King Tester
King Tester, founded in 1936 and headquartered in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, manufactures portable Brinell and Rockwell hardness testing equipment certified to ASTM E-10 standards, serving foundries, aerospace, oil & gas, rail, and heat-treating customers globally through direct sales and a multi-region distributor network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1936
- HeadquartersPhoenixville, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What King Tester does
King Tester Corporation, founded in 1936 by Andrew King in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, designs, engineers, and manufactures portable metal hardness testing equipment under the KING brand, with products certified to ASTM E-10 standards and an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation (A2LA cert #4877.01, valid through May 2026). The company's core technology is a patented portable Brinell tester delivering 3000 kgf of force with accuracy within 1% and NIST traceability, supplemented by Rockwell testers, Brinell microscopes (KingScan V, KingScope, KingScope 100), the CaseRock case-depth system, and the Chain Adapter for oversized cylindrical components.
The company sells capital equipment directly to US customers from its Phoenixville headquarters and through a global distributor network spanning South Africa, China, Korea, India, Australia, Mexico, the UK, Norway, Sweden, and Germany, targeting foundries, forge shops, oil & gas (API compliance), aerospace, rail, heat treaters, and automotive manufacturers. Recurring revenue streams include ISO-17025 calibration and repair services, the patented serialized test blocks (4x4 and 2x6 grids) used for daily verification, King Pins consumables on a 90-day auto-ship subscription, and a 5-year Preventative Maintenance Package (saving up to 20% versus annual service).
King Tester operates as a brand within the KTC Instruments Company corporate structure, alongside sister brands Tensitron and Cianflone (Scientific, acquired 2019-11-27). Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, the entity is privately held with no disclosed revenue, and named enterprise customers include Weatherford International, Scot Forge, Waupaca Foundry, McInnes Rolled Rings, Strato, CarlisleIT, Q-Tech, and AFGlobal, some with multi-decade relationships.
King Tester firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- King Tester
- Legal name
- King Tester Corporation
- Website
- https://kingtester.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1936
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- King Tester, founded in 1936 and headquartered in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, manufactures portable Brinell and Rockwell hardness testing equipment certified to ASTM E-10 standards, serving foundries, aerospace, oil & gas, rail, and heat-treating customers globally through direct sales and a multi-region distributor network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
King Tester industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hardness Testing Equipment
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards) (HLAGAIAL)
Keywords
Where King Tester is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Phoenixville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
King Tester business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardness Testing Equipment Sales: Sale of portable Brinell testers, Rockwell testers, microscopes (KingScan V, KingScope, KingScope 100), and specialty testers (CaseRock, Twin-X, In Line). Equipment is one-time capital purchase with accessories and consumables.
- Calibration & Repair Services: ISO-17025 accredited calibration services per ASTM E-10 standards. Includes direct and indirect verification, disassembly, wear parts replacement, oil change, and 1-year guarantee. Annual calibration recommended.
- Test Blocks & Consumables: Sale of patented test blocks (4x4 and 2x6 sizes) for daily verification. King Pins consumables with subscription option (auto-ship every 90 days).
- Preventative Maintenance Package: 5-year OEM calibration package offering locked-in pricing, long-term protection, OEM-backed support, and 5th service free. Saves up to 20% compared to annual services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Annual calibration service for test heads and scopes |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 5-year Preventative Maintenance Package |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | King Pins subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
King Tester product offering
Product offeringCore offering
King Tester designs, manufactures, and distributes portable Brinell and Rockwell hardness testing equipment, including the flagship King Portable Brinell Tester (3000 kgf, ±1% accuracy, ASTM E-10 certified, NIST traceable), portable King Pin Tester, automatic and manual Brinell microscopes (KingScan V, KingScope, KingScope 100), test blocks, chain adapters, Rockwell testers (Rock-3, DuraRock, ePortaRock), specialty systems (CaseRock case depth testers, In Line, TWIN X), and ISO 17025-accredited calibration and repair services. All products are designed, engineered, and produced in the USA and supported by a global distributor network.
