What began in a plastic-wrapped backyard shed has grown into one of the most respected marine restoration businesses in the United States. Mike Borrelli founded Metan Marine in the 1990s with little more than enthusiasm, a modest workspace, and a clear ambition: to return boats to a condition better than they left the factory. Working alongside his father and a friend, he completed those first builds under genuinely difficult conditions, with budgets stretched as thin as the plastic sheeting around the workshop.
Nearly three decades on, that humble shed bears no resemblance to what Metan Marine has become. The company now operates from a 2,300 square-metre facility equipped with high-tech spray booths, precision tooling, and a skilled team of craftspeople. Clients across the United States and beyond entrust their vessels to Metan's care, and the company's popular YouTube channel gives the broader boating community a window into each project.
"It's incredible how far we've come," says Mike. "But the goal has never changed, to deliver the best possible finish on every vessel that comes through the door."
The products at the centre of that goal have been consistent too. From his earliest days working in the shed, Mike turned to Awlgrip coatings, the professional-grade marine finish range produced by AkzoNobel. A chance visit from industry expert Steve Smith proved to be one of the most formative moments of his career.
"Steve was an absolute book of knowledge," Mike remembers. "I was used to automotive paint, base coat, clear coat, enamel over it. He took the time to explain linear urethanes versus acrylic urethanes, and how the clear rises to the surface during curing. That completely changed the way I thought about paint."
The shift to Awlgrip's premium polyurethane systems delivered results that set a new standard for the business. Durability, sustained gloss, and consistent application all improved markedly. Then came Awlcraft 2000, which opened a new dimension in repair work.
"You could finally wet-sand and buff a linear urethane without breaking the surface," Mike explains. "The new coat melts into the previous one, and when you polish it, you can't even tell where the repair was."
That capability transformed how Metan Marine approached touch-ups and blends, making invisible repairs a genuine possibility rather than an aspiration.
The workshop now runs on Awlcraft 3000, the latest addition to AkzoNobel's marine topcoat range. Paired with the company's advanced digital colour-matching platform, it gives the Metan team access to a near-unlimited palette and the colour consistency that large, complex projects demand. The scale of recent work reflects just how far the operation has grown. A five-boat production run completed across two spray booths simultaneously stands as one of the most ambitious undertakings in the company's history.
"It's probably one of the longest continuous paint runs we've ever done," says Mike. "The feedback from customers on the Awlgrip finish has been unbelievable, the depth, the gloss, the way it holds up over time."
What Mike prizes in a finish, depth, resilience, and the kind of craftsmanship that holds up to scrutiny over years of use, reflects the same values that have driven Metan Marine's growth from the start. Attention to detail and a readiness to embrace new techniques have shaped both the business and its reputation.
“Awlgrip has been with us from day one,” Mike says. “It’s more than just a paint system. It’s a partnership that lets us deliver the best for our customers.”
This October, Metan Marine and AkzoNobel will appear together at the IBEX Show in Tampa, Florida, where Mike and his team are set to display their work and engage with Awlgrip users from across the world.
