Inside the Lab: The Development of the Next Generation of Wax is Dead Ceramic Coatings

At Wax is Dead, innovation isn’t just a buzzword it’s at the core of everything we do. Over the past year, we’ve pushed the boundaries of what ceramic coatings can achieve, evolving our product range through a dedicated research and development program at our UK facility. The result? A next-generation line-up that includes the industry-defining Ultimate+ coating a product developed to be nothing short of the most advanced ceramic coating available today.

Formulated with Purpose, Built for Performance

Each of our new coating formulas, Ultra, Supreme, Wrap & PPF, and the flagship Ultimate+, was meticulously reformulated in-house to deliver significant gains in gloss, slickness, chemical resistance, UV protection, and hydrophobicity. These aren’t incremental updates; they’re the outcome of real-world installer feedback, scientific refinement, and extensive durability testing.

But it’s Ultimate+ that stands at the pinnacle of our innovation.

The Making of Ultimate+: Performance Without Compromise

Ultimate+ was designed with one goal in mind: to be the most effective, longest-lasting ceramic coating on the market. To achieve this, we committed to a rigorous development and testing process that left no room for compromise.

At our UK facility, we carried out side-by-side benchmarking against every leading ceramic coating brand currently available. This wasn’t a quick surface test; we ran each product through a full battery of performance trials, including:

• Accelerated weathering and UV exposure tests
• High concentration chemical resistance trials
• Hydrophobicity and self-cleaning capability tests
• Gloss and slickness retention under wear simulation
• Thermal cycling and long-term durability evaluations

We didn’t stop improving Ultimate+ until it outperformed every single competitor in each key category particularly in long-term protection and overall lifespan.

Beyond the Lab: Real-World Testing on Real Vehicles

Lab testing is only one side of the equation. To ensure our coatings perform in the real world not just under controlled conditions we installed each formula on daily-driven vehicles. These cars were exposed to everyday use, seasonal weather, and even intentional neglect, simulating the challenges a vehicle faces on the road.

From motorway miles to harsh winter conditions, our coatings were tested on actual paintwork in true daily-driver scenarios, giving us invaluable insight into how they aged, resisted contamination, and maintained performance over time.

This real-world abuse confirmed what the lab results showed: Ultimate+ not only leads in theory it dominates in practice.

Why In-House Testing Matters

All of our testing was performed under controlled conditions in our purpose-built facility. By conducting everything in-house, we maintained full control over formulation, quality, and performance tracking. This also allowed us to iterate quickly and precisely until the chemistry was perfectly dialled in.

We didn’t rely on marketing claims we relied on real science, real-world trials, and measurable results.

Engineered Exclusively for the Best

Ultimate+ isn’t just a coating, it’s a standard. That’s why it will only be available to a select network of Wax is Dead Elite installers who meet our “All-In Wax is Dead” criteria. This ensures that every Ultimate+ installation reflects the product’s full potential, applied by professionals who know how to deliver perfection.

Final Thoughts

With the release of our new coating range, Wax is Dead is setting a new benchmark in paint protection. From initial formulation and lab testing to real-world validation on daily vehicles, we’ve built these coatings to deliver uncompromising performance and next-level durability anchored by our most advanced product to date: Ultimate+.

This isn’t just evolution it’s ceramic coating, redefined.

Join the Movement

We’re always looking for talented, passionate installers to join our growing worldwide Wax is Dead network. Get in touch with us today to learn how you can access our full professional range of ceramic coatings and become part of a brand built on performance, innovation, and excellence.

Click here to submit your application today!