Central Tube and Bar
Central Tube and Bar is a US precision metal processor specializing in 3D laser tube cutting, CNC bending, robotic welding, sawing, and fabrication services. It serves OEMs across transportation, industrial equipment, commercial furniture, and retail fixtures from three mid-south facilities, now operating as a subsidiary of Olympic Steel, Inc.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersConway, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Central Tube and Bar does
Central Tube and Bar (CTB) is a US-based precision metal processor specializing in the fabrication of tube and bar components for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Founded in 1996 in Conway, Arkansas as Ward Enterprises and renamed Central Tube and Bar in 1997, the company has grown over three decades from a single bandsaw operation into a multi-facility, full-service metal processor serving customers across transportation, industrial equipment, commercial furniture, and retail fixtures.
Its core service portfolio spans six interconnected capabilities: 3D laser tube cutting (seven 3D tube lasers from BLM and Mazak, capable of round tubes from 0.50" to 16" diameter and wall thickness up to 0.875" in carbon steel), CNC bending (four 3D tube benders up to 6-axis with 18" max centerline bend radius), robotic welding (claimed 3-5x conventional welding rates with zero-defect assemblies), CNC sawing (band saws up to 24" diameter and 48' length plus cold saws), fabrication and assembly (end forming, powder coating, flow drilling, zinc plating), and JIT/Kanban-based delivery. ISO 9001:2015 certified and operating from three facilities in Conway AR (headquarters), Tulsa OK, and Waco TX, the company delivers both processed components and raw tube and bar materials (carbon, alloy, aluminum, stainless). Named enterprise customers include Navistar (founding customer since 1996), a global transportation company (10+ year relationship with zero line shutdowns), UPS (sortation equipment), a large automotive service equipment provider (2021 Supplier Excellence Award recipient), and unnamed major retailers for electric shopping cart and shelving components.
The business model is transaction-fee based on quote-driven, custom pricing tied to material type, dimensions, complexity, and volume, augmented by material sales through a vendor network of 50+ suppliers and the North American Steel Alliance co-op. The go-to-market is sales-led with a dedicated team of seven account managers and a Sales Director targeting OEMs and fabricators via website quote requests, phone sales, and direct relationship management — with no channel partners or resellers. In 2023 CTB was acquired by Olympic Steel, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZEUS), a publicly traded metals service center, becoming part of that company's family of subsidiaries and operating under its strategic platform.
Central Tube and Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Central Tube and Bar
- Legal name
- Central Tube and Bar
- Website
- https://centraltubeandbar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Central Tube and Bar is a US precision metal processor specializing in 3D laser tube cutting, CNC bending, robotic welding, sawing, and fabrication services. It serves OEMs across transportation, industrial equipment, commercial furniture, and retail fixtures from three mid-south facilities, now operating as a subsidiary of Olympic Steel, Inc.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Central Tube and Bar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Precision Metal Fabrication Services
- NAICS
- Fabricated Pipe and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing (332996), Iron and Steel Pipe and Tube Manufacturing from Purchased Steel (33121), Iron and Steel Pipe and Tube Manufacturing from Purchased Steel (331210)
- SIC
- Steel Pipe & Tubes (3317), Wholesale-Metals Service Centers & Offices (5051)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pipe & Tube Manufacturing (Seamless & Welded OCTG/Line Pipe/Structural Tube) (IMAKABAI)
Keywords
Where Central Tube and Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Conway
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Central Tube and Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Metal Processing Services: Precision tube and bar processing including laser cutting, CNC bending, robotic welding, sawing, and fabrication/assembly. Revenue generated through processing fees based on material type, complexity, volume, and specifications. Just-in-time delivery and value-added services included.
- Material Sales: Sale of prime tube and bar products including carbon, alloy, aluminum, and stainless steel. Access to 50 vendors and North American Steel Alliance co-op for sourcing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom quotation based on project specifications |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Central Tube and Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Central Tube and Bar is a precision metal processor and fabricator providing 3D laser tube cutting, CNC tube bending, robotic welding, sawing, fabrication and assembly, and just-in-time delivery services to OEMs and fabricators. The company also supplies prime carbon, alloy, aluminum, and stainless steel tube and bar products sourced through 50+ vendors and the North American Steel Alliance co-op. Operating across three U.S. facilities (Conway AR, Tulsa OK, Waco TX), the company delivers finished components and assemblies for transportation, industrial equipment, commercial furniture, and retail fixtures customers.
