Flame Spray

What Flame Spray does

Flame Spray is an Italian-headquartered industrial coatings specialist providing thermal spray, diffusion, slurry, cladding, and welding surface-engineering services to manufacturers and operators of mission-critical components. The company operates 8 coating facilities across Italy, Hungary, Croatia, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Kazakhstan, with a North American subsidiary (FSNA) housed in a 10,000 sqm purpose-built facility in Fountain Inn, South Carolina. Its technology stack spans HVOF, air plasma spray, HVAF, cold spray, arc spray, wire spray, spray-and-fuse, diffusion coatings, HIP (hot isostatic pressing) with a patented URC rapid-cooling process, laser-EDM cooling hole drilling, and proprietary product brands including CABOFLAM tungsten carbide coatings, Flameseal, and FlameClad for waste-to-energy boiler protection.

The business model is project-based professional services: customers send components to one of Flame Spray's facilities (or the company dispatches portable HVAS equipment on-site) for coating, machining, heat treatment, or refurbishment. Pricing is quote-based, dependent on component size, coating technology, materials, and service location, with multi-year contracts and long-tenure enterprise customers (BHS Corrugated and Simec Group have been partners for 30+ years). Revenue streams are diversified across power generation (gas and steam turbines), renewable energy (hydro, wind, waste-to-energy), aerospace, railways, automotive, pulp & paper, petrochemical valves and pumps, and general engineering. Flame Spray markets primarily through industry trade shows (ASME Turbo Expo, IVS, ENLIT Europe, ADIPEC, AEROMAT, MEGAWATT, HYDRO) and direct enterprise field sales, with active R&D participation in five EU-funded consortia targeting hydrogen infrastructure, supercritical boilers, and low-emission braking systems.

The company is privately held with no disclosed external investment or parent company, and Italian registration data indicates a relatively modest share capital base (€1,775,624) consistent with a closely-held industrial firm. Headcount of 251-500 employees supports a global operation with established customer relationships in mission-critical sectors.

Name

Flame Spray

Legal name

Flame Spray

Website

https://flamespray.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Flame Spray is an Italian thermal spray and surface-engineering specialist operating 8 coating facilities globally, providing HVOF, plasma spray, HIP, and proprietary coating solutions to power generation, aerospace, petrochemical, and industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Thermal Spray Coating Services

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551), Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (332410)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Thermal Spray & Metallizing (HVOF/Plasma/Arc) (IMAIAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aerospace Thermal Management, Insulation & Fire Protection Materials (IMABANAE)

Keywords

• Thermal spray coatings
• Surface engineering services
• Industrial coating solutions
• Hot isostatic pressing
• Wear resistant coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Monza

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Thermal Spray Coating Services: One-time and production-run coating services using various thermal spray technologies (HVOF, APS, HVAF, Cold Spray, Arc Spray, Wire Spray). Services provided both in-house and on-site at customer facilities.
2. HIP and Heat Treatment Services: Hot isostatic pressing and vacuum heat treatment services for component densification and property enhancement
3. On-Site Coating Services: Field coating services using portable HVAS technology for large equipment that cannot be transported, reducing customer downtime and logistics costs
4. Precision Machining and Finishing: Additional value-add services including cooling hole drilling (laser + EDM), laser welding, chemical stripping, shot peening, and dimensional restoration
5. Aftermarket and Repair Services: Component repair and regeneration services for gas turbine parts, extending component life and reducing replacement costs for customers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Flame Spray is an industrial coating specialist that applies thermal spray and complementary surface treatments (HVOF, APS, HVAF, Cold Spray, Diffusion, Arc, Wire, Spray and Fuse, Slurry, HIP, welding overlay, laser welding, shot peening, vacuum heat treatment, chemical stripping, and laser + EDM cooling hole drilling) to protect, restore, and extend the life of critical components. Services are delivered either in-house at eight global coating facilities or on-site at customer locations, primarily serving gas and steam turbine, aerospace, oil & gas, and heavy industrial markets. The company also markets proprietary branded coating systems (CABOFLAM®, Flameclad, Flameseal) developed in its in-house metallurgical laboratory.

