Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Aerospace
  • /
  • Hardide Coatings appoints Rob Holmes as VP Aerospace

Aerospace Defence

Hardide Coatings appoints Rob Holmes as VP Aerospace

Advanced surface coating technology company, Bicester based Hardide Coatings, has appointed Rob Holmes as VP Aerospace as the company targets strategic growth in the aerospace and defence sectors.

Above: Rob Holmes, VP Aerospace, Hardide Coatings Ltd.
Courtesy Hardide Coatings

Rob joins from Nasmyth Group where he spent 10 years in senior business development positions in the global aerospace industry. Most recently he was Aerospace Development Executive responsible for the long-term development of global aerospace markets, specialising in the UK, EU and Asia Pacific. Rob has 25 years of engineering industry experience, of which 17 years is in aerospace. His career has encompassed engineering, project management and senior sales and commercial roles.

Advertisement
Security & Policing Rectangle

Rob will be responsible for developing business opportunities in the aerospace and defence sectors for Hardide Coatings’ range of nanostructured tungsten carbide/tungsten metal matrix composite coatings. Aerospace and defence customers currently include Airbus, BAE Systems, Leonardo Helicopters, Lockheed Martin and Triumph Group.

Rob said: “I am pleased to be joining a company with such a strong reputation for technical excellence. The Hardide coating technology allows the aerospace primes to be fully compliant with global and ethical environmental factors while also optimising the performance of parts and reducing operational costs. There are many opportunities in the vast aerospace and associated industries’ supply chain for the coating technology and I am looking forward to supporting its commercial development.”

Philip Kirkham, CEO of Hardide plc commented: “The aerospace and defence sectors are strategic growth areas for the company and Rob’s extensive international experience, knowledge and contacts in our target areas will be a real asset to the company.”

Hardide Coatings is a Hardide plc company. It develops, manufactures and applies advanced technology tungsten/tungsten carbide metal matrix coatings to a wide range of high wear/high value engineering components. Its patented technology is unique in combining, in one material, a mix of toughness and resistance to abrasion, erosion and corrosion; together with the ability to coat accurately interior surfaces and complex geometries. 

The material is proven 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 the production, valve and pump manufacturing, precision engineering and aerospace industries.

Advertisement
ODU RT

 

 

Advertisement
Gulfstream banner
NPAS shares innovation insights at CAA Future of Flight Day

Aerospace Security Events

NPAS shares innovation insights at CAA Future of Flight Day

9 March 2026

At the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s Future of Flight Day, David Walters, Head of Futures and Innovation, National Police Air Service (NPAS), shared the latest progress in NPAS’s Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) development programme and showcased a recent multiagency search and rescue demonstration.

Aurrigo to build 25 AGVs for Ultra Global

Aerospace

Aurrigo to build 25 AGVs for Ultra Global

9 March 2026

Aurrigo International plc has signed the largest vehicle manufacturing order in its history to manufacture an initial 25-strong fleet of autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) for a leading rapid transit system specialist.

Isembard raises $50m to open 25 AI-powered factories

Aerospace Defence

Isembard raises $50m to open 25 AI-powered factories

9 March 2026

UK manufacturing startup Isembard - which manufactures components for aerospace, defence and robotics in factories powered by its proprietary agentic AI platform MasonOS - today announced it has closed $50 million in Series A funding, less than 12 months after its Seed round.

Air Charter Scotland ups Aberdeen-Wick PSO route capacity with Jetstream J32

Aerospace

Air Charter Scotland ups Aberdeen-Wick PSO route capacity with Jetstream J32

6 March 2026

Air Charter Scotland has added 10 more seats daily (Monday to Friday and Sunday) on the Wick-Aberdeen-Wick Public Service Obligation route, with the start of Jetstream J32 services this week.

Advertisement
PTC rectangle
Smith Myers expands ARTEMIS capability

Aerospace Defence Security

Smith Myers expands ARTEMIS capability

5 March 2026

Smith Myers Communications Ltd. today announced the addition of passive Wi-Fi and Bluetooth detection and geolocation capability, together with ATAK Cursor-on-Target (CoT) integration, expanding the capability of its ARTEMIS system.

SSWS 2026 confirms speaker line-up

Aerospace Events

SSWS 2026 confirms speaker line-up

5 March 2026

More than 70 senior industry figures from the likes of the European Commission, IAG, IATA, Airbus, GE Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, Safran UK, Estuaire, Amazon and NATS have been confirmed to speak at Sustainable Skies World Summit (SSWS) 2026, taking place in Farnborough on 17th-18th March 2026.

Advertisement
Security & Policing Rectangle
Advertisement
Security & Policing 2026