Atlas Tube

What Atlas Tube does

Atlas Tube is a North American manufacturer of steel hollow structural sections (HSS), pipe piles, and mechanical tubing, operating as a division of privately held Zekelman Industries and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The company produces the largest range of HSS sizes in North America, including its exclusive JUMBO HSS line (squares up to 22", rounds up to 28" OD, walls up to 1" thick) manufactured at the world's largest single-seam ERW mill in Blytheville, Arkansas — a facility described as the largest private investment in the U.S. steel industry in the past decade. Core manufacturing is Electric Resistance Welding (ERW) with proprietary quick-change technology that enables size changeovers in under two hours, supported by automated warehousing, in-house metallurgical labs, ISO 9001:2008 quality systems, and value-added services such as Epox Z Kote pre-primed coatings and thermal stress relief. The proprietary Shuriken bolted connection system and the HSS Connections Hub (150+ typical HSS connection details and calculators) form a workflow integration moat with structural engineers, while EDI/SAP integration and the AIM automated inventory system support procurement and channel partners.

Atlas Tube sells primarily to structural engineers, architects, fabricators, contractors, and OEMs across the U.S. and Canada, with revenue generated through a hybrid distribution model combining direct enterprise sales (field sales engineers engaging large projects) and a stocking partner / service center network that handles an estimated 70% of HSS volume in U.S. construction. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with project-specific value-added services (cut-to-length, galvanizing, coatings) supplementing unit pricing. The company's go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, reinforced by technical content marketing (Atlas Observer blog, Tubular Connections podcast, Atlas Connection community), Lunch & Learn presentations offering PDH credits to engineers and architects, conference presence at NASCC, and case-study publications on landmark projects such as One Vanderbilt, the Sphere, McKinley Bridge, and Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. Notable enterprise customers include King Fabrication, Texas Pile, and major infrastructure, transportation, and higher education projects, while the broader customer base is diversified across bridges, stadiums, airports, universities, multi-family housing, and food processing facilities. As part of the Zekelman Tubular Products Division, which collectively produces over 2.2 million tons of tubular products annually, Atlas Tube benefits from family-controlled conglomerate ownership under Barry Zekelman, with no external institutional investors or public shareholders disclosed.

Name

Atlas Tube

Legal name

Atlas Tube

Website

https://atlastube.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Atlas Tube is a division of Zekelman Industries and North America's largest producer of steel hollow structural sections (HSS), JUMBO HSS, and pipe piles, serving structural engineers, architects, fabricators, contractors, and OEMs through direct sales and a stocking service-center network across the U.S. and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Steel Tubing Manufacturing

NAICS

Iron and Steel Pipe and Tube Manufacturing from Purchased Steel (33121)

SIC

Steel Pipe & Tubes (3317)

akta.pro primary industry

Pipe & Tube Manufacturing (Seamless & Welded OCTG/Line Pipe/Structural Tube) (IMAKABAI)

Keywords

• Structural steel tubing
• Hollow structural sections
• Steel pipe piles
• HSS connection design
• Structural steel manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Steel HSS and Structural Tubing Sales: Atlas Tube generates revenue primarily from the manufacture and sale of steel hollow structural sections (HSS), JUMBO HSS, pipe piles, and mechanical tubing. Products are sold directly to fabricators, contractors, service centers, and through stocking partners. Pricing is quote-based with unit pricing for steel products, typical of the structural steel manufacturing industry.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Atlas Tube manufactures steel hollow structural sections (HSS), JUMBO HSS, pipe piles, and mechanical tubing using Electric Resistance Welding (ERW) technology. The company operates the world's largest single-seam ERW mill in Blytheville, Arkansas, producing HSS up to 22" square with 1" wall thickness. It also provides the Shuriken® bolted connection system, the HSS Connections Hub™ engineering platform, and value-added services such as Epox Z Kote® pre-primed coatings.

Product overview

Atlas Tube is a steel tubing manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of structural steel products. The core offerings include Steel HSS (Hollow Structural Sections) in standard and JUMBO™ sizes for structural applications, Steel Pipe Piles for deep foundations, Shuriken® for bolted connections, and Mechanical Tubing. Supporting these products are digital tools like the HSS Connections Hub™ for engineering design and a Customer Portal for order management. Value-added services include Epox Z Kote® pre-primed coatings and AIM (Automated Inventory Management). Atlas Tube is a division of Zekelman Industries and produces from facilities in the U.S.A.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JUMBO™ HSS: Large Hollow Structural Sections product line featuring sizes up to 22 inches square with walls up to 1 inch thick, the largest HSS made in America.
• Shuriken®
• AIM (Automated Inventory Management)
• Epox Z Kote®
• HSS Connections Hub™

