SurFunction GmbH, a laser-based surface enhancement company, has acquired Surcoatec GmbH, a surface coating technology company. The acquisition creates a combined company specializing in intelligent surface solutions, combining SurFunction’s laser-based surface enhancement capabilities — specifically, in industrialized direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) — with Surcoatec’s expertise in vacuum-based thin-film technology. According to SurFunction, the integration of Surcoatec’s thin films expertise, including in physical vapor deposition and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition coatings, will enable the combined company to create DLIP-structured, functionalized surfaces with precisely coordinated coating systems. These reproducible, industrially viable, and scalable solutions, it said, support a range of applications, such as medical technology, optics, and aerospace. In mobility and mechanical engineering, for example, hybrid functional surfaces could find application as energy-efficient, resilient components in drive, pump, and sealing systems. The micro- and nanostructuring of surfaces additionally offers a pathway to develop antibacterial, anti-adhesive, and/or color-coded instruments to meet biocompatibility, hygiene, and documentation standards, according to SurFunction. Surfaces structured to control physical, chemical, and/or biological properties, for example, to minimize friction, reduce germs, and/or control adhesion, supports their use for this application. Surcoatec also brings intellectual property to SurFunction, including patented processes for multifunctional layer systems, adaptive hard coatings, and integrative process chains.