Vulcan Elements Inc.

Vulcan Elements Inc., a veteran-owned, self-certified small disadvantaged business manufacturer based in Durham, North Carolina, manufactures domestic rare-earth magnets and advanced materials for the Department of Defense as a prime contractor, competing 100% under full-and-open and small business set-aside designations with no subcontract footprint.

Vulcan Elements operates as a for-profit manufacturer focused on rare-earth metal production and magnet synthesis for defense-critical applications. The company specializes in domestic neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnets, rare-earth metal manufacturing, and hybrid electric powertrain materials, with a stated mission to establish resilient domestic supply chains for materials essential to military systems and reduce reliance on foreign sources. Recent representative prime work includes a $3.13 million Phase II SBIR contract awarded by the Air Force Research Laboratory on August 15, 2024, to secure Department of the Air Force supply chains with rare-earth magnets (completion March 23, 2027); a $1.208 million Total Small Business purchase order from the Air Force Research Laboratory on September 29, 2025, for establishing a domestic rare-earth metal manufacturing supply chain (completion June 30, 2027); and an $894,681 definitive contract from the Department of Defense Strategic Materials office on May 1, 2025, for domestic rare-earth magnet qualification (completion March 31, 2026). The company also holds a multi-award indefinite delivery contract with the Department of the Army Communications Electronics Command running through June 30, 2031, with a $1.2 million ceiling for NdFeB rare-earth magnets.

Customer concentration centers entirely on Department of Defense components. The Air Force Research Laboratory accounts for four awards valued at $4.5 million, the Army Communications Electronics Command accounts for two awards valued at $1.2 million, and the Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Materials and the Army Materiel Command round out a four-agency customer set that accounts for all eight awards in the portfolio. Award activity accelerated from a single contract in 2024 to five in 2025, with two awards placed in the first half of 2026; combined potential value stands at $6.9 million against $5.7 million in obligated dollars. Three awards carrying combined potential value of $4.3 million reach ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months and face recompete exposure. Vulcan Elements competes primarily under Total Small Business set-asides on SBIR and STTR research programs, though recent prime orders from Army Communications Electronics Command and Strategic Materials carry no set-aside designation. NAICS concentration centers on research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (six awards), with two awards in miscellaneous fabricated metal product manufacturing; PSC alignment reflects national defense R&D and applied research work in materials science and component manufacturing.

Most advanced machines (i.e., electric vehicles, nuclear submarines, drones, satellites, offshore wind turbines, robotics, medical imaging equipment, iPhones, etc.) rely on rare-earth magnets to operate. Today, >90% of rare-earth magnets are produced in China where one ton of magnets manufactured emits nearly 60 tons of carbon. Reliance on a potential adversary for critical supply chain components creates risk to U.S. National Security and our ability to build a high-tech, decarbonized economy. Vulcan Elements' rare-earth magnet technology enables a secure U.S. supply chain and aids in the transition to a decarbonized economy.