Member Article

Bdaily goes behind the business with P2i

Could you tell us a bit about P2i?

P2i is the world leader in liquid repellent nano-coating technology. We work with world leading brands to apply a nanometer-thin polymer layer over the entire surface of a product, such as a shoe, hearing aid, or mobile phone, so that when liquids come into contact with it, they form beads and simply roll off. Our technology is successfully applied across five key market sectors: Electronics, Lifestyle, Life Sciences, Military & Institutional, and Filtration & Energy.

What key challenges has your company faced?

Our biggest challenge has been the source of our greatest success, as over the past two years P2i’s tremendous growth through export sales has made us the dominant force in liquid repellent nano-coating technology.

In the last financial year approximately 97% of revenue was generated in foreign countries, reflecting the commercialization of the technology worldwide. With facilities established in the UK, US, China, Indonesia, and Singapore, and expansion into Argentina and Brazil following shortly, P2i is able to demonstrate commitment to brands and their local manufacturing facilities wherever they are in the world.

What is your biggest achievement over the past 12 months?

Over the past twelve months P2i has been focused on the validation of the application for high volume processing for major electronics and mobile handset OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). This has required the team to work on optimizing the process leading to a greater droplet formation, enhanced throughput of phones coated per process, and scalability, in terms of number of machines available to add to customers manufacturing lines. This successful adaptation is reflected in the expansion of our Machine Build and Service and Support capabilities. Over the last two years P2i has doubled and then quadrupled its manufacturing capacity, highlighting industry demand for the benefits of our liquid repellent nano-coating technology.

What is your biggest focus for the coming year?

We are already looking beyond liquid repellent nano-coatings to a range of complementary functional coatings that utilize the same platform technology. P2i strives to provide other benefits such as a hydrophilic coating to absorb liquids, an anti-scratch coating for electronic device housings, and anti-fingerprint functionality to ensure you electronic device stays clean. Expanding our range of technical effects is only one element, as the substantial growth in 2011 through increased client base and customer through-put demand, will ensure the business continues to focus on scaling up the technology throughout our key market sectors.

If you had to choose one top piece of advice for someone just starting out in business, or is currently operating within your industry sector, what would it be?

Employ the best people with a proven track record and retain them by offering competitive packages of pay and benefits, a stimulating working environment and the opportunity to progress. Your staff are your greatest asset so treat them well and you’ll get the best out of them.

Can you share with us your view of the current landscape of business, in the UK or further afield, and where your organisation sits within it?

With commercial success in a range of sectors, P2i is in a good financial position, as any localized economic peaks or troughs are smoothed out by the global positioning of our customer base and diverse market penetration. In the initial stages of the recession the company even saw an increase in demand as brands looked to ‘value added’ technologies to help make their good products great.

P2i is distinguishable from other nano-coating technologies in its proven commercialization; in particular for the Electronics and Lifestyle sectors. Although headline-grabbing stories with technical effects made on prototype machines can seem impressive, producing the kind of commercial throughput and validation required to work with world-leading mobile phone manufacturers and electronic brands, is a different ball game altogether.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .