A place where people, partnership, and products thrive

That's what we set out to build in 2007, and it's still the idea. We're a close-knit team of engineers and designers just outside Knoxville, Tennessee, turning good ideas into real things.

The APTUS DesignWorks shop floor in Alcoa, bright and open, with prototypes in progress

Built for engineers to do great work, together

Our average time at APTUS is more than ten years. Why? We love working together, and we think you will too. We value competence and creativity, help each other out, and make time to have fun, because balance matters.

Three APTUS engineers working together on a robot in the shop

The appropriate solution

APTUS is Latin for “appropriate.” Every customer is different, so we shape our approach to fit. A few things never change.

  • We show up for our customers, sometimes even in the company plane.
  • We bring our customers along for the journey, learning and building together.
  • We're straightforward. Honesty always leads to better results.
  • We connect with our customers as people. Strong relationships are the foundation of great work.
Two APTUS team members in the cockpit of the company plane, heading to a customer

The people you'll work with

Engineers, designers, and builders who like solving problems together.

combined design & engineering experience
259 years
average experience
18 years
average tenure at APTUS
11 years
Portrait of Aaron Carroll

Aaron Carroll

Principal Engineer

Education
Mechanical Engineering, Tennessee Technological University
Credentials
P.E. (TN)
Experience
22 years
At APTUS since
2008
Portrait of Jerome Tester

Jerome Tester

Mechanical Designer

Education
Mechanical Engineering, North Carolina State University
Experience
25 years
At APTUS since
2011
Portrait of Josh Cook

Josh Cook

Mechanical Designer

Education
Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University
Experience
19 years
At APTUS since
2013
Portrait of Kris Hall

Kris Hall

VP of Operations & Mechanical Designer

Education
Mechanical Engineering, Tennessee Technological University
Experience
20 years
At APTUS since
2009
Portrait of Kristo Kukk

Kristo Kukk

Mechanical Designer

Education
Mechanical Engineering, University of Tennessee
Experience
11 years
At APTUS since
2017
Portrait of Maia Judd

Maia Judd

Mechanical Designer

Education
Mechanical Engineering, North Carolina State University
Experience
2 years
At APTUS since
2024

Our workshop

Our workshop in Alcoa, a few minutes from Knoxville's airport, is where our team and customers come together to build and test ideas. We’re growing, too. Another 1,700 square feet is on the way, with a bigger lab, more shop space, and a second conference room.

  • 2,200 sq ft office and conference space
  • Prototyping and measurement lab
  • 1,500 sq ft shop for assembly and product testing
  • 3,000 sq ft secure storage for large equipment
The APTUS DesignWorks workshop at 253 Aluminum Ave in Alcoa, Tennessee, on a sunny day

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Come see the workshop

Local or remote, we'd love to hear what you're working on.