Secat

What Secat does

Secat, Inc. is a privately held metallurgical research laboratory founded in 1999 and headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. The company specializes in aluminum technology and operates three laboratories: a metallurgical testing and characterization facility in Lexington (ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and NADCAP certified), a pilot-scale casting and thermomechanical processing facility in Nicholasville, and Innovatech Labs in Plymouth, Minnesota (acquired August 2022), which provides surface science and chemical analysis. Secat offers a fee-for-service portfolio covering mechanical testing (tensile, hardness, fatigue, fracture), corrosion testing (cyclic salt spray, immersion, potentiodynamic), defect and failure analysis, molten metal quality (PoDFA, Alscan), chemical analysis (OES, ICP-OES, GDMS), alloy and process development, materials characterization (SEM/EDS, EBSD, TEM, XPS, TGA, DSC, XRD), and forming/formability testing. Equipment capability is anchored by capital-intensive instruments including an MTS Landmark 370.25 servohydraulic test system (250 kN), Q-Fog CRH cyclic corrosion tester, SDT 650 simultaneous thermal analyzer, and a CNC tool room mill.

Secat serves aluminum producers and manufacturers across verticals including automotive (Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Accuride, Gränges Americas), aluminum flat rolled sheet (Tri-Arrows Aluminum, ~1 billion pounds annually), aerospace, power/energy (GE Power), construction, and consumer packaging. The company uses an enterprise field-sales motion with a Sales Manager, regional representatives (including a Mexico-based representative in Puebla City), and a website-driven "Request a Quote" lead capture flow. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; engagements are project-based. Secat also generates revenue and thought leadership through training courses, including the multi-part Certificate in Aluminum Metallurgy program and specialized topics such as automotive sheet, billet casting, extrusion, and deformation processing, delivered in-person and virtually and at customer sites. Partnerships with University of Kentucky, PNNL, ORNL, Innoval Technology, and the REMADE Institute (DOE) extend the company's research and training ecosystem, and its scholarship program (active since 2001) supports pipeline development in materials science and engineering.

Name

Secat

Legal name

Secat, Inc.

Website

https://secat.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Secat, Inc. is a privately held metallurgical research laboratory in Lexington, Kentucky, founded in 1999, operating three labs that provide aluminum-focused mechanical, corrosion, and failure testing, alloy development, and pilot-scale casting for aluminum producers and manufacturers in automotive, aerospace, construction, and packaging.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Metallurgical Testing Services: Fee-for-service laboratory testing across mechanical testing, corrosion testing, failure analysis, molten metal quality assessment, chemical analysis, and materials characterization. Customers are aluminum producers, manufacturers, and fabricators who pay per test or project.
2. Alloy & Process Development: R&D project work including laboratory and pilot-scale facilities for new product development, process optimization, and alloy development. Charged per project engagement.
3. Training Courses: In-person and virtual training courses on aluminum metallurgy topics including Certificate in Aluminum Metallurgy (4-part program), billet casting, deformation processing, extrusion, and automotive sheet training. Offered at Secat facilities or on-site at customer locations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Secat is an independent metallurgical research laboratory specializing in aluminum technology, operating three laboratories (Lexington KY for metallurgical testing and characterization; Nicholasville KY for pilot-scale casting and thermomechanical processing; and Plymouth MN's Innovatech Labs for surface science and chemical analysis). The company provides fee-for-service materials testing, defect and failure analysis, alloy and process development R&D, materials characterization, corrosion testing, molten metal quality assessment, and training courses to aluminum producers, manufacturers, and end-users across aerospace, automotive, construction, and consumer packaging sectors.

Product overview

Secat is a metallurgical research laboratory specializing in aluminum product and process technologies. The company operates three laboratories offering a comprehensive suite of materials testing, defect & failure analysis, alloy development, and pilot-scale production services. The core offerings include Mechanical Testing, Corrosion Testing, Defect & Failure Analysis, Molten Metal Quality assessment, Chemical Analysis, Alloy & Process Development, Materials Characterization, and Forming & Formability testing. The company also provides Training Courses through its Certificate in Aluminum Metallurgy program and operates Innovatech Labs as a subsidiary acquired in 2022 for advanced surface science and chemical analysis. Equipment capabilities include the SDT 650 thermal analyzer, Q-Fog CRH corrosion tester, MTS Landmark servohydraulic test system, and Haas TM-1 CNC mill.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mechanical Testing

