VBN Components
Produces 3D-printed wear and heat-resistant metal components (Vibenite® materials) with extreme hardness up to 75.5 HRC using patented Electron Beam Melting; enables complex geometries impossible with traditional machining.
- CEO / Founder
- Magnus Bergman
- Team Size
- 11-50
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $7.45M
- Latest Round
- Venture Round
- Key Investors
- Energimyndigheten; Almi Invest; Vinnova; EIT RawMaterials; Paab
Technology & Products
Key Products
Vibenite® 290 (world's hardest commercially available steel, up to 75.5 HRC hardness); Vibenite® 480 (3D-printed cemented carbide with superior toughness and heat resistance vs. traditional cemented carbide); Vibenite® 350 (stainless alloy combining hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance); Vibenite® 150 (general-purpose hard alloy for dies and punches); Custom Vibenite® materials for application-specific wear resistance; License solutions (manufacturing rights for customers to produce Vibenite® in-house); On-demand 3D printing service (near-net-shape components per customer CAD drawings); Engineering and pre-study services for wear-resistant component optimization
Technological Advantage
Patented EBM process + proprietary alloy compositions create defensible moat; high-carbide-content AM capability is unmatched (verified through patent battle win vs. Uddeholms). Technology enables complex geometry + hardness combination impossible with traditional machining, reducing lead time from 18+ weeks to weeks and enabling design optimization (cooling channels, weight reduction). Wear-life improvement (2x gear hob lifespan, 50% better die performance documented) justifies premium pricing and locks in customer switching costs.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Reduces component wear-related failures and production costs (30–40% documented savings on gear hobs; punches/dies achieve ~50% better performance vs. traditional PM steel) by enabling 3D-printed ultra-hard alloys in complex shapes with integrated cooling channels and topology optimization—eliminates expensive machining and improves part lifetime.
How They Differentiate
Only company 3D-printing metals with carbide content and hardness levels matching Vibenite® 290/480; documented 2x gear hob lifespan and 30–40% production cost savings vs. traditional PM steel; unique cemented carbide formulation via AM (Vibenite® 480). License model enables customers to produce in-house, expanding reach beyond VBN's printing capacity. Patented process defensibility demonstrated through patent litigation win.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Industrial manufacturers needing wear-resistant components in aerospace, automotive, energy, food processing, and tool production
Industry Verticals
Aerospace; Automotive; Energy (oil & gas, industrial equipment); Food processing and confectionery (cutting/processing equipment); Tooling and tool manufacturing; Heavy industrial machinery; Injection molding (plastic tools and molds)
Competitors
Uddeholms AB (Swedish tool steel/wear-resistant materials competitor; patent disputed with VBN); GE Additive / GE Research (metal AM materials and systems); Carpenter Technology (specialty alloys for industrial applications); Other EBM system providers (Arcam, now GE Additive; Electron Beam Melting equipment competition)
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Revenue $5M–$10M (as of data collection date); Team 11–20 employees; Completed fully-subscribed funding round (spring, year unspecified); Expanded manufacturing capacity and moving to larger premises to support workforce growth and production equipment investment.
Major Milestones
Founded: 2008; Patent victory vs. Uddeholms AB: 2019; SKAPA Development Award (Swedish invention prize): 2019; German innovation award for materials development: 2019; Vibenite® 480 launch (3D-printed cemented carbide): ~2017–2018; HTL Co. Japan Ltd. distribution partnership: December 2020; Vibenite® 350 launch (stainless alloy): 2022 (supported by Swedish Energy Agency); CEO appointment (Magnus Bergman): September 2022; Fully-subscribed funding round completed: Spring (2022 or later, year not specified)
Notable Customers
SKF (bearing/machinery OEM, multi-year partnership); ORKLA Confectionery & Snacks (food industry component production); Unnamed global engineering group (major series-production agreement for AM-HSS™ manufacturing); Undisclosed exclusive-license customer (niche high-strength components, confidential); HTL Co. Japan Ltd. (distributor, implying Japanese industrial customer base)