SDC Technologies
SDC Technologies is a California-based subsidiary of Mitsui Chemicals that develops and manufactures high-performance abrasion-resistant, scratch-resistant, and chemical-resistant coatings for plastic, glass, and metal substrates, serving ophthalmic, automotive, aviation, marine, electronics, medical, military, and architectural markets worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What SDC Technologies does
SDC Technologies, Inc. is a California-based global supplier of high-performance functional surface coatings and materials, founded in 1986 and operating as an independent wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. since 2008. The company develops and manufactures abrasion-resistant, scratch-resistant, chemical-resistant, UV-resistant, anti-fog, photochromic, hydrophobic, and oleophobic coatings for plastic, glass, and metal substrates across eight primary verticals: ophthalmic solutions, automotive and transit, aviation and aerospace, marine and watercraft, electronics and display technology, medical and safety, military and security, and architectural and building. SDC's product portfolio is anchored by the proprietary CrystalCoat line of hard coatings, complemented by CrystalChrome photochromic coatings, FormGard thermoformable coatings, CrystalSpin UV-cure coating equipment, and the acquired-brand portfolio including Visgard anti-fog coatings (FSI Coating Technologies), DURALON hydrophobic/oleophobic systems (COTEC GmbH), and Coburn Technologies' ophthalmic lens processing equipment and diagnostic instrumentation.
Revenue is generated through three streams: sale of proprietary coating materials and custom-formulated solutions to OEMs and lens manufacturers, sale of proprietary and partner-branded coating equipment (CrystalSpin spin coaters and Coburn lens finishing systems), and licensing royalties (notably the exclusive photochromic dye license from James Robinson Speciality Ingredients). The company runs an enterprise field-sales motion led by senior chemists under its "Trusted Advisor Program," supported by a North American toll-coating partner network and validated equipment partnerships (Sono-Tek ultrasonic spray). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Global operations span the United States (current HQ in Irvine, CA, with new global headquarters in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA planned for November 2025), Singapore (Asia-Pacific regional hub), Cwmbran, Wales (European operations since 1995), and Germany (COTEC GmbH), with certifications including ISO 9001:2015 (since 2001) and ISO 14001:2015 (since June 2024). Leadership is led by President and CEO Richard Chang, with executive oversight across the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific and a stated strategic mandate emphasizing M&A-led growth.
SDC Technologies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SDC Technologies
- Legal name
- SDC Technologies, Inc.
- Website
- http://www.sdctech.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- SDC Technologies is a California-based subsidiary of Mitsui Chemicals that develops and manufactures high-performance abrasion-resistant, scratch-resistant, and chemical-resistant coatings for plastic, glass, and metal substrates, serving ophthalmic, automotive, aviation, marine, electronics, medical, military, and architectural markets worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SDC Technologies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coatings
- NAICS
- Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551), Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255)
- SIC
- Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851), Adhesives & Sealants (2891)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty & Functional Coatings (Anti-microbial/Anti-slip/Insulating) (IMAIAKAM), Industrial Protective Coatings (Steel/Concrete/Equipment) (IMAIAKAB), Automotive & Transportation Coatings (IMAEAGAC)
Keywords
Where SDC Technologies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
SDC Technologies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Coating Materials and Solutions Sales: SDC generates revenue through the sale of proprietary high-performance coating materials, primers, and complete coating solutions to manufacturers across ophthalmic, automotive, aviation, marine, medical, military, and electronics markets. Revenue is generated from both standard product lines and custom formulation development.
- Coating Equipment Sales: Sale of proprietary coating equipment including CrystalSpin UV curable spin coaters for applying coatings to ophthalmic lenses and other substrates.
- Licensing and Technology Transfer: Revenue generated through strategic alliances such as the exclusive licensing of photochromic dye intellectual property from James Robinson Speciality Ingredients.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
SDC Technologies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SDC Technologies develops, manufactures, and sells proprietary high-performance coating materials and systems for plastic, glass, and metal substrates. Its portfolio spans abrasion/scratch/chemical resistant hard coatings (CrystalCoat), photochromic coatings (CrystalChrome), thermoformable coatings (FormGard), anti-fog coatings (Visgard), hydrophobic/oleophobic coatings (DURALON), and 3D print resins (3DLite), as well as UV-cure coating equipment (CrystalSpin) and lens processing equipment (Coburn Technologies). Customers are manufacturers in ophthalmic, automotive, aviation, marine, medical, military, electronics, and architectural markets served direct and via toll coating partners.
