Hardide Regulatory News (HDD)

2 May 2006 07:01

Hardide PLC02 May 2006 Press Release 2 May 2006 Hardide Plc ("Hardide" or "the Company") Update on US manufacturing facility Hardide plc (AIM:HDD), the provider of unique surface engineering technology, ispleased to give the following update on its US manufacturing facility in Houston, USA. Hardide has now signed a leasehold agreement for its first US coatings facilityand the purpose built 17,000 sq. ft. factory is now being equipped to theCompany's specifications in Train Court, Northwest Houston. The development ofthe Houston facility represents a £2.9 million investment over the next 24months which will be funded out of cash reserves. The new factory will initially employ ten, locally recruited, staff with afurther 30 employees projected within two years. Train Court will initiallyhouse one state-of-the-art CVD (chemical vapour deposition) vacuum furnacetogether with pre-treatment, inspection, quality assurance and finishing supportequipment. Plant installation and commissioning is due to take place over summer2006. The new facility will be operational from 1 October 2006. Jim Murray-Smith, Chief Executive, said: "We have made excellent progress withHardide's new manufacturing facility in Houston. By setting up Hardide inHouston it means we can enhance and expand our services to our current UScustomers, as well as develop the huge amount of interest that has been shown inour technology by new customers in the last twelve months. "Houston is the perfect location for servicing the oil and gas market and isalso ideally located for our other key sectors including aerospace and valves." - Ends - For further information:Hardide plcJim Murray Smith, Chief Executive Tel: +44 (0) 1869 353 830jmurray-smith@hardide.com www.hardide.com Media enquiries:AbchurchChris Lane / Katherine Murphy Tel: +44 (0) 20 7398 7700chris.lane@abchurch-group.com www.abchurch-group.com Notes to editors Hardide Hardide provides and applies tungsten carbide coatings to a wide range ofengineering components. The Company's patented technology is unique in that itcombines both abrasion and corrosion resistant properties in one coating. Whenapplied to components, the technology is proven to offer dramatic cost savingsthrough reduced downtime and extended component life. Customers include leadingcompanies operating in oil and gas exploration and production, valve and pumpsmanufacturing and general engineering. Train Court Train Court, one of Houston's fastest growing industrial areas, is located atthe hub of the Northwest Houston area, the perimeter of Houston's EnergyCorridor, just south of the intersection of the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8)and the Hardy Toll Road. It is easily accessed from throughout the city via allof its major thoroughfares (Interstate Highways 10, 45 & 59, and Highway 290)and Bush Intercontinental Airport. Further information can be found at: www.hardide.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange