Nelson Industrial Services
Nelson Industrial Services is a privately held industrial services company that performs shotblasting and membrane removal for concrete and steel surfaces across the U.S. Founded in 1991 and operating from five nationwide locations serving 48 states, it serves contractors and infrastructure owners in parking, bridge, highway, flooring, marine, and tank markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersOklahoma City, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Nelson Industrial Services does
Nelson Industrial Services, Inc. (NIS) is a privately held industrial services company founded in 1991 by Michael R. Nelson in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The company specializes in shotblasting and mechanical membrane removal services for concrete and steel surfaces, serving end markets including parking garages, bridge infrastructure, highways, commercial flooring, naval ship decks, and industrial storage tanks. NIS operates from five nationwide locations (Oklahoma City, Corona CA, Lakewood WA, Plainfield IN, and Maryland) and delivers services across 48 states with a fleet of high-capacity shotblasting equipment (up to 8,000 sq ft/hr production rates) and industry-experienced machine operators.
The company's core technology centers on mechanical surface preparation using high-velocity steel shot, deployed via an owned fleet of ride-on and walk-behind shotblasting machines from multiple manufacturers (BP, BRB, GPX, GOFF series), powered by electric, gas, or propane systems. NIS complements its service work with a parallel equipment sales vertical that buys, refurbishes, and resells used shotblasting equipment (priced $4,000–$60,000 per unit) and provides full repair and renovation services for all brands. Revenue mechanics are split between project-based professional services (priced per square foot, with contracts ranging from 500 sq ft to 3,000,000 sq ft) and direct equipment sales, with virtually 100% of services revenue derived from repeat customers distributed across multiple end-verticals.
Go-to-market is direct field sales, with customers engaging via phone or email and NIS dispatching crews with well-stocked parts inventory to job sites nationwide. The company operates without external investors, digital marketing infrastructure, or public capital markets presence, and remains under founder leadership.
Nelson Industrial Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nelson Industrial Services
- Legal name
- Nelson Industrial Services, Inc.
- Website
- https://nelsonindustrial.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Nelson Industrial Services is a privately held industrial services company that performs shotblasting and membrane removal for concrete and steel surfaces across the U.S. Founded in 1991 and operating from five nationwide locations serving 48 states, it serves contractors and infrastructure owners in parking, bridge, highway, flooring, marine, and tank markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nelson Industrial Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Surface Preparation Services
- NAICS
- Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing (3331)
- SIC
- Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Surface Preparation & Abrasive Blasting (Sand/Grit/Shot/Waterjet) (IMAIAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Surface Preparation Equipment (Shot Blasting, Scarifiers, Grinders) (IMAHALAL), Welding, Fabrication & Field Machining Services (On-site) (IMAIACAD)
Keywords
Where Nelson Industrial Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oklahoma City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Nelson Industrial Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Shotblasting Services: Service-based revenue from shotblasting concrete and steel surfaces for parking garages, bridges, highways, flooring projects, ship decks, and storage tanks. Pricing based on square footage of work performed. Virtually 100% repeat customer business.
- Membrane Removal Services: Mechanical membrane removal services as an alternative to shotblasting for certain surface preparation needs. Fast, efficient, and cost-effective option for removing membranes, mastics, and rubbery compounds.
- Equipment Sales: Buys and sells used and fully refurbished shotblasting equipment of any brand, model, and manufacturer. Electric, gas, and propane powered options available in all sizes. Consignments accepted. Equipment prices range from $4,000 to $60,000 per unit.
- Equipment Repair Services: Services and repairs all brands and types of shotblasting equipment, ranging from minor repairs to complete renovations. Staffed with experienced mechanics, machinists, electricians, welders, fabricators, and hydraulic specialists.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level shotblasting equipment (BP 9-110V) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range shotblasting equipment (BRB 4500) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | High-capacity shotblasting equipment (BP 20-40) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Industrial vacuum equipment |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Nelson Industrial Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nelson Industrial Services, Inc. provides shotblasting and mechanical membrane removal services for concrete and steel surface preparation across the United States. The company deploys crews with shotblasting equipment to job sites for projects ranging from 500 to 3,000,000 square feet, serving parking garages, bridges, highways, flooring projects, ship decks, and storage tanks. NIS also buys, sells, and refurbishes shotblasting equipment across multiple brands and power types, and provides repair and maintenance services for all shotblasting machine manufacturers.
