Nanofilm Technologies International

What Nanofilm Technologies International does

Nanofilm Technologies International Limited is a Singapore-headquartered, publicly-listed (SGX: MZH) provider of advanced thin film coatings, nanofabrication, and hydrogen energy solutions, founded in 1999. Its core technology is the proprietary Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc (FCVA) plasma-based vaporization method, complemented by PVD and PECVD processes, used to deposit wear-resistant, non-stick, anti-reflective, decorative, and corrosion-resistant coatings on substrates including metal, alloy, polymer, and ceramics. The company's portfolio spans functional coating brands (TAC-ON, i-TAC, STAR-TAC, Rainbow TAC, MiCC, SydroDIAMOND), coating equipment (FCVA batch and in-line systems, Closed Space Sublimation systems for thin-film solar), and precision micro-optics (microlens arrays, Fresnel, freeform/Alvarez, tunable lenses) produced via in-house 5-axis diamond turning. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Sydrogen Energy, it also supplies hydrogen fuel cell components and turnkey systems.

The company operates a vertically integrated B2B model combining coating services (PVD, FCVA, PECVD applied at coating centers), coating equipment manufacturing (FCVA batch/in-line systems, CSS systems for solar), and nanofabrication (micro-optics) under one platform. It serves automotive, semiconductor, consumer electronics, energy, tool and die, optics, and life sciences verticals across nine countries with manufacturing or sales presence in Singapore, China (Shanghai, Dongguan, Yizheng, Huizhou), Germany (Augsburg, Hohenlockstedt, Zittau, Tuttlingen, Wiesbaden), Japan, Vietnam, India, Thailand, with agents in Taiwan and the Philippines. Customer engagement is enterprise-direct with quote-based pricing; the company does not disclose standard pricing publicly. Q1 2026 revenue was S$55M (+24% YoY), with consumer advanced materials representing 89% of revenue (S$34M, +32% YoY) and industrial advanced materials the remaining 11% (S$15M, +9% YoY). Gross margin expanded to 39% and EBITDA margin to 26% in Q1 2026. FY2025 net profit reached S$11.8M (+52.4% YoY).

Nanofilm's strategic posture is one of platform expansion: a S$66 million NTI-NTU Corporate Laboratory opened in April 2026 with 60+ researchers, Vietnam megaplant construction is underway, three European coating businesses (AxynTeC, EC Europ Coating, MC Europ Coating) were acquired in 2023–2024, and the Sydrogen hydrogen subsidiary entered a Framework Agreement with Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy in January 2024. Distribution is enterprise-direct field sales; channels include a corporate website, major industry trade shows (CIIF, CIOE, SEMICON Taiwan, Hydrogen Technology Expo), and Singapore Exchange investor relations. The company is led by Founder and Executive Chairman Dr Shi Xu, with Gary Ho serving as Group CEO.

Name

Nanofilm Technologies International

Legal name

Nanofilm Technologies International Limited

Website

https://nti-nanofilm.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Nanofilm Technologies International is a Singapore-headquartered, publicly-listed (SGX: MZH) provider of advanced thin film coatings, nanofabrication, and hydrogen solutions. Founded in 1999, it serves automotive, semiconductor, consumer electronics, energy, and tooling industries globally through proprietary FCVA technology and vertically integrated coating services and equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Thin Film Coating

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510), Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers (332812), Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring (332813)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Packaging & Can Coatings (IMAEAGAF)

Keywords

• Thin film coatings
• Vacuum coating equipment
• Nano fabrication optics
• FCVA technology
• Hydrogen fuel cell coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Coating Services: PVD, FCVA, and PECVD vacuum coating services applied to tools, components, and industrial parts for various applications including non-stick, wear-resistant, conductive, decorative, AR coating, electrical insulation, and hydrophobic coatings.
2. Coating Equipment Manufacturing: Design, engineering, and manufacturing of vacuum coating/physical vapor deposition/thin-film coating equipment including FCVA systems, batch systems, and inline systems.
3. Nanofabrication: Micro optics manufacturing including microlens arrays, Fresnel lenses, free form lenses, and tunable lenses using precision diamond turning, injection molding, and replication processes.
4. Hydrogen Solutions: Fuel cell component manufacturing (bipolar plates, stack, subassemblies) and turnkey hydrogen system integration through subsidiary Sydrogen Energy.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nanofilm Technologies International provides proprietary thin film coating services and the vacuum coating equipment used to deliver them, leveraging its FCVA (Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc), PVD, and PECVD technologies to apply wear-resistant, non-stick, conductive, decorative, AR, hydrophobic, electrical insulation, and fuel cell bipolar plate coatings to industrial components. The company also manufactures precision micro-optics (microlens arrays, Fresnel lenses, freeform lenses, tunable lenses, flash lenses, PIR lenses) via in-house 5-axis diamond turning and replication, and through subsidiary Sydrogen Energy supplies hydrogen fuel cell components and turnkey hydrogen systems.

