What TruSteel does

TruSteel, LLC is a privately held US manufacturer of continuous-feed chemical processing equipment, headquartered in Grass Valley, California, with an additional office in Nevada City and in-house manufacturing, engineering, and assembly at its Grass Valley facility. Founded in 2015 by Ray Van Lenten, the company designs, prototypes, and builds falling film evaporators (AutoVap series ranging from the AV15 at ~20–30 gal/hr up to the AV300 at 300 gal/hr), modular wiped film distillation platforms (EVO series with long path and short path configurations), vacuum decarboxylation and multipurpose reactors (DR-10, R-10), and inline solvent temperature control systems (InstaCool variants including GMP builds). Its product architecture is a platform-plus-modules model: standalone units are designed to network together via Modbus into the TRU Series 'intelligent processing platform,' enabling remote monitoring, alarm integration, and continuous automated operation from solvent chilling through distillation. The technology emphasis is on continuous over batch processing, stainless steel construction (~14x more thermally efficient than glass for heat transfer), and modular scalability that allows operators to expand throughput by adding modules.

The company serves four primary verticals: botanical/hemp/cannabis extraction (its original market), pharmaceuticals, biochemistry/biotech, and food & beverage. Equipment is certified to demanding standards including UL 508B, C1D1/C1D2 hazardous location ratings, ASME pressure standards, BPE sanitary finishes, and 21-CFR-11 electronic records compliance, with InstaCool GMP, AutoVap 40 GMP, and AutoVap 100 addressing pharma-grade processing requirements. Customers cited include Terrascend, Brushy Bee CBD, The Resourcery, Show Me Alternatives, HKH Industries, LabNM, Open Book Extracts, Terpen, and Western Tolting, with named use cases spanning solvent recovery, decarboxylation, distillation, and tolling.

TruSteel sells direct to enterprise and mid-market customers via a quote-led motion through its website and phone channel, with no resellers or distributors. Equipment is sold as turnkey packages that include installation, startup, commissioning, and training, supported by an ongoing spare parts, rebuild kits, CleanVap consumables, used equipment recertification, and system design consulting revenue stream. Pricing is custom; only the AV15 complete turnkey package is publicly disclosed at approximately $97,680. In January 2024, founder Ray Van Lenten acquired a controlling interest in the business, consolidating his role as Founder, CTO, and majority stakeholder and signaling a strategic shift to expand into food & beverage, pharmaceutical, and biochemistry markets beyond the cannabis base.

Name

TruSteel

Legal name

TruSteel LLC

Website

https://trusteel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TruSteel designs and manufactures continuous-feed chemical processing equipment — falling film evaporators (AutoVap), wiped film distillation systems (EVO), decarboxylation reactors, and inline solvent temperature control units (InstaCool) — serving botanical/cannabis, pharmaceutical, biochemistry, and food & beverage processors via direct enterprise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Extraction & Chemical Processing Equipment

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Drying & Evaporation Equipment (Dryers, Evaporators, Crystallizers) (IMAHAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Separation & Filtration Equipment (Filters, Centrifuges, Membranes) (IMAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Falling film evaporators
• Wiped film distillation
• Solvent recovery systems
• Chemical processing equipment
• Cannabis extraction equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Grass Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Processing Equipment Sales: Sale of chemical processing equipment including falling film evaporators, distillation systems, reactors, and solvent temperature control systems. Equipment sold with ancillary components including heaters, chillers, and vacuum pumps as turnkey packages.
2. Professional Services: Installation, startup, training, and maintenance services for extraction and processing equipment. Includes system design consultation, material testing, and used equipment recertification services.
3. Replacement Parts and Consumables: Sale of spare parts, rebuild kits, and cleaning agents (CleanVap) for TruSteel equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

TruSteel designs, manufactures, and sells industrial extraction and chemical processing equipment — falling film evaporators, wiped film distillation systems, decarboxylation reactors, and inline solvent temperature control systems. Equipment is sold as integrated turnkey packages for solvent recovery, distillation, and concentration applications across cannabis/hemp, pharmaceutical, biochem, and food & beverage industries.