Product overview
Nelson Industrial Services offers shotblasting and membrane removal industrial services through a network of five nationwide locations. The company operates as both a service provider and equipment dealer, selling and servicing shotblasting equipment from various manufacturers. Core services include shotblasting for surface preparation (parking garages, bridges, highways, flooring, ship decks, storage tanks) and mechanical membrane removal. Equipment sales include multiple shotblasting machine models (BP series, BRB series, GPX, GOFF, 1-8DEC) and vacuum units (Pullman Ermator). Repair services cover all brands and types of shotblasting equipment. The company sells new, used, and fully refurbished equipment across various power types (electric, gas, propane).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 250 million square feet of concrete and steel surfaces shotblasted since incorporation in 1991
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Nelson Industrial Services
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Nelson Industrial Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Nelson Industrial Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Nelson Industrial Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Rösler Group: Global leader in shot blasting, mass finishing, and surface treatment equipment and services. Larger incumbent with broader industrial customer base but overlapping technology and equipment categories used by NIS and its customers.
- Wheelabrator Group: Large global supplier of shot blasting and surface preparation equipment, consumables, and services. Operates across automotive, aerospace, and infrastructure end-markets with significant overlap in shot blasting technology deployed by NIS.
Direct peers
- National Surface Preparation: US-based contractor offering shotblasting, hydrodemolition, and surface preparation services for bridges, highways, and industrial facilities. Directly comparable service portfolio, customer segments, and equipment fleet approach to NIS.
- Blastrac: Global manufacturer and provider of shotblasting, grinding, and scarifying equipment and services for concrete and steel surface preparation. Directly comparable to NIS in technology, end-customers (parking structures, bridges, industrial floors), and project execution model.
- Surface Preparation Technologies (SPT): US contractor providing shotblasting, diamond grinding, and surface preparation services for highways, bridges, and industrial floors. Closest direct service competitor to NIS with overlapping geography, equipment, and customer base in DOT and commercial infrastructure work.
- Pangborn Group: Manufacturer of shot blast and airblast equipment for surface preparation across multiple industries. Comparable to NIS's equipment sales and service exposure, though Pangborn is primarily an OEM while NIS is service-led.
- International Surface Preparation (ISP): Specialty contractor offering shotblasting, grinding, and surface preparation for industrial and infrastructure customers in North America. Comparable scale and service mix to NIS, with similar project size ranges and end-markets.
Regional players
- Vac-U-Jet: Regional abrasive blasting and vacuum recovery service provider focused on industrial and environmental cleanup projects. Overlaps with NIS in surface preparation methodology and complementary vacuum equipment sales (NIS sells Pullman Ermator units).
- Midwest Mobile Surface Prep: Regional shotblasting and surface preparation contractor serving the Midwest US. Directly comparable service offering and equipment fleet to NIS, but limited geographic overlap with NIS's nationwide footprint.
Emerging players
- Hydroblast Inc. UK-headquartered hydroblasting and surface preparation services provider with US operations. Overlaps with NIS in industrial cleaning and surface prep but emphasizes water-based methods rather than shotblasting — useful comparable for adjacent service line economics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Nelson Industrial Services social profiles
Digital presenceNelson Industrial Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nelson Industrial Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Nelson Industrial Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nelson Industrial Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nelson Industrial Services
What does Nelson Industrial Services do?
Nelson Industrial Services, Inc. provides shotblasting and mechanical membrane removal services for concrete and steel surface preparation across the United States. The company deploys crews with shotblasting equipment to job sites for projects ranging from 500 to 3,000,000 square feet, serving parking garages, bridges, highways, flooring projects, ship decks, and storage tanks. NIS also buys, sells, and refurbishes shotblasting equipment across multiple brands and power types, and provides repair and maintenance services for all shotblasting machine manufacturers.
Is Nelson Industrial Services a public or private company?
Nelson Industrial Services is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Nelson Industrial Services founded?
Nelson Industrial Services was founded in 1991. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Nelson Industrial Services based?
Nelson Industrial Services is headquartered in Oklahoma City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Nelson Industrial Services make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Shotblasting Services are the primary driver. The others are membrane Removal Services, equipment Sales and equipment Repair Services.
Who are Nelson Industrial Services's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Rösler Group and Wheelabrator Group. Direct peers are National Surface Preparation, Blastrac, Surface Preparation Technologies (SPT), Pangborn Group and International Surface Preparation (ISP). Regional players are Vac-U-Jet and Midwest Mobile Surface Prep. Hydroblast Inc. is listed as an emerging player.
Does Nelson Industrial Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nelson Industrial Services.
What industry is Nelson Industrial Services in?
Nelson Industrial Services's product category is Industrial Surface Preparation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAIAKAC, Surface Preparation & Abrasive Blasting (Sand/Grit/Shot/Waterjet), with a secondary code of IMAHALAL, Surface Preparation Equipment (Shot Blasting, Scarifiers, Grinders). Its NAICS code is 3331 and its SIC code is 3470.