COI Ceramics

What COI Ceramics does

COI Ceramics, Inc. is a San Diego-based, privately held specialty materials manufacturer founded in 1999 that designs and produces Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) fibers for high-temperature aerospace, defense, and power generation applications. Its product portfolio spans oxide CMC systems (AS/N312, AS/N610, AS/N720, A/N720, AM/N720) built on 3M Nextel™ reinforcement fibers in sol-gel derived aluminosilicate, alumina, and alumina-mullite matrices, and non-oxide CMC systems (S200, S200H, S300, S400, S400N) fabricated via a proprietary Polymer Infiltration & Pyrolysis (PIP) process with SiC or carbon fiber reinforcements. The company manufactures Sylramic™, a proprietary crystalline SiC fiber rated to 1400°C/2252°F — the highest published temperature capability in the SiC fiber category — and licenses the Nicalon™ fiber product family (CG, Hi-Nicalon, Hi-Nicalon Type S, HVR, LVR) from NGS Advanced Fibers.

The business operates from a 30,000 sq ft AS9100-certified R&D and manufacturing footprint co-located at Northrop Grumman's San Diego facility, suggesting deep operational integration with a Tier-1 defense prime. COI monetizes through direct enterprise sales of custom ceramic components (exhaust systems, combustor liners, thermal protection systems, radomes) and SiC fiber materials (tow and woven forms) under a quote-based pricing model, with no disclosed public pricing. Named end-customers include Boeing (ecoDemonstrator 787 under the FAA CLEEN program), the F-35 program (military aircraft propulsion exhaust and thermal protection), and Solar Turbine (demonstrated 25,000+ hours of combustor life). Distribution is exclusively direct-to-OEM, with no intermediaries, and the company's email domain (ngc.com) points to structural ties with Northrop Grumman even though no formal parent company is disclosed in the available material.

The CMC end-market is sized at approximately $2.04B globally in 2024 and forecast to grow to $3.7B by 2031 (9.0% CAGR), with GE Aviation, Safran, Rolls-Royce, and CoorsTek collectively holding roughly 52% market share, positioning COI in the long tail of qualified specialty suppliers rather than among the volume leaders. Strategic moat rests on proprietary PIP and sol-gel processing know-how, the Sylramic™ fiber IP, the breadth of the oxide CMC grade portfolio, and the multi-year qualification entrenchment in flight-critical defense and aerospace programs.

Name

COI Ceramics

Legal name

COI Ceramics, Inc.

Website

https://coiceramics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advanced Ceramic Products & Components: Design and production of ceramic matrix composites and SiC fibers sold as materials and components to aerospace, defense, and power generation customers. Revenue derived from sale of ceramic components (exhaust components, heat shields, thermal protection systems, combustor liners) and SiC fiber products (tow, woven, braided forms).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

COI Ceramics designs and manufactures advanced Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) fibers for high-temperature aerospace, defense, and power generation applications. The product portfolio includes oxide (Ox-Ox) CMC systems based on 3M Nextel fibers and non-oxide SiC-based CMC systems fabricated via a proprietary Polymer Infiltration and Pyrolysis (PIP) process, along with proprietary Sylramic SiC fiber and Nicalon SiC fiber product lines supplied as tow, woven, or braided forms.

Product overview

COI Ceramics is a manufacturer of advanced ceramic materials for high-temperature applications, primarily serving aerospace and industrial markets. The company's product portfolio centers on two core offerings: Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) fibers. The CMC product line includes both Oxide (Ox-Ox) systems using 3M Nextel™ fibers in aluminosilicate, alumina, or alumina-mullite matrices, and Non-Oxide systems using SiC or carbon fibers in SiC/SiNC matrices via Polymer Infiltration & Pyrolysis (PIP) process. The SiC fiber portfolio includes COI's proprietary Sylramic™ crystalline fiber (the highest temperature-capable SiC fiber at 1400°C), and Nicalon™ fibers from NGS Advanced Fibers (including CG Nicalon™, Hi-Nicalon™, and Hi-Nicalon™ Type S variants). These materials are designed for extreme-environment applications including aircraft exhaust components, thermal protection systems, combustor liners, turbine engines, and hypersonic vehicles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sylramic™: A 10 µm diameter crystalline Silicon Carbide (SiC) fiber with the highest temperature capability of any available SiC fiber, rated to 1400°C/2252°F
• Nicalon™

