What Virtual Industries does

Virtual Industries, Inc. is a privately held manufacturer and direct-to-consumer retailer of manual vacuum handling solutions, headquartered at 2130 Victor Place in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and operating since 1987. The company designs and sells precision tools — vacuum tweezers, wafer handling wands, and vacuum pens — that allow operators in semiconductor, electronics assembly, optics, and solar cell manufacturing to pick, place, and manipulate delicate components without causing electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage, surface marking, or mechanical stress. Its portfolio spans four power-form-factor categories: bench-top systems (requiring an external vacuum source), battery-powered portable wands and tweezers, compressed-air-powered high-vacuum tools (STEALTH-VAC and STEALTH-WAND lines), and self-contained pen-style tools (PEN-VAC, VACULA 3, PRO SERIES PEN-VAC) that operate without hoses or batteries. The company also sells an extensive accessories ecosystem of ESD-safe hoses, vacuum cups, wafer/solar cell tips, optics-specific non-marking tips, and replacement parts across hundreds of SKUs.

The underlying technology is electromechanical and manual — there is no software, automation, or AI component. Products such as the HANDI-VAC 2 ESD and BULB-VAC ESD use squeeze-bulb vacuum generation; the STEALTH-VAC and STEALTH-WAND leverage compressed-air venturi principles for high vacuum; and the PEN-VAC and VACULA 3 are fully self-contained squeeze-pen designs. Differentiation comes from proprietary form factors, ESD-safe material selection, and a deep catalog of application-specific tips and cups (including non-marring Delrin and high-temperature Teflon variants for optics handling, and small-parts tips rated for components as small as 100 microns).

Commercially, Virtual Industries operates a direct-to-consumer model through its own e-commerce website (virtualindustries.com and virtual-ii.com), supplemented by phone and email ordering. Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly listed, the site accepts all major credit cards, and customer service operates 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Thursday (MST). No channel partners, resellers, or distributors are disclosed, and the company does not maintain social media profiles, signaling a focused but limited-scope commercial footprint. Revenue is undisclosed, the company is privately held with no disclosed investors, and no management team, ownership structure, or geographic expansion beyond US domestic operations is presented in the available data.

Name

Virtual Industries

Legal name

Virtual Industries, Inc.

Website

https://virtual-ii.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Virtual Industries is a privately held Colorado Springs manufacturer of manual vacuum handling tools — tweezers, wafer wands, and self-contained vacuum pens — serving semiconductor, electronics, optics, and solar cell manufacturers through direct-to-consumer e-commerce and quote-based pricing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vacuum Handling Equipment

NAICS

Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers) (IMAHAGAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Vacuum Pumps & Systems (IMAHANAD)

Keywords

• Vacuum handling solutions
• Vacuum tweezer systems
• Wafer handling tools
• ESD-safe equipment
• Precision parts handling

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Product Sales: One-time sale of vacuum handling equipment and accessories including bench top systems, vacuum tweezers, wafer handling tools, and replacement parts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Virtual Industries designs, manufactures, and sells manual vacuum handling tools used to lift, hold, and position delicate components without contact damage. Its portfolio spans ESD-safe squeeze-bulb tweezers (HANDI-VAC 2 ESD, BULB-VAC ESD), bench top vacuum tweezer and wafer handling systems, battery-powered portable wands and pens (PORTA-WAND, PORTA-VAC II), compressed-air-powered high-vacuum tools (STEALTH-VAC, STEALTH-WAND), and self-contained pens that require no hoses or batteries (PEN-VAC, VACULA 3, PRO SERIES PEN-VAC), along with ESD-safe hoses, adaptors, filters, vacuum cups, and application-specific tips.

Product overview

Virtual Industries is a supplier of manual vacuum handling solutions for precision component manipulation. The product portfolio is organized across four main system types: (1) Bench Top Systems - table top vacuum tweezer and wafer handling tools requiring external vacuum source; (2) Battery Powered Tools - portable vacuum wands and pens including PORTA-WAND, PORTA-WAND ELITE, and PORTA-VAC II kits that operate on battery power; (3) Compressed Air Powered Tools - STEALTH-VAC and STEALTH-WAND systems providing high vacuum capability via compressed air; (4) Self-Contained Tools - VACULA 3, PEN-VAC, and PRO SERIES PEN-VAC vacuum pens that require no external hoses or batteries. The portfolio also includes cost-effective squeeze bulb tweezers (HANDI-VAC 2 and BULB-VAC), a comprehensive accessories line featuring ESD-safe hoses, wafer/solar cell tips, vacuum cups, optics handling kits, and replacement parts. The products serve electronics manufacturing, semiconductor, solar cell, and optics industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ESD-Safe Squeeze Bulb Vacuum Tweezers (HANDI-VAC 2 ESD / BULB-VAC ESD) Low-cost manual squeeze-bulb vacuum tweezers with ESD-safe construction for handling small static-sensitive components in electronics assembly environments.
• Bench Top Vacuum Tweezer Systems Table-top vacuum tweezer systems requiring an external vacuum source, offered in 51 product variants for professional wafer and small component handling.
• Bench Top Wafer Handling Tools Vacuum-powered bench top wafer handling tools offered in 17 product variants for semiconductor wafer manipulation during manufacturing and assembly.
• STEALTH-VAC and STEALTH-WAND High Vacuum Compressed Air Powered Tools Compressed air powered tools delivering high-vacuum performance for industrial wafer handling, including VVSW-NO and VVSW-NC STEALTH-WAND kits (5 variants each), STEALTH-VAC Normally Closed Kits (3 variants), and the broader High Vacuum Compressed Air Powered Tools line (8 variants).
• PORTA-WAND / PORTA-WAND ELITE / PORTA-VAC II Battery Powered Wafer Handling Kits Portable battery-powered vacuum wands and pens for wireless wafer and small component handling, including PORTA-WAND Kits (5 variants), PORTA-WAND ELITE Kits (15 variants), and PORTA-VAC II Kits (7 variants), plus the broader Battery Powered Wafer Handling Tools line (20 variants) and Battery Powered Vacuum Tweezer (2 variants).
• PEN-VAC, VACULA 3, and PRO SERIES PEN-VAC Self-Contained Vacuum Pens Self-contained vacuum pens that require no hoses or batteries for portable component handling, including PEN-VAC Vacuum Pen (14 variants), VACULA 3 Vacuum Pen (6 variants), PRO SERIES PEN-VAC Vacuum Pen (14 variants), and accessories.
• ESD-Safe Hoses, Adaptors, and Filters Straight and coiled ESD-safe vacuum hoses plus adaptors and filtration components for static-protected vacuum systems (56 product variants in the parent line, 20 straight hose variants, 16 coiled hose variants, 36 ESD-safe hose variants).
• Wafer and Solar Cell Vacuum Tips Specialized vacuum tips for wafer and solar cell handling (63 product variants) and multiple-cup tips for solar cells and flat panels (6 variants).
• Vacuum Cups with Angled and Straight Probes Vacuum cups available in angled and straight probe configurations for varied component handling (61 product variants), plus metal probe tips without cups (4 variants) and replacement vacuum cups and cup kits (58 variants).
• Small Parts Vacuum Tips (Down to 100 Microns) Precision vacuum tips designed for handling small components as tiny as 100 microns, offered in 59 product variants for micro-component and electronics assembly applications.
• Optics and Lens Handling Kits and Tips Complete kits and tips designed for non-marring, contamination-free optics and lens handling (75 product variants in the parent line), including PureAClean Cups (18 variants), non-marking rigid Delrin tips (16 variants), and non-marking high-temperature rigid Teflon tips (14 variants).

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Piab: Piab (now Piab Group) is a Swedish vacuum automation specialist producing vacuum pumps, suction cups, grippers, and material-handling components for robotics and industrial assembly. It directly competes with Virtual Industries in vacuum-based component handling.
• Schmalz: J. Schmalz GmbH is a German manufacturer of vacuum automation components and handling systems, including vacuum grippers, suction cups, and wafer/handling tools. It is the most direct global peer to Virtual Industries across product category, customer base (semiconductor, electronics, automotive), and core technology.
• COVAL: COVAL is a French manufacturer of vacuum pumps, suction cups, and vacuum grippers for industrial handling. Its product range closely mirrors Virtual Industries' vacuum-cup and component-handling offerings and serves overlapping industrial customers.
• VAC-U-LIFT: VAC-U-LIFT specializes in vacuum lifting devices, sheet/material handling equipment, and vacuum components for industrial use. It is a direct peer in the vacuum-handling-tool niche, addressing similar industrial customers.
• Anver: Anver Corporation designs and manufactures vacuum lifting and material-handling equipment, including vacuum tube lifters and vacuum handling attachments. It is comparable in specializing in vacuum-based handling tools for industrial and cleanroom environments.
• Bimba Manufacturing (IMI Precision Engineering): Bimba, now part of IMI Precision Engineering, manufactures pneumatic and vacuum components including vacuum grippers and suction cups for industrial handling. Its product set directly overlaps with Virtual Industries' vacuum-component portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Festo: Festo is a German automation giant offering vacuum grippers, suction cups, and pneumatic handling components alongside its broader factory-automation portfolio. It competes with Virtual Industries as a broad incumbent with overlap in vacuum-handling solutions.
• IDEX Corporation: IDEX Corporation is a diversified industrial conglomerate with multiple vacuum-technology subsidiaries and fluidics businesses serving semiconductor and industrial customers. It is comparable as a broad incumbent whose vacuum-handling franchise competes with Virtual Industries' specialty focus.
• McMaster-Carr: McMaster-Carr is a broad industrial-supply distributor offering vacuum cups, tubing, and generic vacuum handling accessories at listed prices. It is comparable as a broad incumbent competing on availability and price transparency rather than specialization.
• SMC Corporation: SMC Corporation is a global pneumatics and automation leader with a broad vacuum-products line (suction cups, vacuum ejectors). It overlaps Virtual Industries' offerings as part of a much larger industrial automation catalog, serving similar industrial and electronics-manufacturing customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/virtualind
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/virtual-industries-inc.-a-colorado-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Virtual Industries