Founded in 1994, Phygen Coatings Inc. is one of the leading companies in the physically vapor deposited (PVD) surface coatings industry. Based in Minneapolis, Minn., it provides specialized coatings for dies, molds and tooling used in die casting, metal forming, and plastic injection molding. Some of the brands of the company are FortiPhy PVD coating, CertiPhy, VeriPhy titanium nitride and chromium nitride coatings. Phygen Coatings Inc. was awarded a US Patent for a higher-energy plasma acceleration process in 2000. Some of its clients include Cowles Stamping, Inc., Toledo Technologies, Glacier Vandervell Bearings and Shiroki North America.