Product overview
King Tester manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of metal hardness testing equipment, primarily centered on Brinell and Rockwell testing technologies. The core offering includes the King Portable Brinell Tester (3000 kgf, ±1% accuracy) as the flagship product, complemented by a full range of modular components: test heads (standard, low pressure, long ram), bases (C-1 through C-7 configurations), and the Chain Adapter for oversized parts. Reading/diagnostic products include the KingScan V automated scope, KingScope and KingScope 100 manual scopes. Rockwell testing is addressed through the Rock-3, DuraRock Series, and ePortaRock Series testers. Specialty products include CaseRock Series for case depth measurement, In Line testers for production automation, and TWIN X for dual-station testing. Consumables include King Test Blocks (4x4 and 2x6 sizes) and King Pins. Services include ISO-17025 accredited calibration, repair, and a 5-year Preventative Maintenance Package. All products are designed, engineered, and produced in the USA, with ISO 17025 accreditation from A2LA and calibration traceable to NIST.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Tensitron: A related brand under KTC Instruments Company, appearing in the header alongside King Tester branding.
Products and services
- King Portable Brinell Tester Flagship portable Brinell hardness tester delivering 3000 kgf load with ±1% accuracy, certified to ASTM E-10 standards with NIST traceability. Weighs 38 lbs, made of stainless steel, usable in any orientation (tight spots, upside down, sideways) and at extreme temperatures. The only portable Brinell tester on the market that is Directly Verifiable.
- King Pin Tester Handheld hammer-type portable Brinell tester operating at 1,580 kgf load with less than 1% tolerance. Requires no air supply or calibration - strike once with a hammer, measure indentation, get results. Includes handle, 250 King Pins, indenters, LED magnifier, and hardness table; supports King Pins consumable subscription.
- KingScan V Automatic Brinell scope providing results in under 5 seconds with push-button operation. All-in-one design with internal memory storing results with timestamps, Wi-Fi connectivity, and digital crosshairs for alignment. Weighs under 3 lbs; eliminates operator errors.
- KingScope Manual Brinell scope with 20x magnification and 0.1 mm accuracy. Features narrow nose piece for tight recesses, stainless steel construction, ASTM E-10 compliance, pre-focused lens, and cordless light for all conditions.
- KingScope 100 Manual Brinell scope providing 0.01 mm accuracy (ASTM E-10 Type A compliant). Features ergonomic design, small nose, large steady base, built-in LED, and military drop-tested case for harsh conditions.
- Rock-3 Rockwell Hardness Tester Introductory Rockwell hardness tester supporting both Rockwell and Superficial Rockwell testing. Workhorse unit for high-volume, accurate Rockwell testing with minimal test piece preparation required.
- DuraRock Series Advanced Rockwell testers (DuraRock 130 and DuraRock 250) featuring spring load cell technology. Delivers four-second test results with no deflection influence, withstands extreme temperature, dust, humidity, and vibration; DuraRock 250 includes touchscreen interface and fully computerized testing.
- ePortaRock Series Portable Rockwell testers (ePortaRock L at 5 kgf; ePortaRock H at 100 kgf) providing bench-tester accuracy in compact form. Feature spring load cell technology, Bluetooth data transfer, less than 1% repeatability error, and onboard storage up to 1000 tests.
- CaseRock Series Case depth testers (CaseRock 4000 and CaseRock 1500) providing effective case depth results in under 2 minutes. Uses continuous-acquisition testing eliminating cutting, mounting, and polishing; non-destructive with effective case depth range from 0.05mm to 2.7mm and test load range from 100kgf to 4000kgf; employs patented HTD algorithm.
- In Line Hardness Testers Automated production-line hardness testers customized for specific speed, quality, and accuracy requirements. Available in Brinell, Rockwell, and Superficial Rockwell applications for maintaining automatic process control.
- TWIN X Automatic Hardness Tester Automatic Rockwell and Superficial Rockwell tester operating according to Rockwell principle. Features LCD touchscreen, customizable for in-line applications, and automatic testing stop on soft material for user safety.
