Precision engineering and specialised finishing company the Exact Group has joined an illustrious network of certified applicators of Cerakote, the highest performing world-leading ceramic coating, following a £300,000 investment which will further elevate its capabilities within sectors including aerospace, defence and medical.
The successful bid for this accreditation is the result of four years’ work within the company, assisted by Invest NI and Innovate UK, and investment in research and development (R&D), innovative technology and new machinery.
The investment has enabled Exact Group to develop specialist skills that will ensure it can meet the rigorous cosmetic, volume, regulatory and testing requirements of its growing customer base across many sectors.
A specialised cleanroom environment for the Cerakote application process has been created at the company’s facility in Newry, and its significantly expanded composites department now houses a dedicated state-of-the-art finishing suite and five paint ovens for the preparation and finishing of all Cerakote products.
A versatile specialised protective thin film, Cerakote is revolutionising many sectors globally, due to its robustness and ability to be applied to a variety of surfaces including metals, alloys, polymers, composites, wood and plastic, making it an ideal treatment choice for many companies.
The Exact Group (www.exactgroupni.com) offers a range of service across sectors including aerospace, automotive, electrical, energy, marine, med-tech and transport.
Exact’s director of operations Ronan Callan said: “Our new accredited status and the completion of training with Cerakote will significantly expand our customer base, while enhancing our reputation as a technical expert in delivering complex and highly specialised services.
“We offer more than just the application process of Cerakote – we are utilising our extensive engineering expertise and technical knowledge, in addition to the whole package of traceability, FAI and conformity and that’s something that has been largely welcomed by our customer base.”
Dr Vicky Kell, director of innovation (R&D) at Invest NI, added: “The Exact Group recognises the value of investing in innovation and R&D to remain competitive and continue to grow its business outside Northern Ireland.
“With our support, its investment in R&D has resulted in it developing pioneering film coating which has led to its success with Cerakote. This new service is now set to open the door to many new opportunities, sales and customers for the company.”