J.A. King
Cross Precision Measurement (formerly J.A. King), a division of ESOP-owned Cross Company, provides calibration, inspection, and precision measurement services through 24 A2LA-accredited labs across the U.S. Southeast and Midwest, serving aerospace, manufacturing, life sciences, and process industries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1939
- HeadquartersWhitsett, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What J.A. King does
J.A. King, now operating as Cross Precision Measurement, is the precision measurement, calibration, and inspection services division of Cross Company, a 100% employee-owned industrial group headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina (ESOP established 1979, fully vested 2006). The division traces its lineage to a 1939 founding by Jim King, grandfather of the current CEO, and today operates 24 A2LA-accredited calibration laboratories plus embedded customer facilities across the Southeast and Midwest United States. Its core technology stack spans dimensional metrology, force and materials testing, torque, pressure, electronic, weight/scale calibration, and inspection services (first article, PPAP, roundness, surface roughness), supported by its own GageSuite cloud-based calibration management software and authorized-distributor relationships with 19+ premium brands including Mitutoyo, Mettler Toledo, LK Metrology, Kreon, OGP, Rockwell Automation, ABB, and Universal Robots.
The company generates revenue through three primary streams: professional services (onsite and laboratory calibration, inspection, and embedded calibration contracts), hardware sales via strategic brand partnerships, and managed services (embedded calibration at customer sites). Pricing is quote-based on multi-year contracts with no public disclosure. Go-to-market is field-sales led, with regional sales engineers and service technicians positioned as an extension of customer engineering departments, complemented by inside sales, the ShopCross e-commerce storefront, and content/webinar marketing. The customer base spans aerospace & defense, manufacturing, chemical/process industries, life sciences, mobile equipment, food & beverage, and energy — with named customers including CMS Cepcor.
Within the broader Cross Company, which operates five business groups and has executed 26 acquisitions since 1954, the precision measurement division has continued its organic expansion, most recently opening a new calibration laboratory in Lynchburg, Virginia in 2025 and relocating the Tulsa lab to a larger facility. Self-described as one of the top five and fastest-growing independent calibration service and repair companies in North America, the division combines legacy brand equity (since 1939), ESOP-driven employee retention, and broad partner-distributed product depth as its primary differentiators in a fragmented regional services market.
J.A. King firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- J.A. King
- Legal name
- Cross Company
- Website
- https://jaking.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1939
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Cross Precision Measurement (formerly J.A. King), a division of ESOP-owned Cross Company, provides calibration, inspection, and precision measurement services through 24 A2LA-accredited labs across the U.S. Southeast and Midwest, serving aerospace, manufacturing, life sciences, and process industries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
J.A. King industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Calibration and Inspection Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (81121), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)
- SIC
- Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services) (IMAGAFAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Metrology & Scanning Services (Inspection Labs, On-Site Measurement) (IMAAAHAJ), Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards) (HLAGAIAL)
Keywords
Where J.A. King is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Whitsett
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices29 records
Markets served
J.A. King business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Calibration Services: Onsite calibration and laboratory calibration services covering dimensional, pressure, weight and scale, force, electronic, torque, and inspection equipment calibration.
- Precision Measurement Equipment: Sale of metrology equipment including dimensional metrology, force and materials testing, torque equipment, industrial scales through strategic brand partnerships.
- Inspection Services: Product inspection and equipment validation services including first article inspection, onsite dimensional inspection, PPAP submissions, process capability analysis, roundness measurement, and surface roughness measurement.
- Embedded Calibration Services: Calibration services embedded at customer facilities for ongoing equipment maintenance and compliance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Professional calibration and inspection services - quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
J.A. King product offering
Product offeringCore offering
J.A. King (now operating as Cross Precision Measurement, a division of Cross Company) provides industrial calibration, precision measurement, and part inspection services across the U.S. Southeast and Midwest. The company delivers onsite and laboratory calibration for dimensional, pressure, weight/scale, force, electronic, and torque equipment, along with inspection services such as first article inspection and PPAP submissions. It also distributes metrology equipment from brand partners including Mitutoyo, Mettler Toledo, LK Metrology, Mahr, and Kreon.
Product overview
Cross Precision Measurement (formerly J.A. King) offers a portfolio of precision measurement services and products focused on calibration and inspection. The core product offering includes GageSuite, a cloud-based calibration management system. The company provides calibration services (onsite and in-facility), inspection services, and distributes precision measurement equipment from brand partners including LK Metrology, Mahr, Mettler Toledo, OGP, Ohaus, Rice Lake, Kreon, Mitutoyo, RX Solutions, Mark-10, and Inspection Arsenal. The company serves industries including aerospace, chemical, consumer products, energy, food and beverage, life sciences, and motorized vehicles across the Southeast and Midwest regions of North America.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GageSuite: Award-winning cloud-based calibration management system.
Products and services
- Calibration Services
- Inspection Services
- Embedded Calibration Services
- GageSuite
- Precision Measurement Equipment
Quantifiable outcome
- Top 5 independent calibration service provider in North America
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use J.A. King
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
J.A. King technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
J.A. King partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- LK MetrologycoreStrategic partnership for coordinate measuring machines (CMM) including ALTERA series CMMs for production floor applications. Provider of precision metrology equipment for dimensional measurement.
