CVD coating approved for fighter components
A novel chemical vapour deposition tungsten carbide surface coating, which combines abrasion, erosion, friction and chemical resistant properties, has been approved for Eurofighter components.
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CVD coating approved for fighter components A novel chemical vapour deposition tungsten carbide surface coating, which combines abrasion, erosion, friction and chemical resistant properties, has been approved for Eurofighter components. Hardide Coatings has secured formal approved supplier status from bae systems for the use of its unique ultra-hard tungsten carbide, chemical vapour deposition (CVD) coating on components for the Eurofighter Typhoon. This is the first aerospace sector approval for Oxfordshire, UK-based Hardide.

The company has developed a patented tungsten carbide surface engineering technology which combines abrasion, erosion, friction and chemical resistant properties in one coating.

The coating is now approved for use in the production of the Typhoon canopy.

Hardide's customers include leading international companies in the oil and gas, valve and pump sectors.

Hardide coated components are in use in oil and gas fields and installations, chemical refineries, power plants and food manufacturing facilities around the world.

The company floated on AIM in April 2005 with a GBP 1.75 million funding.

Jim Murray-Smith, chief executive of Hardide, said: 'The aerospace industry is a natural fit with our technology as it requires high precision components to perform in extreme conditions where optimal performance is critical.

Hardide's anti-galling and wear resistance properties can solve abrasion, erosion and corrosion issues while offering cost savings due to extended component life and the reduced need for part replacement and costly downtime.' He added: 'BAE Systems is Europe's largest defence company and a top 10 US defence company.

This approval represents a tremendous breakthrough for us in a sector where there is enormous global potential for the Hardide technology.' * Hardide is exhibiting at the Farnborough International Airshow 2006, UK, 17-23 July, Hall 4, stand B5.
A novel chemical vapour deposition tungsten carbide surface coating, which combines abrasion, erosion, friction and chemical resistant properties, has been approved for Eurofighter components.
Note: Readers of the Editors free email newsletter will have read this news when it was announced. Send us a blank email now to join the circulation. Its free!

CVD coating approved for fighter components A novel chemical vapour deposition tungsten carbide surface coating, which combines abrasion, erosion, friction and chemical resistant properties, has been approved for Eurofighter components. Hardide Coatings has secured formal approved supplier status from bae systems for the use of its unique ultra-hard tungsten carbide, chemical vapour deposition (CVD) coating on components for the Eurofighter Typhoon. This is the first aerospace sector approval for Oxfordshire, UK-based Hardide.

The company has developed a patented tungsten carbide surface engineering technology which combines abrasion, erosion, friction and chemical resistant properties in one coating.

The coating is now approved for use in the production of the Typhoon canopy.

Hardide's customers include leading international companies in the oil and gas, valve and pump sectors.

Hardide coated components are in use in oil and gas fields and installations, chemical refineries, power plants and food manufacturing facilities around the world.

The company floated on AIM in April 2005 with a GBP 1.75 million funding.

Jim Murray-Smith, chief executive of Hardide, said: 'The aerospace industry is a natural fit with our technology as it requires high precision components to perform in extreme conditions where optimal performance is critical.

Hardide's anti-galling and wear resistance properties can solve abrasion, erosion and corrosion issues while offering cost savings due to extended component life and the reduced need for part replacement and costly downtime.' He added: 'BAE Systems is Europe's largest defence company and a top 10 US defence company.

This approval represents a tremendous breakthrough for us in a sector where there is enormous global potential for the Hardide technology.' * Hardide is exhibiting at the Farnborough International Airshow 2006, UK, 17-23 July, Hall 4, stand B5.

Once the houston facility is up and running the share prices should start moving. Shares Mag is constantly predicting they're going to double.

Hardide (HDD.L) appeared in the Broker Buys section of the Daily Mail on Saturday, commenting that broker Daniel Stewart said buy the shares at 10p as the Company could deliver strong growth in 2007. The share price increased by 0.75p to reach 12.00p this morning.

Good news this morning. It's looking good..... just need to demonstrate the sales/contracts/deals/revenues to start coming in over the next few months that will generate the "strong 2007 growth" and we're away (imho)

HDD looks a good if high risk investment over the short term. Just topped up further.

it's amazing how a share sp that has a product that's touted as the next best thing since sliced bread slowly goes downhill... now well down on where I got in earlier this year.. 14.5p.... peed off or what !

It could be that the opening of the Houston facility at the same time as a slowdown in the US economy isn't seen as great timing.

