Kobelco Material Copper Tube

What Kobelco Material Copper Tube does

KMCT Corporation (株式会社KMCT), formerly Kobelco Material Copper Tube Co., Ltd., is a Japanese manufacturer of seamless copper and copper alloy tubes, operating as a consolidated subsidiary of Mitsubishi Materials Corporation. The company produces tubes for air conditioning and refrigeration, water supply and plumbing, medical gas piping, and broader industrial applications, and holds proprietary technology around fire-resistant copper tubes (Cupro-Therm CTX, via Furukawa Techno Material licensing) and trademark arrangements with Wieland-Werke. Manufacturing is conducted across an integrated four-plant network comprising the Hatano Plant and Moji Plant in Japan and KMCT Thailand and Sambo Piping Thailand in Thailand, supported by a domestic R&D Center at Hatano.

KMCT reorganized its corporate structure in 2022-2023, merging with M-Cap No. 7 in July 2022 and Moji Metal Products in November 2022, while liquidating its Malaysian subsidiary KMCT(M) in June 2023 and adopting the new KMCT corporate name and logo in April 2022. JIS certification was re-obtained in January 2020 following a 2017 revocation, restoring full qualification for regulated Japanese applications. KMCT Thailand operations have earned CSR-DIW and Green Industry Awards from the Thai government, indicating recognized operational and environmental stewardship.

The company sells primarily to HVAC and refrigeration OEMs, construction and plumbing contractors, and industrial gas piping customers through a Japanese domestic field sales organization, with Thailand production serving ASEAN and export markets. KMCT's business model is a standard B2B industrial metals model: it converts refined copper cathode into specification-grade seamless tubes, earning mill conversion margins on volume sold under contracts that typically pass through copper price movements. Mitsubishi Materials group backing provides raw material supply security and group-wide consolidation tailwinds, while the four-plant footprint and CTX fire-rated product line represent the company's primary points of differentiation.

Name

Kobelco Material Copper Tube

Legal name

株式会社KMCT

Website

https://kmct.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

KMCT Corporation is a Mitsubishi Materials subsidiary that manufactures seamless copper and copper alloy tubes for HVAC, refrigeration, construction, and medical gas customers across four plants in Japan and Thailand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Copper Tube Manufacturing

NAICS

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)

akta.pro primary industry

Pipes & Tubing (Metal, Plastic & Composite) (IMADALAC)

Keywords

• Copper tube manufacturing
• Seamless copper tubes
• HVAC tubing
• Refrigeration copper pipes
• Industrial copper products

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Copper and Copper Alloy Tube Sales: KMCT manufactures and sells seamless copper and copper alloy tubes for air conditioning, refrigeration, construction water supply, and industrial applications through direct sales to manufacturers and construction companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

KMCT Corporation manufactures and sells seamless copper and copper alloy tubes for air conditioning, refrigeration, construction water supply, industrial, and medical gas applications. The product portfolio includes smooth bore tubes, inner-grooved tubes for heat transfer enhancement, outer-finned and insulated tubes, copper alloy tubes, capillary tubes, and proprietary Cupro-Therm CTX dual-layer tubes with fireproof compartment penetration certification. Production is conducted through a 4-plant global supply network in Japan and Thailand.

