NK

What NK does

NK Co., Ltd. (주식회사 엔케이) is a South Korean industrial manufacturer founded in 1984 (firmographic data indicates 1980) and headquartered in Busan, with operations spanning marine equipment, environmental systems, high-pressure gas containment, and emerging hydrogen infrastructure. The company designs and builds ballast water treatment systems (NK-O3 BlueBallast, IMO Type Approved), marine fire suppression systems (foam, CO2, dry powder, water mist), cryogenic gas storage and transport equipment (NK CRYOPac), high-pressure gas cylinders (1.7-470 liter range at 150-300 bar) for gases including CO2, O2, N2, H2, He, and Ar, jumbo tube trailers for hydrogen/helium/nitrogen transport, LNG fuel tanks, aluminum helideck systems for offshore platforms, and nitrogen generation systems. Technology is rooted in pressure vessel engineering, ozone-based water treatment chemistry, and cryogenic handling, with active R&D focused on hydrogen mobility infrastructure.

NK generates revenue primarily through direct sales of manufactured hardware to shipyards, shipping companies, and industrial gas customers, supplemented by aftermarket reinspection and maintenance services for gas cylinders and installed equipment, and project-based contracts awarded through competitive bidding (e.g., the 2026 Korea Gas Technology Corporation hydrogen tram refueling station). Pricing is project-specific and not publicly disclosed. The company has spun off focused operating subsidiaries including NK BMS (ballast water treatment), NKTECH (hydrogen mobility), NK CRYOPac (cryogenic systems), THE SAFETY (safety equipment), and ENK (environmental technology). Customers span Korean and global shipbuilders, the industrial gas and chemical sectors, semiconductor manufacturers requiring high-purity gas storage, CNG vehicle programs, and government/municipal entities, with revenue exposure concentrated in maritime environmental compliance, safety, and the build-out of hydrogen and clean-energy infrastructure.

Name

NK

Legal name

주식회사 엔케이 (NK Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://nkcf.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

NK Co., Ltd. is a South Korean Busan-based industrial manufacturer producing ballast water treatment systems, marine firefighting equipment, high-pressure gas cylinders, cryogenic gas systems, and hydrogen refueling infrastructure for shipyards, shipping companies, industrial gas firms, and government clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (33331), Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (336)

SIC

Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)

akta.pro primary industry

Life-Saving Appliances & Safety Equipment (Davit Systems, Lifeboats, Firefighting) (IMAJAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ventilation, Ducting & Air Distribution Equipment (IMAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Marine fire safety equipment
• Ballast water treatment systems
• High-pressure gas cylinders
• Pressure vessel manufacturing
• Cryogenic gas storage systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Busan

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct sales of manufactured products including high-pressure gas cylinders, marine firefighting systems, ballast water treatment systems, and pressure vessels to shipyards and maritime industry customers.
2. Aftermarket Services: Reinspection services for gas cylinders and containers, technical support, and maintenance services for installed equipment.
3. Project-based Contracts: Large infrastructure projects such as hydrogen refueling stations awarded through competitive bidding from major clients like Korea Gas Technology Corporation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NK Co., Ltd. manufactures and sells industrial equipment for the marine, environment, and energy sectors, including ballast water treatment systems, marine fire extinguishing systems, high-pressure gas cylinders, jumbo tube trailers, LNG fuel tanks, cryogenic gas storage systems (NK CRYOPac), offshore plant equipment, and hydrogen refueling infrastructure. The company serves shipbuilders, shipping companies, industrial gas firms, semiconductor manufacturers, and government-led clean-energy transportation projects, with project-based contracts and aftermarket reinspection services as additional offerings.

