Jan Ward appointed to board of Hardide plc

Hardide plc, the parent company of advanced surface coatings technology innovator, Hardide Coatings has appointed Jan Ward CBE as a non-executive director.

Ms. Ward is the CEO and co-founder of Corrotherm International, a supplier of specialist metals for critical applications in the energy and aerospace sectors. Corrotherm supplies globally high performance alloys for oil, gas, power generation and aerospace markets from ten locations.

Ms. Ward was named a CBE in the 2015 New Year’s Honours list for services to business and in 2014 she was named as one of the Top 100 UK manufacturing role models by The Manufacturer. She is the winner of several prestigious business awards and holds a number of business appointments.

She holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering and is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and of the Royal Society for Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

In 2012, she was appointed as a nonexecutive director of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). A past director of Woman in Business International and winner of Nat West Businesswoman of the Year, she has promoted women in engineering and mentored young business women for many years.

In the last three years, she has been closely involved with the Manufacturers Association and is a judge in the Manufacturer of the Year Award. She is also a judge for the Nat West Everywoman award and the Queens Award for Enterprise.

Hardide Coatings has recently announced it is opening a new USD$7 million production facility in North America. The plant in Martinsville, Virginia will service existing and new customers in the oil and gas, aerospace, flow control and advanced engineering markets and is planned to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2015. The investment in the US follows the company’s recent 50% increase in capacity at its UK production site in Bicester, Oxfordshire.

Philip Kirkham, CEO of Hardide plc said: ‘Jan is extremely experienced and well-connected in the high-technology engineering and manufacturing sectors. Her knowledge, skills and experience will be of tremendous value as the company continues its international growth.’

Hardide Coatings develops, manufactures and applies advanced technology tungsten-carbide coatings to a wide range of engineering components. Its patented technology is unique in combining a mix of toughness and resistance to abrasion, erosion and corrosion in one material, as well as the ability to coat internal surfaces and complex geometries. The material isproven to offer dramatic improvements in component life, particularly when applied to components that operate in very aggressive environments. This results in cost savings through reduced downtime and increased operational efficiency. Customers include leading companies operating in oil and gas exploration and production, valve and pump manufacturing, nuclear, advanced engineering and aerospace industries. The company is part of UK AIM listed Hardide plc.

Hardide Coatings
Tel: 01869 353830
Email: info@hardide.com

Published: 14th May 2015