News & Press – Latest news from VULKAN INOX
Newsroom – Press Releases & Latest News from Vulkan Inox
In our newsroom, you'll find all the latest press releases from VULKAN INOX. Whether it's product innovations, company developments, or important events—here you'll find the latest information presented in a concise and clear format on the topic of stainless steel abrasives and surface preparation.
How Is Sustainability Changing the Stainless Steel Industry?
August 25, 2026
Marc Hidde, Managing Director of VULKAN INOX, shared his outlook on the next five years with the German trade journal Stahl & Eisen. His remarks focused on three trends that are becoming increasingly important for the stainless steel industry.
VULKAN INOX on the Path to Success: Trade Shows Provide New Inspiration
June 8, 2026
An international presence, in-depth technical discussions, and new projects: VULKAN INOX looks back on a successful first half of 2026 at trade shows. At events in Germany and international markets, the focus was on discussions regarding stainless steel abrasives and industrial surface treatment.
Paintexpo 2026: Stainless Steel Blasting Media for Optimal Surface Preparation
At PaintExpo 2026, VULKAN INOX will present solutions for industrial surface preparation prior to coating. The focus will be on durable stainless steel abrasives for reproducible surfaces and cost-effective blasting processes.
40 Years of VULKAN INOX – Moving Forward Together
International partners, new ideas, and a look to the future: Under the motto “Moving Forward Together,” VULKAN INOX brought its global partner network together in Germany. The three-day event was dedicated to professional exchange, practical knowledge, and joint market development.
40 Years of VULKAN INOX – A Celebration for All Employees and Their Families
VULKAN INOX GmbH is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Since its founding in 1985, the company has grown from a regional production site in Hattingen into a leading international supplier of stainless steel abrasives—writing a success story characterized by innovation, growth, and sustainability. To mark its 40th anniversary, the company held a big celebration to thank its employees and their families.
VULKAN INOX Recognized Once Again as the Global Market Leader
VULKAN INOX GmbH continues to rank among Germany's top companies and maintains its global leadership in the manufacture of rust-resistant, granulated abrasives for surface treatment.
VULKAN INOX is expanding its machine fleet with a compressed-air blasting cabinet
With the new blasting cabinet, VULKAN INOX is expanding its machine fleet and opening up new possibilities in industrial surface treatment. The compact and versatile system stands out for its modular design and high adaptability—making it ideal for demanding tasks such as sample processing and the development of customized blasting processes.
Together with its existing centrifugal wheel and wet blasting systems, VULKAN INOX now offers its customers all key industrial blasting processes from a single source—efficiently, precisely, and in one location.
The modular design of the blasting system offers optimal conditions for individual requirements thanks to its versatility and high adaptability. In our test center, we can process and test customer components directly using the new compressed air blasting system—sample processing and process development are carried out on-site in a practical and results-oriented manner.
International success at trade shows in the first quarter of 2025
A strong first quarter for VULKAN INOX: With successful trade show appearances in several countries, the company has further expanded its international presence. VULKAN INOX presented itself with a clear message and innovative product solutions at leading trade shows for industry and surface treatment in Europe, Brazil, the U.S., and Mexico. Its high level of expertise in the field of surface treatment using stainless steel blasting media attracted particular interest. At the same time, the sales experts held numerous technical discussions with international partners and customers from various industries.
VULKAN INOX ranks third in Hattingen’s business location ranking
In the latest business location ranking by "Die Deutsche Wirtschaft," the city of Hattingen ranks 370th out of more than 4,000 cities listed. Within this ranking, VULKAN INOX ranks third among the city’s highest-revenue companies and is one of the most important industrial employers in Hattingen.
The ranking is based on publicly available corporate data and highlights the economic significance of VULKAN INOX at its Hattingen site.
In addition, in 2024, VULKAN INOX was listed by the German Economy Innovation Network as a global market leader in corrosion-resistant, granulated blasting media for surface treatment. With an export share of over 70%, the company is among the leading manufacturers in this segment.
Further information is available at die-deutsche-wirtschaft.de.