Product overview

NK (주)엔케이 is an industrial manufacturing company operating across marine, environment, and energy sectors. The company offers a diversified portfolio of products including marine fire safety systems (extinguishing systems, foam systems, CO2 systems, dry powder, water mist), ballast water treatment systems (NK-O3 BlueBallast), cryogenic gas systems (NK CRYOPac), high-pressure gas cylinders and jumbo tube trailers for industrial gas storage and transport, LNG fuel tanks, offshore plant equipment, and hydrogen infrastructure. The company serves maritime, petrochemical, semiconductor, energy, and defense industries through its environment, heavy-industry, plant, and container business divisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NK-O3 BlueBallast: Ballast water treatment system approved by IMO for ships to prevent invasive species transfer
• NK CRYOPac
• NK BMS
• NK SHIPTECH

Products and services

• NK-O3 BlueBallast System Ballast water treatment system for marine vessels that uses NK-O3 technology to treat and manage ballast water in compliance with IMO regulations, preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species across marine environments.
• Marine Extinguishing System Fire fighting and suppression equipment for marine vessels and offshore platforms providing comprehensive maritime fire safety solutions.
• NK CRYOPac Cryogenic Gas Storage and Transport System
• High-Pressure Gas Cylinders
• Jumbo Tube Trailers
• LNG Fuel Tank
• Offshore Plant Equipment
• Heavy-Industry Equipment Solutions
• Hydrogen Tram Refueling Station Liquid hydrogen refueling station infrastructure built by NK Tech (subsidiary of NK Co., Ltd.) for zero-emission public transportation networks, with capacity exceeding 300kg of hydrogen per hour.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ballast water treatment systems with IMO Type Approval
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Korea Gas Technology CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026NK Tech (subsidiary of NK Co., Ltd.) was selected by Korea Gas Technology Corporation to build South Korea's first hydrogen tram refueling station in Daejeon. The facility will deliver hydrogen supply capacity exceeding 300kg per hour for the city's zero-emission public transportation network.
• SUEZstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2016ENK (subsidiary of NK) signed MOU with SUEZ for potential collaboration in maritime and environmental technology areas.
• Korea Gas CorporationstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2016NK partnered with Korea Gas Corporation and Kolon Industries for joint venture discussions with Uzbekistan state gas company for CNG fuel cylinder manufacturing in Uzbekistan.
• Kolon IndustriesstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2016Partnership with Kolon Industries alongside Korea Gas Corporation for CNG fuel cylinder manufacturing joint venture in Uzbekistan.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ecochlor: US-based BWMS provider with IMO Type Approval serving the global commercial fleet. Direct competitor to NK in ballast water treatment for shipowners and shipyards.
• Optimarin: Norwegian specialist in ballast water treatment systems with IMO Type Approval. Competes head-to-head with NK-O3 BlueBallast in the global BWMS retrofit and newbuild market.
• Alfa Laval: Global marine environmental equipment leader with ballast water treatment systems, heat exchangers, and fluid handling equipment. Directly competes with NK in BWMS and marine safety equipment for shipyards and shipowners.
• Wärtsilä: Marine systems integrator offering BWMS, gas systems, and ship environmental solutions. Comparable to NK in serving global shipyards with marine environmental and safety equipment, though at much larger scale.
• DESMI: Danish marine pumps and environmental equipment manufacturer with a strong ballast water treatment portfolio. Directly comparable to NK's BWMS business and serves similar shipyard and shipowner customers.

Broad incumbents

• Hyundai Heavy Industries: Largest Korean shipbuilder and major customer of NK's marine equipment. While primarily a shipbuilder rather than equipment specialist, it represents both a key customer and a vertical integration risk for suppliers like NK.
• Chart Industries: Global leader in cryogenic equipment and hydrogen infrastructure. Comparable to NK CRYOPac in cryogenic gas storage and increasingly competes with NKTECH in hydrogen mobility infrastructure.
• Samsung Heavy Industries: Major Korean shipbuilder and offshore platform constructor. Key NK customer for marine equipment and offshore plant business, while also representing vertical integration competition.
• Linde Gas: Global industrial gas major that purchases high-pressure cylinders and tube trailers from manufacturers like NK. Represents both a major customer and a competitor in hydrogen infrastructure deployment.

Regional players

• Headway Technology: Asian marine equipment manufacturer with overlapping product lines in marine safety systems. Comparable Asian regional peer for marine environmental and safety equipment, though with different geographic focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZTe3e3eCJBqLqKlb5CNdTw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/%EC%BC%80%EC%9D%B4-%EC%97%94-811a49204
• Instagraminstagram.com/nk_co_ltd
• Xx.com/nkcylinder

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about NK