Product overview
SDC Technologies is a global leader in high-performance coating systems, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsui Chemicals. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of proprietary coating solutions organized around several product families: CrystalCoat® premium abrasion-resistant hard coatings (including thermal and UV-cure formulations with variants like C-410, C-415, CC-1602, CC-1670, CC-6000, CP-163, CP-165, IM series index-matched coatings, MP multi-purpose coatings, PF primer-free coatings, PR photochromic coatings, TC tintable coatings, and UV-cure formulations); CrystalChrome® photochromic coatings; FormGard® thermoformable coatings; CrystalSpin® coating equipment (UV-cure and anti-fog coaters); and 3DLite® 3D print resins. Through acquisitions, the portfolio extends to FSI Coating Technologies' Visgard® anti-fog coatings and films; COTEC GmbH's DURALON® hydrophobic/oleophobic coatings and PVD/CVD thin film technologies; and Coburn Technologies' lens processing equipment, diagnostic instruments, and lens finishing systems. The company also offers the ClearChoice™ interactive product selector tool. Combined with parent company Mitsui Chemicals' MR™ Series high-index optical lens monomers and Acomon AG's RAV 7™ low-index monomers, SDC provides a Total Vision Care Solution encompassing the entire lens value chain from materials to finished coated lenses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CrystalCoat: Premium abrasion resistant hard coatings for plastics, glass and metals
- CrystalChrome
- CrystalSpin
- FormGard
- Visgard
- DURALON
- ClearChoice
Products and services
- CrystalCoat® Coatings & Primers Premium proprietary abrasion, scratch, and chemical resistant hard coatings for plastic, glass, and metal substrates, available in thermal-cure and UV-cure formulations, for manufacturers in ophthalmic, automotive, aviation, marine, electronics, architectural, military, and medical markets.
- CrystalChrome® Photochromic Coatings Premium photochromic spin coating system for eyewear that changes tint when exposed to UV light, providing adaptive light protection; relies on exclusively licensed JRSI photochromic dye IP.
- FormGard® Thermoformable Coatings Thermoformable primerless abrasion resistant coating that combines excellent abrasion resistance with formability for 3D-formed parts.
- CrystalSpin® UV-Cure Spin Coater Equipment UV curable spin coating equipment for applying scratch-resistant CrystalCoat coatings to lenses and other substrates; complements CrystalCoat chemistry with application hardware.
- CrystalSpin® UV AF Anti-Fog Coater UV curable anti-fog spin coating machine for applying permanent anti-fog coatings to eyewear and optical lenses.
- 3DLite® 3D Print Resin Coatings 3D print resin coating system for DLP/SLA printed parts, providing abrasion resistance and durability to 3D printed optical components.
- DURALON® Hydrophobic/Oleophobic Coatings Premium brand family of coatings and thin layer film systems (PVD finishing and CVD thin film) offering easy-clean fingerprint resistance, anti-smudge, and oil/water repellent properties for automotive, ophthalmic, precision optics, and photonic displays; sourced from SDC's COTEC GmbH subsidiary.
- Visgard® Anti-Fog Coatings and Films Premium anti-fog coating systems including Visgard Premium, Visgard Premium Plus, Visgard Elite, and Visgard UV for protective eyewear, face shields, visors, and safety equipment, preventing condensation fogging in high humidity conditions.
- COTEC Hydrophobic Print Coating System Digital hydrophobic coating system for industrial printing applications, providing water-repellent and easy-clean surface properties.
- Coburn Technologies Lens Processing Equipment Full range of ophthalmic lens processing systems, instruments, and supplies including digital lens processing platforms, lens edgers (Velocity TT, HPE-990), lens generators, surfacing equipment, coating systems, and diagnostic technology for eye care professionals, optical retail outlets, and lens production labs worldwide.
- Huvitz Diagnostic Technology Diagnostic machines and exam lane equipment for eye care professionals, including pediatric vision screeners and digital lens processing platforms.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40+ years of continuous growth through technical innovation
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SDC Technologies
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SDC Technologies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
SDC Technologies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- flō OpticscoreMitsui Chemicals invested in Israeli startup flō Optics through its SDC Technologies subsidiary. The strategic investment and collaboration agreement aims to enhance optical lens coating processes leveraging Israel's tech ecosystem. The partnership positions SDC to benefit from the growing optical coatings market expected to reach $19.6 billion by 2028.
- James Robinson Speciality Ingredients (JRSI)coreStrategic alliance via exclusive licensing of comprehensive patent portfolio of high-performance photochromic dyes. JRSI is the dominant world leader of specialty ingredients to manufacture premium photochromic dyes, compounds that change color when exposed to UV light for eyewear applications.
- Coburn Technologies, Inc.coreSDC acquired Coburn Technologies, founded in 1954 and headquartered in South Windsor, Connecticut. Coburn is renowned for serving private eye care practices, optical retail outlets, and lens production labs worldwide with award-winning precision ophthalmic lens processing systems and instruments for coating and finishing lenses.
- COTEC GmbHcoreSDC acquired COTEC GmbH, an innovative developer of quality PVD finishing materials and CVD thin film applications founded in 1997 in Germany. COTEC provides anti-reflective, hydrophobic, oleophobic coatings for automotive, ophthalmic, precision optics, and photonic displays, including DURALON brand.
- Lens Technology I, LLC (LTI Coating Technologies)coreSDC purchased majority ownership of LTI in 2014 and completed full acquisition and merger in 2017. LTI is the recognized leader in development and manufacture of high performance proprietary UV curable anti-scratch coatings for the ophthalmic market, receiving Awards of Excellence from the Optical Laboratories Association.
