Failure of systems due to wear and corrosion in extreme operating environments account for billions of dollars of loss in industry and government value each year. Corrosion on gear boxes in aerospace and automotive fleets, harsh sand environments in subterranean pumping systems, and abrasive wear on medical implants leading to costly revision surgery – all of these are examples of problems that can be addressed by surface modification technology.

In collaboration with NCDMM and AMARII, UPT intends to establish the Nanocomposite Functional Coatings Institute (NFCI) in Youngstown, Ohio. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of UPT, NFCI will serve as the epicenter of surface engineering research, development, and commercialization in the Mahoning Valley region with a mission to mature the application of nanocomposite functional coatings. The benefits of NFCI technology will accrue to the DoD as it seeks to create more reliability for the warfighter, and to the industrial sector as it seeks to stay competitive against foreign and domestic competition. Ultimately, NFCI will position the Mahoning Valley at the innovative edge of this rapidly developing technology field, which will directly create high-skilled jobs and provide the regional industrial base with solutions to increase competitiveness.

About United Protective Technologies
With over 20 years of research, development, and commercialization experience working with DoD and the private sector, United Protective Technologies (UPT) is a leader in the development and deposition of nanocomposite solutions and coatings for some of the world’s most difficult surface problems.