K-Tube Technologies
K-Tube Technologies, founded in 1974 and based in Poway, California, is the largest US producer of miniature stainless steel and titanium tubing. The Cook Group subsidiary manufactures stock and custom precision tubing for medical, aerospace, industrial, and energy customers using proprietary laser welding processes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersPoway, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What K-Tube Technologies does
K-Tube Technologies, founded in 1974 by Brian Baldwin and Herb Karlinski and headquartered at 13400 Kirkham Way, Poway, California, is a privately held subsidiary of Cook Group Incorporated and operates as the largest producer of miniature stainless steel tubing in the United States. The company manufactures precision stainless steel and titanium tubing via laser welding and tube drawing processes, including proprietary Homogeneous Tubing (HT) and K-Form Sunk Tubing technologies, with dimensional tolerances as tight as plus/minus 0.0005 inches and internal surface finishes below 20 microinches RMS. Its catalog spans 4,602 active unique part numbers with annual capacity exceeding 100 million feet; in 2024 the company produced 49,615,602 feet of tubing. The company is vertically integrated at its single Poway facility, handling alloy selection, dimensional forming, secondary processes (cutting, ultrasonic cleaning, cleanroom-coordinated finishing), and supply chain management for customers.
K-Tube serves four primary end-markets: medical device manufacturers (catheters, biopsy devices, surgical instruments, dental devices, implants, guidewires, and surgical robotics), aerospace and defense (heat exchangers, fuel and hydraulic lines, satellite and missile guidance components), industrial manufacturing (pipeline weld bridges, mandrels, analytical instruments, electrical crimp tubing), and energy/telecom via its Fiber in Metal Tube (FIMT) product (steel-encapsulated fiber optics for downhole, subsea, seismic, and telecom applications). All manufacturing occurs domestically in Poway under ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications, with FDA registration, DFARS-qualifying raw material sourcing, EU MDR, RoHS2, REACH, GDPR, and SSAE/SOC1 compliance supporting qualification into regulated end-markets.
Revenue is generated through three complementary motions: (1) one-time stock/catalog tubing sales through the K-Tube Direct online storefront with same-day shipping on 150+ SKUs and volume-tier pricing starting from roughly $3.05 per unit; (2) quote-based custom tubing manufacturing with custom alloy selection, dimensional customization, and typical 6-10 week lead times; and (3) collaborative R&D and prototyping services through the K-Tube Discover Program that pairs customer engineers with K-Tube metallurgists from concept to production. Distribution combines the owned e-commerce channel, in-house regional sales representatives across US geographies, and contracted channel partners (MER-Europe, LifeTech Solutions, MedicalMetals, Ewald Villar Business Development) covering Europe, the US Midwest, US Northeast, and Latin America, with Asia served via direct sales email.
K-Tube Technologies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- K-Tube Technologies
- Legal name
- K-Tube Technologies
- Website
- https://k-tube.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- K-Tube Technologies, founded in 1974 and based in Poway, California, is the largest US producer of miniature stainless steel and titanium tubing. The Cook Group subsidiary manufactures stock and custom precision tubing for medical, aerospace, industrial, and energy customers using proprietary laser welding processes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
K-Tube Technologies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Precision Tubing Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Iron and Steel Pipe and Tube Manufacturing from Purchased Steel (33121), Fabricated Pipe and Pipe Fitting Manufacturing (332996)
- SIC
- Steel Pipe & Tubes (3317)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pipe & Tube Manufacturing (Seamless & Welded OCTG/Line Pipe/Structural Tube) (IMAKABAI)
Keywords
Where K-Tube Technologies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Poway
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
K-Tube Technologies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Standard/Stock Tubing Sales: Direct sales of stock miniature stainless steel and titanium tubing from inventory. Over 150 parts available for immediate delivery via online store or sales representatives. Ships same day for orders before noon Central time.