Product overview

Flame Spray is a thermal spray specialist offering a comprehensive portfolio of coating technologies and surface treatment services for industrial applications. The company's core offering spans multiple thermal spray processes including HVOF, Air Plasma Spray, HVAF, Cold Spray, Diffusion Coatings, Wire Spray, Arc Spray, Spray and Fuse, and Slurry Coatings. Beyond thermal spray, they provide complementary manufacturing services including HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing), Laser Welding, MCrAlY Chemical Stripping, Cooling Holes Drilling (Laser + EDM), Welding Overlay, Shot Peening, and Vacuum Heat Treatment. Their branded coating products include CABOFLAM WC Coatings for tungsten carbide applications, FlameClad for waste-to-energy cladding, and Flameseal for patented spray-slurry protection. Services are delivered across global coating facilities in Italy, Hungary, Croatia, USA, Saudi Arabia, and Kazakhstan, serving sectors including power generation (gas and steam turbines), renewable energy (hydraulic, wind, waste-to-energy), aerospace, petrochemical, pulp and paper, and general engineering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CABOFLAM: Complete portfolio of WC and CrC (tungsten carbide and chromium carbide) coatings developed by Flame Spray
• FlameClad
• Flameseal

Products and services

• HVOF Coatings High Velocity Oxygen Fuel thermal spray coatings offering superior wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and bond strength versus chrome plating and other thermal spray processes, applied to industrial components.
• Air Plasma Spray (APS) Coatings Advanced air plasma spray technology providing thermal barrier and wear-resistant coatings for high-temperature industrial applications such as gas and steam turbine components.
• HVAF Coatings Thermal spray technology using air-fuel combustion to propel coating materials at high velocities, improving reliability and coating quality versus conventional combustion processes.
• Cold Spray Coatings Kinetic-energy coating process that deposits materials at low temperatures, preserving substrate properties while achieving superior coating quality for temperature-sensitive components.
• Diffusion Coatings Complete range of diffusion coatings including platinum aluminide and silicon-modified aluminide for high-temperature oxidation and corrosion protection of gas turbine hot-section components.
• Spray and Fuse Coatings Thermal spray process where coating particles are fused to the substrate using high heat, creating metallurgically bonded wear-resistant surfaces for demanding industrial components.
• Wire Spray Coatings Thermal spray coating technology using wire or rod materials melted in flame and propelled onto surfaces, providing corrosion and wear protection at high deposition rates.
• Arc Spray Coatings Thermal spray process using an electric arc to melt wire electrodes and compressed air to atomize and propel coating material onto substrates for large-area corrosion and wear protection.
• HVAS (High Velocity Arc Spraying) Coatings Fast, resistant metal coating technology developed for the Oil & Gas sector, delivered both in-house and via portable equipment on customer sites for refinery equipment corrosion protection.
• Slurry Coatings Inorganic aluminum slurry coatings providing corrosion protection, particularly for compressor components in gas turbines and for waste-to-energy boiler protection in combination with thermal spray (Flameseal).
• Welding Overlay Surface enhancement technique using welding to apply protective overlay coatings on metal components, delivering improved wear and corrosion resistance for heavy industrial parts.
• HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing) Service Thermomechanical process applying high isostatic pressure (up to 2000 bar) and temperature (up to 2000°C) in inert argon to eliminate internal porosity in cast and additively manufactured metallic and ceramic components; paired with patented URC (Uniform Rapid Cooling) for combined densification and heat treatment.
• Vacuum Heat Treatment Heat treatment processes conducted in a controlled vacuum environment for gas turbine components, including solutionizing, stress relieving, and precipitation hardening.
• Shot Peening Surface treatment process bombarding components with small spherical metal particles to induce compressive residual stresses, improving fatigue resistance and durability of coated and uncoated parts.
• MCrAlY Chemical Stripping Chemical stripping service for efficient removal of MCrAlY and aluminide coatings from turbine components, enabling component restoration and re-coating during overhaul.
• Cooling Holes Drilling (Laser + EDM) Precision drilling service combining laser ablation for ceramic TBC removal and Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) to create accurate cooling holes in thermal barrier coated gas turbine components.
• Laser Welding High-precision welding service for gas turbine manufacturing and repair using concentrated laser beams, applied to cover plate and metering plate assembly and GT component repair.
• CABOFLAM® Tungsten Carbide and Chromium Carbide Coatings Flame Spray's proprietary branded portfolio of tungsten carbide (WC) and chromium carbide (CrC) coatings, including WC/Co/Cr and WC/Co variants, delivering exceptional hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance in demanding industrial environments.
• Flameclad Protective Cladding Proprietary cladding-based protective coating system for waste-to-energy boiler components exposed to aggressive contaminants, designed to resist chloride and low-melting-point ash corrosion.
• Flameseal Hybrid Spray-Slurry Protection Patented combination of Thermal Spray and Slurry technologies providing protective coatings on waste-to-energy boiler components, combining sprayed and slurry-applied layers for high-temperature corrosion resistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 15,000 valve sets processed annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TAMIMI ENERGYcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 November 2024Joint exhibition partnership at ADIPEC 2024, Abu Dhabi. Flame Spray Saudi exhibited at TAMIMI ENERGY booth 1150 Hall 1 Gate A, November 4-7, 2024.
• BHS CorrugatedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Strategic partnership spanning 30 years for corrugated roll coatings. Flame Spray operates an on-site workshop inside BHS Corrugated's Weiherhammer plant, providing coatings for corrugated rolls. Considered a strategic global partner rather than just a supplier.
• Simec GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 199430-year strategic partnership for anilox roll coatings and precision machining services. Door-to-door service model providing highest quality and efficiency for printing industry components.
• MITHRIL ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded research project developing advanced coatings to prevent hydrogen permeation in steels for hydrogen infrastructure. Flame Spray contributes coating technology expertise for energy transition applications.
• H2IGCC ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean research initiative for hydrogen-rich syngas combustion in gas turbines. Flame Spray provides advanced ceramic coatings for hot gas path components as industrial partner.
• MACPLUS ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU research project to increase efficiency of supercritical coal boilers. Flame Spray developed coatings to withstand harsh conditions in supercritical boilers.
• LOWBRASYS ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded project developing next-generation braking technologies to reduce particle emissions. Flame Spray applied new coating solutions to reduce brake system particle emissions.
• CERBERO ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian Ministry-funded project improving efficiency of external combustion microturbines for carbon-neutral cogeneration. Flame Spray contributes coating technology for microturbine hot section components.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ASB Industries: US-based thermal spray and coatings service provider with HVOF, plasma, arc spray, and combustion spray capabilities serving aerospace, industrial gas turbine, and defense markets. Closest direct US-headquartered peer to Flame Spray North America, competing for the same gas turbine OEM and MRO customers.
• Bodycote: UK-listed surface treatments specialist offering thermal spray, hot isostatic pressing, diffusion coatings, and other surface technologies for aerospace, power, and industrial markets. Overlaps directly with Flame Spray's HIP, diffusion coating, and thermal spray services and is one of the largest pure-play thermal processing services companies globally.
• TOCALO Corporation: Japan-based specialist in thermal spray coatings serving semiconductor, aerospace, power generation, and industrial markets. Comparable business model centered on proprietary coating technology, gas turbine refurbishment, and high-end component coatings, though with greater exposure to Asian semiconductor and electronics customers.
• Flame Spray Technologies (TST): Dutch-based designer and manufacturer of thermal spray equipment (HVOF, plasma, arc, wire) and provider of coating services, serving aerospace, automotive, and industrial markets. Overlaps with Flame Spray both as a coating service provider and as equipment supplier; comparable mid-sized European competitor.
• Metallisation Limited: UK-based specialist in arc spray, flame spray, and HVOF equipment and coating services for corrosion and wear protection applications. Competes with Flame Spray in wire arc and flame spray coatings for industrial components, oil & gas, and infrastructure markets.