VULKAN INOX Sets New Standards in the Blast Media Industry Through Innovation, Sustainability, and Global Growth
The year 2024 was a year full of successes, innovations, and significant milestones for VULKAN INOX, the leading manufacturer of stainless steel shot blasting media. The company’s headquarters in Hattingen not only expanded with the opening of a new branch in Mexico, but also celebrated a major milestone by winning the 2024 Innovation Award. In line with these successes, VULKAN INOX placed a strong focus on sustainability, continuously optimizing its production processes and implementing eco-friendly technologies.
Results of the QIB Abrasive Project at the Practical Application Forum for Industrial Coatings in Wetzlar
As part of the 12th PIB Practical Application Forum for Industrial Coatings in Wetzlar on November 14 and 15, 2024, experts from the Quality Association for Industrial Coatings (QIB) presented the initial findings of the extensive QIB Abrasive Project. VULKAN INOX was part of the expert team, with our colleagues Christian Hoffmann and Peter Müller attending the event in person. The QIB Abrasive Project, which was launched over a year ago with an initial project outline, focused on investigating how abrasives influence the adhesion and corrosion resistance of coatings.
VULKAN INOX at PaintExpo 2024
The ninth edition of PaintExpo was a resounding success. This innovative, world-leading trade fair once again adopted a customer-focused approach and comprehensively covered the entire value chain of liquid and powder coating.
As expected, new technologies and solutions for sustainable painting processes took center stage. In particular, the diverse capabilities of today’s blasting technology were showcased. In-depth, high-level discussions highlighted the significant potential that arises when high-performance blasting equipment is combined with modern stainless steel abrasives and integrated into existing or new pretreatment processes. In this way, chemical pretreatment methods can be significantly reduced or even completely eliminated.
Stainless steel abrasives stand out for their exceptional durability and consistent blasting effect. They effectively clean surfaces while creating a favorable and defined surface profile. The paint can then be applied with optimal thickness and achieve good adhesion even on demanding substrates. This ensures coating quality, optimizes paint consumption, and makes surface preparation sustainable.
PaintExpo not only offers an excellent platform for discussing such issues but also provides insight into the surface technology of the future. We look forward to seeing you again in 2026.
VULKAN INOX looks back on a successful EUROGUSS
At the beginning of the year, the international die-casting industry showcased the latest technological trends and product innovations at EUROGUSS.
In discussions with technical attendees, it became clear that the industry remains highly innovative and forward-looking despite challenging and complex market conditions. In this context, the discussions also focused on the sharp rise in operating costs for casting post-treatment and the increasing sustainability requirements.
VULKAN INOX, with its high-performance and highly durable blasting abrasives, generated significant interest here, as its products enable users to achieve the shortest blasting times while minimizing consumption and waste. The blasting abrasives are primarily produced from recycled steel and stainless steel using electricity generated from renewable sources, making blasting processes fully sustainable.
With the support of our sales partners, we were able to provide comprehensive answers to all questions regarding process optimization. The EUROGUSS platform has once again demonstrated how important personal interaction is for complex specialized topics.
We would like to thank our guests and partners for the valuable discussions and look forward to the next EUROGUSS.
From Experts to Experts: Dresden Powder Symposium
The Dresden Powder Symposium once again kicked off the year for the coating industry and offered around 300 participants an ideal platform for networking.
The practical presentations and panel discussions, as well as the industry exhibition, provided the perfect setting to learn about developments and opportunities in the sector. In addition to automation and digitalization, energy and resource efficiency within the value chains are becoming increasingly important.
Our blasting abrasives once again impressed visitors, as they already meet the future requirements of the market: they are extremely durable, produce little waste, and have an excellent overall carbon footprint.
VULKAN INOX opens a sales office in Mexico to strengthen its local presence
VULKAN INOX is expanding its long-standing presence and increasing growth opportunities in the Mexican market with the opening of a sales office in Santiago de Querétaro, centrally located between Mexico City and San Luis Potosí.
The main objective of this strategically located site is to further strengthen the company’s relationship with its customers in Mexico and provide even more exceptional service by having a physical location to call home. There are also plans to expand the site with a test center in the future.
Sales Manager Christian Hoffmann proudly comments: "We have been serving the Mexican market with local partners for over 20 years and are convinced of the market’s positive development. Our stainless steel abrasives are extremely economical and very sustainable and are gaining more and more acceptance worldwide. With the newly created structure and our highly qualified local employees, we are increasing our proximity to our current and prospective customers."
