James Cox & Sons

What James Cox & Sons does

James Cox & Sons, Inc. is a privately held US manufacturer of materials testing equipment for asphalt, concrete, and soil, headquartered in Colfax, California. The company designs and fabricates a comprehensive portfolio of testing systems including Superpave equipment (gyratory compactors, Rolling Thin Film Ovens, Bending Beam Rheometers, Pressure Aging Vessels), Balanced Mix Design equipment (Hamburg Wheel Trackers, Balanced Mix Frame 9500, Texas Overlay Testers), universal testing machines (UTM Versa Pro, servo-pneumatic, servo-hydraulic), wheel trackers, compaction and sample preparation tools, and aggregate and bitumen laboratory instruments. Its products are powered by a proprietary cDAC digital controller and DIMENSION universal test software, which together form an integrated control, data acquisition, and reporting stack used across the product line.

The company serves three primary customer verticals: academic and research institutions (including UC Berkeley, NCAT, Penn State, Texas Tech, and the Asphalt Institute), state Departments of Transportation, and commercial testing laboratories. Its equipment conforms to AASHTO, ASTM, EN, and California specifications, with the Rolling Thin Film Oven, invented by founder James Cox, having become the basis for current industry standards. James Cox & Sons was acquired by UK-based Cooper Research Technology in 2013 and now operates as the US subsidiary of that combined business, sharing academic research partnerships, distribution channels, and product development.

Revenue is generated through one-time hardware sales of capital equipment, supplemented by recurring service and calibration revenue (including ISO 17025 accredited calibration and Premium Care maintenance contracts), software licensing, and cDAC retrofit upgrades for competitor machines. Go-to-market combines direct sales from the California headquarters to domestic institutional and government buyers with an international distributor network that the company actively recruits to expand globally. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, reflecting the engineered, specification-driven nature of the equipment sales.

Name

James Cox & Sons

Legal name

James Cox & Sons, Inc.

Website

https://jamescoxandsons.com/

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

James Cox & Sons designs and manufactures materials testing equipment for asphalt, concrete, and soil, serving academic research institutions, state Departments of Transportation, and commercial testing laboratories with proprietary cDAC-controlled systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Materials Testing Equipment

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards) (HLAGAIAL)

Keywords

• Materials testing equipment
• Asphalt testing systems
• Superpave equipment
• Pavement testing machines
• Universal material testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Colfax

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Testing Equipment Sales: Sale of materials testing equipment including Superpave equipment, Hamburg wheel trackers, universal testing machines, and related products. Equipment is sold as capital goods with one-time purchase pricing.
2. Service, Calibration & Upgrades: Annual calibration services, preventive maintenance (Premium Care contracts), remote support, and equipment upgrades including cDAC retrofit services for competitor machines
3. Software Licenses: DIMENSION software licensing with right to use on one system, software warranty and updates

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

James Cox & Sons designs, manufactures, and sells materials testing equipment for asphalt, concrete, and soil testing. The equipment spans Superpave preparation (gyratory compactors, rolling thin film ovens, bending beam rheometers, vacuum degassing ovens, pressure aging vessels), Balanced Mix Design (Hamburg Wheel Trackers, overlay testers), Universal Material Testing systems (servo-hydraulic, servo-pneumatic, and electromechanical machines), wheel trackers, low temperature testers, and sample preparation tools. All systems are powered by proprietary cDAC digital control technology and DIMENSION test software.

