Category Archives: News

(St. Paul, MN – January 12, 2026) IP Corporation proudly announces the retirement of Rick Graham, National Sales Manager and the promotion of AJ Aldaco to National Technical Sales Manager. Following over 30 years of pioneering gel coat technologies and driving success at HK Research and Interplastic, Rick Graham will retire in January 2026.

David Higgins, Senior Vice President – Gel Coats, shared “We celebrate Rick’s remarkable career and the lasting impact he has had on our business. For more than three decades, his unwavering commitment to our customers and HK Research has fostered exceptional relationships and played a pivotal role in shaping our success. We wish Rick and his family the best in his well-earned retirement”.

Reflecting on his career, Rick Graham said, “It’s amazing to look back at how HK Research and Interplastic have led the way in innovative gel coat technologies. I am deeply grateful to the Higgins family, my colleagues and all our customers for the opportunity to work with so many wonderful friends throughout my career”.

AJ Aldaco will succeed Rick Graham in leading the Technical Sales Representative team, delivering technical support expertise for resin, gel coat, colorants and bonding putty technologies to valued customers and distributor partners.

David Higgins added, “AJ’s two decades of hands-on experience and innovative approach in the composites industry have been instrumental in advancing improvements with our customer’s manufacturing processes. His deep technical expertise, along with his commitment to customer success, make him the ideal leader for our technical sales team. We look forward to reinforcing our “One Team” advantage with integrated technical resources for our customers and distributor partners in the field along with commercial sales representatives”.

According to AJ Aldaco, “Interplastic and HK Research have combined forces to provide value-added technical services focused on helping end-use customers achieve more effective processes utilizing our resin, gel coat, colorants and bonding putty technologies. Our technical sales representatives are active in the field, focusing on customer process optimization. Our customers and distribution partners have direct access to technical support and training, ensuring technicians are equipped to thrive as the industry welcomes new composite professionals. I am especially thankful for Rich Graham’s mentorship and the example he set through the decades.”

Company officials added that the promotion of Aldaco further demonstrates IP Corporation’s commitment to create market leading technologies and service to valued customers, while fostering collaboration and innovation within our organization.

(Hickory, NC – March 22nd, 2024)

Team Building at the Bass Master Classic: A Unique Blend of Industry Engagement and Employee Appreciation

In an era when employee engagement and workplace satisfaction are more crucial than ever, innovative companies are finding unique ways to blend industry involvement with team-building activities. HK Research is one such company, leading in the gel coat manufacturing sector, and has taken this concept to new heights, proving that learning and team bonding can extend far beyond the confines of the office.

Last year, the company orchestrated an unforgettable field trip for its Hickory, NC, team to a prominent boat show. This event allowed the team to admire the exquisite boats made with their products and interact with industry experts, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for their work. The success and positive feedback from this trip have paved the way for another exciting adventure in 2024.

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(Hickory, NC – February 16th, 2024) HK Research announced today that it will raise the price of gel coats and colorants up to $0.07 per pound. This increase will take effect for all shipments on or after March 16th, 2024.

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(Hickory, NC – November 14th, 2023)

In a world where excellence is pursued but seldom reached, HK Research’s relentless drive and strategic planning have propelled them into the spotlight, culminating in the prestigious Malibu Supplier of the Year award. This recognition is a testament to the company’s quality products and service and a reflection of its innovative vision and hard work.

Malibu Boats, the largest towboat builder globally, is renowned for its uncompromising quality and innovation. It accounts for one-third of new towboat builds worldwide. Winning the Supplier of the Year Award from such a titan in the marine industry is no small feat. It signifies trust, consistency, and excellence that few can claim to achieve.

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(Hickory, NC – December 14th, 2022) HK Research is pleased to announce Chris Burris has joined HK Research as Technical Service Representative.

Chris brings a variety of experience to HK which includes production work in lamination, gel coat, gel coat repair, and pultrusion. He has 19 years of experience in the boating industry, earning the role of supervisor over gel coat and lamination 5 years ago.

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High-end bass boat buyers demand performance and personalization. Equally important to being first to their fishing spot is the ability to customize their boats with the options and eyeappeal they desire, including dramatic color and shine. “It’s imperative,” according to Teresa Johnson, COO and co-founder of Phoenix Bass Boats, a premium manufacturer based in Winchester, Tennessee. “Our customers have high expectations. They are looking for perfection in the finish of a boat.”

This is the very reason that Phoenix sought out HK Research, America’s leading gel coat company, seven years ago. Today, HK’s extremely durable high-definition HD® Gel Coats are exclusively on Phoenix boats. Phoenix has high standards for every material used in each boat manufactured at its 75,000-square-foot facility in Tennessee. “The gel coat products in the boat should be as good as everything else about it,” Johnson explained. What does Phoenix appreciate about HK Research and its products? Greg Strahm, Phoenix’s director of engineering said, “It’s pretty much everything: their willingness to work with us on color matching, the product makeup, ease of application, the shine, the vibrant finish. If there is a technical issue, it’s a phone call and they are here immediately.” Our customer’s ability to choose a variety of color combinations when customizing their boat has proven to be a significant selling point for Phoenix, according to Johnson and Strahm. David Higgins, vice president of sales for HK Research, said, “10 years ago, if you looked at most of the boats being sold in the United States, they were white. They might have a small stripe of color on them. Now, white is almost like the striping. Colors are the huge draw.”

