What Advanced Coating Technologies does

Advanced Coating Technologies (ACT) is a privately held B2B coating services provider founded in 2007 and headquartered in Valencia, California. The company applies thin-film surface coatings to precision components and cutting tools using Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), Plasma-Assisted CVD (PACVD), Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC), and Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2/X-LC) processes, with supporting plasma nitriding. ACT operates more than 20 coating formulations, including proprietary variants branded WARRIOR, NACRO, NACO-Blue, Quantum, NEXCEL, and VOLT(x), and runs Platit Pi300, PL1001, MpC1000, and MpC700-DLC systems supplied under a technology partnership with Platit.

The company serves six primary end markets: aerospace and space, medical and dental, automotive, defense and firearms, cutting tools, and high-performance sports. Aerospace and medical are flagged as the primary verticals, supported by AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 certifications, an in-progress NADCAP certification, and a Federal Firearms License that positions ACT as one of only a few West Coast coating facilities authorized to process serialized firearms. Reference customers include NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Mars mission MoS2 coating work tested by Caltech), California-based aerospace and space primes, and Warren Johnson's NASCAR team. Technical leadership rests with Dr. Andreas Schuetze (VP of Technology, former Deputy Head of R&D at Oerlikon Balzers), who holds 4 patents and has authored 20+ scientific papers.

ACT operates on a quote-based, professional-services revenue model with no public pricing and no external institutional funding. All coating work is performed at the single Valencia facility and sold directly to enterprise customers via the company website, phone, and email — there are no resellers, distributors, or marketplace channels. In-house quality verification is performed using Tribo Meters, Calo Testers, Fisherscope X-ray systems, and optical microscopes, and ACT emphasizes in-house scientist consultation as part of the customer engagement model.

Name

Advanced Coating Technologies

Legal name

Advanced Coating Technologies, Inc.

Website

https://actechnol.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Advanced Coating Technologies is a privately held Valencia, California-based provider of PVD, CVD, DLC, and MoS2 thin-film coating services for precision components, serving aerospace, medical, automotive, defense/firearms, cutting tools, and high-performance sports customers on a direct, quote-based services model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Coating Services

NAICS

Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers (332812), Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities (33281)

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Application Equipment & Coating Services (Contract Coating, Surface Prep) (IMAEAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB), Specialty & Functional Coatings (Anti-microbial/Anti-slip/Insulating) (IMAIAKAM), Automotive & Transportation Coatings (IMAEAGAC)

Keywords

• PVD coating services
• CVD DLC coatings
• Thin film deposition
• Surface engineering solutions
• Wear resistant coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Valencia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. PVD Coating Services: Physical Vapor Deposition coating services applying thin hard films including TiN, AlTiN, TiCN, ZrN, CrN, AlTiSiN, and MoS2 (X-LC) coatings to enhance wear resistance, reduce friction, and extend component life. Applied via vacuum deposition techniques.
2. CVD DLC Coating Services: Chemical Vapor Deposition Diamond-Like Carbon coatings providing ultra-low friction, high hardness, and chemical inertness for complex geometries and internal surfaces. Applied through high-temperature gas-phase reactions.
3. MoS2 (X-LC) Coating Services: Molybdenum Disulfide dry film lubricant coatings for vacuum, extreme temperature, and high-load environments. Solid film lubricant applications for aerospace, defense, and precision instrumentation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Advanced Coating Technologies (ACT) is a Valencia, California-based coating service provider applying high-performance thin-film coatings to customer-supplied parts. The company offers Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coatings, Chemical Vapor Deposition Diamond-Like Carbon (CVD DLC) coatings, and Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2/X-LC) solid lubricant coatings to aerospace, medical, automotive, defense/firearms, cutting tools, and high-performance sports industries. Customers ship parts to ACT's facility where the parts are coated using Platit equipment and in-house expertise under the direction of a Ph.D. lead scientist.

