Impact Coatings showcased its comprehensive portfolio of PVD solutions for hydrogen energy at the 2026 International Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicle Congress (FCVC 2026), held in Kunshan (Suzhou), China, June 10–12. Regional President Yaowen Wang delivered a keynote speech at the congress, and at the end of the event, the company was awarded Most Popular Exhibit Award for the display of its cutting-edge PEM water electrolysis coating solution.

During the 10th-anniversary edition of FCVC, Impact Coatings showcased its full suite of PVD coating solutions for hydrogen energy, including SOFC, PEM fuel cells and PEM water electrolysis. The company’s PEM water electrolysis coating solution was honored with the Most Popular Exhibit Award in the event’s Cutting-edge Technologies & Products Selection.

At the technical forum, Yaowen Wang, Regional President of Impact Coatings (China), delivered a keynote speech titled Application and Prospect of PVD Technology in Low-carbon and Intelligent Energy Development. The presentation highlighted the company’s nearly 30 years of expertise in PVD technology and global service network, and elaborated on the applications, technical strengths and mass production achievements of physical vapor deposition technology in core hydrogen energy sectors including SOFC, PEM fuel cells and PEM water electrolysis.

Impact Coatings comprehensive product portfolio covers high-performance composite coatings that address corrosion and chromium volatilization issues of fuel cell stacks, long-life and cost-effective coatings for fuel cells, as well as mass-produced catalytic coatings for water electrolyzers.

Leveraging diversified PVD processes, the company’s INLINECOATER™ continuous coating line, and smart manufacturing systems, Impact Coatings delivers one-stop solutions ranging from coating materials and PVD equipment to contract coating services. With its Coating Service Center China based in Shanghai, the company provides localized technical and production support for clients across the region.

Moving forward, Impact Coatings will keep advancing innovative coating technologies for hydrogen energy. Backed by high-quality products and mature mass production capabilities, the company will drive the large-scale, low-carbon and intelligent development of China’s hydrogen energy industry.

The future looks bright in the home market of Impact Coatings (China), where Regional President Yaowen Wang and the Coating Service Center (CSC) team are currently (November 2025) producing 24 hours per day, six days per week, to support the company’s hydrogen fuel cell industry customers. Recent policy signals from the Chinese government and associated industry organizations indicate there will be more work to come.

In October, the China Society of Automotive Engineers, with guidance from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, released the Roadmap 3.0 for Energy-Saving and New Energy Vehicles (NEVs). Among other things, the new release of the roadmap predicts the number of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) to exceed 500,000 in 2030, 1 million in 2035, and 4 million in 2040.

China has accounted for about 50% of global sales of FCEVs in recent years, primarily rolling out commercial FCEVs, like heavy-duty trucks and buses. There were an estimated 25,000 FCEVs in the country at the beginning of 2025, where heavy-duty applications are also expected to dominate future deployment. Advantages in commercial applications, such as 5-10 minute refueling time, around 600-km range, reliable cold-weather performance, and significantly lower weight than batteries, make the hydrogen fuel cell powertrain ideal for logistics and long-distance transportation for the vast distances across China.

Meanwhile, Hydrogen Energy is one of the priority strategic industries in China’s new 15^th Five-Year Plan for 2026-2030.

The document of “Recommendations” for the five-year plan was adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the Central Committee on October 20-23, 2025. The Recommendations propose to create emerging pillar industries and accelerate the development of strategic emerging industry clusters such as new energy, new materials, and aerospace.

The Recommendations also propose forward-looking planning for future industries, promoting quantum technology, biomanufacturing, hydrogen energy and nuclear fusion energy, brain-computer interfaces, embody intelligence, and sixth-generation mobile communications as new economic growth drivers.

One area that is not expected to be included in the forthcoming Five-Year Plan is NEVs (New Energy Vehicles), primarily due to global overcapacity for battery-electric cars. While NEVs include FCEVs, the focus on hydrogen energy, including its production, infrastructure and applications for hydrogen, is expected to have an overall positive push forward also for the FCEV industry.

The 15^th Five-Year Plan is expected to be released and adopted in March 2026.

To meet forecasted volumes, the Impact Coatings (China) Coating Service Center in Shanghai already 2024 received its first high-volume INLINECOATER™ IC2000 PVD equipment, which is primarily used for the Premium FC bipolar plate coating for PEM fuel cells used in heavy-duty FCEV applications.

The facility has been optimized for bipolar plates and related hydrogen components, featuring an automated cleaning line, robotic material handling, as well as automated post-coating inspection, all taking place in a cleanroom environment.

“China is today the global leader in the roll-out of fuel cell trucks and other commercial fuel cell vehicles. Our Premium FC coating provides the cost-efficiency, robustness and long life required by the OEMs and their fuel cell stack manufacturers,” said Yaowen Wang, Regional President, China.