Broad incumbents

• Saint-Gobain (Surface Solutions): French multinational materials group with significant specialty coatings and surface treatment operations serving industrial, aerospace, and construction markets. While much larger and more diversified, the company's coating solutions segment overlaps with Flame Spray in industrial and high-performance coatings, with substantially greater R&D resources.
• Chromalloy: US-based independent provider of repair, overhaul, and coating services for gas turbine engine components, including thermal barrier coatings, diffusion coatings, and HIP. Direct competitor to Flame Spray in gas turbine component repair and re-coating, with deeper relationships with major engine OEMs and MRO customers in the Americas.
• Oerlikon (Surface Solutions / Balzers): Global leader in surface solutions including thermal spray coatings for aerospace, power generation, automotive, and industrial markets. Operates an extensive network of service centers worldwide, directly comparable to Flame Spray's HVOF, plasma, and arc spray offerings but at significantly greater scale and with deeper OEM qualifications.
• Praxair Surface Technologies (Linde): Major thermal spray and wear-resistant coating services provider, now part of Linde, serving aerospace, power generation, and industrial markets globally. Competes head-to-head with Flame Spray in HVOF, plasma spray, and diffusion coatings for gas turbine and industrial components, with a broader service network.
• Curtiss-Wright (Surface Technologies): US-listed defense and industrial company whose Surface Technologies segment provides shot peening, heat treatment, and thermal spray coatings for aerospace, power, and industrial customers. Direct competitor in metal improvement and surface enhancement services, with strong aerospace OEM relationships Flame Spray lacks at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FlameSprayGroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Flame Spray