Public Funding for Hardide Coatings Limited

The project proposes the commercialisation of an innovative coating for a new generation of hardfacing materials for oil drilling tools. Oil and gas drilling tools need protection from extreme abrasive wear and erosion, and current hard facing materials no longer provide the required equipment life. Some critical drill string components need replacement after every drilling program which inflicts very high down-time costs. With 3500 drilling rigs operating worldwide the market need is large. With increasing drilling activity in deeper and more demanding drilling conditions the need for advanced hard facing is becoming greater. This project proposes establishing prototype facilities in the UK to produce new generation advanced hard-facing materials to enable Hardide to supply the oil industry globally, as well as producers of mining equipment, core drills, and stone cutting tools. When in the full-scale production the sales potential is estimated at £4.5m to £6m pa. This Project will open up new opportunities for other hard materials development. The Project is expected to have a wider economic effect beyond Hardide business. The new hardfacing material can help UK companies – producers of drilling and down-hole tools for Oil and Gas industry, tools and wear parts for mining and construction – to make their products more competitive. The project outcomes will contribute to developing UK skills in advanced materials and engineering, and create new jobs in UK high-value manufacturing. It will also bring environmental benefits, as more durable tools mean less scrap, less energy and materials waste. Hardide has conducted laboratory development of the technology on which this project is based over the last 5 years, and the technology is internationally patented. Hardide Coatings Ltd is a leading UK producer of patented Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) coatings for oil industry, heavy-duty pumps, valves and aircraft parts.