Some companies make tools. Others sell expertise. But then there’s BlastOne International, the rare crew that doesn’t just supply equipment, they engineer the future of blasting and surface prep. Born in a backyard shed in Adelaide in the 1970s, Timothy (Gar) Gooden launched what started as BlastMaster and grew it into a global powerhouse in abrasive blasting, coating systems, and corrosion control. The global HQ now sits in Columbus, Ohio, but the reach spans the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. That’s how you turn grit into global presence.
And now comes the power play. On August 13, 2025, with an official release August 26, BlastOne secured a strategic investment from Kaltroco and Five V Capital. No numbers disclosed, but the takeaway is obvious: when investors like Rhett McCraw of Kaltroco and Angus Whitehead of Five V Capital buy in, it signals conviction in a company that’s been family-owned and scaling strong for fifty years. This isn’t just capital, it’s long-horizon fuel for global growth.
Leadership is the backbone. Global CEO Matthew Rowland brings Orica battle scars across three continents and an MBA from Mt Eliza Business School. Founder Timothy (Gar) Gooden still guides as advisor. Mark Lemon serves as Global CFO, Jim Gooden drives global development, and Greg DiFrank commands industrial solutions. Add in APAC VP Grant Stubbs, Global CIO Josh Kliner, Chief People and Culture Officer Shelly Funderburg, Global Marketing Director Gavin Gooden, Innovation Director Scott Simmons, and Industrial Solutions VP John Horrigan, and you’ve got a lineup built for precision execution.
The model speaks for itself. BlastOne’s “Performance³” approach, equipment, abrasives, and know-how has powered over 10,000 projects worldwide. They hold the GMA Garnet distribution agreement across North America, partner with Qlayers to push robotic coating, and team with Sponge-Jet for advanced surface prep. Proprietary VertiDrive crawlers, engineered blast rooms, and a global rental fleet reinforce their role as a full-stack infrastructure resilience platform.
The new funding drives expansion into Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, while bolstering North America. It accelerates robotics R&D, digital platforms, and hiring across engineering, consulting, and IT. With the abrasive blasting market projected to hit $6 billion by 2028 and infrastructure, defense, and marine sectors demanding more automation, BlastOne is poised to lead.
So when you see bridges restored, refineries stripped clean, or offshore platforms ready for decades more service, remember the name behind the shine. BlastOne International has been blasting since the ’70s, and with Kaltroco and Five V Capital now in the mix, they’re prepping not just surfaces but the entire future of heavy industry. Congratulations to Matthew Rowland, Timothy (Gar) Gooden, and the entire team on a milestone built to last.