Product overview

Advanced Coating Technologies (ACT) provides a comprehensive portfolio of surface coating services centered around PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) and CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) technologies, with proprietary coating formulations. The core offerings include PVD Coatings (TiN, AlTiN, TiCN, ZrN, CrN, AlTiSiN/nACO, AlTiCrN/nACRO) and CVD DLC Coatings, supplemented by MoS2 (X-LC) solid lubricant coatings. The company also offers proprietary high-performance coatings including NACO-Blue, NACRO, and WARRIOR. ACT's coating services serve six primary industries: aerospace, medical, automotive, defense/firearms, cutting tools, and high-performance sports. The company operates coating technologies including PVD arcing, sputtering, CVD, and plasma nitriding, utilizing equipment from Platit including Pi300, PL1001, MpC1000, and MpC700-DLC machines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PVD Coatings Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coating service applying tough, hard thin-film finishes to customer parts including cutting tools, molds, and aerospace/medical/automotive components via vacuum deposition techniques.
• CVD DLC Coating Chemical Vapor Deposited Diamond-Like Carbon coating service for parts requiring unmatched conformality on complex geometries and internal surfaces, with dense, high-purity molecular-level bonded films offering long-term resistance to wear, heat, and chemicals.
• MoS2 (X-LC) Coating Service Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) dry film lubricant coating service engineered for high-vacuum, high-load, and high-temperature environments, with operating temperature range from -350 to 500°F in ambient air and up to 2,000°F under vacuum, providing ultra-low friction.
• X-LC and DLC Coating Solutions New high-performance X-LC and DLC coating solutions for aerospace, medical, automotive, and tooling sectors that withstand high stress, temperature, and corrosion to enhance component durability and operational efficiency.
• Titanium Nitride (TiN) Coating PVD Titanium Nitride (TiN) coating service offering 2400 HV hardness with reliable wear resistance and versatile performance for general-purpose cutting and forming tools, medical, and decorative applications (max operating temperature 600°C/1100°F).
• Aluminum Titanium Nitride (AlTiN) Coating High-performance AlTiN PVD coating service excelling in high-speed, high-heat applications with 3400-3600 HV hardness; forms aluminum oxide barrier during use to improve heat resistance and edge stability (max operating temperature 700°C/1300°F) for CNC and die/mold applications.
• AlTiSiN (nACO) Coating Premium nano-composite AlTiSiN (nACO) PVD coating service known for extreme hardness (4200 HV) and thermal stability, designed for milling, drilling, and tapping of hardened steels, high-temperature alloys, and abrasive materials (maintains strength above 1000°C).
• Titanium Carbonitride (TiCN) Coating PVD Titanium Carbonitride (TiCN) coating service offering higher hardness (3000 HV) and superior wear resistance than standard TiN due to carbon content; gray-blue coating ideal for tools working with stainless steel and high-alloy steels (max operating temperature 400°C/750°F).
• Zirconium Nitride (ZrN) Coating PVD Zirconium Nitride (ZrN) coating service providing decorative yet functional gold finish with 2100 HV hardness, improved corrosion resistance, low chemical reactivity suitable for food, medical, or cosmetic applications.
• Chromium Nitride (CrN) Coating PVD Chromium Nitride (CrN) coating service offering 2000 HV hardness with a tough balance between wear resistance and corrosion protection, ideal for plastic injection molds, forming tools, and components exposed to high humidity or chemical exposure.
• X-LC (Extreme Low Coefficient) Coating PVD X-LC coating service engineered for ultra-smooth machining and dry cutting conditions, offering one of the lowest friction surfaces among PVD coatings, with 600 HV hardness optimized for non-ferrous and soft materials like aluminum and copper.
• NACRO (AlTiCrN) Coating Proprietary NACRO (AlTiCrN) PVD coating service with dark silver finish and max operating temperature 1100°C/2000°F, applied to steels, alloys, hardened steels, and cast iron components.
• WARRIOR Coating Proprietary highest-performance PVD coating service with distinctive copper color finish designed for hardened steels and ultimate performance applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• DLC coatings achieve tool life increase of 5-10x compared to uncoated tools
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

