Hardide receives Nadcap accreditation for its coatings

Advanced surface coating technology provider Hardide announced on Tuesday that Hardide Coatings had gained Nadcap accreditation for coatings.

The AIM-traded firm described Nadcap as the “world's leading” independent certification program for special processes within the aerospace and defence industry.

It said the accreditation, in addition to the company's current certifications to AS9100, ISO9001 and ISO14001, meant Hardide could expand its business in the aerospace sector and provide its advanced tungsten carbide-based coatings to any of the aerospace prime contractors or their supply chains worldwide.

The accreditation followed the award in March of “approved supplier” status to Airbus Group, and according to the board, it demonstrated the company's ongoing commitment to quality and process excellence.

“Aerospace is a key growth market for Hardide and this is a significant achievement and milestone toward realising the clear potential for our coating technology in this sector,” said CEO Philip Kirkham.

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

“As well as cementing our position with customers such as Airbus, Leonardo and BAE Systems, it will qualify us to work with any of the prime contractors and their worldwide supply chains.”

Nadcap was described in Hardide’s statement as a co-operative industry-managed approach, designed to ensure the “highest standards” of quality control, especially for the highly complex 'special processes' that were essential to the aerospace and defence industries.

“Congratulations to Hardide Coatings on successfully passing what may be the aerospace industry's most stringent process capability assessment audit," said Performance Review Institute executive vice president and chief operating officer Joe Pinto.

“Nadcap audit criteria are widely acknowledged to be hard to meet and companies like Hardide Coatings, who succeed at doing so, rightfully deserve recognition.”