Member Article

Cheshire nano tech firm completes new production facility

Cheshire based technology firm Nanoco Group plc, a world leader in the development and manufacture of cadmium-free quantum dots and other nano-material, has completed expansion of its £1.25m production facility in Runcorn.

Two new Semi-Tech lines will be used to fulfil orders for large quantities of sample materials to meet increasing demand for pre-production quantum dots from customers and potential customers across the company’s target markets.

Nanoco also announced that the terms of its global licensing agreement with The Dow Chemical Company have been amended to accelerate the commercialisation of Nanoco’s cadmium-free quantum dot technology in the display market.

Under the new terms, Dow continues to hold exclusive worldwide rights for the sale, marketing and manufacture of Nanoco’s cadmium-free quantum dots for use in electronic displays.

Changes in the new agreement include the waiving of the requirement for Nanoco to contribute capital to the production plant Dow is preparing to build in Asia.

In return, the royalty rate that Nanoco would receive from Dow’s sale of quantum dots has been reduced to reflect the changes to the agreement. Further details of this arrangement have not been disclosed.

Dow and Nanoco have committed additional resources to accelerate commercialisation and full production under the licensing agreement is expected to begin in the first half of 2014.

Nanoco continues to make progress in its other core target markets of general lighting and solar energy

Michael Edelman, Nanoco’s chief executive officer, said:“We have been delighted by the progress made by Dow. The amendments to the agreement with Dow better capitalise on our respective strengths and reinforce our collective commitment to commercialise this technology as quickly as possible to meet future market demand.

“We have also continued to make encouraging progress across our business, including a doubling of capacity at Runcorn to meet increasing demand for pre-production samples from display and other customers.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .