Invicta’s PFAS-free coating future-proofs production and lowers waste
Trevor Talbot (left) and Dave Clarke.
Century-old bakeware and food handling equipment specialist Invicta has announced the launch of Invirobake, a pioneering PFAS-free industrial non-stick coating tailored specifically for the commercial food production sector.
Developed at the company’s facility in Pickering, North Yorkshire, the new solution is one of the very first of its kind to be made commercially available to the UK market.
The introduction of Invirobake comes at a critical time for food manufacturers, as intensifying scrutiny from regulatory bodies, environmental groups, and consumers pushes the sector to eliminate synthetic “forever chemicals” from the human food supply chain.
Shifting from fluoropolymers to Sol-Gel ceramics
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have historically been the industry standard for commercial non-stick coatings due to their exceptional release properties and heat resistance. However, their permanent environmental persistence and potential health impacts have prompted global legislative bodies to draft strict phase-out timelines, forcing a massive re-evaluation of production-line materials.
Invicta’s alternative bypasses traditional fluoropolymer chemistry entirely, utilising advanced Sol-Gel ceramic technology.
Transitioning a high-throughput industrial bakery away from traditional non-stick coatings is a highly complex engineering challenge. The launch of Invirobake carries several major operational implications for UK food brands:
1. Risk mitigation against future regulation
By integrating a completely PFAS- and PFOA-free option into their factories today, manufacturers can proactively future-proof their operations against impending legal bans on fluoropolymers, avoiding abrupt, compliance-driven shutdowns later.
2. Tailored operational testing
Because food formulations, sugars, and fats react differently to varying surfaces, Invicta is avoiding a “one-size-fits-all” rollout. Instead, the company is collaborating directly with manufacturers to conduct live trials under real, high-volume operating conditions to assess durability, release efficiency, and wear cycles.
3. Sustainable circularity via re-coating
Rather than forcing food companies to invest in entirely new metal assets, Invicta is offering a technical re-coating service. Where existing commercial bakeware is structurally suitable, production lines can be stripped and re-coated with the Sol-Gel ceramic layer, significantly lowering capital expenditure and reducing equipment waste.
Guiding the transition to cleaner production
The launch underlines a broader structural shift within the food manufacturing sector, where production efficiency must now be balanced with stringent environmental and corporate responsibility.
“Awareness around PFAS is increasing across the industry, and many of our customers are beginning to look at what this means for their operations,” stated Trevor Talbot, coatings specialist at Invicta. “The move away from traditional fluoropolymer coatings is not straightforward, but it is something the industry is starting to prepare for. Invirobake has been developed to support that transition.”
Talbot further emphasised the collaborative nature of the rollout: “This is not about a one-size-fits-all replacement. It’s about working with customers to understand their processes and help them take practical steps towards safer, more sustainable solutions.”
Invirobake is officially open for commercial trials, with Invicta providing technical site visits, auditing, and application support for food production facilities across the UK.
