What 10X Engineered Materials does

10X Engineered Materials, LLC is a Wabash, Indiana-based clean-technology manufacturer founded in 2018 that produces patented "superoxalloy" abrasives for industrial surface preparation. The abrasives are engineered alloys of oxide minerals produced through controlled tempering of recycled mineral wool insulation byproducts, yielding non-crystalline particles that resist fracturing under high-speed mechanical impact. The company sells three product grades — DynamiX (heavy duty, 3.5–4.5+ mil profile), KinetiX (high production, 2.0–4.0+ mil profile), and EpiX (precision grades LP, MP, EP at 0.5–3.0 mil profile) — covering everything from ultra-fine finishes on softer metals to thick-coating removal on heavy industrial substrates.

The company serves industrial, military/defense, aerospace, automotive, firearms, marine/shipyard, bridge, pipeline, rail, water tower, agriculture, and heavy equipment end-markets, with named reference customers including the US Navy (USS Texas case study), Cerakote-approved firearms coaters, and major shipyards. Distribution is hybrid: direct e-commerce (10xem.com) with auto-ship subscriptions offering 10–42% discounts, plus an authorized distributor network for regional/local pickup, and a direct enterprise/government sales lane for truckload and custom orders. Pricing is unit-based at $56 per 50lb bag for most SKUs and $120 per 50lb bag for EpiX LP.

Commercially, 10X monetizes one-time abrasive product sales, accessory/merchandise revenue (pressure gauge kits, apparel), and custom enterprise contracts. Its core differentiation rests on a regulatory/safety moat — claimed as the only abrasive with an IARC Group 3 biosoluble classification, meaning it is not classifiable as a human carcinogen — combined with its patented manufacturing process and a 2025-launched AI support tool (Spark.DT, co-developed with TeamAI) that provides real-time technical guidance to blasters. The company is privately held, founder-led (Stephen Ricci as CEO/CTO, Jacob Vaillancourt as CMO/COO/co-founder), with 11–50 employees and a single disclosed $1.2M funding round from November 2019.

Name

10X Engineered Materials

Legal name

10X Engineered Materials, LLC

Website

https://10xem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

10X Engineered Materials is a Wabash, Indiana manufacturer of patented superoxalloy abrasives made from recycled mineral wool, selling three product grades (DynamiX, KinetiX, EpiX) to industrial, military, aerospace, firearms, and infrastructure customers via e-commerce, distributors, and direct enterprise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Abrasive Blasting Media

NAICS

Abrasive Product Manufacturing (32791)

SIC

Abrasive, Asbestos & Misc Nonmetallic Mineral Prods (3290)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Polymers & Resins (Engineered Materials) (IMAEABAK)

Keywords

• Abrasive blasting media
• Superoxalloy abrasives
• Surface preparation products
• Industrial blasting materials
• Recycled abrasive media

Headquarters

HQ city

Wabash

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Abrasive Product Sales: Direct sales of superoxalloy abrasive products through e-commerce website and distributor network. Products sold in various package sizes including 50lb bags, 2000lb sacks, 4000lb sacks, and full pallets. Subscription/auto-ship programs available with discounts up to 42%.
2. Accessories and Merchandise: Sale of supporting products including Pressure Gauge Kit, apparel (hats, mugs, water bottles, travel mugs, flags) for brand merchandise revenue.
3. Enterprise and Government Contracts: Large project pricing available through direct contact for enterprise, government, and large project customers requiring custom arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

10X Engineered Materials manufactures and sells patented superoxalloy abrasive blasting media made from recycled mineral wool byproducts. The portfolio spans three product lines — DynamiX (heavy duty), KinetiX (high production), and EpiX (precision grades LP/MP/EP) — sold in bulk package sizes to industrial customers through e-commerce, distributors, and direct enterprise sales.

