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VRC Metal Systems

HardwareBox Elder, South Dakota, United StatesFounded 2013· One of 1708 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse

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
Active
Total Funding
$13M
Latest Round
Grant
Key Investors
U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Government, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Navy, Louisiana Economic Development

Technology & Products

Key Products

GEN IV High-Pressure Cold Spray System, C.A.M.P. Site™ System, portable dust collectors, automated additive and subtractive systems, turnkey cold spray integrated installations, helium recovery systems.

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

Impact Innovations, ASB Industries, Flame Spray Technologies BV.

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. Air Force, U.S. Department of Defense, Lockheed Martin.

https://vrcmetalsystems.com

Why this company matters

VRC Metal Systems occupies a distinctive position in the cold spray additive manufacturing market as the only OEM offering hand-held, high-pressure portable systems. Developed in collaboration with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, its technology enables solid-state supersonic particle deposition that creates metallurgical bonds 2-10 times stronger than low-pressure cold spray while eliminating heat-affected zones. This allows repairs to be performed directly on mission-critical components without disassembly or thermal distortion.

The company's core product line includes the GEN IV High-Pressure Cold Spray System, the C.A.M.P. Site System, and the Dragonfly man-portable unit. These systems accelerate fine metal powders to supersonic speeds without melting, enabling deposition of materials such as Inconel 718 and Ti-6Al-4V onto damaged parts. VRC also provides helium recovery systems and turnkey integrated installations, reducing repair timelines from months to days for assets like aircraft components and naval equipment.

VRC's primary customers include aerospace MRO providers, military and defense organizations, and maritime operators. Named customers include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Department of Defense, and Lockheed Martin. The company has deployed a Brolga trailerized system at Fleet Readiness Center East for naval aircraft maintenance and established pop-up production cells near maritime ports for the U.S. Navy. A $1.56M investment from Louisiana Economic Development in 2025 supports a maintenance facility at Barksdale Air Force Base.

The company's strategic moat rests on its patented hand-held cold spray technology and modular Dragonfly design, which competitors such as Impact Innovations and ASB Industries have not replicated in a field-portable form factor. However, VRC faces risk from larger thermal spray equipment makers expanding into cold spray and from the capital-intensive nature of scaling production for defense contracts. Its four-time Inc. 5000 recognition and estimated $14-15M revenue suggest steady growth, but the company remains dependent on government and prime contractor relationships for sustained revenue.