Flash Steelworks is reshaping the future of high-performance steel manufacturing. Through decades of metallurgical research and the breakthrough Flash® Process, we transform standard, affordable steel into ultra-high-strength, cold-formable, and Truly Weldable® material that outperforms traditional alloys in strength, efficiency, and cost.
From our engineering center in Michigan to our new production campus in Middlesboro, Kentucky, Flash Steelworks has developed the next generation of American-made steels — stronger, lighter, and more sustainable than ever before.
Flash technology is proven and recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of War (DOW), the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These partnerships are built on measurable performance and trust — not promises.
Flash Steelworks’ story begins with one simple question:
What if one of the world’s strongest steel could also be the easiest to use?
Founder and inventor Gary M. Cola spent decades exploring that question in his Michigan machining and materials lab. Through thousands of thermal cycles and experiments, he discovered a radically efficient way to heat-treat steel: heating it above 1000°C for only a few seconds, then cooling it instantly. The result was Flash® Steel — a completely new microstructure capable of over 2000 MPa tensile strength while remaining ductile and easily weldable.
That breakthrough caught the attention of the DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office, which selected Flash Steelworks for multiple Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards. After four successful Phase I and II projects demonstrating unprecedented performance in automotive and defense applications, the DOE awarded an SMIRcontract — the federal government’s highest level of confidence in a technology’s market viability.
Explores technical merit and feasibility of a new concept. Small businesses receive seed funding to prove the idea works and demonstrates potential for commercialization.
Expands on Phase I results through full research and development, building and testing prototypes to validate performance and market readiness.
Transitions proven SBIR technology to the marketplace using non-SBIR funds. Focuses on full commercialization, large-scale production, and government or private contracts.
With DOE SBIR Phase III support, Flash Steelworks built a coil-to-coil pilot line in it’s Michigan facility, capable of processing industrial-scale steel coils for national laboratories, automakers, and defense primes.
This milestone bridged the gap between laboratory innovation and full-scale manufacturing, validating Flash® Processing as a new standard for high-performance, weldable steel.
Today, that success is being scaled to full production in Middlesboro, Kentucky, where a $20 million advanced manufacturing facility is under development. Supported by federal, state, and regional economic programs, the Kentucky site will grow to over 250 full-time jobs and stand as a model for clean, efficient American steelmaking.
Together, the Michigan Research & Development Center and the Kentucky Manufacturing Campus form a vertically integrated network — advancing innovation, testing, and production of the world’s strongest, most sustainable steels.
Unlike traditional furnace-based heat treating, the Flash® Process uses renewable electricity for induction heating — reducing the embodied energy required to strengthen steel by up to 400%.
Because Flash® steel achieves superior strength and ductility at thinner gauges, it enables lighter vehicles, longer-lasting structures, and higher fuel efficiency.
From military armor to automotive chassis components, Flash steels deliver unmatched performance where strength, weight, and reliability matter most.
To strengthen America’s industrial base through innovation in materials science — creating stronger, formable, Truly Weldable® steel for lightweighting applications while advancing national defense, energy efficiency, and sustainable manufacturing.
At Flash Steelworks, our leadership brings together a rare combination of invention, engineering depth, business strategy, and industrial execution.
Each member of the team has played a pivotal role in transforming Flash® Processing from a laboratory concept into a federally recognized manufacturing technology.
Inventor of the Flash® Process and a pioneer in rapid thermal steel processing, Gary Cola has spent more than three decades advancing materials innovation. He founded Flash Steelworks (originally SFP Works, LLC) after years of machining, prototyping, and metallurgical research in Michigan’s automotive sector.
Under his leadership, Flash Steelworks has earned Twelve SBIR awards from both the Dept of War and Dept of Energy, including six Phase IIIs. In 2017, he was awarded the SBIR Small Business of the Year award. He also received the Roland Tibbetts Award for outstanding federal research commercialization — the highest honor within the SBIR program.
Gary holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Lawrence Technological University and holds 38 patents across 27 countries, including global patents for the Flash® Process and U.S. trademarks for Flash® and Truly Weldable®.
Dana Cogswell brings extensive experience in corporate strategy, finance, and technology commercialization. With prior leadership roles at AT&T, Merrill Lynch, and global consulting firms, she guides Flash Steelworks’ strategic partnerships, commercialization strategy, and growth initiatives.
Dana holds a Bachelor’s degree from Pomona College and a Master’s degree from Princeton University.
Vic has 30 years of engineering design, development, and refurbishing of production equipment with focus in the steel industry. Hands on expertise in complete facilitization of factories ranges from foundations to roof, material handling, induction heating, finance, HR, and team building.
Mike Anderson brings 35 years of industrial sales, workforce development, and operations leadership. Prior to joining Flash Steelworks, he led the commercial expansion of Southeastern Kentucky Rehabilitative Industries (SEKRI), where he grew sales to over $30 million and created more than 225 jobs.
Mike was instrumental in establishing Flash Steelworks’ Kentucky operations, collaborating with state and local partners to bring advanced manufacturing and high-wage jobs to the region.
Flash Steelworks is proud to work in collaboration with U.S. government agencies, national laboratories, and industrial leaders advancing the future of manufacturing and defense.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III Partner
Flash Steelworks’ core technology was developed and scaled through DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and its Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO).
The company’s Phase III SBIR award confirmed that the Flash® Process had moved successfully from R&D to full-scale commercialization.
Flash Steelworks is actively working on multiple DOD SBIR Phase III contracts to scale production of Truly Weldable® Ultra-Hard Armor (UHA), structural steels, and stainless armor.
Flash 600 Ultra-Hard Armor is the only known UHA certified by ARL to meet military standards for both ballistic performance and to pass MIL DTL 3040A for welding’s ballistic shock test under ARL supervision.
ORNL collaborated with Flash Steelworks under DOE funding to analyze the Flash® Process at a microstructural level.
This partnership helped confirm the process’s unique bainite-martensite transformation mechanisms, accelerating commercialization across defense and automotive applications.
Flash Steelworks participates in the IPISC network to protect U.S.-developed intellectual property and maintain compliance with SBIR data rights and federal commercialization guidelines.
All Flash® technology, data, and manufacturing processes are proprietary to Flash Steelworks, Inc., and are protected under U.S. and international patents and trademarks.
IPISC Intellectual Property Insurance Policies are IP litigation risk management solutions that help mitigate the exorbitant financial costs/burdens associated with defending against, or enforcing, a claim of IP infringement. Our IP Enforcement Insurance Policy covers litigation expenses associated with pursuing those who infringe on your company’s intellectual property rights. Our IP Defense Insurance Policy covers litigation expenses (e.g., court costs, attorney fees, potential damages, and settlements) associated with your company defending itself against a claim of infringement on another’s intellectual property rights.
From defense readiness to clean manufacturing, Flash Steelworks works hand-in-hand with government agencies, research institutions, and industrial partners to deliver transformative materials technology.
Every Flash® innovation strengthens not only the materials we make — but the industries, jobs, and people they protect.
