Demand for metal powders made in the United States continues to grow, particularly from aerospace and defense customers.That was one of the biggest takeaways from 6K Additive‘s (ASX: 6KA) second-quarter 2026 results.The company reported record quarterly revenue of $7.1 million, up 63% from the same period last year, while its backlog grew to $11.9 million as customer demand continued to increase.
For the additive manufacturing (AM) industry, the results point to a broader trend.As governments and manufacturers work to build more resilient supply chains, companies are looking for domestic sources of critical materials instead of relying on overseas suppliers.Metal powders are one of the most important raw materials in metal 3D printing, and demand is rising as aerospace, defense, and industrial production expands.
6K Additive is one of the companies benefiting from that shift.Based in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, the firm produces metal powders used in AM and alloy products for the aluminum industry.Its portfolio includes titanium, nickel, copper, tungsten, tantalum, rhenium, niobium, and C-103 powders.
Instead of starting with newly mined metal, 6K Additive also recycles certified machining scrap, used AM powder, support material, and failed builds into new powder feedstock using its proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma process.6Ks UniMelt.Image courtesy of 3DPrint.com/Vanesa Listek.
The company’s powder business continued to grow during the second quarter.Powder revenue reached $5 million, up 25% from the previous quarter and 63% from the same period last year.According to the company, the increase was driven by demand from defense contractors, aerospace companies, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and contract manufacturers.
Titanium remained one of the fastest-growing materials.Titanium powder revenue increased 67% from the previous quarter, while sales nearly tripled compared to the second quarter of 2025.Demand for refractory powders, including tungsten, niobium, and tantalum alloys, also increased significantly as more customer qualification programs moved into production.
Nickel powder sales also grew strongly during the quarter.Probably the most fascinating detail in the report is that demand is now outpacing the company’s production capacity.And according to 6K Additive, more customers are choosing domestically produced critical materials, and repeat customers accounted for more than 90% of sales during the quarter.
That suggests existing customers are increasing purchases as AM moves further into production rather than remaining limited to prototyping.The company is also seeing continued support from the U.S.government.
In April, 6K Additive received an additional $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract from the Defense Logistics Agency.The award brings the total value of the 18-month program to $3.9 million and supports the domestic production of titanium, tungsten, niobium, and nickel powders for defense and industrial applications.At the same time, it is expanding its manufacturing campus in Burgettstown.
The project is supported by a $23.4 million Defense Production Act Title III award and is expected to increase annual production capacity from about 1,600 metric tons to more than 6,000 metric tons across all product lines.Initial production at the expanded facility is expected to begin before the end of 2026.“The second quarter of 2026 demonstrated continued execution across the business, highlighted by record quarterly revenue, strong order intake, and expanding customer demand across our advanced materials portfolio.
The United States is entering a sustained period of investment in defense, advanced manufacturing, and supply chain resilience.As government and industry increasingly prioritize secure, domestic sources of critical materials, the reshoring of strategic manufacturing is creating a structural demand tailwind that extends well beyond traditional market cycles,” CEO Frank Roberts said in the quarterly report.The company ended the period with $22.1 million in cash, which it says will support continued investment in expanding production capacity and commercial growth.
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