$5 MILLION COMPONENT COATINGS
FACILITY OPENS IN HOUSTON

Hardide Coatings, Inc. opens first US plant

HOUSTON, October 11, 2006 – Hardide Coatings, Inc., the provider of unique surface engineering technology, has opened its first US coatings facility in Northwest Houston, Texas.

The plant, which represents a US$5 million investment over two years, is a purpose-built 17,000 sq. ft. sales and manufacturing center primarily servicing the energy, aerospace and valve sectors. Initially, ten staff will be employed with a further 30 anticipated over the next two years.

The facility houses a state-of-the-art CVD (chemical vapour deposition) furnace together with pre-treatment, inspection, quality assurance and finishing support equipment.

The company has appointed Dan Wilson as US technical sales manager. Wilson has over ten years experience in surface engineering technology sales and production, and joins from ceramic tungsten carbide manufacturer, Cerbide, Inc. where he was Sales Director. He holds a BSc. and Msc. in Ceramic Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla.

Hardide-T is a patented tungsten-based coating with superlative performance characteristics such as enhanced wear, erosion, chemical and impact resistance, and toughness. The coating is proven to extend the life of parts three-fold (drilling tool applications) and reduce the need for part replacement and downtime. Hardide coatings are in use around the world in oil and gas exploration and production (E&P), aerospace, power, chemicals, food manufacturing and high-end valve and pump manufacturing. Oil and gas customers include leading operators, service companies and manufacturers in E&P, drilling, valve and pump manufacture.

Jim Murray-Smith, chief executive of Hardide plc, said: “The interest in Hardide from the US has been intense and this plant is a logical step to ensure that we provide the same high quality of product and service for which we are renowned in Europe. Houston is the perfect location for servicing our key sectors of oil and gas, and aerospace as well as existing customers in other US States.”

“Hardide’s decision to expand in the Houston region is a strong salute to the business-friendly culture of our region,” said Dan Seal, vice president of economic development for the Greater Houston Partnership. “Their presence here is a further validation of the strong rebound we are seeing in Houston’s manufacturing sector. We are very pleased that Hardide’s process will support Houston’s vibrant energy industry and will also be utilized by a wide array of other industries, leading to further diversification of the regional economic base. Hardide’s announcement is one more step in securing Houston’s position as a gateway to global markets.”

The unique features of Hardide can be attributed to the novel low temperature chemical vapour deposition process by which the coating is applied. Components are heated in a vacuum chamber furnace to a controlled temperature of up to 600o c, where a mixture of gases is pumped into the chamber stimulating a series of chemical reactions which result in a smooth, binder-free layer of tungsten carbide crystallizing on the surface of the components. This method allows the coating of internal surfaces and complex shapes that open up new possibilities for tool design.

Hardide Coatings, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hardide plc, listed on the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (AIM) since April 2005. The company opened a sales office in Houston following the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston in May 2005.

www.hardide.com

- Ends -

For further information:
Jackie Robinson, Head of Communications
jrobinson@.hardide.com
www.hardide.com
+ 44 (0) 7711 281915 (cell)
+ 44 (0) 1869 353830 (UK office)

Morning all.

JMac, thanks for the useful post. I understand your sentiment but am not sure whether I agree. HDD's product is intended to save its customers lots of money and labour (in a variety of growing, technology-driven industries), and so ought to be comparatively recession-proof. I think the problem with the SP has more to do with the fact that the compay's financial progress has been a bit on the slow side. The current mkt cap of 15 mil is way ahead of both NAV and turnover and cannot be justified short-term if revenue does not show a marked increase.

I held for a while and got out on a small profit around 14.5p. I think that this is a company well worth knowing about but it may be better to wait for them to start showing a profit before investing. The preliminaries in December may put a floor under the SP if orders are also more buoyant, but I wouldn't buy before getting clarification on this.

All IMHO, PDYOR.

ST - The drop in the sp recently (i.e. since it rebounded following the drop after the trading statement in July) seems to have had more to do with general sentiment about the US economy than anything in particular about HDD.The new plant in the US should enable them to handle more US business, so even with an economic downturn that should be good news because, as you say, their product is potentially money saving. Since the July statement there have been several notices of increases in institutional/director holdings and a new patent, all of which is encouraging.

I bought at 14p and have been slowly selling reluctantly. Its very hard to sell my shares any faster due to lack of buyers. Just looked at the website and, as ever, no information about real customers and real sales. Just hope the results next week pull a rabbit out of the hat but somehow I doubt it. This share is pure gambling.

Yeh. agree lukeman. I bought in @14.45p earlier this yr. disappointed with the sp. I also hope there's something exceptional announced next week to propel this higher and meet all the hype that's been generated about how good the product is and it's sales expectations etc.

