Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we’re grateful for—family, friends, and the innovations that make our lives and industries better. At SilcoTek, we’re thankful for the breakthrough technologies behind our coatings and the team that makes it all possible. This holiday season, let’s dive into the story of how SilcoTek’s innovative coatings came to be and the incredible impact they’ve had across many industries.
How it Started
In 1985, Paul Silvis started Restek Corporation, a chromatography company, located in one room of a former elementary school. As the business grew, Paul realized he needed an inert surface for analytical columns and stainless steel applications. This idea snowballed and quickly came to fruition in the way of the Restek Performance Coatings (RPC) division of Restek. What started primarily as a great solution to sulfur detection issues in analytical flow paths quickly gave way to new ideas and applications. In the 1990's, RPC developed Silcosteel (now called SilcoNert 1000) and Sulfinert (now called SilcoNert 2000). By 2009, Paul and the team decided it was time to expand the coatings division to a new company. His efforts in applying a chemical vapor deposition to stainless steel gave birth to an idea that grew into what is now SilcoTek.
The original team at the beginning of SilcoTek, circa 2009.
Game-Changing Science
SilcoTek uses a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process for a wide range of parts in a variety of industries and applications. Currently, we offer over 20 custom coating options for challenging surface problems. Whether you're looking for an answer for corrosion, inertness, contamination, fouling, or something else, SilcoTek's experts can work with you to find the perfect solution.
In addition to the lessened frustrations of operational issues, the coating allows for:
- Extended equipment lifetime
- Less downtime
- Fewer replacement costs
- More reliable results
- Better overall process performance
- Corrosion resistance
- Better Inertness
- Hydrophobicity & Hydrophilicity
- Oleophobicity
Watch our coating process video to see how the coatings are applied to customer parts.
An Abundance of Applications
Our industries acronym, SALE (Semiconductor, Analytical Chemistry, Life Sciences, Energy), are the core of our business, but there are still so many more applications to be explored! We've gone into automotive, aerospace, offshore and marine, plastics molding and packaging, filtration, defense, research, and space exploration.
Thankful for a Dedicated Team
From 2009 to now, we've grown from about 15 employees to 66 employees with no signs of slowing down. New innovations and game-changing coatings keep our teams on their toes and wanting to push further. We have an awesome group of technicians, researchers, engineers, and customer facing teams that work hard to make sure our customers are taken care of. We would be remiss not to be extra thankful for each and every one of us because together, we're creating game-changing coatings that make the world a better place.
Thank you to all the SilcoTek team members who show up and put in the work everyday! You are all so valued and appreciated!
SilcoTek employee group photo, October 2024.
In addition to our workers in Bellefonte, PA, we want to thank our international representatives from all across the globe. We have reps in Germany, Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan. For our international customers, we welcome you to reach out to our reps for assistance with logistics, customer support, technical expertise, inventory, or if you have questions about your application. Our knowledgeable reps have all of SilcoTek's techincal expertise at their fingertips and can work with our research and development team to find the answers you're looking for.
Looking to the Future
It would be hard to make an appreciation and thanksgiving post without mentioning our customers. Thank you for your continued support and for pushing us to expand material limits. We are so grateful for your trust and loyalty to SilcoTek
Going into 2025 and beyond, we will continue with sustainability efforts that include eco-friendly passivation processes, PFAS alternative coatings, and supporting environmental safety initiatives, among others.
As we look to the future, we remain grateful for the opportunity to serve our customers and make industries safer, cleaner, and more efficient. This Thanksgiving, we’re reflecting on the spirit of innovation and teamwork that drives us forward. Whether you’re a long-time customer or new to SilcoTek, we invite you to join us in celebrating progress, gratitude, and the science that makes our game-changing coatings possible!
Have questions about SilcoTek's coatings or services? Would you like to get a free trial coating?
Reach out to our coating experts today!