Product overview

KMCT Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer specializing in copper and copper alloy tubes for industrial applications. The product portfolio centers on seamless copper tubes as the core product line, with specialized variants including inner-grooved tubes for enhanced heat transfer, insulated and dual-layer tubes (Cupro-Therm CTX) for thermal efficiency, and various coated tubes for corrosion protection. The company offers standard smooth bore tubes for air conditioning, refrigeration, and water supply alongside specialty products like medical gas tubes, control tubes for remote operation, and capillary tubes for refrigerant flow control. Production is conducted through a four-plant global supply network spanning Japan (Hatano Plant, Moji Plant) and Thailand (KMCT Thailand), with the R&D Center at Hatano focused on developing corrosion-resistant alloys and next-generation designs for HVAC, EV battery thermal management, and sustainable construction applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smooth Bore Tubes (平滑管) Standard seamless copper tubes for general piping applications including air conditioning, refrigeration, and water supply systems. Available in various sizes and temper grades (O, 1/2H, H) for different pressure and flexibility requirements.
• Air Conditioning & Refrigerating Tubes High-reliability copper tubes designed specifically for HVAC and refrigeration systems, with strict quality control for dimensional accuracy and performance under pressure.
• Architectural & Water Supply Copper Tubes (建築用・給水給湯用銅管) Copper tubes for building construction and water supply applications including hot water systems, sprinklers, and solar systems. Compliant with Japan Water Works Association standards.
• Inner-Grooved Tubes (内面溝付管) Copper tubes with internal grooves designed to enhance heat transfer efficiency in air conditioning and refrigeration evaporators and condensers.
• Outer-Finned Tubes (外面被覆銅管) Copper tubes with external fins or protective coating for improved thermal performance or corrosion resistance in various piping applications.
• ThermEco F Kerosene Piping Tubes (サーモエコーF) Phosphorus deoxidized copper tubes with thermal insulation coating for kerosene and fuel piping applications. Designed for outdoor to indoor piping systems with excellent corrosion resistance.
• Water Supply Insulated Copper Tubes (給水・給湯用被覆銅管) Copper tubes with polyethylene coating for hot and cold water supply, featuring thermal insulation properties, corrosion resistance, and easy installation (JP type available in 3/8" to 3/4" sizes).
• Cupro-Therm CTX Dual-Layer Copper Tubes (キュプロサーモCTX®) Next-generation dual-layer piping combining copper tube advantages with plastic tube workability. Features thin-walled inner copper tube for hand-bending flexibility and easy joint connections. Fireproof compartment penetration certification obtained.
• Control Tubes (コントロール銅管) Vinyl-sheathed copper tubes used for remote pressure-operated control systems in various facilities and devices. Available in sizes from 6mm to 12mm outer diameter with maximum lengths up to 1000m.
• Copper Alloy Tubes (銅合金管) Specialty copper alloy tubes for applications requiring enhanced strength, corrosion resistance, or specific thermal/electrical properties beyond standard copper.
• Medical Gas Tubes (医療用銅管) High-purity copper tubes designed for medical gas distribution systems in healthcare facilities, meeting strict quality and cleanliness standards.
• Flat Tubes & Square Pipes (平角管·角パイプ) Flat and square-shaped copper tubes for applications requiring specific cross-sectional geometries, commonly used in heat exchangers and specialized installations.
• High-fin Tubes (ハイフィン管) Copper tubes with external fins for enhanced heat transfer in applications such as condensers and heat exchangers.
• Capillary Tubes (キャピラリーチューブ) Small-diameter copper tubes used as metering devices in refrigeration and air conditioning systems to control refrigerant flow.
• Integrated Capillary Tubes (ICチューブ) Prefabricated capillary tube assemblies for refrigeration applications, offering precise metering in a ready-to-install format.
• Fabricated Piping Parts (配管加工品) Custom-fabricated copper tube assemblies and pipe fittings for specific installation requirements, providing complete piping solutions.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Furukawa Techno Material Co., Ltd. (株式会社古河テクノマテリアル)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFurukawa Techno Material Co., Ltd. Fire Prevention Products Division manufactures the Cupro-Therm CTX dual-layer copper tubes under license. CUPROTHERM® and CTX® are registered trademarks of WIELAND-WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Wieland-Werke: German-headquartered global leader in semi-finished copper and copper alloy products, including seamless tubes for HVAC, refrigeration, and plumbing. Wieland is the licensor of KMCT's Cupro-Therm CTX product, making it both a technology partner and a significantly larger direct competitor across overlapping product lines and geographies.
• Proterial (formerly Hitachi Metals): Japanese specialty materials manufacturer with copper alloy and tube products used in HVAC, automotive, and industrial applications. Comparable to KMCT in copper alloy tube manufacturing capability, but with a much broader portfolio and global scale.
• Kobe Steel: Major Japanese steel and aluminum manufacturer historically tied to KMCT through executive lineage and 'Kobelco' branding. While not a direct copper tube competitor, Kobe Steel's broader metals processing footprint and historic relationship with KMCT (former executives on KMCT board) makes it a strategic comparable.

Direct peers

• Mueller Industries: US-based manufacturer of copper, brass, aluminum, and plastic products, with copper tube manufacturing as a core business serving plumbing, HVAC, and industrial markets. Comparable to KMCT in core product (seamless copper tube) and end-customers (OEMs and plumbing/HVAC distributors), though at meaningfully larger scale and broader geography.
• KME Group: European manufacturer of copper and copper alloy semi-finished products, including seamless copper tubes for HVAC, plumbing, and industrial applications. Directly competes with KMCT in copper tube product categories and serves overlapping industrial OEMs and construction markets.
• Cerro Flow Products: US-based manufacturer of copper tube and fittings for plumbing, HVAC, and refrigeration markets. Directly comparable to KMCT in core product (seamless copper water tube, refrigerant tube, ACR tube) and customer base (HVAC OEMs and plumbing wholesalers).
• ElvalHalcor (Halcor): Greek copper tube manufacturer with European production footprint serving HVAC, plumbing, and industrial heat exchanger markets. Directly comparable product portfolio (inner-grooved, coated, and insulated copper tubes) and end-customer focus on OEMs and construction.

Regional players

• Furukawa Electric: Japanese manufacturer of copper and optical fiber products with overlapping copper tube and processed copper product offerings for HVAC, electronics, and industrial markets. Closest large Japanese competitor to KMCT in copper processing, and a corporate cousin through the broader Japanese copper industry.

Others

• Sambo Piping (Thailand): Thailand-based copper and piping products manufacturer and KMCT's joint venture partner. Included as a comparable given overlapping product offerings in copper tubes and piping products for HVAC and plumbing in Southeast Asia.

Emerging players

• Mueller Industries - Streamline (Asia operations): Asian-region operations of major copper tube makers serving Southeast Asian HVAC and plumbing markets overlap directly with KMCT Thailand's positioning. These regional competitors pressure KMCT's ASEAN growth and pricing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 Kobelco Material Copper Tube