Hardide's CEO has bought 500,000 shares in the past two days, good show of confidence in the company.
Hopefully HDD has turned the corner.

Understand there's a 'buy' in the latest Shares Mag - contrasts with the 'fairly priced' (at 9.25p) in last week's IC.

thanks jm... good news I guess..be nice to see the sp go up in response.. I need it to get to about 15p to break even !

Hardide wins Expro as first new customer for US manufacturing facility


Hardide Coatings (AIM:HDD), the provider of unique surface engineering
technology, is pleased to announce that it has secured orders from the Expro
Group ('Expro') as its first new customer for its recently opened coatings
facility in Houston, Texas.

The order is the result of over 18 months of close co-operation between the
companies to engineer and test a solution to increase the wear resistance of
downhole tractor tool grippers. Hardide has made several prototypes for Expro
that have been run in harsh environments, proving to extend the life time of
components.

Hardide completed a purpose-built 17,000 sq. ft. coatings facility in Houston in
September 2006. The plant houses the first of a number of state-of-the-art CVD
(chemical vapour deposition) vacuum furnaces together with pre-treatment,
inspection, QA and finishing support equipment.

Jim Murray-Smith, chief executive officer of Hardide plc said: 'The response to
our presence in Houston has been highly satisfactory and we have parts in test
from over 30 of the region's major suppliers to the oil and gas industry.
Winning this first order from Expro further validates the Company's expansion
into Houston and we are confident of being able to announce additional contracts
in the near future as they come on-line.'

Francis Neill of The Expro Group said: 'Our company is at the forefront of new
technology and innovation and we are, therefore, pleased to do business with a
company like Hardide, which has proved to offer our components optimized
performance and extended life. We are particularly pleased to be their first
new customer as they establish their business in Houston.'

Press release 26 March 2007


EUROPEAN DISTRIBUTION FIRST FOR HARDIDE COATINGS

Hardide Coatings Limited (www.hardide.com) has entered into its first agency distribution agreement in Continental Europe with the appointment of AFILEX France to promote and generate sales of Hardides tungsten carbide based coating in France, Germany and the Benelux countries.

UK-based Hardide has developed a unique tungsten carbide based coating which offers an unprecedented combination of ultra-hardness, toughness, low friction and chemical resistance properties when applied to components made from steel, alloy and other materials. The company has coatings facilities in Oxfordshire, UK and Houston, Texas, and retains a distributor in the Republic of Ireland.

The patented coating is widely used around the world in the oil and gas, valve, pump and aerospace industries. It is also in use in the power, chemical and food manufacturing industries.

Mr Jim Murray-Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Hardide plc said: The Hardide technology satisfies a global need for a wear and chemical resistant coating that combines hardness with flexibility. This deal will enable us to manage the increasing number of enquiries that we are receiving from Europe. AFILEX offers representation with proven experience in component coatings which complement Hardide.

Mr Philippe Didier, General Manager, AFILEX France said: AFILEX was impressed by Hardides technology. In particular its unique ability to coat internal surfaces, and with sufficient thickness to guarantee many times more wear resistance than other hard coatings. In addition to Hardides traditional applications, AFILEX has already identified promising prospects in new markets.

Hardide Coatings Limited is part of Hardide plc (AIM:HDD) which listed on London Stock Exchanges Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in April 2005.

AFILEX France is based in Strasbourg (www.afilex.fr). AFILEX is an import-export company for innovative technology B2B products, with a focus on hard materials.


Ends

For further information:

Jackie Robinson, Head of Communications
media@.hardide.com
www.hardide.com
+ 44 (0) 1869 353830 (office)
+ 44 (0) 7711 281915 (mobile)

Note to Editors:

The Hardide Technology
The Hardide coating process is performed in a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) furnace and is applied to components which are heated to between 500 and 600 degrees depending on the substrate and the application. Once at the desired temperature, a controlled mixture of gases is pumped into the furnace. In the furnace chamber, a chemical reaction takes place between the gases which crystallises on the surface of the components producing a smooth layer of binder-free tungsten carbide coating with abrasion, erosion, friction and chemical resistant characteristics. This process enables all parts of the component including internal surfaces to be coated.

Tipped today in Shares magazine

has been b4 and also in IC many times...nothing much has happened apart from the sp going down! lets hope it's different this time!

need some of those '30 odd possible orders in test phase' to come through. Then I hope we will motor. 6 weeks since the last one. Lets hope there is another in the next couple of weeks. More views on www.advfn.com

Just need to get to 15p+ to get into profit situation......

Be interesting to what happens after yesterday's news... will the sp start to recover... or will it continue it's slow drift down ?