Product overview
Central Tube and Bar offers a comprehensive suite of metal processing services built around precision tube and bar fabrication. Their core service portfolio includes six interconnected capabilities: 3D Laser Tube Cutting (featuring seven 3D tube lasers and one 2D flat laser), CNC Bending & Tube Bending (four 3D tube benders), Robotic Welding, Sawing (CNC band saws and cold saws), Fab and Assembly, and JIT and Delivery. These services are designed to provide end-to-end solutions from raw stock to finished delivered products. The company also supplies three material product categories: Carbon & Alloy Tube, Aluminum & Stainless Steel Tube, and Carbon & Alloy Bar. With three facilities across Arkansas and Oklahoma, they serve OEMs and fabricators across transportation, industrial equipment, commercial furniture, retail fixtures, aerospace, manufacturing, and energy industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 3D Laser Tube Cutting Precision tube laser cutting using seven 3D tube lasers (BLM LT Fiber, BLM Adige LT5/LT7/LT8, Mazak Fabrigear 400, and Hans 10") plus a flat Mitsubishi laser for OEMs requiring high-volume, high-tolerance components in round (.50" to 16"), square (.50" to 12"), and rectangular tubes up to 12" square equivalent, with wall thickness up to .875" carbon steel, .250" stainless, and .1875" aluminum. Supports advanced features including 3 and 6 axis cutting, twist and center control, in-line tapping to .50", weld seam orientation, tab/slot/notch/fold features, and file import for .x_t, .iges, .step, .dwg, and .dxf formats.
- CNC Tube Bending Multi-axis CNC tube bending services using four 3D tube benders (BLM Adige E-Turn 40, two Horn 50TNCB units, Ercolina Rotary Draw, and BLM Adige Elect150) with up to 6-axis bending, left and right hand bending, full mandrel bending, push or roll bending, and maximum centerline bend radius up to 18". Provides repeatable, high-tolerance bends for OEM and fabricator customers.
- Robotic Welding Robotic welding services using industry-leading robotic welding arms that weld assemblies at 3-5 times the rate of conventional welding, combined with laser-cut components cut to +/- .010" tolerance. Delivers zero defective assemblies through accurate programming and state-of-the-art fixturing for OEM and fabricator customers requiring consistent welded assemblies.
- Sawing CNC band sawing and cold sawing services for tubes and bars. Equipment includes three HYD-MECH M-20A CNC band saws, HYD-MECH Dual Column, HEM Vertical band saws (up to 24" diameter, 48' length), and two TSUNE cold saws (0.60 to 4" diameter, 10' to 20' length) for precision cuts.
- Fab and Assembly Full fabrication and assembly services including end forming (swaging, chamfering, beveling, flaring, flanging), flow drilling and tapping, powder coating, deburring, turn-key assemblies, and zinc plating for OEM and fabricator customers needing finished components.
- JIT and Delivery Just-in-time delivery services with integrated stock systems, electronic Kanban management, same-day delivery capability, and lean manufacturing expertise tailored to individual OEM and fabricator client needs across the United States and Mexico.
- Carbon & Alloy Tube Prime tube sourced from North American steel partners through 50+ vendors and the North American Steel Alliance co-op, including welded and seamless products and high-strength, low-weight alloys for OEM and fabricator customers.
- Aluminum & Stainless Steel Tube
Quantifiable outcome
- Zero customer line shutdowns in over 10 years for transportation customer
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Central Tube and Bar
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Central Tube and Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Central Tube and Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves14 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Central Tube and Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Central Tube and Bar social profiles
Digital presenceCentral Tube and Bar compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Central Tube and Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Central Tube and Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Central Tube and Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Central Tube and Bar 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 Central Tube and Bar
What does Central Tube and Bar do?
Central Tube and Bar is a precision metal processor and fabricator providing 3D laser tube cutting, CNC tube bending, robotic welding, sawing, fabrication and assembly, and just-in-time delivery services to OEMs and fabricators. The company also supplies prime carbon, alloy, aluminum, and stainless steel tube and bar products sourced through 50+ vendors and the North American Steel Alliance co-op. Operating across three U.S. facilities (Conway AR, Tulsa OK, Waco TX), the company delivers finished components and assemblies for transportation, industrial equipment, commercial furniture, and retail fixtures customers.
Is Central Tube and Bar a public or private company?
Central Tube and Bar is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Central Tube and Bar founded?
Central Tube and Bar was founded in 1996. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Central Tube and Bar based?
Central Tube and Bar is headquartered in Conway, United States, in the North America region.
How does Central Tube and Bar make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Metal Processing Services are the primary driver. The others are material Sales.
Does Central Tube and Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Central Tube and Bar.
What industry is Central Tube and Bar in?
Central Tube and Bar's product category is Precision Metal Fabrication Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAKABAI, Pipe & Tube Manufacturing (Seamless & Welded OCTG/Line Pipe/Structural Tube). Its NAICS code is 332996 and its SIC code is 3317.