PROUDLY HONORING LONG-SERVING EMPLOYEES
Nine employees are celebrating long service anniversaries this year, with tenures ranging from 10 to 30 years! At a time when long-term loyalty to a company can no longer be taken for granted, these employees at Vulkan Inox were honored this year for their many years of service:
2x 10 years, 3x 20 years, 2x 25 years, and 2x 30 years
Such long periods of service demonstrate a high level of commitment to the company, as well as positive motivation and job satisfaction. "The success of our company begins with the commitment of each individual. It fills us with great pride to have employees among us who have been loyal to our company for so many years. This is something special these days," emphasizes Managing Director Marc Hidde.
Especially in these fast-paced times, loyal and committed employees with their many years of professional experience and accumulated expertise are of immense value to VULKAN INOX.
We congratulate the employees celebrating their anniversaries and wish them all the best for the years to come!
We congratulate the employees celebrating their anniversaries and wish them all the best for the years to come!
VULKAN INOX supports a project for children's road safety
We all remember it from elementary school. In third or fourth grade, we had to demonstrate our ability to ride a bicycle safely in what was known as the bicycle test. This was often a practical assessment. Now there is also theoretical support in this area. The K&L publishing house, in cooperation with the Kreisverkehrswacht Ennepe-Ruhr e.V. and various companies from the region, has published a bicycle training book.
We are proud to say that we support bicycle education for the youngest riders. Because road safety is important and an investment in the future.
VULKAN INOX at GIFA—The Bright World of Metals
After five exciting days, GIFA 2023 has come to a close, and we would like to thank all visitors, partners, and friends.
The intensive exchange with the international professional audience and the industry’s key players provided us with excellent opportunities in a challenging and trend-setting market environment.
For our international partners, we also held a concise information session followed by a plant tour. Here, we were able to provide direct information on all product innovations and advancements in energy and resource efficiency and answer all questions.
And, as always, a must-attend event: the VULKAN INOX boat trip on the Rhine. With great food, great music, and perfect weather, it was the ideal way for our guests to wind down after a busy day.
And so we look forward to seeing you again in 2027!
Celebration of our 20-year partnership with our Turkish distributor FETAS
During this year’s Ankiros exhibition in Turkey, VULKAN INOX GmbH and the FETAS Group celebrated 20 years of partnership.
On this occasion, we presented a sculpture highlighting our joint work to FETAS and received a commemorative panel made of high-quality ceramics.
We would like to thank everyone who celebrated with us and look forward to many more years together.
Latest developments in the field of blast abrasives
On September 15 and 16, we hosted the 8th network meeting in Hattingen. The Competence Network Abrasives was founded to bring together expertise from industry and research. At the network meetings, topics related to mechanical surface preparation are presented and discussed.
A visit to the Henrichshütte Industrial Museum and a pleasant evening event provided a fitting backdrop for the valuable exchange of information.
Many thanks to Charlotte Graner and Christiane Boinski from the Institute for Corrosion Protection in Dresden for organizing such a successful event.
VULKAN INOX invests in an adiabatic cooling system
At the heart of our production are two high-performance induction melting furnaces that primarily melt recycled scrap. To dissipate the process heat, there is a water circuit that was previously routed through a cooling system with open water sprinklers.
By investing in a closed cooling system, evaporation losses are avoided and fresh water consumption is reduced by at least 80%; furthermore, it requires less maintenance and energy, and the use of biochemical inhibitors is no longer necessary.
The environment also benefits significantly. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is estimated at 93 tons per year.
VULKAN INOX - On the path to climate neutrality
Since January 1, 2022, VULKAN INOX has been meeting 100% of its electricity needs through renewable energy sources. This means the company has already reduced its CO₂ emissions by more than 80% and is making significant progress toward decarbonizing its production and meeting European CO₂ reduction targets.
Workshop on Corrosion Protection—Live and On-Site
At the WAGNER / DÖRKEN workshop "Corrosion Protection Through Zinc Flake Coating," the latest developments, current findings, and trends, as well as solutions for current coating challenges, were presented and discussed.
Mechanical surface preparation by blasting provides the right "foundation" in the process chain, and our technical expert provided detailed information on this topic.
Realignment in Italy – VULKAN INOX ITALIA Foundation
VULKAN INOX has been operating successfully in Italy for more than 30 years and, as part of this realignment, is integrating its proven structure into its existing sales organization.