For the third year in a row, Vested Metals International, a St. Augustine-based company focused on raw material specialty metals and steel distribution, value-add processing and metallurgical consulting, has been named one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in America.
Spearheaded by president and founder Viv Helwig, Vested Metals is currently listed at 1,361 on the 2021 Inc. 5000 list, the nation’s most prestigious ranking for independent businesses.
“We have had a 350 percent three-year growth rate since we were added to Inc. 5000’s list of fastest growing businesses,” said Helwig. “We also went from No. 58 in 2000 to No. 35 in 2021 for the State of Florida. This is a testament to our hardworking team, many of whom are Flagler College graduates, as well as the growth in the industries we serve: medical, aerospace, defense and industrial markets.”
Helwig, himself, was named as a finalist of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2021 Florida award.
“Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America is not a straightforward journey, and reaching that goal during a global pandemic demonstrates that,” said Isabelle Renault, president & CEO, St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce. “Viv’s agile leadership, clear vision and talented team led Vested Metals to reach that remarkable milestone. As a graduate of St. Augustine’s own Flagler College, Viv has opened a clear path for homegrown entrepreneurial talent to follow his lead.”
Founded in 2014, Vested Metals International procures hard-to-find metals like titanium, cobalt alloys, copper, brass and bronze used to manufacture everything from the fan blades of Rolls-Royce airplane engines to implant prosthesis used in spinal fusion surgery.
The company has also expanded its specialty stainless steel bar offerings and added titanium plate to its portfolio as well as machinery such as a waterjet machine and a fully-automated production saw in its recently expanded facility.
