Offshore staff
(US, UK) - Hardide Plc, a provider of ultra-hard surface engineering technology, is to open its first US coatings facility in Houston, Texas in autumn 2006.
The move represents a $5 million investment over the next 24 months.
The purpose-built, 17,000-sq ft facility is under construction in Train Court, Northwest Houston, one of the city's fastest growing industrial areas, located at the perimeter of the Energy Corridor.
Hardide Coatings Inc. will initially employ ten, locally recruited, staff with a further 30 employees projected within two years.
The facility will house initially one state-of-the-art CVD (chemical vapor deposition) vacuum furnace together with pretreatment, inspection, QA, and finishing support equipment.
Plant installation and commissioning will take place over summer 2006.
Hardide coatings are used in applications including oil and gas E&P, aerospace, power, chemicals, food manufacturing, and high-end valve and pump manufacturing.
The technology is a tungsten carbide coating which is applied by CVD to components manufactured from a wide range of materials including steel and alloys.
Oil and gas customers include operators, service companies, and manufacturers in E&P, drilling, valve, and pump manufacture.
05/02/06
