SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY

Industrial Metal Coatingssub-one.com

ArmorLube LLC, operating under Sub One Technology, is a Tucson-based DLC coating services and equipment provider serving firearms, defense, and industrial manufacturers via patented Hollow Cathode PECVD technology.

Company typePrivate
Founded2013
HeadquartersPleasanton, United States
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2B
OfferingServices

What SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY does

ArmorLube LLC (operating under the Sub One Technology / ArmorLube corporate umbrella) is a privately held, Tucson, Arizona-based provider of Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating services and equipment, founded in 2013. The company applies a proprietary 3D DLC coating through a patented Hollow Cathode plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process to substrates including carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, Inconel, titanium alloys, nickel alloys, and silicon carbide, delivering permanent dry lubrication that replaces conventional liquid lubricants in wear-critical components. Its second platform, the Emperion deposition system, pairs the same Hollow Cathode platform with DualArmor™ technology to coat parts inside and out and is offered as a saleable capital asset in addition to the toll-coating service.

The company serves a concentrated set of enterprise customers primarily in firearms and defense — Beretta, Staccato, Rock Island Armory, Kimber Manufacturing, SCORE, and Velocity — and is selectively extending into industrial accounts such as Hux and NP-Corp. Service requires a Federal Firearms License for firearm components, signaling a regulated, B2B-only posture. Distribution is direct to end manufacturers, with a consultative enterprise sales motion, free consultation offers, and quote-based pricing.

The business model combines two streams: (i) custom DLC coating services billed per part or lot on a pay-as-you-go basis, and (ii) sale of the Emperion deposition system as capital equipment. Marketing is conducted through the company website, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn/YouTube, with lead capture via consultation request forms. The company is founder/owner-operated with no disclosed institutional investors beyond historic rounds (2004-2013) led by Advanced Technology Ventures, Chevron Technology Ventures, and ITI Energy, and operates with 11-50 employees.

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY firmographics

Firmographics

Name: SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY
Legal name: ArmorLube LLC
Website: https://sub-one.com
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2013
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: ArmorLube LLC, operating under Sub One Technology, is a Tucson-based DLC coating services and equipment provider serving firearms, defense, and industrial manufacturers via patented Hollow Cathode PECVD technology.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY industry classification

Industry

Product category: Industrial Metal Coatings
NAICS: Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551), Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities (33281)
SIC: Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851), Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)
akta.pro primary industry: Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB)
akta.pro secondary industry: Application Equipment & Coating Services (Contract Coating, Surface Prep) (IMAEAGAL)

Keywords

DLC coating services
Industrial metal coatings
PECVD coating technology
Diamond-like carbon coatings
Hard coating equipment

Where SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Pleasanton
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

Metal Coating Services: ArmorLube provides coating services for end manufacturers, applying DLC coatings to metal components. The company coats various substrates including carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, Inconel, titanium alloys, nickel alloys, and silicon carbide. Services are provided to firearm manufacturers, defense contractors, and industrial clients.
Emperion Deposition System: Sale of the Emperion deposition system to customers for internal coating operations. The system enables rapid application of hard coatings with faster deposition speeds.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Custom Coating Services - Quote-based pricing

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Sub-One Technology, operating under the ArmorLube brand, provides industrial metal coating services using proprietary 3D DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating technology applied via Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) with patented Hollow Cathode technology. The company coats customer-supplied metal components (firearm parts, defense, and industrial components) and sells the Emperion deposition system that enables simultaneous internal and external hard coating using proprietary DualArmor technology.

Product overview

ArmorLube LLC provides high-performance ultra-hard metal coating services using proprietary DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating technology. The company operates two core offerings: the ArmorLube 3D DLC coating technology, which applies permanent dry lubricating coatings via patented Hollow Cathode technology and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and The Emperion, a deposition system that rapidly applies hard coatings with DualArmor technology. The technology can coat various substrates including carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, Inconel, titanium alloys, nickel alloys, and silicon carbide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

Emperion: A cutting-edge deposition system designed to rapidly apply high-quality, eco-friendly hard coatings to metals with proprietary DualArmor™ technology.

Products and services

ArmorLube 3D DLC Coating Technology An industrial metal coating service that applies a permanent, dry-lubricating Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating to customer-supplied metal components using patented Hollow Cathode technology and a Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) process. The service targets firearms, defense, and industrial end manufacturers and is offered on multiple substrate types including carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, Inconel, titanium alloys, nickel alloys, and silicon carbide.
The Emperion Deposition System A cutting-edge deposition system sold to manufacturers for in-house coating operations. It rapidly applies high-quality, eco-friendly hard coatings to metals with superior hardness, corrosion, and erosion resistance, achieving thicker layers due to faster deposition speeds. Features proprietary DualArmor technology that enables efficient coating of parts inside and out simultaneously.

Companies that use SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY

Customer profile

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

Phygen Coatings: Provider of physical vapor deposition and DLC coating services for firearms, automotive, and industrial customers. Closely mirrors Sub-One's firearm/defense customer mix and coating technology stack.
Calico Coatings: Specialty DLC and PVD coating service provider serving aerospace, defense, medical, and firearms. Directly comparable as a toll-coating peer applying diamond-like carbon coatings to metal components for similar end markets.
Techmetals: U.S. metal finishing and DLC coating services provider for aerospace, defense, firearms, and industrial markets. Closely comparable in service model, substrate range, and end-market exposure.
BryCoat: Specialty PVD and DLC coating service company offering corrosion- and wear-resistant coatings to industrial and firearms customers. Comparable as a direct niche toll-coating peer.

Emerging players

Kermetico: Provider of HVOF, plasma, and DLC coating services and equipment for industrial and aerospace wear protection. Comparable as a coating services/equipment peer in adjacent hard-coating technologies.
Sp3 Diamond Technologies: Developer of diamond and DLC coating equipment and services targeting industrial and semiconductor applications. Comparable as an emerging player with overlapping DLC deposition technology.

Broad incumbents

HEF Group: French-headquartered surface engineering specialist offering DLC, PVD, and tribology coatings globally. Comparable as a broad incumbent providing similar coating services across aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors.
Oerlikon Balzers: World-leading PVD/CVD coating services and equipment supplier under Oerlikon. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose Balzers and DLC product lines overlap with Sub-One's industrial and protective coating applications.
Ionbond: Global incumbent in PVD, PACVD, and DLC coatings serving automotive, aerospace, and industrial tooling. Comparable as a large-scale competitor with broader geographic reach and a wider coating portfolio.

Regional players

Wallwork Heat Treatment: UK-based heat treatment and PVD/DLC coating service provider serving aerospace and defense. Comparable as a regional toll-coating peer with overlapping technology and customer verticals.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY

What does SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY do?

Is SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY a public or private company?

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.

When was SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY founded?

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY based?

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY is headquartered in Pleasanton, United States, in the North America region.

How does SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY make money?

Two revenue lines are on record. Metal Coating Services are the primary driver. The others are emperion Deposition System.

Who are SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Phygen Coatings, Calico Coatings, Techmetals and BryCoat. Emerging players are Kermetico and Sp3 Diamond Technologies. Broad incumbents are HEF Group, Oerlikon Balzers and Ionbond. Wallwork Heat Treatment is listed as a regional player.

Does SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY have an API?

No public API is recorded for SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY.

What industry is SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY in?

SUB ONE TECHNOLOGY's product category is Industrial Metal Coatings. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAGAB, Industrial & Protective Coatings, with a secondary code of IMAEAGAL, Application Equipment & Coating Services (Contract Coating, Surface Prep). Its NAICS code is 32551 and its SIC code is 2851.