- Custom Tubing Manufacturing: Engineered-to-spec custom tubing with alloy selection, dimensional customization, and specialized processing. Includes secondary processes like cutting, cleaning, and supply chain management services.
- Fiber in Metal Tube (FIMT): Specialized steel-encapsulated fiber optic tubing for harsh industrial and research environments including downhole, subsea, seismic, and telecom applications.
- K-Tube Discover Program: Collaborative R&D and prototyping program providing early-stage engineering support, material exploration, and prototype development for custom tubing solutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Stock tubing with volume-based pricing |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom tubing and Discover program |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
K-Tube Technologies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
K-Tube Technologies manufactures precision miniature stainless steel and titanium tubing, offering both stock catalog products (135+ SKUs available via online store with same-day shipping) and custom engineered-to-spec tubing with tight tolerances and specialized alloys. The company serves medical device, aerospace, industrial, and energy/telecom OEMs with proprietary processes such as Homogeneous Tubing (HT) and K-Form Sunk Tubing, complemented by Fiber in Metal Tube (FIMT) products and secondary finishing services. All manufacturing is performed in-house at the Poway, California facility.
Product overview
K-Tube Technologies is a precision stainless steel and titanium tubing manufacturer offering a portfolio of standard stock tubing, custom tubing solutions, and specialized products. The core offering consists of Standard Tubing available through the K-Tube Direct online store for immediate fulfillment, complemented by Custom Tubing for tailored specifications including alloy selection, dimensional precision, and technical solutions. Secondary Processes add value through cutting, cleaning, and supply chain management services. The K-Tube Discover program provides collaborative prototyping support, while Fiber in Metal Tube (FIMT) addresses specialized fiber optic protection needs. All products are manufactured in-house at the Poway, California facility with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- K-Tube Discover: A collaborative design and prototyping program that connects engineers directly with K-Tube engineers to design, test, and refine custom tubing solutions from concept to production.
- K-Tube Direct
Products and services
- Standard Tubing
Quantifiable outcome
- 49,615,602 feet of tubing produced in 2024
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use K-Tube Technologies
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
K-Tube Technologies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
K-Tube Technologies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MER-EuropecoreMER-Europe represents K-Tube across Europe providing sales and technical support for medical and industrial customers. Tim Noppert and Wendy Steenbergen offer quick responses and practical advice to help engineers choose the right tubing for their projects.
- LifeTech Solutions (Jeff Johnson)coreJeff Johnson is a mechanical engineer with more than 27 years of experience in the medical device industry. He supports customers ranging from startups to large corporations in the US Midwest region, helping them move ideas from concept to production.
- MedicalMetals (Rich Gordon)coreRich Gordon represents K-Tube in the US Northeast region with expertise in hypotubing, wire forming, and alloy components for medical and industrial products.
- Ewald Villar Business Development (Ricardo Ewald)coreRicardo Ewald has worked with the K-Tube team since 2018 helping customers throughout Latin America. Ricardo brings a personal, bilingual approach and makes sure communication and results are always clear and efficient.
- Trusted External Cleanroom SpecialistsminorFor designs requiring sterile or high-purity preparation, K-Tube partners with trusted external cleanroom specialists. K-Tube manages the entire outsourced cleaning process so customers receive one consolidated shipment with full traceability and consistent documentation.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
K-Tube Technologies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Minitubes: Minitubes is a France-based manufacturer of miniature precision stainless steel and titanium tubing for medical, aerospace, and industrial applications. Directly comparable to K-Tube in product category, dimensional capability (micro-scale tubing), and customer mix (medical device OEMs, aerospace).
- Accu-Tube Corporation: Accu-Tube is a US-based manufacturer of stainless steel and high-alloy tubing for medical, aerospace, and industrial markets. Closely comparable product range, including hypotubing for medical devices, and overlapping customer base to K-Tube.
