Umicore delivers advanced surface solutions that enhance the durability and wear resistance of parts in demanding applications, making it a leader in protective coatings and plating for a range of industries. With expertise in high-performance materials, Umicore offers high-quality tungsten and cobalt powders, along with advanced formulations designed to withstand harsh conditions and extend part lifespan.

Our offering includes coarse tungsten powders (around 25 µm) with precise grain size distribution, minimal impurities and excellent flowability. We also supply fused tungsten carbide powders in various granularities, tungsten carbide powders ranging from 0.7 µm to 5 µm, spherical cobalt powders and filamentary nickel powder of 2.5 µm.

To protect parts against wear and abrasion, Umicore applies several surface technologies, including high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spraying. This thermal spray process, widely regarded as the standard for creating highly wear-resistant hard metal coatings, forms a mechanical bond with the substrate, typically ranging from 100 to 500 μm in thickness.

For even thicker coatings, plasma-transferred arc welding (PTA) and laser cladding techniques are employed. These processes create metallurgical bonds with the substrate and produce coatings typically over 1mm in thickness, using mixtures of fused tungsten carbide, tungsten carbide or tungsten-based self-fluxing alloys.

Get in touch

Discover our advanced surface solutions