metal components for oil & gas, aerospace, and automotive, with forging, machining, and coating capabilities. Comparable mid-size industrial manufacturer serving similar demanding-application customer base as Howco.
• Haynes International: Manufacturer of high-performance nickel- and cobalt-based alloys for aerospace, chemical processing, and oil & gas. Highly comparable to Howco's nickel super alloy offering (Alloy 625/718 family) serving the same demanding end markets.

Emerging players

• Velo3D (now owned by Rheinmetall): Metal additive manufacturing specialist focused on large-format, high-complexity parts in Inconel and titanium for aerospace and defense. Comparable to Howco Additive's SLM-based service offering for aerospace-grade nickel alloy components.
• voestalpine Additive Manufacturing: Additive manufacturing service and powder producer within voestalpine focused on aerospace and high-performance alloy 3D printing. Comparable emerging capability within a larger incumbent, similar positioning to Howco Additive.

Broad incumbents

• thyssenkrupp Materials Services: One of the largest western mill-independent materials distributors and service centers, supplying stainless, nickel alloys, and high-performance materials with processing and supply chain services. Direct overlap with Howco's materials distribution and integrated services model for industrial customers.
• voestalpine AG: Global steel-based materials and processing group with specialty steel, high-performance alloys, and additive manufacturing divisions serving aerospace, oil & gas, and energy. Comparable to Howco's specialty alloy distribution and precision component manufacturing across similar end markets.
• Sandvik AB: Global engineering group with materials technology, metal cutting, and additive manufacturing divisions serving aerospace, mining, and energy. Overlaps with Howco's additive manufacturing and CNC machining capabilities for high-performance alloys.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/howco-group

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Howco Group