- Test Blocks 4x4 Larger test blocks (4"x4") with patented alphanumeric grid design reducing cost per indent by over $1.00. Laser-etched markings comply with ASTM E-10 spacing requirements. ISO-17025 certified, individually serialized, available for HB 30, HB 15, HB 10, and HB 5 scales.
- Test Blocks 2x6 Economical test blocks (2"x6") with patented grid design for reliable daily Brinell tester verification. Built to meet or exceed ASTM E-10 standards with 1% tolerance. Individually serialized and traceable.
- Calibration & Repair Services ISO-17025 accredited calibration and repair services per ASTM E-10 and ASTM E-110 standards. Includes disassembly, wear part replacement, oil change, direct/indirect certification, and 1-year guarantee. Offers expedited service, loaner program, and Brinell Buy-Back Program for upgrades.
- Preventative Maintenance Package Five-year OEM calibration package saving up to 20%. Includes locked-in costs, long-term protection, OEM-backed support, reduced downtime, and free 5th service with 4-year prepaid subscription.
Quantifiable outcome
- Accuracy within 1% with traceability to NIST standards
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use King Tester
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
King Tester technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
King Tester partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered regional and corporate subsidiary.
- RWK Industries (South Africa)regionalAfrican distributor for King Tester products. Located at Unit 8 Great North Industrial, 20 Van Wyk Rd, Goedeburg, Benoni, 1501, South Africa. Contact: Hermanus Herbst.
- Beijing Top Tester Technology Co.,LtdregionalChinese distributor for King Tester products. Located at Room 401, No.2 Longdezijin Building, No.186 Litang Road, Changping District, Beijing, China 102218.
- Man Jin Corporation (Korea)regionalKorean distributor for King Tester products. Located at #723, A-dong, 190, Soha-ro, Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea 14322. Contact: Eric Seo.
- Amitabh Satapathy (India)regionalIndian distributor for King Tester products. Located at D 1194/19 Sector 6, CDA, Cuttack, Orissa, India 753014.
- Trescal (Australia)regionalAustralian distributor for King Tester products. Located at Unit 14 / 153-155 Rooks Road, Vermont, VIC 3133, Australia. Contact: Graeme Laing.
- MESS Servicios Metrológicos (Mexico)regionalMexican distributor for King Tester products. Located at Parque Industrial Benito Juarez, Acceso III, Numero 16-A, Nave 10, Benito Juarez, 76120 Santiago de Queretaro, Qro., Mexico.
- Equitek (USA)regionalUS distributor for King Tester products. Located at 987 North Suncoast Blvd, Suite #217, Crystal River, FL 34429. Contact: Bob Segabache.
- Metalinspec (Mexico)regionalMexican distributor for King Tester products. Located at Angel Martinez V. #505 Col. Chepe Vera C.P. 64030, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Contact: Juan Hernandez.
- Foundrax Engineering Products Ltd. (England)regionalUK distributor for King Tester products. Located at Wessex park, Somerton, TA11 6SB, England.
- Holger Hartmann AS (Norway)regionalNorwegian distributor for King Tester products. Located at Berghagan 3, 1405 Langhus, Norway. Contact: Kenneth Rivenes.
- Holger Andreasen AB (Sweden)regionalSwedish distributor for King Tester products. Located at Skvadronvagen 7A702, 27 Orebro, Sweden. Contact: Anders Lindblom.
- BAQ GmbH (Germany)regionalGerman distributor for King Tester products. Located at Hermann-Schlichting-Strasse 14, D-38110 Braunschweig, Germany.
- Tensitroncorporate subsidiaryKTC Instruments Company subsidiary, shown as sister brand alongside King Tester on the company website.
- Cianflonecorporate subsidiaryKTC Instruments Company subsidiary, shown as sister brand alongside King Tester on the company website.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
King Tester competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Instron: A global leader in materials testing instruments (part of Illinois Tool Works), offering Brinell, Rockwell, Vickers, and tensile testing systems. Directly comparable to King Tester on Brinell and Rockwell hardness testing but operates as a much broader mechanical-testing platform rather than specializing in portable Brinell.
