At the outset, let me wish each and every one of you a great new year ahead!!!

When protective coatings are considered for application work, one normally thinks of regular uses such as concrete coating, waterproofing, abrasion protection, steel corrosion protection, and, other protective applications. There is, however, a whole world of other uses for protective coatings including personal protection applications. Such coating systems are being used for a variety of government, military, police and personal protection applications with excellent results. These are known as blast mitigating structural coatings and ballistic protection coatings. In recent years, an increase in terrorist bombings against military and private facilities around the world has resulted in a major increase in the funding and rate that these product solutions are being developed, tested and used globally. Blast mitigation coatings may not be blast proof but they can significantly reduce casualties and property damage from hostile explosive attacks compared to non-coated surfaces.

The good thing is that various organizations and the industry are showing keen interest in this technology. In this issue, we have an article where we try and bring about awareness on these coatings.

Our main feature is on Corrosion Mitigation in Nuclear Power Plants.  The Government of India intends to draw 25 percent of its energy from nuclear power by 2050. This plan includes 20,000 MW of installed capacity form nuclear energy by 2020 and 63,000 MW by 2032.

One can expect to see a lot more activity happening in India, China, the Middle East, Russia and to an extent Europe, say industry experts. For countries like India and China nuclear power makes a lot of sense. China does not have gas, nor is oil, therefore nuclear is the economical way ahead. Russia has a number of nuclear power plants being built and even exports the technology. UAE has four plants, whereas Saudi Arabia boasts of 17. What this means is we will need qualified coatings and inspection personnel for these activities than we have now. If you have the right people here, you need not go to the US or Europe hunting for the people you need.

This means there is an opportunity to upscale one’s skills and the feature talks about this. Let me wish you once again: happy reading, through 2017!