Product overview

TruSteel offers a platform-plus-modules architecture of extraction and chemical processing equipment for the pharmaceutical, biochem, food & beverage, and botanical/cannabis industries. The core product family consists of the AutoVap Series (falling film evaporators for solvent recovery and concentration), the EVO Series (modular wiped film distillation systems combining long and short path evaporation), and the TRU Series (custom integrated end-to-end processing systems). Supporting modules include the InstaCool inline temperature control systems for solvent chilling/heating, the DR-10 and R-10 multipurpose reactors for decarboxylation and reactions, and various ancillary equipment. All systems are designed to integrate together through Modbus communication for fully automated, continuous processing from extraction through distillation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AutoVap 15 Entry-level falling film evaporator for solvent recovery with up to 20 gallons per hour recovery rate and up to 99% solvent recovery in first pass; available in C1D2 or C1D1 compliant models. Used by cannabis and hemp extraction operators replacing rotary evaporators.
• AutoVap 30 Fully automated falling film evaporator with up to 45 US Gal/hr recovery rate, featuring 13 points of data measurement, built-in fail safes, alarms, data logging, remote access, and C1D2 compliance. Used in commercial-scale cannabis extraction operations.
• AutoVap 100

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 99% solvent recovery rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jaxon TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Jaxon Technologies partnered with TruSteel for their Botanical Solvent Recovery (BSR) system case study. TruSteel's AV-30 falling film evaporator is referenced as integral to Jaxon Technologies' closed-loop cryo-ethanol extraction process. The partnership demonstrates application of TruSteel equipment in hemp extraction facilities.
• PS InspectorscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPS Inspectors (Pressure Safety Inspectors) provides 3rd party engineering peer reviews of TruSteel equipment and field verification services for TruSeries systems. Ensures compliance with NFPA, ASME, and industry standards for flammable liquid and gas equipment.
• PodtronixminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPodtronix provides pre-engineered UL listed booths and modular labs that complement TruSteel equipment for hazardous location installations.
• Scientific SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific Solutions featured in TruSteel blog as continuing to work with TruSteel, indicating an ongoing customer/partner relationship in the pharmaceutical extraction space.
• Rocky Mountain ExtractsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRocky Mountain Extracts partnered with TruSteel for educational content on cannabis extraction methods, specifically contributing authorship to ethanol extraction educational articles.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eden Labs: Eden Labs manufactures subcritical and supercritical CO2 extraction equipment, distillation systems, and ancillary processing equipment for the cannabis industry. It competes directly with TruSteel in botanical/cannabis extraction facilities targeting similar craft-to-commercial-scale operators.
• Vitalis Extraction Technology: Vitalis designs and manufactures industrial-scale CO2 and ethanol extraction systems for cannabis producers. It targets the same enterprise and mid-market cannabis processors that purchase TruSteel's AutoVap solvent recovery and distillation equipment.
• Across International: Across International sells rotary evaporators, glassware/reactors, and distillation equipment targeting cannabis, botanical, and laboratory extraction customers. Its product portfolio overlaps with TruSteel's AutoVap, DR-10, and EVO lines at similar ASPs in the SMB-to-mid-market extraction segment.
• Pope Scientific: Pope Scientific manufactures wiped film evaporators, short path and molecular distillation systems, and process equipment for botanical, pharmaceutical, and chemical extraction. It is the most direct competitor to TruSteel's EVO Series and targets overlapping cannabis, pharma, and F&B customers with comparable continuous-feed technology.
• Root Sciences: Root Sciences supplies extraction, distillation, and processing equipment (including rotary evaporators and wiped film systems) to cannabis and hemp operators. It overlaps directly with TruSteel's solvent-recovery-focused product positioning in the same customer segment.
• Cascade Sciences: Cascade Sciences manufactures rotary evaporators, closed-loop extraction systems, and decarboxylation/reactors for the cannabis and hemp extraction market. It serves the same primary customer segment as TruSteel's botanical extraction product line and competes directly on solvent recovery and distillation equipment sales.
• Apeks Supercritical: Apeks Supercritical designs and manufactures supercritical CO2 extraction systems for cannabis, hemp, and botanical processors. It targets the same craft-to-industrial cannabis extraction operators as TruSteel but with a different extraction modality (CO2 vs. ethanol), creating adjacent rather than head-to-head competition.
• Precision Extraction: Precision Extraction manufactures closed-loop hydrocarbon extraction systems and ancillary post-processing equipment for cannabis producers. It competes for the same customer relationship in cannabis extraction facilities that TruSteel addresses via its solvent recovery and decarboxylation equipment.

Broad incumbents

• Buchi Labortechnik: Buchi is the global leader in rotary evaporators (rotovaps) and laboratory evaporation/distillation equipment for pharma, food, and academic customers. TruSteel explicitly positions its falling film evaporators against Buchi's rotovap legacy install base, citing 60%+ cost savings and 17.5 kW vs 38.4 kW energy efficiency as displacement rationale.
• GMM Pfaudler: GMM Pfaudler is a large industrial process equipment manufacturer producing glass-lined reactors, mixing technology, and evaporation/distillation equipment primarily for pharmaceutical and chemical industries. As a much larger incumbent with established pharma channels, it represents both a competitive threat and a potential exit/acquirer in TruSteel's regulated vertical expansion plans.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TrusteelE

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 TruSteel