Quantifiable outcome

• Short turnaround times compared to industry competitors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• REMADE Institute (DOE)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022REMADE Institute is a 132-member public-private partnership established by the U.S. Department of Energy with an initial investment of $140 million. Secat was awarded an R&D contract as part of the Institute's $33.2 million new technology research initiative selecting 23 new projects. Focuses on advancing aluminum recycling, process efficiency, and sustainable manufacturing technologies.
• Innoval Technology Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2019Secat and Innoval Technology jointly offered an Aluminum Automotive Sheet Training Course in Lexington, KY in October 2019. Approximately 20 attendees from aluminum manufacturing companies participated. Instructors Dr. Gary Mahon and Professor Geoff Scamans traveled from Banbury, UK. The partnership combines Secat's US market presence with Innoval's technical training expertise for automotive sheet production.
• Tri-Arrows Aluminum, Inc.coreOthersTri-Arrows Aluminum (formerly Arco Aluminum) was one of the founding members of Secat. They represent approximately 1 billion pounds annually in flat rolled sheet production and have maintained a board seat since Secat's founding in 1999. TAA uses Secat's services on a monthly basis for mechanical testing, sheet characterization, and formability analyses despite having access to labs run by their owners at United Aluminum Company of Japan (UACJ).
• Accuride CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccuride has worked with Secat for seven years. Secat serves as a third-party resource for failure mode verification and technical support during alloy development. Accuride also leverages Secat's relationship with University of Kentucky for access to specialized analytical equipment not available at their Henderson Materials Lab. Collaboration on new technology development including AA6099 aluminum alloy.
• University of KentuckysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecat leverages University of Kentucky analytical equipment through partnership arrangements, enabling customers to access specialized instrumentation such as Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Focused Ion Beam (FIB), and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) capabilities. Secat also employs University of Kentucky materials engineering students as interns and awards scholarships to UK students.
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecat has collaborated with PNNL on joint technical projects, combining metallurgical research capabilities with national laboratory resources for advanced materials characterization and process development.
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Lee Davis of Tri-Arrows Aluminum has worked on joint Secat projects with ORNL, involving metallurgical research and technology development leveraging national laboratory capabilities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Applied Technical Services (ATS): Independent testing, inspection, and calibration laboratory providing materials testing, failure analysis, and metallurgical services. Comparable in service breadth and customer segments, though larger and more diversified than Secat across materials and geographies.
• IMR Test Labs: Independent US-based materials testing laboratory offering mechanical testing, failure analysis, metallography, and corrosion services to aerospace, automotive, and medical device OEMs. Highly comparable in service mix and customer profile to Secat, with broader material coverage (not aluminum-specialized).
• Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research: Pennsylvania-based independent mechanical and metallurgical testing laboratory serving aerospace, defense, and industrial customers. Directly comparable to Secat in offering fatigue, fracture toughness, tensile, and failure analysis services, with a similar focus on regulated industries.
• NSL Analytical Services: Independent US analytical and metallurgical testing laboratory offering chemical analysis, mechanical testing, and failure analysis. Comparable in size and independent positioning to Secat, with similar SME/lab business model.
• Innoval Technology: UK-based aluminum technology consultancy offering training, failure analysis, and R&D services to the aluminum industry. Secat's joint training partner and the most direct aluminum-specialty peer, with similar independent positioning but UK/European geographic focus.

Broad incumbents

• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection, and certification company, with industrial materials testing as a core service line. Comparable in service category but vastly larger and more diversified than Secat across industries, materials, and geographies.
• Element Materials Testing: One of the largest global materials testing providers, offering mechanical, metallurgical, and chemical analysis services. Serves similar end markets as Secat (aerospace, automotive, energy) but at much greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Intertek: Global testing, inspection, and certification company providing materials and product testing across industries. Overlaps with Secat on metallurgical testing but operates at vastly greater scale, with comprehensive geographic coverage and a broad portfolio of services.
• Bodycote: Global provider of heat treatment, materials testing, and metallurgical services to aerospace, automotive, and energy customers. Overlaps with Secat on metallurgical testing but is far larger, publicly listed, and more diversified across geographies and service lines.
• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification group with significant metals and minerals testing operations. Comparable in service category to Secat but operates at global scale across multiple industries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/secataluminum
• Facebookfacebook.com/SecatAluminum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/secat-inc-

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Secat