What Hubitools does

Hubitools S.A. is a Belgian private company (company number BE 0479.730.524) founded in 1983 and headquartered in Wavre, Belgium. It operates a dual business model combining exclusive European distribution of established international tool brands with in-house proprietary product development under its "Hubitools Design" brand, which was launched in 2016 and assembled in-house in Belgium. As a distributor, Hubitools has held long-standing exclusive European distribution partnerships with Mityvac (vacuum and pressure hand pumps, 40+ years) and Steelman (professional tools, multiple decades), and it also distributes industrial marking products such as Markal. As a manufacturer, it develops specialized tools targeting recurring technical problems in modern vehicle repair, including the Lugdriller anti-theft wheel nut removal kit (a registered trademark), the EZ Roller-Spinner Universal Wheel, the 2-in-1 Hot Air/Hot Iron Plastic Welding Station (HU31040), and the Automatic Retraction Cable (HU31029), at a sustained cadence of approximately five new products per year. The company also introduced electric/hybrid diagnostic equipment (HU31045 measurement cord kit) in 2025.

The company's product portfolio spans specialized automotive diagnostic and repair tools across categories including inspection (videoscopes, electronic stethoscopes), brakes (electronic brake bleeders 20L and 60L), engine (diesel injector and glow plug extractors, compression testers), cooling systems (pressure testers, refractometers), battery (lithium boosters, dynamic battery testers), automotive electrical circuits (multimeters, circuit testers, E85 ethanol testers), wheels and chassis (Lugdriller, EZ Roller-Spinner, suspension tools), bodywork (plastic welding stations, dent removal tools), and industrial marking. Products are unit-priced between approximately €24 and €1,499 inclusive of 21% Belgian VAT, supported by a 24-month warranty and direct in-house technical after-sales service.

Hubitools monetizes primarily through one-time unit sales via its multilingual e-commerce webstore (hubitools.com, available in French, English, German, and Spanish), with free-shipping thresholds of €120 for Benelux/France/Germany/Austria/Denmark/UK and €200 for other European destinations. A B2B direct sales motion run by a multilingual commercial team addresses resellers, distributors, and large workshop chains, complemented by a private-label and white-label service offering custom packaging, logo application, bespoke color runs, and co-branded marketing/demonstration video content. The company is ISO 9001 certified, participates in the major European automotive trade shows (Automechanika Frankfurt, Autopromotec Bologna, Motortec Madrid, Equip'Auto Paris, Autotechnica Brussels) as a core B2B acquisition channel, and serves approximately 20 European countries.

Name

Hubitools

Legal name

Hubitools s.a.

Website

https://hubitools.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hubitools S.A., founded in 1983 in Wavre, Belgium, distributes specialized automotive diagnostic and repair tools across Europe, combining exclusive distribution of international brands (Mityvac, Steelman) with its proprietary Hubitools Design R&D brand targeting professional mechanics and workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Limal

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Own Brand - Hubitools Design): Sale of proprietary tools developed in-house under the Hubitools Design brand, including the Lugdriller, plastic welding stations, videoscopes, and specialty extractors. Products are sold as one-time purchases with a 24-month warranty.
2. Product Distribution (Imported Brands): Hubitools distributes internationally branded professional tools imported from partners such as Mityvac (vacuum/pressure pumps), Steelman (professional tools), and others, reselling them across Europe. Products are also sourced and adapted for the European market.
3. Private Label / B2B Custom Branding: Hubitools offers product customization services for B2B clients, including packaging with client branding, product marking with client logos, and special color runs. Marketing materials and demo videos can also be customized with client branding. This generates revenue through customized orders and private-label arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hubitools designs, develops, and distributes specialty automotive diagnostic and repair tools for professional mechanics and workshops. The company operates a dual model: as the exclusive European distributor for international brands such as Mityvac and Steelman, and as the developer of proprietary in-house products under the Hubitools Design brand launched in 2016. Products include videoscopes, electronic stethoscopes, brake bleeders, diesel injector/glow plug extractors, battery testers, cooling system testers, multimeters, and the flagship Lugdriller® anti-theft wheel nut removal kit.

Product overview

Hubitools is an automotive and industrial tool company operating a dual business model: (1) as a distributor of major international tool brands in Europe (including Mityvac vacuum pumps for over 40 years and Steelman professional tools), and (2) as a developer of proprietary 'Hubitools Design' products since 2016. The product portfolio spans specialized diagnostic tools (videoscopes, electronic stethoscopes, multimeters, circuit testers), brake service equipment (electronic brake bleeders, brake fluid testers), engine repair tools (diesel injector/glow plug extractors, compression testers), cooling system tools (pressure testers, refractometers), battery equipment (lithium boosters, battery testers, chargers), wheel service (Lugdriller anti-theft nut removal kits, EZ Roller-Spinner), bodywork tools (plastic welding stations, debosseleurs), fluid transfer equipment, and industrial marking products. The company sells directly through their e-commerce platform to professionals in automotive repair and industrial sectors across Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hubitools Design: The company's proprietary R&D brand launched in 2016, developing innovative automotive tools such as the Lugdriller kit for removing anti-theft wheel nuts, tools for removing stuck diesel injectors, glow plugs, and other specialized diagnostic and repair tools.

