PRECISION engineering and specialised finishing company, The Exact Group has joined a network of certified applicators of Cerakote, the highest performing world-leading ceramic coating, following a £300k investment, which will further elevate the company’s capabilities within the aerospace sector.

The successful bid for this accreditation is the result of four years’ work within the company, assisted by Invest Northern Ireland and Innovate UK, and investment in research and development (R&D), innovative technology and new machinery. The investment has enabled The Exact Group to develop specialist skills that will ensure it can meet the rigorous cosmetic, volume, regulatory and testing requirements of its growing aerospace customer base.

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, particularly aerospace, 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.

Cerakote also provides a more effective thermal barrier than other protective coatings in the market. Offering heat, chemical, abrasion and corrosion resistance, which combats the heat and shock effects experienced on aircraft, it is renowned for its durability and flexibility. The use of the coating is more cost and time effective, and also reduces the finished weight of the composite.

The product incorporates anti-microbial properties, which provide an extra layer of protection against pathogens and contribute to passenger safety, whilst minimising infection control, making it an ideal choice for the aerospace sector.

The Exact Group offers a range of service across sectors including automotive, electrical, energy, marine, MedTech and transport, but specialises in providing a rapid response service to the aircraft interiors industry, and is a supplier of choice for many of the leading global tier one companies.

Ronan Callan, The Exact Group’s Director of Operations commented, “This latest development demonstrates our commitment to constantly evolving our products to anticipate and meet each customer’s unique requirements. 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 to the aerospace sector.

“The Exact Group offers 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 global customer base.”

Nemo Reeve, Development Manager at Cerakote UK said, “We are delighted to welcome The Exact Group to our Certified Cerakote Applicator Network, following completion of the training programme by the company’s skilled painters at its facility in Newry, Northern Ireland. The Exact Group’s technical knowledge and engineering expertise allows the company to optimise application techniques and adjust skill sets to really get the best out of Cerakote.”

Dr Vicky Kell, Director of Innovation, Research and Development at Invest Northern Ireland spoke about The Exact Group’s newest service saying, “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. We will continue to work with The Exact Group to ensure it has the right tools to push the boundaries of innovation, maintain its competitive edge and continue its growth.”

Ronan continues, “The introduction of Cerakote to The Exact Group’s offering gave our customers a superior solution for coating different types of materials, and enabling protection from the elements; we quickly realised that it is a fantastic product that outperforms many other solutions. We are confident that it will help us revolutionise the sectors that we work in and allow us to continue to innovate and collaborate with other industry leaders.”

The Exact Group is committed to the highest standards of quality and excellence and currently holds the EFQM 5 Star and SC21 Silver awards, in addition to the ISO 9001 and AS9100 standards.

Find out more about The Exact Group at www.exactgroupni.com