- Eagle Stainless Tube & Manufacturing: Eagle Stainless manufactures stainless steel tubing, hypodermic tubing, and fabricated tubular components for medical, aerospace, and industrial OEMs. Comparable in metal-tubing core, precision focus, and serving medical/aerospace channels alongside K-Tube.
- MicroGroup (MicroLumen): MicroGroup specializes in small-diameter stainless steel and high-alloy tubing and medical device subassemblies. Comparable product (small-bore stainless hypodermic tubing) and similar medical/OEM customer overlap with K-Tube.
- Plymouth Tube Company: Plymouth Tube is a US manufacturer of stainless, nickel, and titanium tubing serving aerospace, industrial, and energy markets. Comparable in alloy breadth and serves overlapping downstream industries to K-Tube, though with broader product portfolio.
- Vita Needle Company: Vita Needle manufactures precision stainless steel tubing and needle components for medical, industrial, and specialty applications. Directly comparable in mini-tube manufacturing, custom cutoff, and serving medical device OEM channels alongside K-Tube.
- Putnam Precision Products: Putnam Precision produces close-tolerance thin-wall stainless steel tubing for medical devices, aerospace, and instrumentation. Comparable in tight-tolerance miniature stainless offering and medical-device OEM customer overlap with K-Tube.
Broad incumbents
- Superior Tube Company (Amega West): Superior Tube is a long-established US manufacturer of small-diameter stainless steel, nickel alloy, and titanium tubing with broader industrial reach than K-Tube. Comparable core process (welded/precision stainless tubing) and overlaps in aerospace and medical end markets.
- Sandvik Materials Technology: Sandvik is a large global specialty alloy and stainless steel tubing producer serving aerospace, medical, and industrial sectors. Comparable in alloy breadth and material science depth to K-Tube, though operating at significantly broader scale across many product lines.
- Carpenter Technology Corporation: Carpenter Technology produces specialty alloys including stainless, titanium, and cobalt-chrome products for medical, aerospace, and energy markets. Comparable in materials capability that overlaps with K-Tube's medical alloy offering (MP35N, Elgiloy).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
K-Tube Technologies social profiles
Digital presenceK-Tube Technologies compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
K-Tube Technologies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
K-Tube Technologies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
K-Tube Technologies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
K-Tube Technologies 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 K-Tube Technologies
What does K-Tube Technologies do?
K-Tube Technologies manufactures precision miniature stainless steel and titanium tubing, offering both stock catalog products (135+ SKUs available via online store with same-day shipping) and custom engineered-to-spec tubing with tight tolerances and specialized alloys. The company serves medical device, aerospace, industrial, and energy/telecom OEMs with proprietary processes such as Homogeneous Tubing (HT) and K-Form Sunk Tubing, complemented by Fiber in Metal Tube (FIMT) products and secondary finishing services. All manufacturing is performed in-house at the Poway, California facility.
Is K-Tube Technologies a public or private company?
K-Tube Technologies is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was K-Tube Technologies founded?
K-Tube Technologies was founded in 1974. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is K-Tube Technologies based?
K-Tube Technologies is headquartered in Poway, United States, in the North America region.
How does K-Tube Technologies make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Standard/Stock Tubing Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Tubing Manufacturing, fiber in Metal Tube (FIMT) and K-Tube Discover Program.
Who are K-Tube Technologies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Minitubes, Accu-Tube Corporation, Eagle Stainless Tube & Manufacturing, MicroGroup (MicroLumen), Plymouth Tube Company, Vita Needle Company and Putnam Precision Products. Broad incumbents are Superior Tube Company (Amega West), Sandvik Materials Technology and Carpenter Technology Corporation.
Does K-Tube Technologies have an API?
No public API is recorded for K-Tube Technologies.
What industry is K-Tube Technologies in?
K-Tube Technologies's product category is Precision Tubing Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAKABAI, Pipe & Tube Manufacturing (Seamless & Welded OCTG/Line Pipe/Structural Tube). Its NAICS code is 33121 and its SIC code is 3317.