Products and services

• Lugdriller® Anti-Theft Wheel Nut Removal Kit Specialized kit for removing the most difficult locking lug nuts (anti-theft wheel nuts) quickly and safely, including drill bits and specialized sockets. Designed for professional automotive technicians.
• 2-in-1 Hot Air & Hot Iron Plastic Welding Station (HU31040) Combined hot air and hot iron tool for repairing and reshaping damaged plastic automotive components. Targeted at bodywork professionals.
• EZ Roller-Spinner Universal Wheel (HU42030) Universal wheel rotation tool that allows a single technician to spin wheels during brake and suspension servicing without assistance.
• Automatic Retraction Cable (HU31029) Cable with automatic retraction mechanism for automotive electrical diagnostic applications.
• Articulated Strut Lifter (HU43025) Articulated strut lifter tool for suspension and chassis service work.
• E85 Ethanol Tester (HU35034) Specialized tester for checking ethanol content in E85 fuel, used for flex-fuel vehicle maintenance.
• Diesel Glow Plug Compression Adapter (HU35039) Compression adapter designed for diesel glow plug diagnostics.
• Sensor Simulator (HU31035) Sensor simulator for automotive electrical circuit diagnostics.
• Videoscopes and Endoscopes Professional video inspection tools including WiFi videoscopes, articulated probes, and portable camera kits for accessing and inspecting hard-to-reach areas in vehicles.
• Electronic Brake Bleeder Pro (HU11030, HU11035) Electronic brake bleeding equipment available in 20L and 60L capacities for professional brake system maintenance and fluid replacement.
• Diesel Injector and Glow Plug Extractors Specialized extractors for removing stuck diesel injectors and glow plugs, including universal extractor kits and pneumatic low-profile injector extractors with handles.
• Lithium Boosters and Battery Testers 12V/24V lithium booster packs for vehicle starting, dynamic battery testers, USB battery and electrical system testers, and battery chargers/maintainers.
• Cooling System Testers and Tools Pressure testers for cooling systems, radiator cap testers, universal cooling system test kits, cooling system filling guns, and refractometers for testing coolant condition.
• Multimeters and Circuit Testers Professional multimeters including hybrid vehicle multimeters, automotive professional multimeters, digital multimeters, pocket 3-in-1 multimeters, and wireless circuit testers.
• Electronic Stethoscopes Electronic and wireless electronic stethoscopes for detecting the origin of noises in vehicles and industrial equipment by amplifying sound vibrations.
• Industrial Marking Products Industrial markers and paint sticks including Markal Paintstik, Quik Stik markers, Dura-ink markers, and Ultrascan products for high-temperature marking on steel, plastic, glass, metal, wood, and rubber surfaces.
• Mityvac Vacuum and Pressure Hand Pumps Famous Mityvac hand pumps for pressure and vacuum applications, including multifluid transfer pumps, brake bleeding equipment, and manual pressure/depression evacuators.
• Steelman Professional Hand Tools Professional Steelman hand tools and workshop equipment distributed by Hubitools across Europe for several decades.
• Measurement Cord Kit for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles (HU31045) Specialized measurement cord kit designed for diagnostic work on electric and hybrid vehicles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average of 5 new innovative products launched per year through Hubitools Design R&D program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MityvaccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHubitools is the exclusive European distributor for Mityvac, importing and distributing their famous vacuum and pressure hand pumps to Europe for over 40 years. This is one of Hubitools' longest-standing distribution relationships.
• SteelmancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHubitools distributes the Steelman range of professional tools in Europe, a relationship that has spanned several decades. Steelman products complement Hubitools' own brand offerings.
• TNT (transportation/logistics)minorOthersHubitools uses TNT as its primary logistics and delivery carrier for shipping orders to customers across Europe. Delivery times vary by destination country (Day+1 to Day+5 depending on region).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KS Tools: German professional tool manufacturer with a deep specialty automotive aftermarket range. Directly comparable to Hubitools on focus (specialty automotive repair tools), B2B distribution model, and size tier.
• Sealey: UK-based distributor and manufacturer of professional automotive tools with extensive own-brand range and pan-European distribution. Overlapping catalog categories (brake, engine, diagnostics) and similar B2B trade-show-led go-to-market.
• Laser Tools: UK-based specialist manufacturer of automotive timing, locking, and diagnostic tools. Closest comparable in scale and product depth to Hubitools Design within the European specialty tool niche.
• Berner: European multi-category tool specialist serving automotive workshops. Overlapping product categories (battery, diagnostics, brake) and a comparable multi-country B2B distribution footprint.
• Beta Utensili (Beta Tools): Italian professional tool maker with deep automotive aftermarket coverage across Europe. Comparable combination of proprietary own-brand products and distribution relationships serving workshops.
• Stahl Tools: German specialist in automotive workshop tools. Similar mid-market positioning to Hubitools with both proprietary innovation and distributed brands across the European repair channel.
• Stahlwille: German premium hand tool and torque-tool maker with a strong automotive aftermarket presence. Comparable on own-brand product development and European B2B workshop channel, though positioned at a higher price tier than Hubitools.

Broad incumbents

• Facom: Iconic French professional tool brand, now part of Stanley Black & Decker. Historically benchmark for European automotive aftermarket tooling; broader catalog and much larger scale than Hubitools.
• Snap-on: Global leader in professional tools and diagnostics for automotive technicians. Different business model (mobile franchise) but the dominant incumbent in the same product and customer category Hubitools addresses.
• Bahco: Swedish-based hand tool and automotive tool brand owned by Snap-on. Long European automotive aftermarket heritage; larger and more diversified than Hubitools but overlapping categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3V035SxGT_gIH3XDgRyweQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/hubitools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hubitools

Compliance1 record

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 Hubitools