Bicester-based Hardide Coatings Ltd (hardide.com) has gained Nadcap accreditation for its advanced tungsten carbide coating, which significantly increases the life of critical metal parts operating in abrasive, erosive, corrosive and chemically aggressive environments.

Nadcap is the world’s leading independent certification programme for special processes in the aerospace and defence industries; this award adds to Hardide’s existing certifications to AS9100, ISO9001 and ISO14001 (plus its Airbus Group approved-supplier status).

It will enable the company to expand its business in the aerospace sector and provide its advanced coatings to all the aerospace prime contractors or their supply chains world-wide.

CEO Philip Kirkham said: “Aerospace is a key growth market for Hardide, and this is a significant step towards realising the potential for our coating technology in this sector.

“An increasing number of aerospace companies require their suppliers to be Nadcap-accredited, so to be fully approved opens up the market to us.”

Hardide-A has been developed for the aerospace and defence industries as a replacement for hard chrome plating (shortly to be banned under EU regulations) and as an alternative to HVOF, cadmium plating and other coating processes.

Nadcap is a co-operative industry-managed approach designed to ensure the highest standards of quality control, especially for the highly complex ‘special processes’ that are essential to the aerospace and defence industries.

Its membership includes Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, EADS, GE Aviation, Honeywell, Leonardo Helicopters, Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce, Triumph Group and UTC Aerospace.