Midwest Tungsten Service

What Midwest Tungsten Service does

Midwest Tungsten Service (MTS), founded in 1958 and headquartered in Willowbrook, Illinois, is a privately held specialty supplier of refractory metal products. The company's core offerings include pure tungsten, tungsten heavy alloy, tungsten copper alloy, pure molybdenum, TZM molybdenum, and pure tantalum in forms such as rod, sheet/plate, bar, wire, and powder. MTS also produces tungsten TIG welding electrodes in multiple compositions (thoriated, lanthanated, ceriated, zirconiated, rare earth mix), electron beam filaments compatible with major OEM vacuum metallizing systems (Balzers, Leybold, Temescal, JEOL, and others), and diffusion pump fluids. Material certifications including ASTM B760 (tungsten plate) and ASTM F288-96 (tungsten wire) are provided.

The business operates a dual-channel model. Industrial customers access the company through shop.tungsten.com for catalog purchases or direct quote requests for custom machined parts, where MTS's capabilities span conventional machining, EDM cutting and drilling, laser and water jet cutting, grinding, winding, shearing, punching, and stamping of difficult-to-machine refractory metals. Consumer and hobbyist buyers purchase items such as tungsten cubes, spheres, pyramids, spinning tops, engraved corporate gifts, 3D printing filament with tungsten, and branded apparel. A large in-stock inventory and short manufacturing lead times are highlighted as primary operational differentiators.

MTS serves industrial end-markets including welding, vacuum metallizing (decorative and functional coatings), aerospace and industrial manufacturing, plus consumer segments in hobbies, sports (bucking bars, rifle weights, pinewood derby), and element collectors. The company markets through its e-commerce storefront, content marketing (blog, calculators, data sheets, FAQs), email, organic social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), and SEO. International reach is delivered via direct international shipping and the eBay Global Shipping Program, while the underlying operations and primary customer base remain anchored in North America.

Name

Midwest Tungsten Service

Legal name

Midwest Tungsten Service, Inc.

Website

https://tungsten.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Midwest Tungsten Service is a 1958-founded, Willowbrook, Illinois-based specialty supplier of refractory metals—tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, and alloys—selling standard forms, custom machined parts, TIG welding electrodes, vacuum metallizing consumables, and consumer novelty items via its shop.tungsten.com e-commerce storefront to industrial, aerospace, welding, and hobbyist buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refractory Metals Supply

NAICS

Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying (33149), All Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (33299), Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3329)

SIC

Miscellaneous Primary Metal Products (3390), Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540)

akta.pro primary industry

Refractory & Metallurgical Consumables Distribution (Fluxes, electrodes, refractories) (IMAKAJAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Welding, Joining & Soldering Equipment (Arc, Resistance, Friction, Brazing) (IMAHADAH), Metal Cutting Tools, Tooling & Workholding (Cutters, Inserts, Chucks, Fixtures) (IMAHADAB)

Keywords

• Refractory metals supply
• Tungsten products
• Molybdenum materials
• TIG welding electrodes
• Vacuum metallizing supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Willowbrook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (E-commerce): Direct-to-consumer and B2B sales of refractory metal products through their online storefront. Products include pure tungsten, tungsten alloys, tungsten copper alloys, molybdenum, tantalum, TIG welding electrodes, and novelty items like cubes and spheres.
2. Custom Machining Services: Provides custom machining services for refractory metal parts, including conventional machining, laser & water jet cutting, EDM cutting & drilling, grinding, and other fabrication services.
3. Vacuum Metallizing Supplies: Sells vacuum metallizing equipment and consumables including diffusion pump fluids, evaporation boats, filaments, and evaporant materials.
4. Corporate Gifts & Custom Engraving: Offers custom engraving services and corporate gift products including engraved tungsten cubes and element sets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Midwest Tungsten Service supplies specialty refractory metals — pure tungsten, tungsten heavy alloy (W-Ni-Fe-Cu), tungsten copper alloy, pure molybdenum, TZM molybdenum, and pure tantalum — in rod, sheet/plate, bar, wire, powder, and block forms. The company also offers TIG welding tungsten electrodes and vacuum metallizing consumables (diffusion pump fluids, evaporation boats, electron beam filaments), consumer products such as tungsten cubes and spheres, and custom machining and engraving services for refractory metal components.