Products and services

• Steel HSS (Hollow Structural Sections) High-strength structural steel tubing available in square, round, and rectangular shapes, produced to ASTM A500, A513, and A1085 specifications. The primary structural product for columns, bracing, and framing applications. Sold to structural engineers, fabricators, contractors, and service centers.
• JUMBO HSS Extra-large hollow structural sections up to 22" square with walls up to 1" thick, the largest HSS made in America. Designed for tall unbraced columns, long-span applications, and projects requiring greater load capacity. Produced domestically at the Blytheville, Arkansas facility.
• Steel Pipe Piles Straight-seam ERW steel pipe piles for deep foundation support, 100% made and melted in North America. Available in long lengths (100+ ft.) and custom lengths for challenging soil conditions such as expansive clay. Provides 30% more skin friction than H-piles.
• Shuriken Bolted Connection System Revolutionary structural nut keeper system for easier field-bolted HSS connections. The built-in wrench allows quick and easy field bolting of HSS connections that previously required field welding, reducing fabrication time and connection costs. Supported by 25+ sample configuration conceptual details.
• Mechanical Tubing Steel tubing for mechanical applications, produced to ASTM A513 specifications. Used in various industrial and commercial applications including farm equipment, construction equipment, transportation, hoist/crane, aerial applications, and solar racking systems requiring precise tolerances and custom wall thicknesses.
• Epox Z Kote Pre-Primed Coating Cleaned and pre-primed tubing coating service available at the Chicago facility. Provides corrosion protection and surface preparation for finishing, enabling enhanced corrosion resistance for tubing applications.
• HSS Connections Hub Complimentary online engineering platform providing 150+ typical HSS connection details and calculators for structural engineers. Includes shear capacity data, axial loads in shear connections, and seismic OMF checks. Supports WF-to-HSS shear and moment connections, HSS-to-HSS connections, truss connections, and splice connections with downloadable DWG/Revit/PDF typical details.
• AIM (Automated Inventory Management) Automated Inventory Management service that ensures HSS materials are available when customers need them, reducing the customer's need to search for inventory or check availability manually. Part of the MAKE IT eZ service portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• 16 weeks saved and $5.6 million in savings on the San Marcos multi-family housing project through pipe pile foundation optimization
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NSMP (Nippon Steel Metal Products)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2019Atlas Tube partnered with Japanese company NSMP to bring Jumbo HSS to North America. NSMP has produced some of these larger HSS sizes since 2011, with Atlas distributing in the U.S. through stocking partners. This partnership enabled Atlas to be the exclusive North American supplier of Jumbo HSS before opening its own Blytheville mill for domestic production.
• Steel Tube Institute (STI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlas Tube is an active member of the Steel Tube Institute, which commissioned a comprehensive HSS market map study (with Frank Lynn & Associates) to evaluate the HSS marketplace and industry segments. Atlas participates in STI's HSS Committee and contributes to standards development.
• CIDECT (International Committee for the Development and Study of Tubular Structures)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlas Tube is the North American representative on CIDECT, an international committee of HSS and pipe manufacturers that conducts research, publishes design guides (available through AISC), and develops tubular structure standards. CIDECT design guides are free PDFs available on AISC's website.
• AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlas Tube collaborates with AISC on HSS design standards, Chapter K connection specifications, and the AISC Steel Construction Manual. Atlas Tube engineers participate in AISC conferences (NASCC) and contribute to AISC's educational resources and design tools.
• CISC (Canadian Institute of Steel Construction)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlas Tube collaborates with CISC on Canadian HSS standards (CSA G40.21), design guides, and the CISC Blue Book for HSS design properties. Atlas Tube products are produced to CSA G40.21 50W Classes C and H specifications.
• University of Toronto (Dr. Jeffrey Packer)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Jeffrey Packer, Professor and Associate Chair-Research in Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto, serves as a recognized expert contributor to Atlas Tube's Atlas Connection community and writes articles for the Atlas Observer. His research and design guides on HSS connections (CIDECT, Chapter K) underpin much of Atlas Tube's technical education content.
• FORSE Consulting (Sam Rubenzer)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSam Rubenzer, PE, SE, founder of FORSE Consulting and technical advisor to STI's HSS Committee, contributes technical articles to Atlas Tube's Atlas Observer blog and serves as an expert in the Atlas Connection online community.
• Wheatland Tube (Zekelman Industries sibling company)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoth Atlas Tube and Wheatland Tube are divisions of Zekelman Industries and collaborate on serving the solar energy market and other structural tube applications. Together they form part of the Zekelman Industries Tubular Products Division producing over 2.2 million tons annually.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bull Moose Tube: North American HSS and mechanical tubing manufacturer with comparable size range and customer base; competes with Atlas Tube for service center and fabricator volume in the structural HSS market.
• Wheatland Tube: Sibling division of Zekelman Industries producing conduit, mechanical tubing, and standard pipe; shares sales channel, parent distribution, and competes for overlapping structural and electrical steel customers in North America.
• Gerdau Ameristeel: Major North American producer of structural steel including HSS; competes directly with Atlas Tube across standard sizes and shares many of the same service center and OEM customers.
• Maruichi Leavitt Pipe & Tube: U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Maruichi Steel Tube producing structural and mechanical tubing; competes directly in standard HSS sizes and shares overlap in OEM and construction end markets.
• Western Tube: Sibling division of Zekelman Industries producing standard pipe, fence products, and couplings; shares corporate distribution and competes for similar structural and infrastructure customers.
• Searing Industries: Western U.S.-based producer of standard pipe, fence, and structural tubing; competes with Atlas Tube in West Coast construction and infrastructure markets with similar product offerings.
• Sharon Tube: Sibling division of Zekelman Industries producing DOM tubing and mechanical products; shares parent distribution and overlaps in OEM and mechanical tubing markets.

Broad incumbents

• Nucor Corporation: Largest U.S. steel producer with HSS manufacturing capability via Vulcraft and other divisions. Competes with Atlas Tube in structural HSS across multiple sizes and serves overlapping construction/OEM customers.
• Steel Dynamics: Major U.S. flat-rolled and structural steel producer with growing structural products portfolio; competes with Atlas Tube in structural steel applications including beams and HSS-adjacent products.
• Commercial Metals Company (CMC): Vertically integrated U.S. steel producer and recycler with structural steel and rebar offerings; competes with Atlas Tube in construction and infrastructure markets with overlapping service center and contractor customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/atlastube
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atlastube

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Atlas Tube