What Dura-Bar does

Dura-Bar (legal entity Charter Dura-Bar, Inc.) is the world's largest producer of continuous cast iron bar stock and the only manufacturer of this product category in North America, operating since 1961 out of a single facility in Woodstock, Illinois. The company's core technology is a proprietary continuous casting process that pulls molten iron horizontally through a water-cooled graphite die, producing fine-grained, dense gray and ductile iron bar stock free from shrinkage, gas holes, and sand inclusions. Product lines include ductile iron (grades including 65-45-12, 80-55-06, SSDI, and 100-70-03), gray iron (G2, G2P, G2S, GX), Dura-Tube (tube products via trepan or continuous cast), and Dura-Bar XL (permanent mold round ingots up to 26" diameter), complemented by value-added services such as centerless grinding, milling, trepanning, and engineering support.

Dura-Bar generates revenue primarily through direct sales and a network of over 100 authorized distributors spanning the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China, selling bar stock and tubes in over 500 in-stock shapes and sizes under quote-based unit pricing with monthly raw material surcharges tied to steel scrap and pig iron markets. End markets include fluid power, oil and gas, transportation, machinery, steel mill, and automotive, where the product is positioned as a cost-saving alternative to low-medium carbon steel, offering up to 40% total part cost reduction, 2-3x tool life extension, and 6,500 psi pressure rating. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Charter Manufacturing Company following a 2012 acquisition, and added distribution depth in 2017 with the acquisition of Lokey Metals in Fort Worth, Texas.

Name

Dura-Bar

Legal name

Charter Dura-Bar, Inc.

Website

https://dura-bar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dura-Bar is the world's largest producer of continuous cast gray and ductile iron bar stock, the only such manufacturer in North America, selling ductile and gray iron bars, tubes, and large ingots through distributors and direct sales to fluid power, oil and gas, and industrial machinery customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Continuous cast iron bar stock

NAICS

Primary Metal Manufacturing (331)

SIC

Steel Works, Blast Furnaces & Rolling & Finishing Mills (3310)

akta.pro primary industry

Long Products Manufacturing (Rebar, Wire Rod, Merchant Bar, Sections/Beams) (IMAKABAH)

Keywords

• Continuous cast iron
• Ductile iron bar stock
• Gray iron bar stock
• Iron machining services
• Precision ground bar

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodstock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Continuous Cast Iron Bar Stock Sales: Dura-Bar manufactures and sells continuous cast iron bar stock in various grades (ductile and gray iron). Revenue is generated through direct sales to customers and through a network of over 100 distributors. Products are sold in various shapes including rounds, rectangles, squares, and tubes. The company also offers value-added services including centerless grinding, centerless turning, milling, and trepanning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Dura-Bar manufactures and sells continuous cast iron bar stock in ductile and gray iron grades, supplied as rounds, rectangles, squares, and tubes, in over 500 in-stock sizes. The company also offers value-added services including centerless grinding, centerless turning, milling, trepanning, and engineering consultation. Revenue is generated through direct sales and through a network of more than 100 authorized distributors across North America and China.

Product overview

Dura-Bar is the world's largest producer of continuous cast iron bar stock, offering a comprehensive portfolio of iron products and precision machining services. The core product line consists of ductile iron (grades 60-40-18, 65-45-12, 65-45-12X, 80-55-06, 80-55-06X, SSDI, 100-70-03) and gray iron (grades G2, G2P, G2S, GX) bars in rounds, rectangles, squares, and tubes. Extended product lines include Dura-Tube (tube products via trepan process) and Dura-Bar XL (permanent mold ingots up to 26" diameter). Supporting services encompass centerless grinding, centerless turning, milling, trepanning, and engineering support. The company positions its products as steel and casting alternatives for fluid power, oil and gas, transportation, machinery, and power transmission applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dura-Tube: Portfolio of tube offerings produced either through continuous cast or trepan processes, available in various sizes and grades.
• Dura-Bar XL
• SSDI (Solution Strengthened Ductile Iron)

