INDESTRUCTIBLE PAINT COMPANY LTD is a small specialist coatings manufacturer, based in Birmingham, which has been closely associated with the aeroengine manufacture and maintenance industries since it's formation in 1978.

The company has enjoyed steady growth over the past few years, in line with the expanding aerospace market, and it's special coatings are relied upon by many of the world's leading aeroengine manufacturers and operators.

Earlier this year, Indestructible Paint implemented a new business plan and is aiming to extend it's customer base into other areas of transportation. As managing director, Brian Norton puts it: " We are now looking to add more special coating for cars, boats and trains to the products we already supply for planes."

The editor reports...

Indestructible Paint Company operates very much at the sharp end of the coatings industry. The company has worked very closely with the aerospace market - aeroengine manufacturers, in particular - for over 20 years and, in conjunction with companies such as Roll's-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky and GE, and has developed many of the specialised wear and heat resistant coatings used on modern aero engines. The company is also closely involved with the ACE44 Committee on formulating British Standard coatings specifications.

Development continues apace in this area, as world-wide environmental pressures drive onward the introduction of new coatings: water-based materials and chromate replacements, for example. These, of course, have to perform just as effectively as the coatings they replace and demand considerable research, development and investment in time and money. Here the company has been assisted by a 'SMART' grant (Small Firms Merit Awards for Research and Technology) which has enabled it to further increase it's knowledge in high temperature coatings and applications. The company expects this to lead to the introduction of new products which will open up additional markets as well as extend existing ones.

Other current new developments include a new low-VOC epoxy system with a silver finish, for use over jet engines and formulated for a major US aerospace company. Now in the late stages of it's final testing programme, the coating will provide corrosion protection and moderate heat resistance in harsh operating conditions. This product has been designed to meet all current and foreseeable North American regulations on permitted solvents, and will be made available to other companies once formally approved.

Indestructible Paint envisage a very large potential international market for this coating. The development of the product demonstrates the company's commitment to the environment, which was further enhanced recently when it gained ISO 14001 accreditation for it's manufacturing facility in Sparkhill, Birmingham.

By their very nature, the high-value, high-margin specialised coatings supplied by Indestructible Paint are usually required only in small quantities, and

the company prides itself on being able to deliver down to half-a-litre anywhere in the world to the tight time schedules demanded by the aviation industry.

In addition to aeroengine coatings such as 'Rockhard' high performance epoxy coatings and 'Ipcote' heat and corrosion resistant inorganic paint for turbine blades (one of only two such materials available in the world), Indestructible Paint has developed a range of high performance airframe coatings to defence standards, and a comprehensive range of high quality functional products for the automotive and general industrial market. These include: low-friction automotive coatings ('Ipslip' range); special paints for plastics and composites; radiation cure coatings; primers and finishes for steel and aluminium; heat, smoke resistant and intumescent coatings; maintenance and floor paints and lacquers for brass and copper, for example. It also manufactures materials to order for onward sales by other companies including goldsize, strippable coatings and aerosol paints.

Added to this, the company recently entered the marine decorative coatings market, when it acquainted the long established marine paints business of Llewellyn Rylands, in 1996. Since then the original 'Rylard' range has been updated and new water and solvent formulations added, including coatings for plastics - extending potential customer base for this well known retail and trade name.

With the comprehensive range of products now in the company's armoury, MD Brian Norton has implemented a business plan aimed at increasing penetration into the general industrial and transportation markets. The company has also recently expanded it's R&D production and storage facilities.

Says Brian: " Whilst, as our major area of expertise, the international aviation sector will always be the mainstay of the business - currently accounting for some 70% of output - we are good at producing 'oddball' coatings, and are confident that we can gain a significant slice of this specialised area outside of aerospace. We also expect to grow the retail and trade markets for Rylard products, working in conjunction with our main distributor of the range, Liverpool- based, Mainline.

Indestructible Paint has an impressive record of growth to live up to. From 1991 to 1998, annual sales grew at an average rate of 13%

compound. With it's latest specialised range of coatings and it's talent for 'niche' product development, there's no doubt that the company will continue to expand successfully.

Indestructible Paint took over the long established marine paints business Llewellyn Rylands in 1996. The original 'Rylard' range is still available, with the addition of new water and solvent based materials and a new range of vibrant colours for both trade and retail markets. Main distributor of the range is Liverpool-based Mainline.

The latest 'IPex' heat, corrosion and erosion resistant coating from Indestructible Paint, has been introduced specifically for use on automotive exhaust and manifold systems. The coating is a development of the company's 'Ipcote' inorganic coating used widely on jet engines.

IPex comprises a silver coloured base coat with a black top coat, and is claimed to outperform all conventional organic heat resisting materials. It also has better chip resistance than vitreous enamels and is said to be virtually 'hammerproof'. As a result, it has already been adopted by a major manufacturer of powered agricultural vehicles.

The extended life and long-term cosmetic benefits achieved by coating exposed exhaust systems with IPex enhance the resale value of tractors and other powered agricultural and construction plant equipment.