- Film Specialties, Inc. (FSI Coating Technologies)coreSDC acquired the assets of Film Specialties Inc. creating FSI Coating Technologies. Founded in 1986, FSI is a pioneering champion of anti-fog scratch resistant hard coating, film and sheet products for commercial and industrial markets serving automotive, commercial refrigeration, electronics, medical, safety, and eyewear industries.
- Sono-Tek CorporationcoreSono-Tek spray coating equipment has been successfully tested for application with SDC Technologies coatings. As the inventor of ultrasonic nozzle technology since 1975, Sono-Tek provides complete coating solutions from R&D through high volume production.
- Toll Coating Partners NetworkminorNetwork of qualified North American toll coating partners providing application, product development and manufacturing services for customers requiring custom coating application: Alcat Coatings, Coating Design Group, Fosta-Tek Optics, iCoat Company, MXL Industries, North American Coating Laboratories, and Revision Military.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SDC Technologies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Axalta Coating Systems: Specialty coatings company focused on automotive, commercial vehicle, and industrial finishes. Comparable on automotive and industrial protective coating chemistry, customer profile (OEMs), and global manufacturing footprint.
- PPG Industries: Global industrial and specialty coatings major with overlapping aerospace, automotive, and industrial protective coating lines. Relevant peer for SDC's industrial and transportation coating adjacencies and as a benchmark for specialty chemical economics.
- RPM International: Specialty coatings, sealants, and building materials conglomerate. Comparable for specialty industrial/sealant chemistries and the strategy of acquiring niche coating brands into a single platform.
- Hempel Foundation: Global coatings supplier with marine, protective, and decorative segments. Directly comparable to SDC's marine coatings business (salt-water/UV resistant coatings for boat windows and hulls).
- EssilorLuxottica: Largest global ophthalmic lens and eyewear platform and a major downstream buyer of coating chemistries. Comparable as a leading consumer of premium ophthalmic coatings (CrystalCoat, AR stacks) and a benchmark for SDC's core ophthalmic segment.
Direct peers
- Carl Zeiss Vision: Premium ophthalmic lens and coatings supplier with proprietary AR and hard-coat stacks. Directly comparable to SDC's ophthalmic-focused CrystalCoat and CrystalChrome product family and premium eyewear customers.
- Sono-Tek Corporation: Ultrasonic spray coating equipment manufacturer and SDC's named equipment integration partner. Directly comparable on ophthalmic/specialty coating application systems (CrystalSpin coaters, anti-fog coaters).
- Ultra Optics: Independent ophthalmic anti-reflective and hard-coating service company serving premium lens manufacturers. Directly comparable to SDC's toll-coating partner network and ophthalmic coating chemistry offering.
Emerging players
- Shamrock Technologies: Niche specialty coatings and additives company with wax and polymer technology applicable to surface treatments. Comparable as a similarly sized specialty chemistry house focused on protective and functional coatings.
- Innovative Micro Technology: Specialty thin-film and PVD/CVD coating services for optics, photonics, and MEMS. Comparable to SDC's COTEC GmbH subsidiary on thin-film technology for precision optics and photonic displays.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SDC Technologies social profiles
Digital presenceSDC Technologies compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
SDC Technologies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SDC Technologies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
SDC Technologies subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
SDC Technologies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SDC Technologies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SDC Technologies
What does SDC Technologies do?
SDC Technologies develops, manufactures, and sells proprietary high-performance coating materials and systems for plastic, glass, and metal substrates. Its portfolio spans abrasion/scratch/chemical resistant hard coatings (CrystalCoat), photochromic coatings (CrystalChrome), thermoformable coatings (FormGard), anti-fog coatings (Visgard), hydrophobic/oleophobic coatings (DURALON), and 3D print resins (3DLite), as well as UV-cure coating equipment (CrystalSpin) and lens processing equipment (Coburn Technologies). Customers are manufacturers in ophthalmic, automotive, aviation, marine, medical, military, electronics, and architectural markets served direct and via toll coating partners.
Is SDC Technologies a public or private company?
SDC Technologies is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was SDC Technologies founded?
SDC Technologies was founded in 1986. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is SDC Technologies based?
SDC Technologies is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does SDC Technologies make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Coating Materials and Solutions Sales are the primary driver. The others are coating Equipment Sales and licensing and Technology Transfer.
Who are SDC Technologies's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Axalta Coating Systems, PPG Industries, RPM International, Hempel Foundation and EssilorLuxottica. Direct peers are Carl Zeiss Vision, Sono-Tek Corporation and Ultra Optics. Emerging players are Shamrock Technologies and Innovative Micro Technology.
Does SDC Technologies have an API?
No public API is recorded for SDC Technologies.
What industry is SDC Technologies in?
SDC Technologies's product category is Specialty Coatings. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAGAB, Industrial & Protective Coatings, with a secondary code of IMAIAKAM, Specialty & Functional Coatings (Anti-microbial/Anti-slip/Insulating). Its NAICS code is 32551 and its SIC code is 2851.