Product overview

10X Engineered Materials offers a portfolio of superoxalloy abrasive products for industrial blasting applications. The core product lines include: (1) EpiX precision grades (LP, EP, MP) for applications requiring ultra-fine to medium profiles, ideal for softer metals and precision work; (2) KinetiX high-production grades (20/70, 40/70) for medium-to-heavy industrial applications; and (3) DynamiX heavy-duty grade for the most challenging coatings requiring deep profiles. The company also offers supporting products including a Pressure Gauge Kit accessory and digital tools including a Product Selection Quiz and Spark.DT AI chatbot for technical guidance. All abrasives are engineered from recycled mineral wool byproducts and are biosoluble.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EpiX LP Precision grade superoxalloy abrasive with 0.5 to 1.5 mil profile depth for ultra-low profile requirements or softer metals. Replaces 150 and 180 grit aluminum oxide, steel grit, stainless steel grit, silicon carbide, and garnet.
• EpiX MP Uniform medium profile (1.0 to 2.0 mil) precision grade superoxalloy for removing powder coating, liquid coatings, paint, corrosion, rust, and extra-tough coatings, producing an SP-5 white metal finish. Replaces 80–120 grit aluminum oxide, steel grit, stainless steel grit, silicon carbide, and garnet; Cerakote-approved.
• EpiX EP Enhanced precision grade superoxalloy with 2.0 to 3.0 mil profile for extra hard or tough coatings including mill scale removal. Replaces 60 or 70-grit aluminum oxide, steel grit, stainless steel grit, silicon carbide, and garnet.
• KinetiX 20/70 High-production grade superoxalloy with 2.5 to 4.0+ mil profile for all-purpose industrial use, removing mill scale, coatings, and corrosion. Replaces 24, 30, or 36-grit aluminum oxide, steel grit, stainless steel grit, garnet, or slag abrasives.
• KinetiX 40/70 General-purpose high-production grade superoxalloy with 2.0 to 3.0+ mil profile and SP-5 finish for medium-to-thick coatings; easily removes mill scale. Replaces 46 or 54-grit aluminum oxide, steel grit, stainless steel grit, garnet, or slag abrasives.
• DynamiX Heavy-duty grade superoxalloy developing 3.5 to 4.5+ mil profile for removing thick and challenging coatings. Delivers excellent cutting power even at sub-optimal nozzle angles and longer stand-off distances; replaces aluminum oxide, garnet, stainless steel grit, and slag abrasives.
• 10X Engineered Materials Pressure Gauge Kit Oil-filled pressure gauge kit accessory for daily checks of blasting pressure, including carrying case and six needles to ensure maximum speed and efficiency in blasting operations.
• Spark.DT AI-powered chatbot tool for real-time technical guidance in abrasive blasting operations, providing instant answers on blasting techniques, equipment setup, product selection, nozzle sizing, and blast hose guidance.

Quantifiable outcome

• AI in manufacturing market projected to reach $20.8 billion by 2028
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Cerakote (NIC Industries)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025Cerakote officially tested and approved EpiX MP superoxalloy blasting media for use in their ceramic coating applications. EpiX MP demonstrated excellent performance with very clean blast profile and minimal media embedment on a wide range of materials including ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
• TeamAIcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 May 2025TeamAI and 10X Engineered Materials co-developed Spark.DT, an AI-powered knowledge delivery tool designed specifically for technical guidance and support in the abrasive blasting industry. The tool provides real-time guidance in abrasive blasting operations.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ervin Industries: Manufacturer of Amasteel steel shot and grit abrasives used in blast cleaning and shot peening; competes in the same heavy industrial surface-preparation market as 10X's DynamiX line with a long-established customer base.
• US Minerals (Black Diamond Abrasives): Largest North American producer of coal-slag blasting media under the Black Diamond brand; directly competes with 10X in the same industrial surface-preparation channel with a much larger installed customer base and broader distribution.
• Barton International: US-based garnet abrasive miner and processor serving industrial blasting, waterjet cutting, and filtration; competes head-to-head with 10X in garnet-replacement applications with deep industrial distribution.
• Opta Minerals: Major North American mineral-based abrasive producer (garnet, slags, specialty media) supplying the same shipyard, bridge, and industrial blasting customers 10X targets; comparable product portfolio for traditional abrasive categories.
• GMA Garnet Group: World's largest producer of industrial garnet abrasives with global mine-to-customer operations; directly competes for blasting-media share in shipyards, oil & gas, and infrastructure with much larger scale.
• Blastrite: South African producer of garnet and specialty mineral abrasives for industrial blasting and waterjet; overlaps with 10X in reusable, low-dust abrasive categories sought by shipyards and infrastructure applicators.

Others

• Cerakote (NIC Industries): Ceramic coating supplier that officially approved 10X's EpiX MP as a recommended blasting media; not a competitor but a key ecosystem/standards influencer in firearms and precision finishing that 10X's spec-in strategy depends on.

Broad incumbents

• 3M: Diversified industrial conglomerate with a substantial abrasive products portfolio (coated abrasives, blasting media) serving overlapping end markets; competitor at the portfolio level rather than as a dedicated superoxalloy specialist.
• Saint-Gobain: Global materials group with Norton abrasive products serving industrial finishing and blasting; broad incumbent overlapping with 10X's precision and heavy-duty use cases but not specializing in superoxalloy chemistry.

Regional players

• Marco Group International: Blasting equipment, consumables, and accessories distributor in North America with adjacent abrasive-product exposure; relevant comparable for the channel-and-supply build 10X is replicating across its distributor network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/10XEngineeredMaterials
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@10xengineeredmaterials

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 10X Engineered Materials