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

• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT collaborated with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory on one of their Mars missions. ACT coated hinges and bearings to ensure proper movement of cameras and wheels using MoS2 (X-LC) coating technology. Work was tested by Caltech. This represents a prestigious reference customer and validation of ACT's space-grade coating capabilities.
• PlatitcoreTechnology or IntegrationACT has partnered with Platit, described as a world leader in advanced coating technologies. Platit supplies ACT's coating equipment including Platit Pi300 and Platit PL1001 PVD arc coating machines, MpC1000, and MpC700-DLC systems. This partnership provides ACT access to industry-leading coating technology platforms.
• UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Schuetze collaborated with UCLA and Los Alamos National Laboratory on plasma jet development during his academic career. ACT maintains this relationship through 4 invention reports with UCLA related to plasma physics and PVD coating applications.
• Los Alamos National LaboratoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory on plasma jet development during Dr. Schuetze's tenure, representing advanced research partnership for coating technology development.
• ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Schuetze taught Plasma Physics and Applications of PVD Coatings at ETH Zurich. This academic connection provides ongoing research and talent development opportunities.
• Warren Johnson's NASCAR TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT has successfully worked with Warren Johnson's NASCAR team, coating gears in his gearbox. This motorsport partnership demonstrates ACT's capabilities in high-performance automotive coating applications.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Oerlikon Balzers: Global leader in PVD and other surface treatment solutions, operating a worldwide network of coating centers serving aerospace, automotive, medical, and tooling. Comparable to ACT as a direct PVD/CVD service competitor and is the former employer of ACT's Lead Scientist, Dr. Schuetze.

Direct peers

• IHI Ionbond: Global PVD, CVD, and PACVD coating service provider with coating centers across North America, Europe, and Asia serving aerospace, medical, automotive, and decorative markets. Highly comparable to ACT in core coating processes and target verticals, but at significantly larger scale and geographic reach.
• HEF Group: French-based surface engineering company offering PVD, PACVD, DLC, and tribological coating services for aerospace, automotive, and industrial customers. Directly comparable to ACT in coating process portfolio and aerospace/industrial customer base.
• Calico Coatings: US-based provider of DLC, PVD, and specialty coatings for aerospace, defense, medical, and industrial markets. Directly comparable to ACT as a US-headquartered, multi-vertical PVD/DLC contract coating competitor.
• Phygen Coatings: US provider of PVD and DLC coatings serving cutting tools, aerospace, automotive, and medical components. Highly comparable to ACT in coating technology stack, customer verticals, and service-led model.
• Richter Precision: East Coast US PVD coating service provider specializing in aerospace, medical, and industrial component coatings. Comparable to ACT as a US-based, multi-vertical contract coating service with similar technology offerings.
• Eclipse Surface Technologies: US provider of vacuum coating services including PVD and CVD for aerospace, defense, and industrial components. Comparable to ACT in vacuum deposition process portfolio and aerospace/defense customer base.
• Surface Technology Inc. US-based provider of electroless plating, PVD, and specialty coatings serving aerospace, medical, and industrial markets. Comparable to ACT as a multi-process contract coatings service for similar regulated industries.

Regional players

• Wallwork Heat Treatment: UK-based contract heat treatment and PVD coating service provider for aerospace, automotive, and industrial customers. Comparable to ACT in process mix (heat treat + PVD) and aerospace focus, but serves primarily European customers.

Emerging players

• NTC Nano Tech Coatings: Provider of nano-composite and PVD coatings (including AlTiSiN-type variants) for cutting tools and industrial components. Comparable to ACT in advanced coating chemistry (e.g., nACO/nACRO equivalents) and tooling focus, though more concentrated on cutting tools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AdvancedCoatingTech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/actcoating

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Advanced Coating Technologies