Products and services

• Ductile Iron Bar Stock Continuous cast ductile iron bar stock in grades 60-40-18, 65-45-12, 65-45-12X, 80-55-06, 80-55-06X, SSDI, and 100-70-03, supplied as rounds, rectangles, and squares. Positioned as a cost-saving alternative to low-medium carbon steels for manufacturers of fluid power, oil and gas, automotive, and machinery components.
• Gray Iron Bar Stock Continuous cast gray iron bar stock in grades G2, G2P, G2S, and GX, supplied as rounds, rectangles, and squares. Pearlitic or semi-pearlitic irons with Type A graphite providing machinability, wear resistance, and vibration damping for machinery, automotive, and power transmission components.
• Dura-Tube Suite of tube products produced using the trepan process from continuous cast bar stock. Available in various outside diameters, inside diameters, wall thicknesses, lengths, and grades. Sold as an alternative to centrifugal and static castings for oil and gas, transportation, and power transmission applications.
• Dura-Bar XL Line of permanent mold round ingots expanding Dura-Bar rounds size range up to 26 inch diameter, available in ductile iron grades 65-45-12 and 80-55-06 and gray iron grade G2. All grades conform to ASTM specifications and are proof-turned for machining surface.
• Centerless Grinding and Turning Service Precision centerless grinding (0.625 inch to 6.000 inch finished diameter, tolerances as tight as +/- 0.010 inch) and centerless turning (1.000 inch to 5.100 inch finished diameter, O.D. tolerance 0.003 inch to 0.008 inch) for demanding-tolerance applications on Dura-Bar iron bar stock.
• Milling Service Cold finished milling services for rectangular and square bars, including duplex milling (2 or 4 sides, up to 6.250 inch x 6.250 inch as-cast) and planer milling (1-4 sides, 4.500 inch x 4.500 inch to 25.000 inch x 25.000 inch as-cast), eliminating rough milling operations and improving surface finishes.
• Trepanning Service Trepanning service producing precise tubes from round bar stock, with many standard sizes available from stock and custom sizes available on request. Speeds machining by providing tubes ready for use rather than requiring hole boring operations.
• Engineering Service Professional engineering support including metallurgical consultation, machining specialist assistance, Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP), technical support, and identification of new applications, focused on lowering the total cost of the customer's final product.

Quantifiable outcome

• Total part cost reduction up to 40%
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• Charter Manufacturing CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharter Manufacturing Company acquired Wells Manufacturing Company and Dura-Bar in 2012. Charter Manufacturing operates under the philosophy of environmental management derived from core values and commitment to quality.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Reliance Steel & Aluminum: Largest metals service center company in North America, distributing steel, aluminum, and other metal products to manufacturers. While Reliance is a competing distribution channel rather than a direct iron producer, it represents an alternative supply path for the same machined component customers that Dura-Bar serves.
• Alro Steel: Major metals distributor and processor with 70+ locations across the United States. Alro is both a Dura-Bar distributor and a competing channel for alternative metal products, representing an overlapping go-to-market relationship.
• Olympic Steel: Metal service center specializing in steel and aluminum flat-rolled products, plate, and metal processing. While primarily a flat-rolled distributor, Olympic Steel competes in adjacent metal distribution channels serving the same industrial customer base as Dura-Bar's distributors.
• Ryerson Holding Corporation: Value-added metals distributor and processor serving industrial customers across North America. Ryerson competes indirectly with Dura-Bar's distributor channel by offering steel bar and other metal products to similar fluid power, machinery, and transportation customers.
• EMJ (Earle M. Jorgensen Company): Metals distributor and processor serving industrial customers with steel, aluminum, and specialty metal products. EMJ is a listed Dura-Bar distributor while also providing competing steel bar products to the same industrial customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Waupaca Foundry: One of the largest iron foundries in North America, producing ductile and gray iron castings for automotive, industrial, and machinery applications. Waupaca is a broad alternative source of machined iron components, serving overlapping end-markets to Dura-Bar (automotive, machinery, transportation) using sand casting rather than continuous casting.
• Nucor Corporation: Largest steel producer in the United States and a primary alternative material supplier for the bar stock market. Nucor's steel bar products compete head-to-head with Dura-Bar's iron bar stock in fluid power, automotive, and machinery applications, making it the key materials alternative benchmark.
• Grede Holdings: Major North American producer of ductile iron, gray iron, and steel castings for transportation, industrial, and construction markets. Grede competes with Dura-Bar for machined iron applications, primarily through sand casting processes serving similar fluid power and machinery customers.
• Steel Dynamics: Major U.S. steel producer with significant merchant bar and structural steel offerings. Steel Dynamics is a competing material supplier whose steel bars compete with Dura-Bar's continuous cast iron in machined component applications across industrial end-markets.

Regional players

• Scot Industries: Manufacturer of centrifugally cast iron and steel tubing, pipes, and cylinders serving fluid power, hydraulic, and oil & gas markets. Scot Industries overlaps with Dura-Bar's Dura-Tube product line in cylinder sleeves and hydraulic applications, particularly in North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DuraBar
• Facebookfacebook.com/chartermanufacturing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charter-manufacturing

Compliance3 records

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 Dura-Bar