Brazeway
Brazeway is a US-headquartered aluminum extrusion and heat transfer manufacturer producing hairpins, microchannel tubing, and serpentine exchangers for HVAC, appliance, automotive, and commercial refrigeration OEMs. Privately held by Axel Johnson since 2018.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersAdrian, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Brazeway does
Brazeway is a US-headquartered manufacturer of aluminum heat transfer products, founded in 1946 and headquartered in Adrian, Michigan. The company operates four manufacturing facilities across the United States and Mexico—Adrian, MI; Shelbyville, IN; Hopkinsville, KY; and Monterrey, Mexico—employs more than 800 people, and serves OEM customers in HVAC, appliance, automotive, and commercial refrigeration. Brazeway holds the position of world's largest producer of aluminum hairpins and thin-wall refrigeration-grade round tube, and operates the largest heat transfer extrusion press in North America, providing a concentrated capital-asset base that anchors its scale advantage.
The product portfolio spans round tube, hairpins, microchannel tubing, and finished serpentine heat exchangers, including the proprietary eco7 platform. Core technology rests on proprietary aluminum alloy formulations, a patented extrusion lubrication process, and bi-metal connector intellectual property that enables joining of aluminum to copper in refrigeration circuits. Brazeway also monetizes its technology through license partners in Poland, Brazil, China, and Germany, extending its reach beyond owned manufacturing.
The business model is B2B sales of engineered aluminum components and finished heat exchangers to OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers, supported by an enterprise field sales organization and long-term supply agreements. Electrolux has been a strategic customer since 1990. Brazeway became a portfolio company of Sweden-based Axel Johnson in December 2018 and is now privately held.
Brazeway firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Brazeway
- Legal name
- Brazeway
- Website
- https://brazeway.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Brazeway is a US-headquartered aluminum extrusion and heat transfer manufacturer producing hairpins, microchannel tubing, and serpentine exchangers for HVAC, appliance, automotive, and commercial refrigeration OEMs. Privately held by Axel Johnson since 2018.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Brazeway industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aluminum Heat Transfer Components
- NAICS
- Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Heat Exchangers, Coils & Hydronic HVAC Components (IMADANAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Automotive Refrigerant Lines, Hoses & Thermal Plumbing (IMACALAG)
Keywords
Where Brazeway is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Adrian
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Brazeway business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Aluminum Component Manufacturing: Brazeway generates revenue through manufacturing and selling aluminum tubing components (round tube, hairpins, microchannel tube) and heat exchangers (evaporators, condensers) to HVAC, appliance, automotive, and commercial refrigeration manufacturers. Revenue is derived from product sales with pricing based on volume and specifications.
- Licensed Technology: Brazeway supplies common evaporator designs through global license partners, generating licensing revenue alongside manufacturing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | B2B custom manufacturing - quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Brazeway product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Brazeway manufactures aluminum extrusion tubing and assembled heat transfer components, including round tube, hairpins, microchannel tube, and serpentine heat exchangers, for OEMs in HVAC, major appliances, automotive, and commercial refrigeration. The company operates four production facilities in Adrian, MI; Shelbyville, IN; Hopkinsville, KY; and Monterrey, Mexico.
Product overview
Brazeway offers a comprehensive portfolio of aluminum extrusion and heat transfer products, centered on four core product lines: Round Tube (high-performance extruded aluminum tubing with tight-tolerance control), Hairpins (precision-fabricated components for heat exchangers), Microchannel Tube (pioneered aluminum microchannel tubing), and Serpentine Heat Exchangers (joint-free coils including the eco7). The company serves four primary markets: HVAC, Appliance, Automotive, and Commercial Refrigeration. Products are manufactured at four facilities (Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and Mexico) using the largest heat transfer extrusion press in North America. Brazeway's innovation legacy includes pioneering tight-tolerance aluminum extrusion in the 1950s, the 1956 bi-metal connector invention, microchannel tubing in the early 1990s, and the eco7 next-generation heat exchanger in 2015.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- eco7: Next generation heat exchanger with smaller footprint delivering greater energy efficiency
Products and services
- Round Tube
- Hairpins
- Microchannel Tube
- Serpentine Heat Exchangers (eco7)
- Appliance Evaporators
- Appliance Condensers
- Suction Line Heat Exchangers
- Heat Pumps
- Commercial Evaporators
- Bi-Metal Connector
- Heat Exchanger Technology Licensing
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 70 years and hundreds of millions of units with proven reliability in consumer and commercial environments
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Brazeway
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Brazeway technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Brazeway partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- GrupporecominorLicense partner in Poland for production and distribution of Brazeway evaporators.
- ArotubiminorLicense partner in Brazil for production and distribution of Brazeway evaporators.
- Parker HannifinminorLicense partner in China for production and distribution of Brazeway evaporators.
- Erbsloh/WKWminorMicrochannel partner in Germany for production and distribution.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Brazeway competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Modine Manufacturing: Modine is a leading manufacturer of heat transfer and thermal management solutions serving automotive, commercial refrigeration, HVAC, and data center customers. It is the closest direct peer to Brazeway in extruded aluminum heat exchangers and OEM thermal component design.
- Hydro Extrusion: Hydro Extrusion is one of the world's largest aluminum extrusion companies, supplying tight-tolerance profiles for heat transfer, automotive, and industrial applications. Overlaps directly with Brazeway in aluminum tubing and extruded heat exchanger components.
- Gränges: Gränges is a global leader in rolled aluminum products for brazed heat exchangers serving HVAC, automotive, and commercial refrigeration. Highly comparable to Brazeway's microchannel and round tube offerings for OEM heat exchanger manufacturers.
- UACJ Corporation: UACJ is a major Japanese manufacturer of flat-rolled and extruded aluminum products for automotive heat exchangers and HVAC. Comparable to Brazeway in microchannel tubing supply to OEM heat exchanger customers globally.
- KME Group: KME is a leading European producer of copper and copper-alloy semi-finished products for HVAC, refrigeration, and industrial heat transfer. Competes with Brazeway on the copper vs. aluminum substitution axis in heat exchanger tubing.
- Colmac Coil Manufacturing: Colmac Coil is a North American manufacturer of heat exchanger coils for HVAC, refrigeration, and industrial process applications, including aluminum fin-and-tube coils. Direct competitor to Brazeway in HVAC and commercial refrigeration coils.
Broad incumbents
- Mueller Industries: Mueller Industries is a large North American manufacturer of copper, brass, aluminum, and plastic products serving HVAC, plumbing, and refrigeration OEMs. Adjacent incumbent competing for the same OEM heat transfer wallet share as Brazeway.
- Wieland Group: Wieland is a global leader in copper and copper-alloy semi-finished products including tubes and strips for heat exchangers and refrigeration. Broad incumbent in the same OEM heat exchanger component market as Brazeway.
Emerging players
- Senior plc: Senior plc designs and manufactures high-tech fluid conveyance and thermal management components for aerospace, automotive, and industrial OEMs. Overlaps with Brazeway in tight-tolerance metal tubing and heat transfer assemblies for OEM customers.
Regional players
- Heatcraft Refrigeration Products (Lennox): Heatcraft is a major North American manufacturer of commercial refrigeration evaporators, condensers, and unit coolers. It is both a potential customer of Brazeway's serpentine coils and a competitor for finished refrigeration heat exchanger assemblies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Brazeway social profiles
Digital presenceBrazeway financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Brazeway leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Brazeway funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Brazeway M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Brazeway
What does Brazeway do?
Brazeway manufactures aluminum extrusion tubing and assembled heat transfer components, including round tube, hairpins, microchannel tube, and serpentine heat exchangers, for OEMs in HVAC, major appliances, automotive, and commercial refrigeration. The company operates four production facilities in Adrian, MI; Shelbyville, IN; Hopkinsville, KY; and Monterrey, Mexico.
Is Brazeway a public or private company?
Brazeway is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Brazeway founded?
Brazeway was founded in 1946. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Brazeway based?
Brazeway is headquartered in Adrian, United States, in the North America region.
How does Brazeway make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Aluminum Component Manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are licensed Technology.
Who are Brazeway's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Modine Manufacturing, Hydro Extrusion, Gränges, UACJ Corporation, KME Group and Colmac Coil Manufacturing. Broad incumbents are Mueller Industries and Wieland Group. Senior plc is listed as an emerging player. Heatcraft Refrigeration Products (Lennox) is listed as a regional player.
Does Brazeway have an API?
No public API is recorded for Brazeway.
What industry is Brazeway in?
Brazeway's product category is Aluminum Heat Transfer Components. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADANAF, Heat Exchangers, Coils & Hydronic HVAC Components, with a secondary code of IMACALAG, Automotive Refrigerant Lines, Hoses & Thermal Plumbing. Its NAICS code is 33341.