Product overview

James Cox & Sons is a manufacturer of materials testing equipment for asphalt, concrete, and soil testing applications. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of testing equipment organized into product categories including Superpave Equipment (gyratory compactors, rolling thin film ovens, bending beam rheometers, vacuum degassing ovens, pressure aging vessels), Balanced Mix Design equipment (Hamburg Wheel Trackers, Balanced Mix Frame 9500, Texas Overlay Testers), Hveem Equipment (kneading compactors, moisture exudation indicators), Universal Material Testing systems (UTM Versa Pro, servo-pneumatic and servo-hydraulic machines), Bending Beam Testing equipment, Data Acquisition systems (cDAC controller and DIMENSION software), Low Temperature Testing systems, Wheel Tracking equipment, Asphalt Compaction equipment, Sample Preparation tools, Bitumen Laboratory Testing equipment, and Aggregate Testing equipment. The products are powered by proprietary cDAC digital control technology and DIMENSION universal test software, with the UTM Versa Pro representing their latest universal testing platform featuring eMotion Technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Superpave Gyratory Compactor Automatic gyratory compactor for preparing asphalt specimens meeting ASTM, SHRP, AASHTO and EN Standards with Ethernet and USB connections; used by highway materials labs and research institutions.
• Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) Industry-standard oven invented and manufactured by James Cox & Sons for measuring heat and air effects on asphalt binder samples, with double-walled construction and PID temperature control meeting AASHTO, ASTM, and EN standards.
• Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR3) Complete BBR system with built-in touch-screen computer for flexural tests on asphalt binder per ASTM D6648, AASHTO T313, and BS EN 14771.
• Vacuum Degassing Oven (CS-VDO) Stainless steel vacuum degassing oven for degassing PAV-aged binder materials, meeting AASHTO R28 and ASTM D6521 standards.
• Pressure Aging Vessel (CS-PAV1) Next-generation pressure aging vessel using heated pressurized air to simulate long-term oxidative aging of asphalt binders.
• Hamburg Wheel Tracker Fully stainless steel wheel tracking test equipment for evaluating resistance to rutting and moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixtures; performance verified in NCHRP 219 and meets AASHTO T324 2019 standards.
• Balanced Mix Frame 9500 Rugged testing frame capable of performing SCB AASHTO (I-FIT), SCB ASTM, IDEAL-CT ASTM, Tack Bond Shear AASHTO, Marshall and TSR tests.
• Tx Pro Texas Overlay Tester State-of-the-art overlay tester with eMotion Technology electromechanical actuator and Peltier temperature control for determining cracking in asphalt mixtures.
• Kneading Compactor (CS-1000) Compactor designed for Hveem mix design method to produce specimens simulating field roller compaction for soil and hot-mix testing.
• Electronic Moisture Exudation Indicators Equipment for determining R-Value method of water exudation pressure from compacted soil specimens, available with manual and automatic indicator packages.
• UTM Versa Pro Universal testing machine combining best features of pneumatic, hydraulic, and modified AMPTs with eMotion Technology and cDAC control system for asphalt, concrete, and unbound materials testing.
• Servo-Pneumatic Universal Testing Machine Universal testing system for asphalt and unbound materials using high precision servo-pneumatic valve and sophisticated data acquisition.
• Servo-Hydraulic Universal Testing Machine Servo-hydraulic universal testing machine with Star servo valve and programmable temperature cabinet for pavement materials testing.
• Stand Alone Four Point Bending Beam Machine Low-cost pneumatic four point bending machine for fatigue and stiffness modulus tests meeting AASHTO and ASTM standards.
• Two Point Trapezoidal Bending Beam Machine Machine for stiffness modulus and fatigue resistance testing on trapezoidal specimens meeting EN12697 standards.
• Large Hydraulic Four Point Bending Machine Servo-hydraulic four point bending machine accepting variable beam sizes for fatigue and stiffness testing.
• cDAC Controller & Data Acquisition System Next-generation class-leading digital controller with up to 32-channel data acquisition and 8-axis control for materials testing equipment; features Atmel processor, 24-bit resolution, up to 5kHz scan rate, TEDS plug-and-play transducer support, Ethernet and USB connectivity.
• DIMENSION Universal Test Software Flagship universal test software for configuring test setups, running tests, and generating reports with predefined and custom test routines, profile builder, real-time data display, waveform generation, and automated reporting.
• Asphalt Pavement Thermal Testing System (APTTS) Multi-purpose low temperature testing system meeting AASHTO TP10 TSRST standards for thermal stress resistance specimen testing.
• Asphalt Binder Cracking Device (ABCD) Device for direct measurement of low-temperature thermal cracking in asphalt binders without elaborate calculations; patent license held by James Cox & Sons following transfer from EZ Asphalt Technology.
• Dry Wheel Tracker (1 & 2 Arms) Wheel tracking equipment for testing materials under traffic loads meeting EN 12697-22 small device standards.
