What Nace does

AMPP — The Association for Materials Protection and Performance — is the largest global professional association dedicated to corrosion control and protective coatings, formed in January 2021 through the merger of NACE International (founded 1943) and SSPC (The Society for Protective Coatings). The organization operates as a US 501(c)(6) non-profit, headquartered in Houston, Texas, with a representative office in Beijing and 150+ chapters across at least 64 countries. Its core technology and IP comprises a unified certification and accreditation stack (QP 1–QP 9, QS 1, QN 1, CIP levels, CP 1–CP 4), a consensus-driven standards development process managed through Standards Committees, the Knowledge Hub platform for accessing standards and technical resources, and a content library spanning 300+ technical books plus three flagship publications (Materials Performance magazine with 37,000+ monthly circulation, CoatingsPro Magazine, and the peer-reviewed CORROSION Journal).

The business model is a diversified membership-and-credentialing platform with six primary revenue streams: individual/corporate/student membership dues (annual recurring), training and certification course and exam fees, QP contractor and inspection-company accreditation, publication and standards subscriptions, event registration and sponsorship (anchored by the annual AMPP Conference + Expo), and corporate partnership programs. Pricing is tiered (e.g., QP-certified corporate membership at $750/year with up to $6,500 in bundled course and certification savings), and customer segments span four primary groups: corrosion and coatings professionals seeking credentials, industrial and maritime contractors seeking QP accreditation, asset and facility owners (360+ globally) who specify QP-certified contractors, and inspection companies. Sub-brands include IMPACT Plus (corrosion management system), TalentForce (workforce development), EMERG (student outreach), and the wholly-owned Master Painters Institute (MPI) subsidiary.

The organization sells through a multi-channel GTM motion: direct online registration for courses and certifications, a global chapter distribution network, the Knowledge Hub and AMPP store as self-serve channels, and publication subscriptions, supplemented by 150+ local chapter events and the annual global conference. Strategic priorities post-merger have emphasized geographic expansion (notably into China via university partnerships and a Beijing office), product surface expansion (e.g., the ICA training program launched October 2023), and consolidation of legacy NACE and SSPC certification frameworks under the unified AMPP brand.

Name

Nace

Legal name

AMPP - The Association for Materials Protection and Performance

Website

https://nace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

AMPP is the largest global non-profit professional association for corrosion control and protective coatings, formed by the 2021 merger of NACE International and SSPC, serving certified professionals, contractors, asset owners, and inspection companies through certification, standards, training, and publications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Certification and Standards

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Leak Detection, Emissions & LDAR Testing (OGI, methane, fugitive emissions) (EUAEAHAL)

Keywords

• Corrosion protection certification
• Protective coatings training
• Industry standards development
• Coating inspection programs
• Professional membership association

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Individual, corporate, and student membership fees providing access to certifications, training, standards, publications, and chapter networks.
2. Training and Certification: Course fees, exam fees, and certification maintenance fees for cathodic protection, coating inspection, protective coatings, and corrosion prevention programs.
3. QP Accreditation: Certification fees for Qualified Procedures accreditation programs for contractors and inspection companies.
4. Publications and Subscriptions: Subscription revenue from Materials Performance magazine (37,000+ circulation), CoatingsPro magazine, CORROSION Journal, books, and technical publications.
5. Standards Sales: Sale of standards documents, guides, and comparators through the Knowledge Hub and AMPP store.
6. Events and Conferences: Registration fees, sponsorship revenue, and exhibition fees from the annual AMPP conference and expo.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Nace (operating through AMPP) is a nonprofit professional membership association that delivers globally recognized QP accreditations for coating contractors and inspection firms, individual certifications for cathodic protection and coating inspection, consensus-based industry standards, technical publications, and a worldwide chapter-based member network. Revenue is generated through individual/corporate/student membership dues, training and certification fees, publication subscriptions, and event registrations.

Product overview

AMPP (Association for Materials Protection and Performance) operates as a unified platform offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for the corrosion and protective coatings industry. The core offerings include professional certification programs (QP 1-9, QS 1, QN 1 for contractors and inspection companies), education and training courses covering cathodic protection, coating inspection, and protective coatings, consensus-based standards development through Standards Committees, and the Knowledge Hub platform for accessing technical resources. The organization also publishes authoritative industry publications including Materials Performance Magazine, CoatingsPro Magazine, and CORROSION Journal, alongside an extensive technical library of over 300 books. Membership programs serve individual professionals, corporations, and students, while annual conferences and chapter events provide networking and professional development opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IMPACT Plus: Global corrosion management system program
• IMPACT PLUS
• Master Painters Institute (MPI)
• TalentForce
• EMERG Student Outreach Program
• QP Program
• Knowledge Hub
• AMPP CLASS Award