Products and services

• Oxide Ceramic Matrix Composites (Ox-Ox CMC) Oxide Ceramic Matrix Composites designed for high-temperature oxidation-sensitive applications up to 1200°C (2200°F) in air environments, based on sol-gel derived matrices and 3M Nextel fibers. Used in aerospace and gas turbine applications. Sold to aerospace OEMs and turbine engine manufacturers.
• Non-Oxide Ceramic Matrix Composites (SiC CMC) SiC ceramic matrix composite products fabricated using Polymer Infiltration and Pyrolysis (PIP) process. Includes S200, S200H, S300, S400, and S400N grades with SiNC or SiC matrices reinforced with SiC, SiOC, or C fibers, with utility to greater than 3000°F. Targeted at commercial and military exhaust systems and aerospace applications.
• Sylramic SiC Fiber Crystalline silicon carbide (SiC) fiber with 10 µm filament diameter and the highest temperature capability (1400°C/2252°F) of any available SiC fiber. Manufactured by COI Ceramics as continuous tow on 3-inch spools up to 800 meters or as woven textile grade yarn. Used in space, aerospace, and power generation high-temperature structural composites.
• Nicalon SiC Fiber Product Line Family of Silicon Carbide fibers with high strength, corrosion and heat resistances for ceramics, polymer, and metal matrix composites. Includes CG Nicalon, HVR Nicalon, LVR Nicalon, Hi-Nicalon, and Hi-Nicalon Type S variants. Manufactured and sold under license from NGS Advanced Fibers Co., Ltd.
• AS/N312 Oxide CMC Oxide CMC with Nextel 312 fiber and Aluminosilicate matrix. Lowest cost option with maximum use temperature of 815°C continuous / 982°C short-term. Strength 19.3 ksi, Modulus 5.39 msi.
• AS/N610 Oxide CMC Oxide CMC with Nextel 610 fiber and Aluminosilicate matrix. Highest strength option with maximum use temperature of 982°C continuous / 1093°C short-term. Strength 57 ksi, Modulus 16.7 msi.
• AS/N720 Oxide CMC Oxide CMC with Nextel 720 fiber and Aluminosilicate matrix. Balanced performance with maximum use temperature of 1000°C continuous / 1100°C short-term. Strength 33 ksi, Modulus 11.4 msi.
• A/N720 Oxide CMC Oxide CMC with Nextel 720 fiber and Alumina matrix. Highest temperature oxide option with maximum use temperature of 1200°C continuous / 1300°C short-term. Strength 25.8 ksi, Modulus 11.4 msi.
• AM/N720 Oxide CMC Oxide CMC with Nextel 720 fiber and Aluminosilicate/Mullite matrix. Highest temperature capability with maximum use temperature of 1200°C continuous / 1400°C short-term. Strength 19.6 ksi, Modulus 9.3 msi.
• S200 Non-Oxide CMC Non-oxide SiC-SiNC CMC with CG Nicalon fibers and BN-based fiber interface. Lower cost option for intermediate temperature applications. Status: Flight Testing.
• S200H Non-Oxide CMC Non-oxide SiC-SiNC CMC with Hi-Nicalon fibers and BN-based fiber interface. Higher performance capability than S200. Status: NASA Database.
• S300 Non-Oxide CMC Non-oxide SiC+Si3N4 CMC with Sylramic SiC fibers and BN-based fiber interface. Crystalline matrix for highest performance. Status: NASA Database.
• S400 Non-Oxide CMC Carbon fiber reinforced CMC with SiC+Si3N4 crystalline matrix. Status: NASA Database.
• S400N Non-Oxide CMC Carbon fiber reinforced CMC with SiNC amorphous matrix. Status: NASA Database.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25,000 hours of combustor life demonstrated in Solar Turbine engine
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

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.