Product overview

Midwest Tungsten Service is a specialized metals supplier and e-commerce platform offering a comprehensive portfolio of refractory metal products and related services. The core product line includes pure tungsten, tungsten alloys (heavy alloy with nickel/iron/copper), tungsten copper alloy, pure tantalum, pure molybdenum, and TZM molybdenum in various forms (rod, sheet/plate, bar, wire, powder). The company also offers TIG welding tungsten electrodes in multiple compositions (thoriated, lanthanated, ceriated, zirconiated, rare earth), vacuum metallizing supplies (diffusion pump fluids, electron beam filaments, evaporation materials), and custom machining/engraving services. Consumer products include tungsten cubes, spheres, pyramids, tetrahedrons, spinning tops, and collectible items, as well as hobby/sports products (bucking bars, rifle weights, pinewood derby weights). The company operates an online store at shop.tungsten.com powered by BigCommerce, serving industrial, commercial, and retail customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pure Tungsten 99.95% pure tungsten in rod, sheet/plate, bar, wire, and powder forms, with the highest melting point and lowest vapor pressure of all metals. Used in aerospace, medical, electronics, and high-temperature applications.
• Tungsten Heavy Alloy Tungsten heavy alloy (90%+ tungsten with nickel, iron, or copper) in rod, sheet/plate, bar, shot, ballast cubes, and DieAlloy. Can be conventionally machined unlike pure tungsten.
• Tungsten Copper Alloy Tungsten copper alloy in rod, sheet/plate, and bar forms, with good thermal and electrical conductivity, low thermal expansion, non-magnetic properties, and arc erosion resistance.
• Pure Tantalum Pure tantalum in rod, sheet/plate, wire, and blocks. Refractory metal with high corrosion resistance and high thermal conductivity; density and melting point between tungsten and molybdenum.
• Pure Molybdenum Refractory molybdenum with relatively high melting point in rod, sheet/plate, wire, bar, and vacuum furnace component forms. Easier to machine than pure tungsten.
• TZM Molybdenum Titanium-Zirconium-Molybdenum alloy in rod and sheet/plate, with higher recrystallization temperature, creep strength, and tensile strength than pure molybdenum.
• TIG Welding Tungsten Electrodes Tungsten electrodes for TIG welding in 2% Lanthanated, 2% Thoriated, Pure, 2% Ceriated, 1.5% Lanthanated, Rare Earth Mix, and 0.8% Zirconiated compositions. Offered in multiple diameters and pre-ground options.
• Vacuum Metallizing Products Vacuum metallizing supplies including silicone diffusion pump fluids (MT-702, MT-704), evaporation boats and filaments, electron beam filaments, evaporation materials, and chrome-plated rods.
• Cubes, Spheres & Collectible Toys Tungsten cubes, spheres, pyramids, tetrahedrons, novelty items, engraved cubes, element sets, bullion bars, spinning tops, and corporate gifts marketed to collectors and enthusiasts.
• Hobbies, Tools & Sports Products Bucking bars, tungsten tape, 3D printing filament with tungsten, automotive/pinewood derby weights, hunting/shooting accessories, rifle buffer weights, and tungsten race car weights for hobby, sports, and motorsport use.
• Custom Machining Services Custom machining services for refractory metal parts including conventional machining, laser and water jet cutting, EDM cutting and drilling, grinding, winding, shearing, punching, and stamping. Quote-based for industrial customers.
• Custom Engraving Services Custom engraving services for cubes, cards, coins, spinning tops, and corporate gifts with custom design options for personal and business use.

Quantifiable outcome

• Leading the industry since 1958

Segments5 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

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Plansee Group: Global leader in refractory metals (tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum) manufacturing. Comparable to MTS across the same core materials but operates at vastly larger scale and with deeper vertical integration into powder metallurgy and finished components.
• H.C. Starck (Masan High-Tech Materials): Major manufacturer and distributor of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, and niobium powders and fabricated parts. Direct overlap with MTS's product range but serves higher-volume industrial and aerospace customers globally.
• McMaster-Carr: Massive industrial supply catalog with broad metal SKU coverage including tungsten and molybdenum forms. Competes with MTS for small-quantity industrial buyers who value one-stop-shop convenience over specialty depth.

Direct peers

• American Elements: Catalog distributor of advanced and refractory metals including tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, and alloys. Closest comparable to MTS in offering a broad e-commerce catalog plus custom fabrication to industrial and research buyers.
• Ed Fagan Inc. Specialty metals distributor focused on tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, and magnetic alloys with custom cutting and machining services. Directly competes with MTS in serving small-to-mid industrial buyers of refractory metal forms.
• Eagle Alloys Corporation: Supplier of refractory and exotic metals (tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, niobium) in rod, sheet, wire, and custom-machined form. Highly comparable to MTS in product mix, customer base, and custom fabrication focus.
• ESPICorp Inc. Distributor and processor of specialty metals including tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, and alloys. Competes directly with MTS in distribution plus small-batch machining of refractory metals.
• Rhenium Alloys: Specialty manufacturer of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, and rhenium parts including fabricated and machined components. Overlaps with MTS in custom refractory metal parts, particularly for aerospace and medical customers.
• OnlineMetals.com: E-commerce-first metal distributor offering small-quantity cuts of exotic metals including tungsten and molybdenum. Directly comparable to MTS's e-commerce motion and small-batch industrial buyer focus.

Emerging players

• Stanford Advanced Materials: Online catalog distributor of refractory metals, ceramics, and rare earths. Competes with MTS on tungsten, molybdenum, and tantalum SKUs primarily through e-commerce pricing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/midwesttungstenstore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/midwest-tungsten-service
• Instagraminstagram.com/midwest_tungsten
• Xx.com/mts_store

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Midwest Tungsten Service