VRC Metal Systems
A veteran-owned global leader in high-pressure cold spray equipment and advanced manufacturing solutions that uses supersonic particle deposition to restore, protect, and rebuild mission-critical metal components without heat, distortion, or costly replacements.
- CEO / Founder
- Rob Hrabe
- Team Size
- 51-200
- Stage
- Growth Stage
- Total Funding
- $6.11M
- Latest Round
- Venture Round
- Key Investors
- Louisiana Economic Development, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Navy, PPP Program
Technology & Products
Key Products
["GEN III™ High-Pressure Cold Spray System","GEN IV™ High-Pressure Cold Spray System (with 23kW applicator heater and dual powder feeders)","VRC Raptor™ Cold Spray System (rugged and portable)","Dragonfly™ Cold Spray System (man-portable, modular high-pressure system)","Brolga Series Trailerized Systems (Brolga-002, Brolga-003 - expeditionary mobile systems)","C.A.M.P. Site™ System (fully integrated mobile unit)","Vark™ Portable Dust Collector","Automated Additive & Subtractive Systems with robotic integration","Custom automation solutions and turnkey integrated installations"]
Technological Advantage
Solid-state supersonic particle deposition technology that accelerates fine metal powders to supersonic speeds without melting, creating metallurgical bonds 2-10 times stronger than low-pressure cold spray while eliminating heat-affected zones that damage base materials. Offers complete deployment flexibility from stationary industrial systems (GEN IV) to man-portable field units (Dragonfly), reducing repair timelines from months to days for critical assets.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Delivers heat-free metal repair and additive manufacturing that eliminates heat-affected zones, significantly reduces downtime, extends component lifecycles, and provides field-deployable solutions for in-place repairs with structural strength and high deposition efficiency
How They Differentiate
VRC Metal Systems differentiates as the only OEM offering hand-held, high-pressure portable cold spray systems with patent-pending technology developed in partnership with U.S. Army Research Laboratory. Unlike competitors who focus primarily on large stationary systems or thermal spray equipment, VRC's unique value proposition combines portability, expeditionary deployment capability, and modular design (Dragonfly) enabling field repairs where traditional systems cannot operate, while maintaining lab-quality metallurgical bonds that are 2-10 times stronger than low-pressure alternatives.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Aerospace MRO providers, military and defense organizations, maritime industry, energy sector (oil & gas, power generation), heavy equipment operators, automotive manufacturers, liquid handling systems providers, and university research institutions
Industry Verticals
["Aerospace & Aviation","Military & Defense","Maritime & Naval","Energy (Oil & Gas, Power Generation)","Heavy Equipment & Construction","Automotive","Liquid Handling Systems","Academic & Research Institutions"]
Competitors
SPEE3D; Titomic; Oerlikon Metco
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Four-time Inc. 5000 honoree (2019, 2020, 2024, 2025), with estimated annual revenue of $14-15M and 51-200 employees. Grew from ~$2M in 2017 to ~$15M by 2025, achieving 1,059% three-year growth rate.
Major Milestones
["Founded 2013 by Rob Hrabe and Dr. Christian Widener with exclusive license to commercialize patent-pending cold spray technology","2017: Awarded $999,863 DOE SBIR grant for metal spray innovation","2019: First Inc. 5000 honoree - Ranked among America's fastest-growing private companies","2020: Second Inc. 5000 honoree - Continued recognition for exceptional growth","2021: Received Lockheed Martin Exceptional Small Business Award","2024: Received DOD Navy award of $139,914 for expeditionary airfield repair using cold spray and friction stir processing","2025: Announced $1.56M investment in Louisiana for Barksdale Air Force Base maintenance facility"]
Notable Customers
U.S. Navy; U.S. Air Force (Barksdale AFB, B-52 aircraft); U.S. Army Research Laboratory; Lockheed Martin; Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE); Phillips Federal