What Powder Processing & Technology does

Powder Processing & Technology, LLC (PPT) is a privately held US toll processor and custom manufacturer specializing in ceramic and inorganic powder processing. Founded in 1974 as part of Indiana General and currently headquartered at 5103 Evans Avenue, Valparaiso, Indiana, PPT operates three production sites (Valparaiso IN, Batavia OH via the 2018 CinChemPro acquisition, and Wilmington OH via the 2021 RT Process merger) and is owned by E.J. Vestco Industries, LLC, a specialty-chemicals-focused investment holding company. The company serves enterprise and mid-market materials technology customers worldwide, with named engagements across advanced electronics (low temperature sintering ferrite materials for chip inductors and EMI shielding), lithium-ion battery materials, automotive composites, solid oxide fuel cells, metal smelting electrodes, refractories, and catalysts.

PPT's technical platform is organized around six processing modules: rotary calcining and drying, spray drying, kiln firing/sintering, mixing/grinding/blending, plus wet chemistry and impregnation added through CinChemPro and RT Process. Equipment spans calciners up to 1,370°C, tunnel kilns reaching 1,500°C in air or nitrogen, spray dryers with chamber diameters from 3 to 16 feet, and milling capabilities down to 0.5 micrometers. Pilot-scale process development occurs in the Innovative Materials Center (IMC), with scale-up into commercial production runs ranging from gram batches to millions of pounds annually. A Tri-Mer Ceramic Catalyst Filter System installed in 2015 handles NOx (up to 95% destruction) and submicron particulate capture (over 99%) for catalyst industry work.

Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) toll/custom powder processing fees based on material type, volume, and processing requirements, structured as multi-year contracts; (2) process development and engineering contracts through the IMC on a professional services basis; and (3) structured asset access and co-funding arrangements where PPT invests alongside customers in special-purpose equipment. Customer acquisition is relationship-driven B2B enterprise field sales, complemented by trade show presence (North American Catalysis Society, Ceramics Expo, SOCMA, Specialty & Agro Chemicals America), the company's website and LinkedIn presence. PPT holds ISO 9001:2015 certification (since 1998) and an EcoVadis Silver Badge for sustainability management. Operating President Ali Kerr leads day-to-day operations under joint Managing General Partners John Kaziow and Errol Menke of the parent PPT Group.

Name

Powder Processing & Technology

Legal name

Powder Processing & Technology, LLC

Website

https://pptechnology.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Powder Processing & Technology (PPT) is a privately held US toll processor and custom manufacturer of ceramic and inorganic powders, serving enterprise materials technology customers with spray drying, rotary calcining, kiln firing, and milling services across three production sites in Indiana and Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Ceramic and Inorganic Powder Processing Services

NAICS

Powder Metallurgy Part Manufacturing (332117)

SIC

Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)

akta.pro primary industry

Filling & Dosing Equipment (Liquid, Powder, Aseptic) (IMALAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ceramic Powders & Slurries (IMAAABAG)

Keywords

• Toll powder processing
• Ceramic sintering services
• Spray drying services
• Rotary calcining services
• Soft ferrite powders

Headquarters

HQ city

Valparaiso

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 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. Toll/Custom Powder Processing Services: Contract manufacturing services for ceramic and inorganic powders including spray drying, rotary calcining, kiln firing/sintering, and complementary processing. Revenue is generated through processing fees based on material type, volume, and processing requirements.
2. Process Development and Engineering Contracts: Technical consulting and process development services through PPT's Innovative Materials Center. Includes pilot-scale development, scale-up assistance, and process optimization prior to production.
3. Asset Access and Co-Funding Arrangements: Structured financial and business arrangements to provide full processing capability when existing equipment is insufficient, including co-funded investments and special asset purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Powder Processing & Technology provides toll/custom powder processing and process development services for ceramic and inorganic materials, including rotary calcining, spray drying, kiln firing/sintering, and mixing/grinding/blending. The company runs an Innovative Materials Center for pilot-scale process development and manufactures a proprietary line of Soft Ferrite Powders, including Low Temperature Sintering Ferrite (LSF Series), serving enterprise materials technology customers worldwide.