• 3M CorporationcoreTechnology or Integration3M supplies Nextel™ fiber products (Nextel™ 312, 610, and 720) used as reinforcement fibers in COI Ceramics' oxide CMC materials. COI Ceramics' oxide ceramic matrix composite products are based on sol-gel derived matrices combined with 3M's Nextel™ fiber technology.
• NGS Advanced Fibers Co., Ltd.coreTechnology or IntegrationNGS Advanced Fibers Co., Ltd. is the trademark holder for Nicalon™ SiC fiber products including CG Nicalon™, Hi-Nicalon™, and Hi-Nicalon™ Type S. COI Ceramics manufactures and sells these fibers under license.
• Northrop GrummancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOI Ceramics is co-located at the Northrop Grumman facility, indicating a strategic partnership arrangement. This proximity enables close collaboration and integration with Northrop Grumman's aerospace programs and manufacturing operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ultramet: Ultramet is a specialty advanced materials manufacturer focused on ultra-high-temperature ceramic composites and refractory coatings for aerospace, defense, and energy applications. Closely comparable to COI as a smaller, specialist CMC supplier to defense and aerospace primes.
• CoorsTek: CoorsTek is a large advanced technical ceramics manufacturer serving aerospace, defense, and industrial markets with engineered ceramic components including CMCs, and is one of the ~52% collective market holders. Highly comparable in product category and target customers, with broader material coverage than COI.
• Specialty Materials Inc. Specialty Materials Inc. manufactures boron fiber and silicon carbide fiber-reinforced composites for aerospace and defense structural and thermal applications. Comparable to COI as a smaller specialty fiber-and-composite supplier serving aerospace and defense primes.

Broad incumbents

• Safran: Safran is a leading aerospace propulsion and equipment OEM that develops CMC components for engine programs such as LEAP, and is one of the ~52% collective market holders. Directly comparable in CMC product category with far greater scale and engine platform ownership.
• Pratt & Whitney (RTX): Pratt & Whitney uses ceramic matrix composites in military and commercial engine programs (e.g., F135 for the F-35) and develops CMC technologies in-house. Comparable as a CMC-intensive aerospace propulsion player with significant overlap on F-35 and military engine applications.
• Honeywell Aerospace: Honeywell Aerospace manufactures auxiliary power units, propulsion, and thermal management systems and uses advanced ceramics and composites for high-temperature aerospace applications. Comparable as a broad aerospace incumbent with overlap in high-temperature propulsion and thermal protection components.
• GE Aerospace (GE Aviation): GE Aerospace is a primary user and developer of ceramic matrix composites for next-gen jet engines (LEAP, GE9X, future programs) and is one of the four players collectively holding ~52% of the CMC market. Directly comparable in CMC product category, with substantially greater scale and vertical integration into engine platforms.
• Rolls-Royce: Rolls-Royce develops and uses CMCs in commercial and military jet engines and is one of the named ~52% market holders. Comparable to COI as an aerospace CMC player, though substantially larger and operating as a vertically integrated engine OEM.

Emerging players

• Free Form Fibers: Free Form Fibers produces high-performance silicon carbide fiber via a proprietary chemical vapor deposition process for aerospace, defense, and energy applications. Directly comparable to COI in SiC fiber manufacturing, but at a smaller, earlier-stage scale.

Others

• 3M (Nextel fibers): 3M supplies the Nextel™ ceramic fiber family used by COI as the reinforcement in its oxide CMC portfolio and is a key input supplier to the broader CMC industry. Comparable in that 3M's fibers are foundational to the oxide CMC supply chain that COI participates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coi-ceramics-inc.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 COI Ceramics