HK Research has been integral to helping manufacturers like Phoenix add durable and vibrant colors to their boat finishes. HK invested time with Phoenix to hone its application of the HD Gel Coats and was great to work with, according to Johnson and Strahm. “They’re good people to work with and they take care of us,” Strahm added. “Color gel coats can be difficult for manufacturers to apply. Through our innovation and technology, HK has developed very easy-to-use colors that also are high quality for longevity,” Higgins said. HK is highly focused on innovation and research. “Twenty-five percent of our employees work in our R & D laboratory, developing new and better products. HK is the only gel-coatspecific manufacturer and because of that, we innovate to set ourselves apart.”

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HICKORY, NC — HK Research, America’s leading gel coat expert, has announced that it has hired Mark Salemi as its new Technical Sales Representative in Florida. The majority of Mark’s emphasis will be working with Florida composites manufacturers, but the benefit of his knowledge will be an asset to HK Research nation
wide.

“Mark is an expert in polyester coatings used in the manufacture of various recreational and architectural products,” said Richard Higgins, President, HK Research. “His proven ability to project market needs, develop products to improve profits, increase sales and extend market penetration will go a long way toward helping us better serve the growing needs of our customer base.”

Mr. Salemi has more than 30 years of experience in the composites industry. Prior to joining HK Research, he spent 6 years as a technical sales representative for a composites equipment manufacturer, 8 years as a technical service specialist for an unsaturated polyester coatings and resins manufacturer, and 7 years as plant manager at a gel coat blending facility. Prior to this time he was employed for more than five years at a marine manufacturer working in various roles including lamination supervisor, quality control manager, gel coating operation supervisor, and pre-finish supervisor. Mark’s experience and extensive knowledge of composite equipment and manufacturing processes will enable him to assist his customers in all areas of their operations.

He has an Associates of Arts degree from Brevard Community College in Cocoa, Florida; a BA in Civil Engineering from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida; and is also a CFA-certified composite technician.

Based in Hickory, North Carolina, HK Research has the largest facility in North America designed exclusively for premium polymer coating manufacturing. HK Research’s fully automated facility produces the world’s most advanced, consistently reproducible coating products for marine, aerospace, transportation and pool and spa industries. Barrel to barrel, HK Research’s coatings deliver superior protection that lasts, maintains a new appearance longer, and adapts easily to the production process, saving time and money on every run.

For more information on HK Research or their products, visit their new website http://www.hkresearch.com or call (800) 334-5975. Look for additional personnel announcements as HK Research continues to expand its footprint in the composites industry.

HICKORY, NC — HK Research Corporation, America’s leading gel coat expert, has announced that due to a significant increase in demand for the quality products they manufacture, they recently completed an expansion of their Hickory, NC, production facility.

“While efficiently manufacturing large quantities of whites and other bases has never been an issue, the current marine market demands have increased the need for custom tinted gel coats. The expansion of our plant has enabled us to make a significant increase in our production capacity to keep up with growing customer demand for custom colors in random quantities,” explained David Higgins, VP of Marketing and Sales, HK Research. “Increasing our batch production capabilities by over 100% allows us to shorten our lead times, while offering greater flexibility in the gel coats we produce.”

The expansion increased floor space dedicated to gel coat production by a factor of more than 50%. The company added ten new state of the art variable speed large tank mixers, eight variable speed multi-drum mixers and two powerful grind/shear mixers as part of the expansion. Also six custom stainless steel mixing vessels were designed and purchased specifically for the custom color operation for batch sizes up to 13-drum quantities. Several modern high-capacity precision scales were also added so these gel coats can be compounded with superior accuracy. These additions give HK Research the ability to produce a greater volume of its gel coats on a daily basis. The company also recently purchased land adjacent to its production facility, where it plans to build a material warehousing site in the future.

Based in Hickory, North Carolina, HK Research has the largest facility in North America designed exclusively for premium polymer coating manufacturing. HK Research’s fully automated facility produces the world’s most advanced, consistently reproducible coating products for marine, aerospace, transportation and pool and spa industries. Barrel to barrel, HK Research’s coatings deliver
superior protection that lasts, maintains a new appearance longer, and adapts easily to the production process, saving time and money on every run.

For more information on HK Research or their products, visit their new website at www.hkresearch.com or call (800) 334-5975.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
David Higgins, VP – Sales and Marketing, HK Research Corporation
908 Old Lenoir Road, P.O. Box 1809, Hickory, NC 28601
(800) 334-5975 • (828) 328-1721
www.hkresearch.com