Product overview

Nanofilm Technologies International is a global leader in thin film coating, hydrogen energy, and nanofabrication solutions with over 25 years of experience. The company operates as an integrated player providing both coating equipment and coating services. The core product portfolio consists of FCVA (Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc) PVD coating technology, which includes wear-resistant coatings (TAC-ON®, STAR-TAC®, Rainbow TAC, i-TAC®), functional coatings (MiCC® non-stick, AR coating, hydrophobic, electrical insulation, decorative), and specialized coatings (SydroDIAMOND® for fuel cells, gold-tone PVD for jewellery). Equipment offerings include Closed Space Sublimation (CSS) systems for solar cell manufacturing, FCVA hybrid batch systems (BSHC 1010, BFSI 1515/1210/1006), FCVA in-line systems, and ion beam etching equipment. The nanofabrication division produces precision micro-optics including microlens arrays (MLA), Fresnel lenses, freeform/Alvarez lenses, tunable lenses, passive infrared lenses, and flash lenses for AR/VR, automotive ADAS, smart wearables, and general optics applications. Through subsidiary Sydrogen Energy, the company offers hydrogen fuel cell bipolar plate coatings and turnkey hydrogen power generation systems. Products serve industries including automotive, semiconductor, energy, life sciences, consumer electronics, optics, tool and die, and general manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SydroDIAMOND: Corrosion resistant carbon coating solution for fuel cell bipolar plates that enhances lifespan and conductivity
• Sydrogen
• MiCC
• TAC-ON
• Rainbow TAC
• i-TAC
• STAR-TAC

