Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

technology centre in Indianapolis as it pursues a rapid intern-

ational expansion programme. Cambridge-based metallic coating specialist, Keronite, has launched a

technology centre in Indianapolis as it pursues a rapid intern-

ational expansion programme.

The transcontinental investment is expected to create 25 new jobs and

bring more than $1.5 million (£760k) in capital investment to the new

facility in Greenwood, Indiana, a state-of-the-art facility for

application engineering and development providing limited pre-

production and batch-production capabilities.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Keronite up to

$250,000 (£127k) in performance-based tax credits and up to $64,000

(£33k) in training grants based on Keronite’s planned exp-ansion.

Indiana governor, Mitch Daniels, said the company had potential for

rapid growth. “This is exactly the kind of business we’re most

interested in, the front edge of technology with intellectual

property that assures high margins, high value and employs the

products of our best universities and keeps them close to home.”

Ross Brown, general manager of Keronite’s US operation, Keronite Inc,

said: “Any production work will be undertaken on a very selective

basis with a view to supporting our operating partners and developing

future business for them.”

The Indiana centre is part of a major expansion plan for this year,

which could cost Keronite up to £20m as it attempts to become a $100m

company in the next five years. It will be followed by the

establishment of a large automotive operation in Detroit, which

Keronite hopes to announce within the next six weeks.

A pilot production plant has also been commissioned for Germany and

should be up by the end of the year with full production plant ready

in 2008.

Initial discussions are also underway for a central European facility

with a number of bases under consideration including Slovakia, Poland

and Ukraine.

Keronite’s technology transforms light alloy exteriors – principally

aluminium and magnesium – into dense and hard ceramic surfaces using

a process that also impacts favourably on design, fuel efficiency,

emissions and recyclability.

While the process has applications that span from the automotive

industry to consumer products, motor-sports applications will serve

as the focus for the company’s new US operations.