As global manufacturers face impending restrictions on hazardous materials, advanced materials company Maxterial has opened a 14,000-square-foot production and applications facility in Brown City, Michigan to accelerate industrial deployment of next-generation coating technologies. The facility's opening comes at a critical moment for industries that rely on hexavalent chromium, a carcinogenic compound embedded in an estimated $10 billion global metal-finishing market that faces potential bans by U.S. and European governments between 2027 and 2030.
The Brown City Innovation Center integrates coating operations, laboratory testing, quality control, engineering, and short-run production in two buildings, enabling rapid iteration between production, validation, and customer qualification. This co-located approach positions the company to support adoption across steel, hydraulics, heavy equipment, aerospace, and defense supply chains where regulatory scrutiny is intensifying. According to Dr. Mehdi Kargar, CEO and co-founder of Maxterial, "This facility reflects industrial readiness, not experimentation. Manufacturers are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny, rising liability exposure, and inefficient legacy processes."
Maxterial's patented process operates without hexavalent chromium, PFAS/PFOS "forever chemicals," or lead while running approximately twice as fast as conventional systems and achieving up to four times greater manufacturing efficiency. The technology reduces environmental and worker-safety exposure while improving wear resistance and lifecycle durability, often lowering total cost of ownership for manufacturers. The company operates a license-driven business model supported by signed agreements, active customers, and 13 global partnerships spanning commercial and defense markets.
Initial operations at the Brown City facility will focus on components where legacy chrome coatings create regulatory risk, extended lead times, and escalating operating costs. "Our value proposition stands on economics and performance," Dr. Kargar explained. "When manufacturers see faster throughput, lower downtime, and improved durability, adoption becomes a business decision — not just a compliance response." The company's platform is supported by seven granted patents and more than 50 pending applications globally, forming a defensible intellectual property position across key industrial applications.
The Brown City site represents the first phase of a broader Midwest manufacturing footprint designed to regionalize production capacity and support accelerating global demand for chrome-replacement technologies. This investment aligns with broader reshoring trends as manufacturers seek domestic supply chain resilience tied to defense modernization and industrial sustainability priorities. The company's long-term roadmap includes AI-enabled process optimization and automation pathways designed to further enhance efficiency, consistency, and scalable deployment.
Maxterial's technology addresses a critical industry transition as manufacturers prepare for tightening restrictions on hazardous materials. With performance advantages that include improved durability and manufacturing efficiency, the company's approach offers manufacturers both compliance solutions and economic benefits. As Dr. Kargar noted, "Industry is at an inflection point. The transition away from hazardous legacy materials is no longer theoretical. It is operational — and the companies that move early will capture both economic and competitive advantage." More information about the company's technology and approach is available at https://www.maxterial.com.