Products and services

• FCVA Coating Services Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc (FCVA) thin film coating services providing superior control and uniform coating on metal, alloy, polymer, and ceramic substrates for industrial customers.
• MiCC Non-Stick Coating Harder, thinner non-stick coating with lower friction rate that reduces stickiness of components and moulds, extends parts lifespan and improves productivity.
• TAC-ON Wear Resistant Coating FCVA-based wear resistance solution that extends product and tool lifespan, improves operation efficiency and enhances product quality using diamond-like carbon technology.
• STAR-TAC Coating Patented coating exhibiting superior running-in behavior, reduced sticking and extended service life for tools and components.
• Rainbow TAC Coating Filtered taC coating built on FCVA technology, providing ultra-hard, ultra-smooth coating with excellent edge coverage for PCB drills and precision tools.
• i-TAC Marine Coating Proprietary hydrogen-free ta-C coating via FCVA technology for marine piston rings, 2.7x harder than standard PVD-DLC, 12x longer part lifespan, 28% lower friction.
• AR Coating Anti-reflective coating solutions achieving low to ultra-low reflection at different wavelengths on various glass types, with enhanced scratch resistance.
• Hydrophobic Coatings PECVD and FCVA-based hydrophobic solutions that reduce surface energy and prevent humidity-related failures.
• Electrical Insulation Coatings PVD-based electrical insulation solutions that prevent equipment interference and short circuits to improve device performance.
• Decorative Coatings PVD-based decorative coatings available in a variety of colors with high-end finish and enhanced scratch resistance.
• Conductive Corrosion Resistant Coatings PVD-based electrical corrosion resistant solution that reduces corrosion current and extends product lifespan.
• Closed Space Sublimation (CSS) Coating System Vacuum deposition equipment for solar cell manufacturing, ideal for CdTe, perovskite, and other thin-film solar absorber layers.
• FCVA Hybrid In-line System Modular coating equipment with FCVA and linear sputtering sources; throughput up to 5 minutes per batch and continual operation for more than 3 days.
• Multi-Arc Hard Coat Batch System (BSHC 1010) Batch coating system for hard coat applications using multi-arc technology.
• FCVA Hybrid Batch System 1515 Large-format batch coating system with FCVA hybrid technology for industrial coating applications.
• Ion Beam Etching De-coater (NDC-300) Ion beam etching equipment for de-coating applications.
• SydroDIAMOND Fuel Cell Coating Corrosion resistant carbon coating solution for metallic bipolar plates in PEM hydrogen fuel cells, demonstrating 9 times less ion-leaching compared to PVD gold.
• Sydrogen Energy Turnkey Hydrogen Systems Turnkey systems to integrate or retrofit hydrogen power generation into maritime, EV charging stations, and commercial vehicles, delivered by subsidiary Sydrogen Energy.
• Microlens Array (MLA) High-precision micro-optics produced through 5-axis diamond turning and replication processes, available on sheet or glass substrates.
• Fresnel Lens Precision Fresnel lenses for optical applications including AR/VR, smart wearables, and automotive sensing.
• Free Form Lens / Alvarez Lens Custom freeform optical lenses for advanced sensing and illumination applications.
• Tunable Lens Adaptable optics system where aspherical polymer lenses move against each other to adjust focus, for next-generation opto-mechanics.
• Passive Infrared Lens (PIR) Thermal sensing lenses for infrared detection applications.
• Flash Lens Micro-optics for flash illumination in smart devices, supporting double shot injection and modulization with PSA.
• AR/VR/MR Micro-Optics Micro-optics for augmented, virtual, and mixed reality glasses enabling 3D sensing, ultra-thin imaging, light homogenization and reflective waveguides.
• Automotive Micro-Optics Micro-optics for ADAS and automotive lighting, including LiDAR and driver monitoring system applications.
• Smart Wearables Micro-Optics Micro-optics enabling health sensing and 3D depth sensing in smartwatches and phones.
• Hybrid PVD Gold-Tone Coating PVD gold-tone coating combining titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, and real gold targets for jewellery manufacturing, compliant with nickel/cobalt/chromium VI-free requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• i-TAC coating delivers 2.7× harder than standard PVD-DLC coatings, 12× longer part lifespan, 28% lower friction
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• Nanyang Technological University (NTU)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Joint S$66 million NTI-NTU Corporate Laboratory opened April 2026, a translational research facility focused on advanced nanocoating for healthcare and clean energy applications. Brings together over 60 researchers to advance nanotech solutions including bioactive coatings for dental prosthetics and hydrogen fuel cell catalysts.
• National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Trilateral partnership with NTU developing carbon-based nanocomposite coatings for dental prosthetics and implants to improve patient outcomes and clinical durability. Part of S$66 million NTI-NTU Corporate Laboratory initiative.
• National Research Foundation SingaporesupportingOthers · 20 April 2026Supports NTI-NTU Corporate Laboratory through research funding as part of Singapore's RIE 2025 plan and National Research Foundation initiatives.
• Enterprise SingaporesupportingOthers · 20 April 2026Supports NTI-NTU Corporate Laboratory as part of Singapore's innovation and enterprise development initiatives.
• Sydrogen Energy Pte. Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Wholly-owned subsidiary of Nanofilm Technologies International that develops and manufactures fuel cell components including bipolar plates with SydroDIAMOND coating and turnkey hydrogen systems. Works on hydrogen fuel cell catalysts with NTI-NTU lab.
• Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Equipment Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2024Framework Agreement signed January 2024 for cooperation in hydrogen production, transport, storage and use solutions. Partnership combines Sydrogen's fuel cell technology expertise with Guofu's market leading capabilities in hydrogen value chain for Maritime, Stationary Power and Automotive segments.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Evatec (subsidiary): Thin-film deposition equipment maker for semiconductor, photonics, and consumer optics - a close peer in coating equipment and serving overlapping end markets with Nanofilm's equipment business.
• Cemecon AG: Specialist in PVD/CVD-based wear-resistant coatings for cutting tools, comparable to Nanofilm's TAC-ON and Rainbow TAC product lines targeting tool-and-die and PCB drill customers.
• Voestalpine eifeler Coatings: Provider of PVD and CVD surface coatings (e.g., TiN, CrN, DLC) for tooling and precision components - directly overlaps Nanofilm's wear-resistant and decorative coating services.
• HEF Group: French surface engineering specialist offering PVD, PECVD, DLC coatings and tribological services for automotive and industrial markets; competes directly with Nanofilm's FCVA-based DLC coatings.
• IHI Hauzer Techno Coating: Manufacturer of industrial PVD/PECVD coating equipment with in-house coating services - mirroring Nanofilm's vertically integrated equipment + services model across automotive, decorative, and tooling markets.
• Oerlikon Balzers: Global PVD/coating solutions leader serving automotive, tooling, and industrial markets with proprietary surface treatment technologies - directly comparable to Nanofilm's FCVA-based coating services and equipment portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Asahi Glass / AGC (optical coatings): Global manufacturer of specialty glass, optical components, and AR coatings - a broader incumbent with overlapping capabilities in optical coatings and micro-optics, though much larger in scope.

Emerging players

• Gencoa (Hauzer/IHI subsidiary): Specialist in PVD equipment and process consulting for advanced coating applications - adjacent peer to Nanofilm's vacuum coating equipment offering with focus on emerging and specialty use cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nanofilm-technologies-international?originalSubdomain=sg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nanofilm Technologies International