- Buehler (ITW): An Illinois Tool Works metallographic and hardness testing brand (Wilson Hardness heritage). Comparable as a hardness testing equipment maker, broader than King Tester on metallographic preparation and lab-based hardness testers but less focused on portable full-load Brinell in the field.
- Mitutoyo: A global precision measurement and hardness-testing instrument maker. Offers Rockwell, Vickers, and Brinell testers (e.g., HR series) for lab and production environments, comparable to King Tester's product categories but at a much larger scale and broader metrology portfolio.
- Struers: A leading materials-testing equipment maker focused on metallographic preparation and hardness testing (Rockwell/Vickers). Comparable to King Tester on hardness testing within industrial QA but concentrated on lab and consumables rather than portable/full-load Brinell on the shop floor.
- ZwickRoell: A European-based materials and hardness testing manufacturer offering Brinell, Rockwell, and Vickers systems. Competes with King Tester's end customers on hardness testing equipment but at a broader mechanical-testing scale.
Direct peers
- EMCO-TEST: An Austrian specialist manufacturer of Brinell, Rockwell, Vickers, and universal hardness testing machines. The most direct head-to-head peer on hardness testers, though more focused on stationary bench testers versus King's portable full-load Brinell positioning.
- Phase II (Phase II Plus): A US-based hardness testing equipment maker/distributor offering a range of Rockwell, Brinell, and portable hardness testers. Closely comparable as a competing portable hardness testing option for the same industrial QA buyers King Tester serves.
- Foundrax Engineering Products: A UK manufacturer and supplier of Brinell hardness testers, test blocks, and Brinell microscopes. Direct product overlap with King Tester on the full Brinell workflow (tester, block, scope); also listed as King Tester's UK distribution partner, blurring direct-competitor and channel-partner roles.
Emerging players
- Time Group (TIME Metal Hardness): A Chinese-based manufacturer of hardness testers (Rockwell, Brinell, Vickers, Leeb portable). Competes with King Tester in portable and bench hardness testing, particularly relevant given Beijing Top Tester's role as King's China distributor.
Others
- Tensitron: A sister brand under the same KTC Instruments Company umbrella that owns King Tester. Indirectly comparable as an adjacent test-and-measurement instrument maker sharing corporate parent and distributor relationships.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
King Tester social profiles
Digital presenceKing Tester compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
King Tester financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
King Tester leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
King Tester subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
King Tester funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
King Tester M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about King Tester
What does King Tester do?
King Tester designs, manufactures, and distributes portable Brinell and Rockwell hardness testing equipment, including the flagship King Portable Brinell Tester (3000 kgf, ±1% accuracy, ASTM E-10 certified, NIST traceable), portable King Pin Tester, automatic and manual Brinell microscopes (KingScan V, KingScope, KingScope 100), test blocks, chain adapters, Rockwell testers (Rock-3, DuraRock, ePortaRock), specialty systems (CaseRock case depth testers, In Line, TWIN X), and ISO 17025-accredited calibration and repair services. All products are designed, engineered, and produced in the USA and supported by a global distributor network.
Is King Tester a public or private company?
King Tester is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was King Tester founded?
King Tester was founded in 1936. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is King Tester based?
King Tester is headquartered in Phoenixville, United States, in the North America region.
How does King Tester make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hardness Testing Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are calibration & Repair Services, test Blocks & Consumables and preventative Maintenance Package.
Who are King Tester's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Instron, Buehler (ITW), Mitutoyo, Struers and ZwickRoell. Direct peers are EMCO-TEST, Phase II (Phase II Plus) and Foundrax Engineering Products. Time Group (TIME Metal Hardness) is listed as an emerging player. Tensitron is listed as an others.
Does King Tester have an API?
No public API is recorded for King Tester.
What industry is King Tester in?
King Tester's product category is Hardness Testing Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAL, Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.