- MahrcorePartnership for precision metrology equipment including calipers, micrometers, and other dimensional measurement tools.
- Mettler ToledocoreAuthorized dealer for precision weighing equipment, load cells, and industrial scales including IND360 with MultiACM for tank load cell upgrades.
- OGP (Optical Gaging Products)corePartnership for SmartScope multisensor measurement systems and optical inspection equipment.
- OhauscorePartnership for precision balances including Explorer series, centrifuges, and weighing solutions with Troemner calibration standards.
- Rice LakecorePartnership for industrial scales, crane scales, and dimensioning systems including parcel and pallet dimensioner solutions.
- KreoncorePartnership for 3D scanning technology including Ace+ measuring arms, Skyline Eyes 3D scanners, and PolyWorks metrology software integration.
- MitutoyocorePartnership for hardness testers including HR-530 series and comprehensive precision measurement instruments.
- RX SolutionscorePartnership for computed tomography (CT) scanning systems enabling non-destructive testing and precise component measurement.
- Mark-10corePartnership for force and material testing equipment including F Series force gauges for testing applications.
- Inspection ArsenalcorePartnership for inspection fixturing solutions to optimize inspection processes and proper part positioning.
- Universal RobotscorePartnership for collaborative robotics for automation applications including machine tending and material handling.
- OmroncorePartnership for industrial automation including machine control, sensors, and safety equipment.
- Parker HannifincoreHose and fittings distribution partnership for hydraulic components and fluid handling products.
- Rockwell AutomationcorePartnership for process control systems, automation components, and industrial control solutions.
- ABBcorePartnership for process automation, instrumentation, and industrial control solutions.
- DanfosscorePartnership for mobile hydraulics, electrification components, and power transmission solutions for mobile equipment.
- ValmetcorePartnership for process valves including Neles, Jamesbury, Flowrox, and Stonel valve brands for process control.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
J.A. King competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mitutoyo: World-leading manufacturer of precision dimensional metrology instruments; a J.A. King distribution partner whose direct service initiatives could disintermediate J.A. King over time.
- Mettler Toledo: Global precision instruments manufacturer for weighing, analytical, and industrial solutions; both a J.A. King strategic distribution partner and a potential OEM-direct competitor as it expands its own service network.
- MSC Industrial Supply: Large US industrial MRO and metrology distributor serving metalworking customers; competes with J.A. King on the equipment distribution side and increasingly on calibration services through its MSC Industrial Services offerings.
- Keysight Technologies: Global leader in electronic test and measurement instrumentation; competes with J.A. King in electronic calibration and provides the underlying instruments that flow through J.A. King's calibration workflows.
- Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) major serving industrial clients with calibration-adjacent services including asset integrity, inspection, and laboratory testing; represents the largest-scale TIC competitor.
Direct peers
- Transcat: Public US provider of calibration services and test & measurement instrument distribution, serving regulated industries with onsite and laboratory calibration; the closest publicly traded analog to J.A. King's services-plus-distribution hybrid model.
- Trescal: Global independent calibration services provider with a broad multi-country lab footprint and A2LA/ISO 17025 accredited coverage; directly comparable as a pure-play calibration services competitor pursuing inorganic growth.
- Fox Valley Metrology: US independent accredited calibration and dimensional metrology services provider serving Midwest manufacturers; competes head-to-head in J.A. King's core geography and service categories.
- Simco Electronics: US-based independent calibration and repair services provider focused on life sciences, medical device, and high-technology manufacturers; comparable regional calibration services peer with similar vertical mix.
- Transcat (Canadian operation via Distribution): Beyond US services, Transcat also distributes test & measurement instruments in North America, mirroring J.A. King's hybrid of calibration services plus OEM distribution of metrology brands.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
J.A. King social profiles
Digital presenceJ.A. King compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
J.A. King financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
J.A. King leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
J.A. King subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
J.A. King funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
J.A. King 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 J.A. King
What does J.A. King do?
J.A. King (now operating as Cross Precision Measurement, a division of Cross Company) provides industrial calibration, precision measurement, and part inspection services across the U.S. Southeast and Midwest. The company delivers onsite and laboratory calibration for dimensional, pressure, weight/scale, force, electronic, and torque equipment, along with inspection services such as first article inspection and PPAP submissions. It also distributes metrology equipment from brand partners including Mitutoyo, Mettler Toledo, LK Metrology, Mahr, and Kreon.
Is J.A. King a public or private company?
J.A. King is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was J.A. King founded?
J.A. King was founded in 1939. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is J.A. King based?
J.A. King is headquartered in Whitsett, United States, in the North America region.
How does J.A. King make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Calibration Services are the primary driver. The others are precision Measurement Equipment, inspection Services and embedded Calibration Services.
Who are J.A. King's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mitutoyo, Mettler Toledo, MSC Industrial Supply, Keysight Technologies and Bureau Veritas. Direct peers are Transcat, Trescal, Fox Valley Metrology, Simco Electronics and Transcat (Canadian operation via Distribution).
Does J.A. King have an API?
No public API is recorded for J.A. King.
What industry is J.A. King in?
J.A. King's product category is Industrial Calibration and Inspection Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAFAH, Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services), with a secondary code of IMAAAHAJ, Metrology & Scanning Services (Inspection Labs, On-Site Measurement). Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 3825.