Products and services

• QP (Qualified Procedures) Certification Programs Accreditation programs for coating contractors and inspection companies covering field application to complex structures (QP1), hazardous coating removal (QP2), shop coating (QP3), inspection companies (QP5), metal spraying (QP6), new contractors (QP7), polymer coatings on concrete (QP8), architectural coating (QP9), quality management systems (QS1), and nuclear facilities (QN1). Required by 360+ asset owners globally.
• Education & Certification Programs Comprehensive training courses and individual certifications covering cathodic protection (CP1-CP4), Coating Inspection Program (CIP levels), protective coatings, and corrosion prevention, delivered through instructor-led, online learning, and chapter-based programs for industry professionals.
• Membership Programs Individual, corporate, and student membership tiers providing access to professional knowledge, technical resources, networking through 150+ chapters, certifications, publications, and career development resources. Corporate memberships with QP certification include pricing benefits such as $250 first-time certification discounts and up to $5,600 in online course savings.
• Standards Development Development and maintenance of consensus-based industry standards covering surface preparation, protective coating application, quality assurance, and corrosion prevention, produced through the Standards Committees (SCs), Technical Committees, and the Standards Workspace, with participation opportunities for industry stakeholders.
• Knowledge Hub Centralized online platform providing streamlined access to industry standards, technical papers, books, articles, and other professional resources for the corrosion and protective coatings community.
• Materials Performance (MP) Magazine AMPP's flagship monthly publication covering global industry and infrastructure technologies including protective coatings, cathodic protection, chemical treatment, and material selection, with a circulation of 37,000+ copies per month.
• CoatingsPro Magazine Industry publication examining real coating projects from the contractor's perspective, covering industrial and commercial applications for concrete, steel, roofs, and floors.
• CORROSION Journal Peer-reviewed technical journal publishing research on corrosion mechanisms, prediction models, material performance, and experimental techniques from researchers worldwide.
• AMPP Annual Conference + Expo Flagship global annual event combining technical symposia, exhibitions, and networking for the corrosion and protective coatings industry, attracting nearly 5,000 professionals worldwide.
• IMPACT Plus Global Corrosion Management System Global corrosion management system program under the IMPACT Plus brand that helps companies reduce corrosion costs through structured corrosion management practices.
• Coating Inspection Program Level 1 (CIP 1) Course Updated English-language CIP Level 1 course providing entry-level coating inspection training and certification, with the Chinese version continuing with existing materials.
• Industrial Coating Application (ICA) Training Program Flexible, customized training program for industrial spray painters and abrasive blasters, with hands-on practical training using workbooks, slide content, and lab exercises.

Quantifiable outcome

• 360+ facility owners specify QP-certified contractors for projects
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection (CSCP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Long-term strategic partnership established through a Memorandum of Understanding in 2016. Annual joint welcome dinner at CORROSION conference, collaborative seminars, and mutual participation in major conferences including the National Corrosion Conference in China. Jointly hosted the 6th International Youth Corrosion Symposium (CORSYM 2019) in Beijing with Beijing University of Science and Technology.
• Master Painters Institute (MPI)coreOthersMPI is part of the AMPP family, providing painting and coatings specifications and certification services for architects, specifiers, and contractors.
• TÜV RheinlandminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTÜV Rheinland China participates in AMPP QP certification audits in China, providing third-party verification for contractor certifications.
• Chinese Academy of Sciences - Institute of Metal ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted NACE International CTS (Corrosion Technical Series) - first delivery in China in December 2019. Collaboration on corrosion electrochemical principles and applications training programs.
• Beijing University of Science and TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted CORSYM 2019 - the 6th International Youth Corrosion Symposium in Beijing. Also hosts the NACE China Student Section, with professors serving as faculty advisors.
• China University of Petroleum (Beijing)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACE China University of Petroleum (Beijing) Student Section established December 2018. NACE Vice President Terry Greenfield visited campus in May 2018 to deliver guest lecture on corrosion protection career opportunities.
• Southwest Petroleum UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACE Southwest Petroleum University Student Section established with support from NACE Xi'an Chapter. Initial 19 members from Oil and Gas Engineering College focusing on corrosion protection and wellbore integrity.
• Sun Yat-sen UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACE Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Student Section established with support from NACE Guangdong-Hong Kong Chapter. Directed by Professor Li Weihua, Dean of School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, focusing on marine corrosion protection research.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ASCE: ASCE serves civil engineering professionals with membership, publications, and standards. Comparable association structure serving infrastructure-related disciplines that overlap with AMPP's asset integrity focus.
• ASME: ASME is a much larger engineering professional association with a similar membership, certification, and standards development model. Comparable structure though broader mechanical engineering scope.
• SAE International: SAE International is a global standards and professional association serving aerospace and automotive engineers. Comparable in standards development and professional certification business model.
• ISO: The International Organization for Standardization is the largest global standards body. ISO standards on corrosion (ISO 12944) directly compete with AMPP/NACE standards, making it a comparable peer in the standards arena.

Direct peers

• American Welding Society: AWS operates a similar professional association model with membership, certification, and standards for welding inspectors and contractors. Comparable to AMPP's QP certification and training infrastructure.
• ASTM International: ASTM International is a globally recognized standards development organization serving industries ranging from metals to coatings. Comparable to AMPP's standards-development and certification core, though broader in scope.
• ASM International: ASM International (formerly American Society for Metals) is a materials science professional association offering membership, conferences, journals, and certification. Highly comparable to AMPP as a peer in materials engineering professional communities.
• Master Painters Institute: MPI is actually a wholly-owned subsidiary of AMPP, providing paint and coatings specifications and certification for architects and contractors. Direct peer in coating inspection and specification services.

Emerging players

• The Electrochemical Society: ECS advances electrochemical and solid-state science through publications, conferences, and education. Overlaps with AMPP in corrosion science research and academic community engagement.
• NACE International Foundation: The NACE Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the former NACE International, focused on workforce development and student outreach. Comparable to AMPP's TalentForce and EMERG programs in mission scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/ampporg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nace-international
• Xx.com/nacetweet
• Facebookfacebook.com/naceinternational

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Nace