Our Mission

• Provide the highest quality floor prep service in the industry.
• Commit to attention to detail.
• Take pride in our unsurpassed work ethic and passion for perfection.
• Stay on budget.
• Get the job done right the first time.

ShotBlast, Inc.

ShotBlast PAJim Rupnicki, President | Tom Rupnicki, VP, Sales & Marketing
Innovators and Professionals with Over 35 Years’ Experience

Brothers Jim and Tom Rupnicki never dreamed they would be the “go-to guys” for floor preparation. But clearly, it was their destiny. Tom began his journey in 1973 in Chicago by establishing Criterion Coatings Systems, Inc. He later moved his operations to Marcus Hook, PA. Tom knew that with his thriving business, he would need to bring in someone he could trust, someone who would be able to grow along with the company.

He convinced his brother Jim to come aboard in 1986 as the Operations Manager. Jim spent all of his time in the field experiencing the ins and outs of the coatings industry. He knew Criterion prided itself on guaranteeing its customers the perfect floor, and he quickly recognized that expert concrete preparation was the prerequisite for that guarantee. Over the next 13 years Jim kept his focus on the preparation end of the coatings process. By doing so, the brothers were able to target Auto Dealership Service Centers, resulting in the satisfaction of over 600 service centers in the Northeast United States. In 1991 Tom created Firehouse Floors, and again with their focus on preparation, they successfully installed High Performance Flooring Systems in more than 400 Firehouses in the region.

In 1998 as Criterion and Firehouse Floors continued to flourish, Tom decided to sell the company and enjoy early retirement.

Jim, however, saw this as a chance to choose a niche and target the specialized area of concrete preparation alone. Jim created Shot Blast, Inc. in 1999 and was not surprised to see ShotBlast, Inc. rapidly become the preferred concrete preparation specialist among contractors and end users alike. Jim’s knowledge and experience with coatings gave him an inside track, and ShotBlast, Inc. quickly became a success. Jim’s passion for perfection pushed him on to continue learning everything he could about concrete preparation. Understanding what his customers wanted and needed led him to expand ShotBlast, Inc. by including other services such as Scarifying, Diamond Grinding and Concrete Polishing. With the tremendous demand for his company’s many services, Jim found that he, too, needed to bring aboard someone he could trust.

Given Tom’s success in the coatings industry, Jim saw this as a chance to come full circle with his brother. He encouraged Tom to come out of early retirement and join ShotBlast, Inc. as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Now, as ShotBlast, Inc. approaches its 10-year anniversary, Jim and Tom Rupnicki continue their partnership with enthusiasm and respect. They are proud to be one of the leading concrete floor preparation contractors in the Northeast United States—and they remain the “go-to guys” for Floor Preparation.

What is Shot Blasting?

Shotblasting is the process of blasting a concrete surface with steel shot (small steel balls) at a high velocity. This removes contamination and laitance (soft concrete) to reveal a mechanical profile for improved bonding. The concrete dust is recovered by a powerful dust collection system.

Advantages of Shot Blasting

concrete shot blaster jobAs the method of surface preparation recommended by most coating manufacturers, steel shot blasting…

Eliminates the use of harsh, non-eco friendly chemicals and leaves the concrete floor with the desired profile.
Is known for high production rates, blast pattern accuracy, and wide abrasive selection.
Lends itself to efficient disposal of dust and other contaminants.
Can be performed indoors or outdoors.
Can be accomplished with our ride-on, diesel-powered machines or our walk-behind, electric powered machines.