Product overview

Powder Processing & Technology (PPT) provides toll processing and custom manufacturing services for ceramic and inorganic powders. The company operates a platform of six separate processing modules including Rotary Calcining, Spray Drying, Kiln Firing (sintering), and Mixing/Grinding/Blending services. Process development is conducted in the Innovative Materials Center (IMC), a pilot-scale facility, before scaling to production. The company also manufactures Soft Ferrite Powders including NiZn(Cu) ferrite, Low Temperature Sintering Ferrite (LSF Series), and Sintered Ferrite Loading Powders. PPT has expanded through acquisitions of RT Process (2021) and CinChemPro (2018) to broaden its organic and inorganic chemistry capabilities. Equipment portfolio includes calciners up to 1370°C, tunnel kilns up to 1500°C, spray dryers up to 16 feet diameter, and various grinding/blending equipment. Services are delivered at ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities with emphasis on intellectual property protection and customer confidentiality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 metric tons of LSF220 ferrite powder produced since 1994 commercialization
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RT Process (RTP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2021Rapid Tech Process, LLC merged into PPT Group concurrent with Ali Kerr appointment as Operating President. RTP was a privately held chemical manufacturing company founded and led by Kerr for seven years. The merger added supplementary processes including wet chemistry, drying, thermal transitioning, particle sizing, milling, spray drying, blending, and impregnation capabilities.
• CinChemPro, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018CinChemPro, LLC was acquired by PPT in 2018. Located in Batavia, Ohio, the acquisition expanded PPT's capabilities into organic chemistry technology to better serve existing and new clients.
• SOCMA (Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association)minorOthersPPT is a member of SOCMA, the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association, demonstrating commitment to chemical industry standards and compliance.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Momentive Performance Materials: Momentive is a global specialty materials company producing silicones, advanced ceramics, and specialty inorganic materials. Comparable to PPT through specialty ceramic powder manufacturing and processing, though Momentive is significantly larger and operates globally across multiple material chemistries with vertically integrated production.
• CoorsTek: CoorsTek is a leading global manufacturer of technical ceramics serving semiconductor, automotive, medical, and industrial markets. Comparable to PPT through ceramic powder processing and sintering capabilities, though CoorsTek operates at a much larger scale with vertically integrated production and a broader finished-parts portfolio.
• Kerneos (Imerys): Kerneos, an Imerys business, is a global leader in calcium aluminate-based specialty binders and refractory products for high-temperature applications. Comparable to PPT through processing of specialty inorganic powders serving refractories and high-temperature industrial end markets with overlapping customer bases in metallurgy and ceramics.
• Saint-Gobain Ceramics: Saint-Gobain is a large global materials company with significant ceramics and refractories operations serving industrial and high-tech markets. Comparable to PPT as a major player in ceramic materials processing, though Saint-Gobain is integrated upstream/downstream with a much broader product portfolio and global footprint.

Direct peers

• Bodycote: Bodycote is the world's largest provider of thermal processing services, including sintering, calcining, and heat treatment for metals, ceramics, and advanced materials. Comparable to PPT through kiln firing, sintering, and high-temperature processing of ceramic and inorganic powders for industrial customers, though Bodycote is much larger and more geographically diversified.
• American Elements: American Elements manufactures and distributes ultra-high purity inorganic materials including ceramics, metals, and compounds for advanced applications. Comparable to PPT through custom manufacturing of specialty inorganic and ceramic materials serving electronics, energy, and aerospace customers, with some overlap in ferrite and ceramic powder production.
• NETZSCH Fine Particle Technology: NETZSCH provides grinding, dispersing, and toll processing services for fine particles in ceramics, chemicals, and advanced materials. Comparable to PPT in wet/dry grinding, milling, and contract processing for industrial customers, with overlapping equipment portfolios in vibratory and ball milling technologies serving similar materials.
• GEA Spray Drying: GEA designs spray dryers and offers spray drying services across pharmaceutical, food, and chemical applications. Comparable to PPT through shared spray drying service capability (3-16 ft chamber diameters) for converting liquid feeds into powders, including ceramic and inorganic materials processed at industrial scale.
• Harper International: Harper International manufactures industrial furnaces and offers thermal processing services for advanced materials including ceramics, battery materials, and fuel cell components. Comparable to PPT through high-temperature processing capabilities (calcining, sintering) for similar advanced materials end markets like batteries and fuel cells.
• Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems: Hosokawa Micron provides powder and particle processing equipment plus toll/custom processing services for dry powders including ceramics, chemicals, and minerals. Comparable to PPT through shared focus on powder processing capabilities (grinding, classification, mixing) and contract processing service offerings for advanced materials customers in similar end markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/powder-processing-&-technology-llc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Powder Processing & Technology