Lux researchers positioned specialists in novel coating materials, manufacturing methods, and deposition processes on the innovation grid based on their technical value and business execution – companies strong on axes reach the “Dominant” quadrant.
Coatings to combat corrosion, friction, and fouling can offer big efficiency benefits, but need to offer strong balance between performance and cost, says Lux Research. The protective coatings market continues to be driven by extreme cost sensitivities and increasing environmental and regulatory considerations, even though its products have great potential to reduce inefficiency and degradation of industrial equipment caused by friction, corrosion, and fouling, according to a Lux Research report titled, “Fighting Corrosion, Friction, and Fouling: The Power of Protective Coatings.” To see which companies are best positioned to prosper in the current market, Lux Research applied its Innovation Grid to rate materials developers.
“Users must strike the right balance between performance concerns along with industry factors including cost tolerance, regulatory drivers, throughput, volume, and qualification timelines,” said Lux Research Analyst and lead author Ross Kozarsky. “While a variety of other approaches exist, using coatings to address these problems builds resistance into the equipment itself and can limit consumables, maintenance, and environmental impact.”
Lux researchers positioned specialists in novel coating materials, manufacturing methods, and deposition processes on the innovation grid based on their technical value and business execution – companies strong on axes reach the “Dominant” quadrant. Lux also assessed each company’s maturity. Among their conclusions:
- Modumetal joins Integran in making the electroplated metals space sizzle. With its nanolaminate approach, Modumetal has made significant headway to find a place in the “Dominant” quadrant. Over the past year, it has begun a joint venture with Steel Dynamics, added Siemens as a customer, and ramped up a full production line.
- MesoCoat rises as the chrome alternative option. MesoCoat’s technical potential — thermally sprayed nanocomposite ceramic-metallic (cermet) coatings and metal claddings as alternatives to toxic chrome – combined with its significant business progress over the past year, including a deal with Petrobras, has brought it to the threshold of the “Dominant” quadrant.
- Nanogate tops the polymer-coating developers. Sol-gel polymer coating developer Nanogate Technologies beats the competition on technical value and business execution. Its partnerships with Clariant, Dow Corning, Bosch and GEA Air Treatment have helped make it a formidable player.
- I-Tech is an intriguing “High-Potential” candidate. In the marine industry, there’s huge potential for anti-fouling coatings because of their ability to boost fuel efficiency. Sweden-based I-Tech is developing a new coating based on medetomidine (best known for its use as an animal sedative). It has 300 times the anti-fouling activity of incumbent cuprous oxide paints. Its business execution doesn’t yet match its high technical value score, placing it in the “High-Potential” quadrant.
The report, “Fighting Corrosion, Friction, and Fouling: The Power of Protective Coatings,” is part of the Lux Research Advanced Materials Intelligence service.
Lux Research
ww.luxresearchinc.com
Filed Under: News, Offshore wind, Towers
