6K Additive Posts Record Quarter on U.S. Metal Powder Demand

Record Revenue and a Growing Backlog

6K Additive, the Burgettstown-based metal powder producer, reported record second-quarter revenue of $7.1 million, up 63% from the same period last year. The company's backlog grew to $11.9 million, and demand is now outpacing its production capacity. Powder revenue alone reached $5 million during the quarter, a 25% increase from the prior quarter and nearly triple the figure from Q2 2025.

The growth comes from a familiar list of customers: defense contractors, aerospace companies, original equipment manufacturers, and contract manufacturers. Titanium powder revenue jumped 67% from the previous quarter. Refractory powders, including tungsten, niobium, and tantalum alloys, also climbed sharply as more customer qualification programs moved into production.

Domestic Supply Chains Are Driving the Shift

Several forces are converging to lift 6K Additive. The U.S. government is spending heavily on reshoring critical materials, and manufacturers are replacing overseas suppliers with domestic sources. The company received an additional $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research Phase II contract from the Defense Logistics Agency in April, bringing the total value of that 18-month program to $3.9 million.

Repeat customers accounted for more than 90% of sales during the quarter. That statistic matters because it shows additive manufacturing is moving beyond prototyping into serial production. When existing buyers keep placing larger orders, it signals that metal AM is becoming a standard part of their supply chain rather than an experimental sideline.

A Major Capacity Expansion Is Under Way

To keep up, 6K Additive is expanding its Burgettstown campus with support from a $23.4 million Defense Production Act Title III award. The project will raise annual production capacity from roughly 1,600 metric tons to more than 6,000 metric tons across all product lines. Initial production at the expanded facility is expected to start before the end of 2026.

The company ended the quarter with $22.1 million in cash, which it plans to use for continued capacity investment and commercial growth. CEO Frank Roberts framed the results as part of a broader structural shift: the United States is entering a sustained period of defense and advanced manufacturing investment, and secure domestic sources of critical materials are becoming a national priority.

What It Means for the Industry

Metal powder availability has long been a bottleneck for production-scale additive manufacturing. When demand outstrips supply, qualification timelines stretch and unit costs rise. 6K Additive's expansion, combined with growing domestic demand, should ease that bottleneck for U.S. buyers over the next year.

The company's recycling process also deserves attention. Rather than relying solely on newly mined metal, 6K Additive converts machining scrap, used powder, and failed builds into new feedstock using its UniMelt microwave plasma process. That approach reduces waste and could lower the carbon footprint of metal AM parts, a selling point as more manufacturers track Scope 3 emissions.

For now, the story is straightforward: American-made metal powder is in demand, 6K Additive is scaling to meet it, and the company's financials reflect a sector that is finally moving from promise to production.