• Auto Lift Arm ECO Wheel Tracker Energy-efficient wheel tracker with automated lift arm mechanism that can double daily testing throughput.
• Hydraulic Standard Roller Compactor Roller compactor producing asphalt slabs with properties simulating highway materials, meeting ASTM D04-WK34713 and EN 12697-33.
• Core and Beam Saws Precision sawing systems for fast accurate cutting of beams and cores for asphalt testing applications.
• Vialit Cohesion Pendulum Testing device for analyzing cohesion of bitumen in road construction, meeting EN 13588, EN 13808 and EN 15322.
• Indentation Testing Machine Equipment for determining resistance to penetration of road and mastic asphalt, meeting EN12697-20 standards.
• Pendulum Skid Resistance Tester High quality skid resistance testing equipment for laboratory and in situ road surface testing meeting ASTM, BS, EN and AZ/NZS standards.
• Dual Action Sieve Shaker Robust sieve shaker with vertical rapping action and horizontal motion for aggregate testing.
• Service, Calibration & Upgrades Annual calibration services (ISO 17025 accredited), preventive maintenance under Premium Care contracts, remote support, and cDAC retrofit upgrades for competitor machines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Precision temperature control to ±0.5°C with recirculating water bath
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Cooper Research TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company based in the UK. James Cox & Sons was acquired by Cooper Research Technology, combining over 50 years of experience in asphalt testing technology. Both companies share academic research partnerships and focus on innovation, quality, and customer-oriented solutions.
• British Standards Institute (BSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertified partner helping James Cox & Sons achieve ISO 9001:2015 recognition. BSI has led the development of standards for over 100 years.
• University of California Berkeley (UCB)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected by UCB to design and manufacture the prototype shear testing system for the federal Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP). Original testing system still in use at Richmond Field Station. Ongoing research collaboration.
• Nottingham University (NTEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partnership with Nottingham Transportation Engineering Center (NTEC) for asphalt testing technology development.
• EZ Asphalt TechnologyflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerDr. Sang-Soo Kim, founder of EZ Asphalt Technology and inventor of the Asphalt Binder Cracking Device (ABCD), transferred all ABCD production and sales worldwide to James Cox & Sons & Cooper Research Technology. James Cox & Sons now holds the patent license for ABCD production.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cooper Research Technology: UK-based parent company and direct counterpart in asphalt and unbound materials testing equipment. Operates the most overlapping product lines with James Cox & Sons, including UTM, servo-pneumatic, and Hamburg-style wheel tracking systems.
• Humboldt Mfg. Co. Manufacturer of materials testing equipment for asphalt, concrete, and soil, with a comparable product catalog (gyratory compactors, marshal testers, load frames) sold to DOTs, universities, and commercial labs in North America.
• Gilson Company: Distributor and manufacturer of materials testing equipment, sieves, and sieving/shaking equipment. Competes directly in aggregate, asphalt, and concrete testing categories served by James Cox & Sons.
• Matest: Italian manufacturer of testing equipment for asphalt, concrete, cement, aggregates, and soil. Overlaps in Superpave-style, Marshall, and wheel-tracking equipment and sells into similar DOT and lab customers globally.
• Controls Group: Italian manufacturer of construction materials testing equipment with a comparable range of compression machines, gyratory compactors, and asphalt/bitumen testing systems serving international DOTs and labs.
• ELE International: Long-established manufacturer of concrete, cement, aggregate, and soils testing equipment. Comparable catalog and similar customer base in commercial labs and government infrastructure projects.

Emerging players

• Troxler Electronic Laboratories: Manufacturer of nuclear and non-nuclear gauges for asphalt and soil density/moisture measurement. Adjacent competitor in pavement materials testing, particularly for QC applications at DOTs and contractors.
• InstroTek (CoreLok): Provider of asphalt, concrete, and soil testing equipment including the CoreLok asphalt binder content device. Competes in overlapping pavement materials testing categories and sells to similar DOT/lab customers.
• Pavement Technology, Inc. Specialist in pavement and asphalt testing services and equipment, including the Asphalt Pavement Analyzer and related wheel-tracking products. Directly comparable in Hamburg-style wheel tracking testing.

Regional players

• Test Quip: Manufacturer and distributor of construction materials testing equipment with regional presence in North America and other markets. Comparable in compression machines and asphalt/concrete testing instruments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jamescoxsons
• Facebookfacebook.com/jamescoxandsons
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/james-cox-&-sons-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 James Cox & Sons